Mediterranean Diet: Why Greeks May Just Live Longer Than Most of Us

We all have that dream of having the perfect abs, younger looking skin, zest of the younger you, or living longer. But what if you can achieve all these by just eating? It is not that we are telling you to just forget about your gym membership (which you shouldn’t) but just hear this: Do you know that just by committing to healthy eating choices, you can take control of your health and just tell your body to stay strong? The secret: Following the Mediterranean diet.

The healthy, life-extender Mediterranean Diet essentially follows what this simple golden rule: Olive oil, nuts, and the freshest catch of fish. If you are planning to amp up you intake of monounsaturated fats, then simply follow the Mediterranean diet. Our advice: Just go Greek the next time you’re out shopping or dining.

Go fish. Nothing says Mediterranean better than the serene, crystal-clear water of the sea. But if there is something that excites the travelers better than soaking in the gorgeous Mediterranean Sea, it is seeing and feasting on the freshest catch of sumptuous fishes. And we are talking about the really healthy fish varieties that Zorba the Greek will recommend: Salmon, haddock, tuna, snapper, or perch.

Simply indulge in these cold water fish varieties at least once of twice a week. As part of the Zorba diet, experts highly recommend these sumptuous varieties of catch because of omega-3 fatty acids, substances that safely raise our body’s HDL level and encourage the production of “youth hormones.”

Feast on nuts. People in the Mediterranean area love snacking on nuts, which is one of the most recommended sources of monounsaturated fats. Simply follow their snacking session instead of munching on snack bars and chips during your coffee breaks. Just toss in a handful of sunflower seeds, almonds, or walnuts to add texture and flavor to your salads. Nuts are also good when eaten on their own, so we’re sure you won’t have a hard time enjoying it.

Love your avocado. The reason why you must love your guacamole: Avocado is a rich source of oleic acid, which is the very monounsaturated fat that you can found in olive oil. But even though avocado is good for you, make sure that you eat this rich fruit in moderation. Each piece of avocado contains at least 30 grams of fat, and that is already 53% of the recommended daily fat intake of a 45-year old female who engages in light exercise activities. So keep tabs of everything.

A simple shopping tip: When it comes to shopping for your olive oil, make sure that you choose those that are bottled in narrow, long necks in order to prevent the formation of free radicals once the bottled is opened and the olive oil is exposed to oxygen. This will not only guarantee the oil’s freshness but simply maintains the benefits of this well-loved oil in the bottle.