The Mediterranean Diet and Weight Loss

Everyone goes Oh and Aha when they first hear of the Mediterranean diet. The diet always appears exotic and presents visions of beautiful slim women on the beaches of Europe. Everyone seems to think if you eat this diet, you will soon like Brigit Bardot. But is this all true? Is this Mediterranean diet the panacea to weight loss?

The Mediterranean diet has been around for many decades. The individuals living around the shores of the Mediterranean Sea had no idea that they were eating a diet that was so healthy. Then one day, some American went to Europe and glanced at all the beautiful slim trim individuals on the beach and the first thought that came to his mind was food. Not the weather, sun, or water, but yes Food. And that is how this diet came about.

Since those days, many North Americans have traveled to Europe and brought back their own versions of the Mediterranean diet. Not to be left out, the Italians, Greeks, Spanish, Turkish, Israelis and everyone else has also jumped on the bandwagon, claiming they have the original Mediterranean diet.

For starters, there is no such thing as a special or original Mediterranean diet. If you were to visit five different counties in Italy alone, you will get 30 different versions of this diet and 20 times as many ingredients. Each locality has its on version of the diet.

Why all the fuss about the Mediterranean diet? Well, it is a widely known medical fact that this diet promotes healthy eating and good nutrition. In the medical literature, there are some who claim that the incidence of heart disease and atherosclerosis is reduced when one eats the Mediterranean diet.