If there’s one thing that the Europeans got right, it’s the Mediterranean Diet.
Shared for generations among a range of otherwise quite different countries, the pro-oil, fish, lean protein, and vegetable lifestyle has been tied to several health benefits from cutting fat to neurological advances in battling dementia to promoting heart health.
The diet — crowned the best overall for six years running by US News & World Report — could even halt premature death, experts say.
“It’s a combination of nutrition, physical activity levels, and also a social environment,” Spanish dietician, Alba Santaliestra told Insider.
Santaliestra shared six tips for making the Med diet as pleasurable to follow as actually being on the Mediterranean — well, close — and ultimately, more successful.
“The social environments in the Mediterranean countries are really, really important,” Santaliestra said about forging happy memories with healthy foods.
“We have a really good experience around the table.”
She recommends doing what you can to share your meals with friends, family, or even co-workers to brighten the experience.
A great way to avoid processed foods is to stick to your own cooking, said Santaliestra. She advises cooking at least one meal a day as a way to get fresh food that also saves money compared to ordering or eating out.
It’s important to enjoy a variety of protein sources like meat, fish, eggs, and lentils, according to the dietician.
Aiming to have a different protein at every meal is important for reducing any harm that would come from eating too much of one food group.
Olive oil exists as a main, healthy fat source in the Spanish version of the Med diet, Santaliestra said.
Especially when combined with vegetables for flavor, olive oil also plays a role in absorbing nutrients from foods like salad leaves.
Have plenty of nuts this November and in the months to come. Santaliestra recommends the high healthy fat legume as a go-to snack in the mid-morning to mid-afternoon.
It’s dealer’s choice on what kind as long as they are either plain or roasted without a coating.
Santaliestra stressed that veggies are the key factor in what makes the Mediterranean Diet so successful. Like mom would say, they boost fiber, vitamins, minerals and health overall.