A Greener, Healthier Mediterranean Diet - Lake Country Medical Concierge

New research indicates a “green” version of the Mediterranean diet may provide increased health benefits compared to the standard version of the diet.^[1]

The traditional Mediterranean diet, long promoted for its healthfulness, stresses eating vegetables, fruits, fish and whole grains while avoiding highly-processed and sugary foods. It includes a small amount of poultry and red meat as well. The green Mediterranean diet allows even less poultry and red meat — instead opting for plant-based protein sources such as nuts, shakes and green tea.^[1]

Greener Diet, Greater Benefits

In a six-month study of 294 participants with obesity, international researchers compared the health benefits the standard Mediterranean diet against the green version — both diets were paired with physical activity.^[1] The researchers’ data showed the green version provided superior benefits, especially for cardiovascular health.

Compared to the standard Mediterranean diet, the green variant enabled a healthier ratio of “bad” LDL cholesterol to “good” HDL cholesterol.^[1] The green diet also facilitated lower resting blood pressure and decreased risk of insulin resistance. Overall, participants on the green Mediterranean diet had a lower 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease than those on the standard version.

Though both Mediterranean diet types provided similar amounts of weight loss, the green diet allowed male participants to reduce their waist size more than those following the standard diet.^[1] Interestingly, female participants didn’t experience the same difference in waist size reduction between the two diets.

Both Mediterranean diet types produced healthier results than a basic, non-Mediterranean diet, the study found.^[1]

Trying the Green Mediterranean Diet

The green Mediterranean diet is an attractive path to a healthier lifestyle. So, how can you try this new version a classic diet?

First, familiarize yourself with the basic outline of a Mediterranean diet — the American Heart Association provides an excellent list of common guidelines.^[2] To make your diet “green,” further limit your consumption of poultry and red meat and substitute them with plant-based protein sources.^[1][3]

It’s very helpful to plan your day-to-day meals to ensure each of them matches your diet well. You can plan your meals in a notebook, write them on a calendar, or try digital solutions such as apps.

Finally, diet alone isn’t enough to maintain good health. It’s important to stay physically active. Your physical activity needs depend on your age and other factors. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) offers a handy guide to staying active at any age.^[4]

As always, it’s very important to talk with your doctor before trying a new diet and exercise plan; you should make sure any changes are safe for you.

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