Pros and Cons of the Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet plan is a very powerful diet that has proven popular among today’s dieters. This plan includes beverages and foods from people inhabiting regions along the Mediterranean Sea and the dishes are commonly consumed in places like Italy and Greece. This diet consists of offerings that include olive oils, fatty foods, veggies, seafood, fish, and fruits. Researchers have discovered that the diet is a great plan for fending off cardiovascular issues and certain forms of cancer. There are also additional benefits one can drive from the plan, as well as some cons linked to the diet. Let’s examine the pros and cons in greater detail.

The pros linked to the Mediterranean diet plan include the fact that dieters get to enjoy a diverse selection of food choices. Dieters can eat delicious soups, plant based foods, potatoes, pasta, whole grain offerings, nuts, beans, veggies, wine, cheese, yogurt, fish, poultry, and more. Even red meat can be consumed in moderation. In addition, since you are allowed to consume olive oil, a form of monounsaturated fat, you can naturally promote faster weight loss; using olive oil will trigger cholecystokinin synthesis in the body. The latter hormone helps the dieter to feel more satisfied after eating, and this diminishes the desire to snack intermittently.

One of the cons linked to the Mediterranean diet is the fact that it allows the dieter to consume as much as four percent more fat than suggested by the American Heart Association. However, if the dieter makes some minor adjustments to the diet plan, he or she can still stick to the recommendations made by the organization. Reducing the allowable consumption of bread, pasta, and foods containing white processed flour can help a dieter remain within appropriate fat consuming guidelines.

The Mediterranean diet plan has additional cons associated with it; for one thing, this diet offers the dieter preliminary guidelines only, and it does not distinctly define portion sizes. Without offering appropriate portion sizes, the dieter may be more apt to consume too much food, even if the food is acceptable. This can hinder one’s ability to lose weight at all. In addition, even though this diet plan encourages the dieter to rely on plant based food selections, there is no vegetarian plan offered. Vegans and vegetarians may have greater difficulty personalizing the plan to suit their needs.