If you miss potato chips, you can bake sliced veggies drizzled with olive oil and spices as a healthy alternative! Choose veggies that crisp nicely in the oven like root vegetables including turnips, parsnips, beets, and rustic carrots as a great Mediterranean diet snack or side.
Plentils Garlic and Parmesan Lentil Chips
These chips are made from lentils, a high-protein bean-like plant that is a big part of Mediterranean eating. For those avoiding gluten, this crunchy snack is gluten-free and is also free of dairy. For a heartier midday snack, try pairing them with hummus.
Things like nuts, fruits and vegetables, occasionally dairy in the form of fat free yogurt or other healthy dairy options. If you need something on the sweet side, opt for a small portion dried fruits like dates, figs, or dried apricots. These are all great options and can be jazzed up to make a healthy, tasty snacks.
Each meal should contain a protein food such as beans, lentils, tofu, fish, poultry, beef or pork, at least one non-starchy vegetable such as spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, asparagus, green beans, etc., and can include a complex carbohydrate such as rice, quinoa, farro, potato, winter squash or ...
Potatoes contain lots of vitamins and minerals, plus fiber. They are also low in saturated fats, making them a suitable choice when following a Mediterranean diet.
Absolutely to all three! Oats are a whole grain, which is encouraged on the Mediterranean diet. Low or moderate amounts of cheese, such as brie, feta, ricotta, and Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan), are also allowed. All types of fresh fruits, including bananas, are a go on the diet.
“Frying is bad for us? Absolutely not!” declares Professor Vincenzo Fogliano, who oversaw the study with Italian chef Giuseppe Daddio, who runs the cooking school. “If it's fried in the correct way, a potato chip or a montanara (Neapolitan fried pizza) can be an excellent nutritional product.”
It is widely used in Mediterranean dishes, as well as Indian and Middle Eastern recipes. Mediterranean dishes that contain basmati rice include salads, pilafs, paellas and stews.
Potatoes definitely shouldn't be avoided on the Mediterranean diet. Potatoes may seem like a "bad carb" sometimes, but they aren't viewed that way on this diet. They can be a great source of potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, fiber, and more.
Cheese & Yogurt
Dairy products common to the traditional Mediterranean Diet include: brie, chevre, corvo, feta, haloumi, manchego, Parmigiano-Reggiano, pecorino, ricotta, yogurt (including Greek yogurt).
The great thing about the Mediterranean diet? There are no off-limits food groups or intense restrictions…and that includes dessert. Since this popular eating plan is all about incorporating healthy fats, fruits, vegetables, nuts and low-fat dairy, you really can have your cake and eat it too.
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating foods in their most nutrient-dense forms, which makes Greek yogurt a particularly good option for those seeking protein. "Compared to regular yogurt, Greek yogurt has been strained multiple times so that the concentration of the protein is higher," Sollid told Insider.
Baked Veggie Chips
If you miss potato chips, you can bake sliced veggies drizzled with olive oil and spices as a healthy alternative! Choose veggies that crisp nicely in the oven like root vegetables including turnips, parsnips, beets, and rustic carrots as a great Mediterranean diet snack or side.
The Mediterranean diet is centered around whole grains, such as farro, millet, couscous and brown rice. With this eating style, you'll generally want to limit your intake of refined grains such as white pasta and white bread.
You can still enjoy bread as part of the Mediterranean Diet, just swap your white bread for whole grains. Whole grain breads and pastas contain more fiber, vitamins and minerals. Whole wheat pitas are a healthier option as they are usually lower in calories.
Avoid peanut, safflower, corn and soybean oils. You can also use avocado oil, which can withstand higher temperatures than olive oil. Eliminate margarine; avoid butter, but if you do use it, opt for a high quality butter made from grass-fed milk, such as Kerrygold. Eat a handful of nuts every day.
Recommended vegetables include standard fair like broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers, carrots, onions and tomatoes. Root vegetables like beets, turnips, radishes and scallions are also great choices. This food group also includes lots of greens like arugula, collard greens, kale, and spinach.
3. Focus on 'good' fats. Unsaturated fats are the main type of fat used in the Mediterranean, most famously olive oil. Replace butter, lard and ghee with unsaturated oils from plants and seeds such as olive and rapeseed oil.
Frying with olive oil has been a standard practice in the Mediterranean diet for centuries. Try shallow frying eggs, sliced potatoes or fish in extra virgin olive oil and you will be amazed by the results.
Olive oil is the main fat component of the Mediterranean Diet. It's a very versatile oil, probably even much more than people think. Here are some fun facts and tips for incorporating olive oil: You can sauté (yes, you can), fry, and bake with olive oil.
Eggs are not only a staple of the Mediterranean Diet, but they also play a role in weight management, muscle strength, healthy pregnancy, brain function, eye health and more.
Oatmeal is a safe option that can be dressed up for breakfast to make it better. Try adding a variety of nuts and fruit to improve the taste of plain oatmeal. Consider making it with honey, diced apples and chopped walnuts. Strawberries, blueberries and blackberries are also good options.