Following the Mediterranean diet calls for a change in one’s lifestyle. When you change your unhealthy habits, it brings about positive results to your mental and physical health. Research proves that the diet assists in preventing life-threatening diseases like cancer and type 2 diabetes. However, to attain all the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, watching what you eat is essential.

Meals you must include in the Mediterranean diet:
To go through the Mediterranean diet successfully, you may chalk out the basic food list. However, you first need to remember that you should always eat in moderate quantities. Your meals must consist of vegetables, nuts, potatoes, fruits, pure olive oil, legumes, herbs, whole grains, and bread. The foods that you may eat in lesser quantities to enjoy the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet include yogurt and other dairy products, poultry, and eggs.

Vegetables that you can eat under the Mediterranean diet:
Not all the vegetables that you eat have the same amount of nutrients. As a result, you should choose the healthy ones and relish the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet. You may add broccoli, onions, cauliflower, spinach, and tomatoes in your meals. In legumes and tubers, you can intake peas, beans, chickpeas, pulses, potatoes, yams, and turnips. But, before consuming these items, make sure you cook them well with less spice and extra virgin oil. It would be better to have them boiled or lightly sautéd.

Fruits and whole grains to add in your meals:
Similar to vegetables, different fruits have different nutrients. Fruits like bananas, apples, oranges, dates, pears, grapes, peaches, and figs are ideal to consume. Proceeding to the whole grains, you can add oats, barley, corn, whole-grain bread, and brown rice in your Mediterranean diet.

Non-vegetarian items to add in your meal:
People who love meat can still enjoy this diet with a plethora of options available. Fish like salmon, trout, shrimps, mackerel, shellfish, and sardines are the most essential components to add to your meal. Fish oil is also available in an oral pill form in the market.

Snacks that you can add in your diet:
One cannot live without snacks; it helps relieve you of cravings and satisfies your taste buds. Most often, the snacks you choose could either destroy or make up your diet. Nevertheless, you may choose some healthy snacks to obtain the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet. Snacks like a handful of nuts, berries, Greek yogurt, baby carrots, and baby corn salad are ideal. You may also opt for the grilled vegetables as an alternative.

Foods to avoid:
The foods that you should avoid when following the Mediterranean diet include:

• Processed foods
• Sugary drinks and snacks
• Refined oils
• Spicy food