Best Diets for Healthy Eating
Fad diets have taken society by storm since the rise of social media. However, fad diets have been around a lot longer than Instagram and Facebook. Modern fad diets originated in the 1930s when the “Hollywood diet,” which included drinking grapefruit juice with every meal. In our physique-driven culture, it seems that every public figure is recommending a different diet, claiming that it’s a cure-all. Eating a healthy diet seems to be on most people's minds, so that can explain the rising number of fad diets being popularized in the media. In truth, the best diets are the ones you can stick to. Written below, we have two different diets that you can take aspects of and incorporate into your lifestyle.
The Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is one of the most researched diets in scientific literature. It has been shown to have favorable effects on blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and mental health. Staple foods in the Mediterranean diet include fruits and vegetables, whole grains, seafood, nuts and seeds, and olive oil. Foods like poultry, eggs, and dairy products are consumed in lesser amounts, but not cut out entirely. The Mediterranean diet focuses heavily on incorporating healthy fats into your diet instead of unhealthy ones. This is a large reason why olive oil is a staple in this diet.
According to the Mayo Clinic, you can get started by trying the Mediterranean diet by building meals around vegetables, beans, and whole grains, eating fish at least twice a week, Using olive oil instead of butter in preparing food and serving fresh fruit for dessert. The Mayo Clinic also notes that living a truly Mediterranean lifestyle means being physically active and sharing meals with loved ones. By incorporating these tips into your lifestyle at a pace that feels comfortable, you will be better able to reap the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle long-term.
Plant-Based Diet
Plant-based diets are cost-effective and benefit BMI, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. According to the National Library of Medicine, “[plant-based diets] may also reduce the number of medications needed to treat chronic diseases and lower ischemic heart disease mortality rates.” Similar to the Mediterranean diet, plant-based diets focus primarily on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, oils, beans, and legumes. There are several different varieties of plant-based diets including vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and flexitarian style diets. The vegan diet is the most restrictive of the group as it eliminates all animal foods including dairy, eggs, meat, seafood, and in some cases, even honey.
You can start to live a more plant-based lifestyle by becoming mindful of your animal product portions. Try having a smaller portion of meat at dinner, and filling more of your plate up with vegetables and fruit. As you grow more accustomed to eating plant-based, you can try the different varieties of plant-based diets and find which one you enjoy the most.
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