6 MUST-TRY MEDITERRANEAN DIET RECIPES
The Mediterranean diet is the latest health trend for eating healthy and balanced. Since the 1960s, the Mediterranean has been a research center by scientists, especially physiologists and nutritionists, regarding the eating habits of its people. Physical conditions of Mediterranean people were studied and were found to have lower levels of cardiovascular problems, compared to those of the western culture. They discovered that the people of the Mediterranean area are healthier than other parts of the world and therefore, ‘the Mediterranean diet' term was born!
The Mediterranean diet promotes daily consumption of fresh and locally sourced foods. The people eat whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts, herbs and spices. They balance the diet with moderate seafood, meat, wine and an occasional consumption of diary. The temperate climate of the Mediterranean region gives life to a huge variety of healthy ingredients throughout the whole year, giving its people their nutritional needs.
Our Favorite Mediterranean Diet Recipes
The Mediterranean diet offers health benefits and lots of flavor! To make it easier for you, we’ve compiled our favorite Mediterranean diet recipes below:
This Mediterranean diet dish is one of my favorites! It’s very easy to prepare and it’s unbelievably healthy, claiming anti-cancerous properties. This dish can be prepared with or without eggs for vegans!
Frequent consumption of legumes is ideal for your health and should be part of any Mediterranean diet. Lentils are rich in vitamins, protein, minerals and fiber which can significantly reduce the chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
This traditional Greek Mediterranean Diet dish is high in nutritional value. It’s rich in antioxidants and can be prepared with a variety of vegetables. Perfect for vegans or vegetarians. Want protein, just add meat or feta cheese!
Greek Bamies
Okra is rich in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, polyphenols and has extremely antioxidant properties. This Mediterranean diet recipe will make you appreciate this overlooked vegetable.
Chickpeas are an amazing source of nutrients of great biological value, rich in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, essential minerals and fiber. Did I mention this Mediterranean diet recipe packs a protein punch!
This humble Greek dish has nurtured generations of Cretan people over the years. This small and simple recipe is tasty and surprisingly filling!
Essential Foods in Mediterranean Diet
Fruits & Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables provide us with a remarkable range of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. They are rich in fiber, which increases our metabolism and helps with the proper functioning of our digestive systems. Some of those have anti-cancerous properties and act as antioxidants through phytochemicals. There’s a huge variety of fresh fruits and vegetables that are harvested each season, making the Mediterranean diet not only healthy for our bodies, but sustainable for the planet as well.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This common cooking oil contributes to the overall wellness of our cardiovascular system. Aside from that, eating raw extra virgin olive oil has many other benefits, such as lowering blood sugar levels, strengthening our immune system and maintaining good memory. We just can’t say enough good things about it!
Seeds & Nuts
Seeds such as whole grain barley and wheat, pine seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds and nuts such as almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts and walnuts, provide us with essential nutrients and good fats which can be obtained through very small amounts. This makes them ideal for daily intake, providing energy to carry on throughout the day, contributing to a healthier cardiovascular system, maintaining a stable healthy body weight and reducing inflammations.
Herbs & Spices
There’s no proper Mediterranean diet recipe, without including herbs and spices in our foods, such as oregano and diktamo, marjoram, dill and parsley, rosemary, coriander, bay leaves, cloves, thyme and basil. There are the ones that give the characteristic Mediterranean flavor in our dishes. Aside from that, they have amazing antioxidant properties and protect our bodies from diseases. Mediterranean spices can transform those so called ‘humble’ ingredients into tasty and mouth-exploding treats. Mediterranean herbs can be used for infusion teas and herbal decoctions with various medicinal properties. You can learn here about the health benefits of Greek oregano tea.
Legumes
Legumes is a great source of protein and iron, thus reducing the need for daily and weekly meat intake. Legumes are beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils. Since meat was consumed only on rare occasions by the Mediterranean people, they substituted their protein intake with legumes and seafood.
Seafood
Since the Mediterranean sea surrounds the coast, the people were able to fish and consume seafood. The people were able to get their protein and essential fatty acids such as omega-3. Keep in mind that seafood should be consumed moderately as some contain toxins such as mercury.
We must not forget that the Mediterranean diet is not a dietary scheme developed by scientists. It has nurtured generations of Mediterranean people for thousands of years. It’s more like a way of life, where we focus on eating fresh, local and seasonal foods, maintain communication with our local markets and people, and seek moments to exercise daily, be it through manual work or.. yes, even dancing with our friends!
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