Mediterranean Diet In a Day For Dummies

by Meri Raffetto, Wendy Jo Peterson

Overview

The way to eat if you want to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

The Mediterranean diet is a way of life – one where you eats lots of fresh food and slow down. More technically, the Mediterranean diet is a modern set of guidelines inspired by traditional diet patters of southern Italy, the Greek island of Crete, and other parts of Greece. For decades, doctors and nutritional experts have observed and confirmed that Mediterranean countries have much lower occurrences of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, and diabetes in their citizens than northern European countries and the United States.  Mediterranean Diet In a Day For Dummies quickly gets you started on this healthy, delicious eating plan. With focused content and expert advice, you’ll get a quick introduction to Mediterranean lifestyle principles and how they can help with disease prevention, weight management, and overall wellness. You’ll discover how to tie all the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle concepts together and see what a Mediterranean Food Guide Pyramid looks like. With a focus on eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and seafood; eating less meat; and choosing healthy fats such as olive oil. The lifestyle also includes a focus the importance of fun activities, time shared with family and friends and an overall passion for life! With helpful charts and tables, you’ll get listings of antioxidant-rich foods, health benefits by the color of your food, and cooking charts. You’ll get detailed steps for building your meals with the Mediterranean mindset and easy-to-follow plans that list the foods, oils, herbs and spices, and cooking times that make it easy to get started. You’ll even get a peek at a sample meal makeover – taking a traditional meal and making it a Mediterranean meal.    

Related Title: When you are ready for recipes, make your next book purchase, Mediterranean Diet Cookbook For Dummies. With over 150 recipes it is a terrific follow up to this get started guide.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781118715369
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	03/27/2013
Series:	In A Day For Dummies
Sold by:	JOHN WILEY & SONS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	72
Sales rank:	437,446
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Meri Raffetto, RD, is a registered dietitian and recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She has been featured in Healthy Living Magazine and the Chicago Tribune. She is the founder and CEO of reallivingnutrition.com and author of The Glycemic Index Diet For Dummies.

Wendy Jo Peterson, MS, RDN, enhances the nutrition of clients ranging from elite athletes to pediatric patients, and is currently a culinary instructor at Mesa College.

Table of Contents

Introduction  1

What You Can Do In A Day  1

Foolish Assumptions  2

Icons Used in This Book  2

Chapter 1: Journey to Club Med: What’s This Diet All About?  3

Identifying the Flavors of the Mediterranean Coast  4

Discovering Where the Food Comes From  5

Focusing on farming  6

Eating seasonally  6

Fishing the Mediterranean Sea  7

Eating and Living the Mediterranean Way  7

Focusing on healthy fats  9

Using dairy in moderation  9

Eating primarily plant-based foods  9

Punching up the flavor with fresh herbs and spices 10

Enjoying seafood weekly  10

Limiting red meat  10

Having a nice glass of vino  11

Getting a good dose of daily activity  11

Taking time for the day’s biggest meal  11

Enjoying time with friends and family  12

Chapter 2: Savoring the Health Benefits of Eating Mediterranean 13

Highlighting the Main Nutrients of the Mediterranean Diet 14

Fighting free radicals with antioxidants  14

Eating colorfully to get phytochemicals  15

Vitamin D: Getting a little of the sunshine vitamin  16

Choosing healthy fats  18

Boosting your fiber intake  19

Pouring a Glass of Red Wine  20

Looking at the Mediterranean Diet’s Effect on Heart Disease  20

Fighting Cancer  21

Battling Diabetes  22

Aging Gracefully: Anti-Aging Tips from the Mediterranean 23

Chapter 3: Starting with Small Changes to Make a Big Impact 25

Grasping the Importance of Meal Planning 25

Changing the Way You Fill Your Plate  28

Focusing on plant-based foods  28

Making good use of healthy fats  30

Finding the right balance with protein  31

Looking at a Mediterranean meal makeover  32

Chapter 4: Shopping and Stocking Your Kitchen 33

Sampling Some Meal Options  33

Knowing Where to Shop  36

Shopping local, no matter where you live  36

Taking advantage of local farmers’ markets  37

Getting involved with your local CSA  38

Discovering hidden food spots  38

Finding the Right Products  39

Buying produce  39

Seeking the perfect seafood  40

Purchasing beef, pork, and poultry  41

Checking out the dairy case (in moderation)  42

Exploring grains  42

Getting your caffeine fix  43

Purchasing Plenty of Mediterranean Staples 43

Loading up your pantry  43

Buying and storing nuts  44

Filling your refrigerator  45

Freezing for the future  45

Filling your countertop  46

Chapter 5: Creating Healthier, Flavorful Meals 47

Setting Yourself Up for Success  47

Scheduling time for cooking  48

Finding ways to create quick and easy meals  49

Making good use of batch cooking  50

Cooking with Oils  51

Understanding smoke points  51

Distinguishing among types of olive oils  52

Identifying the best oils for different dishes  53

Storing oils  54

Knowing how much to use  54

A Pinch of This and a Pinch of That: Using Herbs and Spices  55

Looking at the health benefits of herbs and spices  55

Storing fresh and dried herbs  56

Livening up food with herbs and spices  57

Including Whole Grains  58

Getting a handle on cooking times  58

Adding flavor to grains  59

Relying on Beans and Lentils  60

Preparing canned and dried beans and lentils  61

Finding cooking times for dried legumes  63

Cooking Meats for Better Health  63

Chapter 6: Where to Go from Here  65

Taking Your First Steps  65

Visiting dummiescom  66