00:00 I'm Lisa, and today I'll be answering all your questions about the Mediterranean diet.
00:04 What is the Mediterranean diet?
00:06 Lots of vegetables, lots of whole grains, fruits.
00:09 They're very unprocessed and also rich in olive oil, fish, healthy fats they're getting
00:14 in their diet, a little bit of red wine, which is always a fun thing to know about the Mediterranean
00:18 diet, and they don't eat a lot of added sugar, processed foods, sweets, things like that.
00:24 Where do I start?
00:26 So anytime you're making any dietary changes, you don't want to completely overhaul your
00:30 diet.
00:31 You want to start small and do things that you can stick with.
00:34 Carrot sticks as a snack or able to add a serving of vegetables to your dinner, that's
00:37 a great place to start.
00:39 Is the Mediterranean diet the healthiest diet?
00:42 So in a way, yes it is.
00:43 We think this pattern is associated with living longer, lower risk of heart disease, lower
00:48 risk of inflammation.
00:49 It's a really, really, really healthy way to eat.
00:52 But of course, you have to eat in a way that works for you.
00:54 So adopt the principles you can and kind of make it work and fit in your lifestyle.
00:57 Can you eat pizza on the Mediterranean diet?
01:00 Why, yes you can.
01:02 So pizza is traditionally an Italian food and Italy is part of the Mediterranean region.
01:06 And like bonus if you can put some veggies on it.
01:09 Is the Mediterranean diet better than keto?
01:11 Yes!
01:12 Such a great question.
01:15 Keto is ultra low carb, ultra high fat, and it cuts out all those healthy foods that the
01:19 Mediterranean diet is known for.
01:21 So lots of vegetables have too many carbs to be eaten on a keto diet.
01:24 Almost no fruits can be eaten on a keto diet and no whole grains.
01:27 There's a lot of healthy foods that you're eliminating when you do keto and the Mediterranean
01:32 diet is really rich in those healthy foods.
01:34 How do I follow the Mediterranean diet while eating out?
01:37 Think about adding vegetables when you can.
01:39 So salads, roasted vegetables, is there a side dish of vegetables that you could add
01:43 onto your entree if it doesn't come with?
01:45 Look at the menu for whole grains.
01:47 If there's brown rice or quinoa on the menu that could be a great option.
01:52 Is the Mediterranean diet good for people with diabetes?
01:55 So the healthiest way for people to eat who have diabetes is actually just generally healthy
01:59 for all of us.
02:01 All of us should be eating a good balance of carbohydrates and protein and healthy fats
02:05 and the Mediterranean diet includes all that.
02:07 If you have diabetes, definitely talk to your doctor about what works for you.
02:10 But you can definitely eat a Mediterranean style diet when you have diabetes.
02:14 Can I do the Mediterranean diet if I don't like fish?
02:18 Absolutely.
02:19 Seafood is one of the things about the Mediterranean diet that's associated with health benefits,
02:24 but it's not the only thing.
02:25 They're also eating a lot of plant-based proteins, so those legumes, they're getting whole grains
02:30 in their diet.
02:31 But it is recommended to try seafood twice a week.
02:33 So if you just haven't found the right type of fish that you like, maybe try a different
02:36 preparation.
02:37 Like you could try some shrimp or some salmon on the grill.
02:39 And if you just don't eat fish, again, you can still get those healthy fats in.
02:43 Choose nuts often.
02:44 Choose avocados, olive oil.
02:47 Is the Mediterranean diet good for kids too?
02:50 Kids should be able to enjoy all foods and not be restricted.
02:53 However, at the same time, you want to also offer lots of healthy foods to your kids.
02:58 Whole grains, your fruits, your vegetables.
03:00 Of course, kids can and should enjoy those foods.
03:03 Even if they think they don't like them at first, keep offering.
03:06 What are the best Mediterranean diet snacks?
03:09 Carrots and hummus would be a great option or cucumbers.
03:12 You could do any type of fruit.
03:14 Apples, paired with almonds.
03:16 You take your fruit and you're getting that really nice, high-quality carbohydrate, pairing
03:20 it with a healthy fat like a nut, which is going to slow down that absorption of carbs
03:24 into your bloodstream.
03:25 It's going to help keep you fuller for longer and avoid those blood sugar spikes and crashes.
03:29 If you're really on the go, dried fruits also can be a great option because it's a little
03:32 bit more portable.
03:33 I hope you guys learned a lot about the Mediterranean diet and you feel ready to get started if
03:37 you haven't already.
03:38 If you have any more questions about the Mediterranean diet, let us know in the comments.
03:42 I'd love to answer them.
03:42 (upbeat music)
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