of Mediterranean diet, world famous and based mainly on fruit, vegetables, olive oil, whole grains and fish, and on the reduction of sweets, red meats and animal fats, almost everything is known and the many benefits that following it brings to health are universally recognized.
For some time, however, there has been a lot of talk about one as well new version of the Mediterranean diet, which runs parallel to it but has some differences that according to some would make it even healthier: the green Mediterranean diet.
What is the green Mediterranean diet
The green Mediterranean diet has a very similar dietary pattern to the traditional Mediterranean diet, with the exception of some small changes that make it even greener and potentially healthy. There the main difference is the elimination of red meat and, but in this case on an optional level, the introduction of green tea and a specific type of vegetable smoothie.
What is eaten in the Green Mediterranean Diet
Following Oldways' famous food pyramid which serves as a guide to the classic Mediterranean diet, the consumption of red and processed meats it should be limited to a one-off fee. In the green one, however, this type of food is eliminated altogether, with poultry and fish replacing beef and lamb.
Furthermore, in this green variant other small tricks are provided.
Foods to insert
Specifically, to properly follow the green Mediterranean diet, you should take:
- 3-4 cups of green tea a day,
- 28 grams of nuts per day,
- 100 grams per day of cubes of Wolffia globose (plant also known as Asian duckweed or duckweed) consumed in the form of a drink,
- unlimited vegetables,
- legumes,
- fish,
- poultry,
- fruit,
- olive oil as the main source of fat.
Foods to Avoid
Banned completely instead:
- red meats such as beef and lamb,
- processed meats and sausages such as bacon, sausage, ham and cold cuts of all kinds,
- sweets and added sugars in general,
- saturated fats such as butter.
Pros of the Green Mediterranean Diet
The green Mediterranean diet is similar to a vegetarian diet and according to many experts, following it would lead to a series of common blessings, such as the improved blood pressure, lower risk of heart disease and maintenance of ideal weight.
In addition to these, two recent studies have attributed other specific benefits to the green Mediterranean diet.
Waist reduction
According to what emerged from the observations, people who followed the green Mediterranean diet for six months saw a decrease in their waistline. two to four centimeters more than those who have limited themselves to a healthy diet. This benefit, however, would be more evident in men than in women.
Improved heart health
Eating the green Mediterranean diet for six months would also help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure in adults., much more significantly than not following it. According to what was testified in the same studies, in those who embrace this new green philosophy, lower levels of an inflammatory compound called C-reactive protein (CRP) would also have emerged.
In these cases, however, the differences with the classic Mediterranean diet were minimal. Eating healthily, as required by the traditional version of this diet, already leads to these benefits, as further evidenced by studies.
What emerged is simply that in the people chosen to follow the Green version, these positive events happened in an even more significant way.
Improved liver health
The researchers also observed that the people involved in this study and subjected to a green diet, have lowered the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, more than those who had followed the classic Mediterranean diet.
The green Mediterranean diet it also appears to lead to the loss of fat in the liver. This event is very important for maintaining the body's overall health, because an increase in fat in the liver is linked to a number of unhealthy factors such as a decrease in insulin resistance, a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease, and a less diversity of the intestinal microbiome.
Cons of the Green Mediterranean Diet
Being a diet based essentially on the intake of plant foods, the green Mediterranean diet has no particular cons, even if before undertaking it, good practice remains valid, fundamental in view of any food choice, of contact your doctor or nutritionist. Specific advice, in fact, serves to ensure that this regimen, as well as others, is suitable to follow, also based on one's personal health history and the objectives that one sets for oneself.
The only food present in it that is difficult to find is duckweed, an edible vegetable protein and source of both vegetable proteins and good omega-3 fats, both of which are essential for general well-being. However, in case you can't find it, you can get similar nutritional benefits from protein powders like hemp, chia or flax.
