Mediterranean Diet is a worldly way of eating

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Morris Hospital nutritionist Reggie Fleck with examples of what might go into typical Mediterranean Diet meal plans. | Submitted photo

Updated: February 19, 2012 8:00AM

Those struggling with a strict New Year’s diet resolution may want to consider a lifelong diet, instead.

One proven over the centuries as a healthy way to eat and live, with foods fresh and seasonal and not from a can is the Mediterranean Diet. It’s not a trendy, novel new diet, but the kind of meals consumed by the people in Italy, Spain and other Mediterranean countries for hundreds of years.

Foods are fresh and in season when you can get them or frozen when not in season. They are unprocessed and naturally lower in salt and sugar and the bad fats. And meats are not on the menu, at least not more than once a month. Fish and, to a lesser extent, chicken, are encouraged, as are beans and legumes daily.

It’s a way of eating that the National Institutes of Health (www.nim.nih.gov) says may lead to more stable blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol and triglycerides levels as well as a lower risk of heart disease and other health problems. Other studies have shown a possible reduced risk of cancer and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases with the Mediterranean Diet.

Fresh and in season

“In the Mediterranean, it all comes together well,” said Morris Hospital nutritionist Reggie Fleck. “They have a wonderful growing climate where you can grow all year round. There’s lots of gardening going on. They grow their own food, which is a lot more physical activity, too.”

Fleck spent time at a cooking school in Tuscany last year where she got a firsthand look at the way people in the area live and eat.

“Their food is not preserved,” she said. “They cook fresh and what’s in season.”

Fleck said a good way for Americans to begin to incorporate the Mediterranean Diet in their meals is to get rid of the butter and substitute olive oil. They do eat bread there, she said, but it’s not slathered with artery-clogging butter. Rather, they drizzle olive oil over the bread or dip the bread in it.

Red meats are a no-no, Fleck added, but seafood and some poultry is encouraged.

The ins and outs

The diet doesn’t get the official seal of approval on every detail, however. The American Heart Association warns that a relatively high percentage of the diet’s calories comes from fat. The incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean countries is lower than in the United States, the association’s website says, but other lifestyle factors may play a role, such as more physical activity and extended social support systems there.

Fleck advises not to go too heavy with the olive oil or with the nuts, even though they are both recommended in the diet. That’s where the fat lies. Fill your plate with fruit and vegetables and beans and legumes, she said, and have just a small section of the plate fish, chicken, or meat. Pasta should be served in a small bowl as a side dish, not plopped en masse on the main plate as the majority of the meal.

Many Italians combine pasta and beans for a nice dish, she said, that has fiber and protein as well as the carbohydrates.

“Don’t be afraid of carbs,” she added. “Carbs is not a dirty word. But watch the portion sizes. You can use fruits and vegetables liberally … then celebrate with a glass of red wine. Just a little bit. It complements the food so well.”