The Basics

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables

We often tend to view vegetables as an “accompaniment” to meat. Vegetables have thus lost the central place they should have retained in our food balance. As for fruit, they are often replaced by industrial desserts (creams desserts, mousses, dry cakes …). Now is the time to give fruits and vegetables the place they deserve in our diet. They are our main providers of vitamins, minerals, trace elements and antioxidants. These valuable substances participate in all our vital functions and protect us against tissue aging. Deficiencies due to a diet too low in fruits and vegetables are at the root of many disruptions in health status. Finally, these foods are our main source of fiber. There are various varieties of fiber, some digestible, others not. Depending on their nature, they help protect against excess cholesterol, contribute to the sensation of satiety (which makes it possible to eat reasonably without depriving oneself), and above all they are essential to maintain a regular transit.

Rehabilitate fabaceae and dried fruits

Beans, lentils and other chickpeas have fallen into disuse for several decades. It’s a shame because these are excellent foods! They provide the body with vitamins, minerals and trace elements supplemental to those provided by fresh fruits and vegetables. They also contain high-energy carbohydrates and fiber. Finally, they contain proteins that can be used by the body if you combine them with whole grains (rice and lentils, pasta and chickpeas …). You can limit your consumption of animal products without decreasing your protein intake. So do not hesitate, eat regular pulses, integrate them preferably to meals that contain neither meat nor fish, and associate them to a share of cereals.

Dry oleaginous fruits (nuts, almonds …) are also a good choice. They contain high-quality fatty acids (omega 3), essential for the cardiovascular system and the brain. They are also excellent suppliers of minerals (including magnesium with strong anti-stress) and vitamin E.

Prefer whole grains

Cereals: this is the third category of food essential for nutritional balance. In the original mediterranean diet, it is the whole bread, traditionally made, which is the main source of cereals. You can widen the range by eating wheat in other forms (pasta, couscous seed, bulgur …), but also rice, barley, buckwheat … Just make sure that these cereals are not too refined . It is essential for them to properly fulfill their role as an energy supplier, as the carbohydrates they provide will be assimilated more slowly and gradually, thus providing the body (and especially the brain) with the fuel it has Need to function.

cereals are also much richer in fiber, vitamins, minerals and trace elements. And this nutritional richness is added to that of fruits and vegetables, fresh and dry, to optimize the functioning of all your vital functions.

Decrease your meat intake

The red meat (beef, lamb …) is to be reduced, as well as pork and all forms of cold meats. These meats provide a lot of protein, but they are associated with enormous amounts of low-quality fats that increase the risk of congestion in the arteries. Finally, over-consumption of meat maintains a great internal acidity which contributes to the premature wear of our organs.

If you are not a big meat consumer, is better for you! You will have less difficulty to satisfy yourself with a meat meal every 3 or 4 days, preferably with poultry (farm chicken, guinea fowl, quail, duck …) or rabbit. Not only these meats are less fatty, but some of their fats are good quality ones. You can also consume eggs in reasonable quantities (3 to 5 maximum per week). Their proteins are perfectly balanced.

If you are used to eating a lot of meat, gradually decrease your intake. First go to one meal a day (preferably at noon), then gradually spread until you arrive at a meal every 3 or 4 days. Above all, reduce the charcuterie and red meat.

Increase your fish intake

Consuming more fish provides the body with excellent quality protein , also they are associated with less fat. Added to this is the fact that fish fats are much better than those of meat: they are mainly unsaturated fats (omega 3), favorable to the good state of the cardiovascular system and to the proper functioning of the brain And the nervous system. Sea products (fish, but also shellfish and crustaceans) are also excellent suppliers of minerals.

If you like fish, eat as often as you can. The ideal is to consume fish at least 3 or 4 times a week. If you do not like the flavors of the sea, try to get used to yourself by first eating big white fish, such as hake or monkfish. Also try large fish, such as swordfish, whose consistency is closer to that of meat.

Choose fresh, goat or sheep cheeses

the mediterranean diet is not compatible with a high consumption of cheeses, especially fatty cheeses. Traditionally, the countries of the Mediterranean basin consume mainly goat cheese or sheep cheese. These cheeses are either fresh (like feta) or very dry (like dung). In both cases, they contain much less fat than Camembert, Brie or Reblochon. In addition, goat or sheep milk is much more digestible than cow’s milk.

A reasonable consumption of fresh cheese is recommended, to optimize the intake of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus … Have a serving once a day, integrated into a meal in which you do not eat meat. The Vegetable / Goat Cheese / Legume / whole Bread combination is quite balanced and provides a good variety of essential nutrients. To this you can add a yoghurt (preferably goat or sheep) sweetened with a teaspoonful of honey.

All fats are composed of essential fatty acids. These components may be of several kinds: saturated, mono-unsaturated or polyunsaturated. Saturated fatty acids are the most harmful to the organism because they increase the production of cholesterol and promote deposits in the arteries. Conversely, mono or polyunsaturated fatty acids are beneficial as it’s the case with olive oil . Not only do they help to regulate blood cholesterol, but they are essential for the renewal of cell walls (especially nerve cells and brain cells).

Cook with olive oil

Saturated fatty acids are found in animal fats (fatty meats, charcuterie, fat cheeses, butter, cream, etc.), while mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids are present in vegetable oils and peas. So, follow the example of the Mediterranean peoples: cook with olive oil ! This oil is very beneficial for health. It is stable enough to bake and supports heat. For your seasonings, you can also use the other raw vegetable oils: soybean oil, walnut oil, sesame oil … This will not only greatly decrease your consumption of bad saturated fatty acids but also balance your intake of good acids Unsaturated fatty

Do not forget spices and herbs

spices are more than condiments! Not only they add flavor to the dishes and make it possible to vary the recipes, but they are real medicinal substances that contribute to the beneficial effects of the mediterranean diet. Some examples: basil and saffron are soothing and help to prevent the effects of stress; Mint and ginger are challenging; Coriander and star anise facilitate digestion; Thyme and rosemary fight infections … Some spices, like turmeric, have a strong antioxidant power.

Fresh herbs (parsley, coriander, chives …) are eaten raw in salads or added chiselled at the end of cooking. The more firm herbs (thyme, rosemary, laurel …) and spices must be cooked to deliver both their flavor and their virtues.

Cook “smoothly”

Once the ingredients of your meals are selected, all you have to do is cook yourself. There, the rule is simple: try to attack as little as possible the food, in order to make the most of their beneficial components.

Eat food as fresh as possible (especially fruit and vegetables). Peel them and cut them out at the last moment so that their nutrients do not oxidize in contact with air. Do not soak them in water to preserve water-soluble vitamins. Just rinse them under a trickle of clear water.
Avoid too strong cooking, too high temperature (deep frying, very hot oven, barbecue grills …), because they destroy the nutrients. Prefer the gentle steaming (the water should just simmer and not boil under the perforated basket), in a mild oven (around 180 ° C – or even less for the longest cooking), in foil, To the smothered … Try also cooking in the oven at low temperature (120 ° C approximately – th.4), in a terrine. It’s a bit long (at least 2 hours), but the dish cooked unattended.
Reduce the amount of oil you use for cooking, and add a little raw vegetable oil when serving. It is excellent for flavor and beneficial for health.