What makes us different? Read our Declaration of Journalistic Independence Home | About Natural News | Contact Us | Write for Natural News
Search our 25,000 free articles and special reports
mediterranean diet

Simple Ways to Blend the Mediterranean Diet Into Your Life

Monday, January 28, 2008 by: Enrico Forte (see all articles by this author)
| Key concepts: mediterranean diet, polyphenols and wine

Want stories like this e-mailed to you? Click here for free email alerts

Email this article to a friend Printable Version

Personal Health Solutions from NaturalNews

Replace your toxic laundry detergent with natural laundry soap that grows on trees! (NEW source!)
This top "underground" natural health newsletter brings you amazing new natural cures each month. Save $100!
How to treat and cure over 100 health conditions using little-known health secrets
How to halt type-2 diabetes with nutritional therapy - over 50% cure rate proven in studies
End cravings with this guide to natural appetite suppressants (Download edition available.)
How to blend nutritious meals in minutes with Adams' Superfood smoothie recipes (Delicious!)
Breakthrough LED lighting technology prevents global warming, saves 90% on your lighting bill

Browse more health books...
Shop our eco-friendly products...

All sales help fund naturalnews operations.
(NaturalNews) The main aspect of the Mediterranean diet is the high consumption of fresh fruits and 1 glass a day of red wine. Recent studies confirm the health benefits of this diet in preventing cancer and heart disease.

The Mediterranean diet is an ancient eating habit used by the Mediterranean people. It's not a strict diet but a philosophy to approach foods.

It's based on 7 simple foods categories:

* Fresh fruit (Apples, Pears, berries, oranges, lemons)

* Vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, garlic, onions, eggplants, zucchini)

* Beans

* Pasta and bread

* Meat (poultry, rabbit, fish, goat)

* Red wine

* Milk and Cheese (from sheep)

An example of a typical eating day is based on 5 phases

* Breakfast

* Snack (11:00 AM)

* Lunch

* Snack (18:00 PM)

* Dinner

The basic concept of this diet is the "Unique plate". It means to join together different food categories.

Some examples are:

* Pasta with beans (fiber, carbs and veg. proteins)

* Pizza (veg, proteins and carbs)

* Greek salads (veg. and fruit)

Why is the Mediterranean diet so important for our health? The answer is simple: "Its foods contain healthy elements". A good example of this concept are Polyphenols. Apples and Red wines are a great source of Polyphenols. According to wikipedia, 'Polyphenols are a group of chemical substances found in plants, characterized by the presence of more than one phenol group per molecule.'

These chemicals can be found in high levels in the skins of fruits. They have an anti-oxidant effect that reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Every one of us knows that eating fresh fruits daily helps in the prevention of cancer and other diseases. Do you remember the ancient saying: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away"? There is ample evidence to show that this idea is true. A new study conduced by the Italian cancer league (www.legatumori.it) confirms it.

Researchers have demonstrated that eating Apples helps in reducing the cancer cells of:

* 40-60% (Consumption of apples and the skin)

* 30-40% (Consumption of just the apple pulp)

Other recent studies have shown that eating apples helps to:

* Prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells (Thanks to the presence of the flavonoid Quercetin, an anti-oxidant)

* Inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells (thanks to the skin of apples)

* Reduce the risk of lung cancer

* Inhibits the development of bladder cancer (especially in smokers)

Another great source of polyphenols is Red wine.

In the November 2007 issue of The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org), some French researches found that polyphenols play a beneficial role on the heart and circulatory system. Polyphenols found in the skin and around the pips of red grapes (not White) facilitate the growth of blood vessels.

The quantity of polyphenols necessary to obtain these benefits are the equivalent of 1 glass of wine a day. The wines that boast the biggest amount of polyphenols are those using Tannat (a red wine grape grown in southern France).

Here are some tips to optimize your health through diet:

* Eat fruit out of the principal meals - You can use it as a snack. (Helpful to lose weight too)

* Eat 2 fruits at least 2 times a day (2 apples or 1 apple with orange/grape juice is a good start)

* Substitute fatty snacks with a home-made apple pie or fresh fruits or nuts.

* Drink a glass of red wine a day (Best during dinner time)

You can read more about the Mediterranean Diet:

((http://www.mediterraneanbook.com/the-me...) The Mediterranean diet menu

((http://translate.google.com/translate?u...) Translated version of the Apple study

((http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20...) Study of the positive effects of red wine on the heart

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyphenols) Wikipedia about Polyphenols

About the author

Enrcio Forte is the editor of http://www.mandalatrek.com "Adventure travels in Italy" and http://www.mediterraneanbook.com "All about the Mediterranean diet"


###

Related Articles

The Mediterranean Diet Reduces Mortality From All Causes

Mediterranean Diet Boosts Life Expectancy of Alzheimer's Patients

Mediterranean diet foods to be labeled with new symbol

Mediterranean Diet May Be the Secret to Longevity

Mediterranean diet expected to gain popularity among U.S. consumers

Additional Resources:

mediterranean diet
polyphenols
wine

Take Action: Support NaturalNews.com

Email this article to a friend

Share this article on: NewsVine | digg | del.icio.us

Permalink to this article: http://www.NaturalNews.com/022551.html

Reprinting this article: Non-commercial OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link.

Receive our Natural Health Newsletter for FREE

Subscribe now (it's free!) to win. We randomly choose a subscriber each month to send $100 in eco-home products or a RealGoods.com gift certificate (our choice). Plus, you'll receive FREE news, articles and action alerts from NaturalNews.com editors and join over 800,000 monthly readers who report extraordinary health improvements after becoming a subscriber!
  • Receive breaking news alerts on natural health solutions, renewable energy, the environment, global warming and more.
  • Receive a free instant download of our $29 Secret Sources guide that reveals top sources for little-known health and diet solutions.
Your Email Address:
Free Subscription Code:
Enter the numbers you see:
100% free of charge. Unsubscribe anytime.
Absolutely no spam. We respect your email privacy.

Recommended Special Report:

Seven Words that can Change the World
by Joseph R. Simonetta

Read this special report now...

"Seven Words That Can Change the World reveals the astonishing, simple truths that have the power to forever transform our world for the better while freeing our minds from the enslavement of limiting beliefs. This is not a text for the simple-minded; it is a guiding philosophy for the mindful, intelligent few who are wise enough to seek out -- and recognize -- the higher simplicities of truly purposeful living." - Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, editor of NaturalNews.com

More on NaturalNews.com:

Streaming Health Ranger Videos
CounterThink Cartoons
FREE Special Reports
Podcasts

Also Posted Today

Coccinia Indica Herb Lowers Blood Sugar Levels by 20 Percent in Type 2 Diabetics

Large Scale Study Finds Vitamin B6 Deficiency Common in the U.S.

Therapeutic Healing Vest for Children With Autism, ADHD, Anxiety

Registered Dietitian Jill Fleming Gives Advice on Staying Healthy

Cholesterol Disease Mongering Reaches New Low with Statin Drug Push For 8-Year-Olds

Beat Disease With Juice Feasting!

NEW 6-CD audio set reveals amazing new protocol for reversing cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease and more. Click to learn more.

Own Health Ranger Report Podcasts on Audio CD

Own the first 8 Health Ranger Report audio programs on 6 CDs. Covers weight loss, ADHD, vaccinations, processed meats, bone health and more. Click to learn more.

Featured Videos

Short clip on Aspartame
A short clip on aspartame from the documentary All Jacked Up.
Click here to view now...

Exclusive video on Aspartame
The dangers of aspartame! Exclusive interview footage from Cori Brackett of Sweet Remedy.
Click here to view now...

Exclusive Footage from All Jacked Up!
See interview footage featuring the Health Ranger in the upcoming junk food film, All Jacked Up.
Click here to view now...

Drug Ad Parody
See the Health Ranger's satire parody of Merck's cholesterol drug ad.
Click here to view now...

Free Health Reports!

Amazon Herb Company review
The pH Nutrition Guide to Acid / Alkaline Balance
Pet Food Ingredients Revealed! (shocking)
Medicine From Fish
The Water Cure
The Healing Power of Sunlight and Vitamin D

Featured CounterThink Cartoons

Revenge of the Christmas Trees


The Plan for the Food Supply


Processed Meat for Christmas


Health Product Companies We Recommend

Read recommendations on supplement companies, health food manufacturers and personal care product makers that you can trust. Our 100% independent review list tells you who to trust and who to avoid in the natural health industry. Click to read.
This site is part of the Natural News Network © 2008 All Rights Reserved. Privacy | Terms All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing International, LTD. is not responsible for content written by contributing authors. Truth Publishing sells no health or nutritional products and earns no money from health product manufacturers or promoters. The information on this site is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice of any kind. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. Your use of this website indicates your agreement to these terms and those published here. All trademarks, registered trademarks and servicemarks mentioned on this site are the property of their respective owners.