Instead of Doing The Mediterranean Diet, Just Eat These 5 Foods (80% of the benefit)

Olive oil extra virgin organic Fish Oil Any goat cheese fresh and aged Thyme rosemary bit of "green stuffs" chew well

Lived in Barcelona for my job in the 1990s. It was incredible. The coffe out of this world. The biggest take away, three hours at least off for lunch w red wine. You’re lucky if stores are open after lunch time it was up to them! And no one EVER eats when walking or drinks when walking. You sit, you eat, you socialize. In the morn you have your cafe at the cafe pub finish it at the bar standing, tortilla possibly, sandwhich, and then go. What a life. I still miss it daily. And the beach! And the sun! The markets! Fresh all the time!!

Something you don’t hear mentioned very often in the Mediterranean diet/lifestyle is the afternoon napping. Over the years, it’s becoming less common, but there was a time when even businesses would close in the afternoon, and then reopen. Not only to accommodate the business owners, but because everyone was taking a siesta and there would be no customers in the afternoon anyway.

I eat 4 pasture raised eggs, 100g of raw nuts and seeds (walnuts, pecans, macadamia, pine nuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds) and a whole avocado every day. That is my core fat consumption as a lacto-ovo-vegetarian. Many days I also eat cheese (often manchego). Added to that is a variety of organic cruciferous and leafy green vegetable (the precise ones vary). Added to that are a mix of beans to make up my protein intake and almost every day I have steamed mushrooms (all the veges drenched in EVOO). To round out the diet I have 1 granny smith apple and a couple of handfuls of berries (usually blueberries, raspberries, blackberries) and kefir. That seems to me to be pretty close to a Mediterranean diet.

Did you use the wrong thumbnail? You didn't talk about eggs.

Here’s my newest FREE Meal Plan (High Protein Mediterranean with some Intermittent Fasting)- https://thomasdelauer.com/MediterraneanFasting/ Please enjoy it as a thank-you for subscribing to my channel and my newsletter!

Summary (with chapter timestamps): To get 80% of the benefits of the Mediterranean diet without fully committing, focus on five key changes: increase olive oil consumption, switch to hard cheeses, incorporate unusual vegetables, add oily fish to your diet, and use Mediterranean spices. 1:10 🫒 Add Olive Oil • 🫒 Incorporate olive oil as a primary fat source, aiming for 20-30% of daily calories, significantly higher than the average US consumption. • 🧪 Olive oil stimulates GLP-1 production, enhancing satiety and improving fat utilization for a healthier metabolism. • 🥗 Use olive oil for preserving, dressing, marinating, and spreading, replacing industrialized oils in various applications. 3:14 🧀 Swap for Hard Cheeses • 🧀 Replace soft cheeses with hard, aged cheeses like Parmesan or Pecorino for predigested proteins and enhanced mineral absorption. • 🐑 Pecorino Romano is a rich source of C-15 saturated fat, which stabilizes cell membranes and combats oxidative stress associated with aging. • 🦠 Aged cheeses contribute to a diverse microbiome, promoting resilience against pathogens and improving glucose modulation and metabolic health. 6:18 🌿 Add Unusual Vegetables • 🌿 Incorporate esoteric vegetables like capers, artichokes, collard greens, eggplant, and okra for concentrated nutrients. • 🌱 Capers are a potent source of quercetin, upregulating natural antioxidants and reducing oxidative stress. • 🍄 Artichokes contain long-chain inulin, a prebiotic fiber promoting satiety. 7:58 🐟 Add Oily Fish • 🐟 Consume oily fish like salmon or sea bass a few times per week to reduce mortality risk. • ⚖️ One serving (4 ounces) of oily fish daily can decrease mortality risk by 8% due to omega-3s and lean protein. • 💪 Oily fish provides beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and high-quality protein, supporting overall health. 8:49 🌶️ Add Mediterranean Spices • 🌶️ Incorporate Mediterranean spices like basil, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, and sage to enhance cellular function and fat utilization. • 🌿 Basil contains rosemarinic acid, which downregulates carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, reducing carbohydrate absorption. • 🔥 Marjoram, rosemary, thyme, and sage increase PPAR alpha, improving fat utilization and reducing inflammatory cytokines. ** Generated using ✨ VidSkipper AI Chrome Plugin

Places like Sardinia use those herbs in what they call mountain tea

Thomas , Thank you for your nutritional expertise .

The family connection and enjoyment of life plays a huge part in longevity along with eating simple natural unprocessed food .