A Modified Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet may be the most fantastic way to eat ever discovered, but some people do not prefer it. They want to derive the health benefits of it, while still eating like they did before. Sound impossible? Perhaps so, but with some modifications the Mediterranean Diet's benefits can be had, while using a slightly different menu. Part of the reason that a modified Mediterranean Diet is needed is because the staple foods it calls for are difficult to obtain in many parts of the world.

A modified Mediterranean diet would still have lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and cereals. It would consist of fish and much less poultry and red meat. You keep the extra virgin olive oil. Throw out most of the dairy products. And cut out most of the alcohol except red wine. What you end up with is not a magic potion but merely a sensible way to eat. The other half of the formula is the cooking methods, recipes and flavors.

Looking at some of these factors in detail:

* Lots of fruits and vegetables - Well, we hear that all the time from doctors and nutrition experts anyway, don't we? Eating them raw or only moderately cooked preserves all of the health benefits.

* The vegetables should be green - leafy, green, iron-rich vegetables like Artichoke, Brussels sprouts, Collards, Cabbage, Chard, Horseradish, Iceberg lettuce, Kale, Lettuce, Mint, Mustard greens, Oregano, Romaine, Sage, Spinach, and Watercress, amongst others. Salads, salads, salads!

* Fish - The oily or fatty fish is preferred in all cases. This includes Salmon, Trout, Mackerel, Herring, Sardines, Anchovies, Swordfish, Carp, and Orange roughy, among others.

* No saturated oil - So throw out the butter, suet, tallow, lard, coconut, cottonseed, corn, and palm kernel oils. Use olive oil or do without.

* No dairy products except skimmed milk, and anything made from goat's milk.

And this one needs emphasizing:

* No added sugar - we know you're going to fudge here, but keep as little sugar as possible. This goes for corn sweeteners as well. It even goes for sugar beets and date sugar! To this day, adding sugar is not recommended by anybody for any nutritional benefit at all, whatsoever. It may taste good, but as far as your body's concerned, you might as well be feeding it dirt. In any case, natural sugar is found in the majority of foods on the planet anyway, even those that don't taste sweet.

Note: Many refer to the Sonoma diet as a typical example of a modified Mediterranean diet.

In any case, most - but not all - of the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet can be gained by following these basic rules - which really echo the opinions of most nutritionists anyway. However, only the true Mediterranean Diet gives you all of the benefits!