The Mediterranean Diet & Modifications
The Mediterranean Diet
A popular diet today is called the Mediterranean diet. It is so named because it is somewhat similar to a diet eaten in nations near the Mediterranean Sea, such as Spain, Greece and Italy. This article discusses some of the benefits of this diet, problems with it from my perspective, and suggested modifications.
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
This section is copied from the Oldways website. The current Mediterranean diet consists of:
- An abundance of food from plant sources, including fruits and vegetables, potatoes, breads and grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.
- Emphasis on a variety of minimally processed and, wherever possible, seasonally fresh and locally grown foods (which often maximizes the health-promoting micronutrient and antioxidant content of these foods).
- Olive oil as the principal fat, replacing other fats and oils (including butter and margarine).
- Total fat ranging from less than 25 percent to over 35 percent of energy, with saturated fat no more than 7 to 8 percent of energy (calories).
- Daily consumption of low to moderate amounts of cheese and yogurt (low-fat and non-fat versions may be preferable).
- Twice-weekly consumption of low to moderate amounts of fish and poultry (recent research suggests that fish be somewhat favored over poultry); up to 7 eggs per week (including those used in cooking and baking).
- Fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert; sweets with a significant amount of sugar (often as honey) and saturated fat consumed not more than a few times per week.
- Red meat a few times per month (recent research suggests that if red meat is eaten, its consumption should be limited to a maximum of 12 to 16 ounces [340 to 450 grams] per month; where the flavor is acceptable, lean versions may be preferable).
- Regular physical activity at a level which promotes a healthy weight, fitness and well-being.
- Moderate consumption of wine, normally with meals; about one to two glasses per day for men and one glass per day for women. From a contemporary public health perspective, wine should be considered optional and avoided when consumption would put the individual or others at risk.
Updating the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid
During the 15th Anniversary Mediterranean Diet Conference in November 2008, several major updates were made to the Classic Mediterranean Diet Pyramid by the Scientific Advisory Board. These changes focused on gathering plant foods (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, legumes, seeds, olives and olive oil) in a single group to visually emphasize their health benefits.
The scientific committee made this change to draw attention to the key role of these delicious and healthy plant foods in this health-promoting eating pattern.
A new feature on the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid is the addition of herbs and spices, for reasons of both health and taste. Also, herbs and spices contribute to the national identities of various Mediterranean cuisines. The committee changed the placement of fish and shellfish on the pyramid, recognizing the benefits of eating fish and shellfish at least two times per week.
The scientific committee made this change to draw attention to the key role of these delicious and healthy plant foods in this health-promoting eating pattern.
A new feature on the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid is the addition of herbs and spices, for reasons of both health and taste. Also, herbs and spices contribute to the national identities of various Mediterranean cuisines. The committee changed the placement of fish and shellfish on the pyramid, recognizing the benefits of eating fish and shellfish at least two times per week.
Benefits of Mediterranean Diet
Over 60 years ago, scientists began studying the healthiest modern populations and decided that the people of Crete were among the most healthy. These studies were the basis for the Mediterranean diet. The benefits claimed for this diet include lengthening life, improved brain function, and defense against some cancers, heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, infertility, eye disease and perhaps other problems.
The Mediterranean Diet & Nutritional Balancing
A SLOW OXIDIZER , CHAOS TYPE OF DIET
In terms of the oxidation types, this diet is best suited for slow oxidizers, which is the large majority of the people. That is, it is low in fat and contains plenty of protein and some vegetables.
PROBLEMS WITH THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET
Wine & Cheese/The Mediterranean Diet
There are not enough cooked vegetables in their diet. They eat too many starches and other foods that are not beneficial for their health.
Other Changes in the Food Supply must be Considered
1. The high mercury and other toxic metal content of our fish and especially our seafood or shellfish today.
Sadly, these are no longer healthful foods at all. There is plenty of literature to support this, and we find that eating fish or shellfish always results in an elevated hair mercury level, and often other elevated toxic metals, as well. The mercury situation is worsening each day as more power plants spew more mercury into the air, mostly in Asia. This can be avoided with scrubbers on the smokestacks, but many nations don’t use them.
2. Higher levels of ionizing radiation worldwide.
This simply did not exist 60 or 70 years ago. The sources are nuclear powerplants, A-bomb tests, medical radiation, more x-rays, CAT scans, and radiation from cell phones, cell phone towers, portable phones, computers and flat-screen TV sets. This has made all the bodies much more “yin” today, causing problems especially with eating fruit and raw food.
3. Hybridization and genetic modification of our food supply, which is fairly recent.
This has caused the nutrient content of our foods to decrease, often drastically, necessitating a change in the diet just to obtain minimal nutrition.
4. The era of toxic chemicals and toxic metals, in general.
This is also recent. The environment is contaminated with thousands of toxic chemicals that simply did not exist 60 years ago.
Changes Suggested to the Mediterranean Diet
1. MANY MORE COOKED VEGETABLES - 3 times daily in large quantities.
The vegetables seem to provide the hundreds of phytonutrients we require today better than any other foods. I find that minerals are much better absorbed from cooked, rather than raw vegetables.
2. NO SALADS or LIMITED AMOUNT.
This is related to #1 above. I find that people simply cannot obtain enough value from uncooked vegetables thanks to the hard fibers that are not digestible by human beings, no matter how well you chew you food. For more information, please read Raw Foods.
3. NO FRUIT OR FRUIT JUICES, OR OTHER SWEETS.
This is difficult for most people. However, fruit is causing many problems today for many reasons. Please read Fruit-eating for more information.
4. RED MEAT TWICE A WEEK FOR MOST PEOPLE.
Red meat is more yang. Lamb is best. Natural beef is okay. It is time to stop demonizing lamb, for example, which is eaten all over the world and is an excellent food for most people.
5. AVOID ALL PIG PRODUCTS especially - PORK, HAM, BACON, PIGS FEET, SALAMI, PROSCIUTTO, PEPERONI, ETC...
Too often, today, these contain trichina or other parasite eggs or ova, even when well-cooked and definitely when not well-cooked.
6. NO WHEAT PRODUCTS AT ALL, INCLUDING NO PASTA AND BREAD.
Wheat is a severely hybridized food that is irritating for most people’s intestines. This is fairly recent.
7. FOR FAST OXIDIZERS ONLY, ADD MANY MORE FATS AND OILS AND MANY FEWER CARBOHYDRATES.
This is an empirical and clinical finding, and nothing more. Some people need much more fat in their diet than the Mediterranean diet provides. They need some fat with each meal and do very well on butter, soft-cooked eggs, full-fat cheese, and fatty meats, for example.
A properly performed hair mineral analysis is required to assess who are the fast oxidizers, although young children are often in this group.
8. AVOID RED WINE.
Alcohol is too toxic for the liver today for most people. I would avoid it altogether, or at least minimize all alcohol intake.
9. NO FISH EXCEPT SARDINES AND OTHER TINY FISH, LIKE ANCHOVIES.
The ruination of the fish is very sad upon planet earth and I hope we can turn it around some day. Except for the tiny fish like sardines, all fish are toxic, as revealed by the mercury levels on hair tests of fish eaters. Sushi is one of the worst, by the way.
10. NO SEAFOOD OR SHELLFISH.
The contamination of shellfish, often caught in coastal waters, is even worse than other fish.
11. LIMIT BEANS TO TWICE PER WEEK.
Beans or legumes are very starchy, and most people eat too much starch and sweets, anyway. I would limit dried beans and lentils to just a few servings weekly.
12. EAT ORGANICALLY GROWN FOOD.
It is not a guarantee of quality, by any means, but it is cleaner and more nutritious, in general. I hope this is soon added to the Mediterranean diet, as it is well-proven and quite obvious when one realizes how contaminated the food supply is at this time in history.
13. ALWAYS USE SEA SALT, NOT REFINED WHITE TABLE SALT.
This is important because everyone needs additional trace minerals, and sea salt can be one simple and excellent source. Meanwhile, table salt has had most of its trace minerals removed, damaging the salt and reducing its nutritional content greatly. Most of it also has added aluminum, a toxic metal, which should be avoided.
14. EVERYONE NEEDS SUPPLEMENTS.
This is not mentioned often enough by those who suggest a Mediterranean diet. However, food alone will not supply all the nutrition that a person needs. Particular supplemental needs of most people include calcium, magnesium, zinc, chromium, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids, extra vitamin D, and a small amount of most other nutrients.
Sources: Lawrence Wilson, MD© April 2013
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