The Mediterranean Diet is named No. 1 for the fourth consecutive year.
Looking for a healthy diet for your overall fitness and nutrition? We say you may just go for the Mediterranean diet. Loaded with the goodness of fruits and vegetables, the Mediterranean Diet has recently been voted the Best Diet of the Year 2021. This is the 4th consecutive year that this popular diet has reached the top (in the healthy food category) in the US. The News & World Report annual rankings. Following this, the second position on the list saw a link between the DASH diet (praised for its complete nutritional benefits and controlling hypertension) and the Flexitarian diet (a flexible diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and grains, and which also allows you to enjoy your favorite meat sometimes).
What Makes Mediterranean Diet the Best Diet of the Year:
Mediterranean diet – a plant-based diet packed with fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, olive oil et al – has time and again made a strong link with reduced health risks. Several studies around the world have shown that it is good for weight loss, gut health, diabetes and more. In addition to the best overall healthy diet, it also took the first stop on the list for the best diet for diabetes, the best diet for a healthy heart, the best plant-based diet, and the best diet for healthy eating. Let’s see the benefits.
Here are 5 benefits of a Mediterranean diet:
1. Promotes heart health
According to the American Heart Association (ADA), the Mediterranean diet can help you achieve a healthy diet that can help you fight cardiovascular disease and reduce risk.
2. Manage diabetes
A study published in the journal Diabetes Care claimed that following a Mediterranean diet can help improve cognition in type 2 diabetics. “The abundant antioxidants, vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids of the Mediterranean diet can improve neurovascular health and reduce oxidative stress, metabolites and chronic inflammation,” said Josiemer Mattei, Department of Nutrition, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA and the lead author of the study.
3. Improve gut health
Several studies have also shown that this diet is beneficial for overall gut health. According to a previous study presented at UEG Week Barcelona 2019, Mediterranean foods provide anti-inflammatory properties that help healthy gut bacteria thrive.
Promote brain health
Did you know that a diet full of fruits, vegetables and nuts can also be healthy for your brain? A study published in the journal Neurology finds that the Mediterranean diet can help you get a younger brain by slowing the process of cognitive decline.
Promoted
Prevent breast cancer
One of the biggest concerns among women around the world is that breast cancer risk can be reduced with the Mediterranean diet, according to a study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. According to the study, “The results of the study suggest a beneficial effect of a MeDiet (Mediterranean diet) supplemented with extra virgin olive oil in the primary prevention of breast cancer.”
What diet do you follow? Let us know about your diet in the comment section below.
About Somdatta SahaExplorer – that’s what Somdatta likes to call itself. Whether it’s food, people or places, all she craves is knowing the unknown. A simple aglio olio paste or daal chawal and a good movie can make her day.