Alright, so you have decided to adopt the Mediterranean Diet and make it your own. Congratulations! The first step into successfully making this diet your own will be to remove non-monsaturated cooking oils, processed foods, and sugary snacks and sodas from your kitchen. Their absence will mean that you are less likely to partake of them, but now, it is time for you to replace the foods you have eliminated from your kitchen. It can be helpful to think of this as a fresh start to make smart decisions regarding your diet, a fresh slate, so to speak.
The first step in shopping for foods that align with the Mediterranean Diet is to replace the cooking oil. Instead, you should opt for high quality extra virgin olive oil. The flavors in this oil allow it to be used in the stead of butter for dipping bread into. Likewise, you should also purchase light olive oil. The term light, in this instance, does not refer to the number of calories the olive oil contains, but to the amount of flavor it has. Light olive oil can be used to replace traditional cooking oils, and because it is light, you do not have to worry about the foods you are cooking assuming an Italian flavor.
Next, you should consider purchasing plain yogurt as opposed to sweetened yogurt or frozen yogurt that you may have had in your refrigerator. If needed, this yogurt can be flavored with honey, Splenda, or chunks of fruit can be added to it. In the Mediterranean Diet, an individual is encouraged to consumer fish 1-2 times a week, so you should purchase enough fish for two meals. Likewise, you will also need to purchase enough fresh fruits and vegetables to last an entire week.
Finally, you will need to deal with the dairy portion of your grocery shopping list. Instead of opting for cheese that is made from cow's milk, you should look at more exotic cheese options at your local grocery store. For example, Chevre is a type of goat's cheese that is lower in calories and fat than cow milk cheese. Parmesan and low fat mozzarella are also acceptable options. If you must have milk in your diet, then you will need to opt for no fat or 1% milk. Soy milk, although more of a vegetarian item, is also considered an acceptable substitute. The lower the fat content of the milk, the better off you will be.
The first step in shopping for foods that align with the Mediterranean Diet is to replace the cooking oil. Instead, you should opt for high quality extra virgin olive oil. The flavors in this oil allow it to be used in the stead of butter for dipping bread into. Likewise, you should also purchase light olive oil. The term light, in this instance, does not refer to the number of calories the olive oil contains, but to the amount of flavor it has. Light olive oil can be used to replace traditional cooking oils, and because it is light, you do not have to worry about the foods you are cooking assuming an Italian flavor.
Next, you should consider purchasing plain yogurt as opposed to sweetened yogurt or frozen yogurt that you may have had in your refrigerator. If needed, this yogurt can be flavored with honey, Splenda, or chunks of fruit can be added to it. In the Mediterranean Diet, an individual is encouraged to consumer fish 1-2 times a week, so you should purchase enough fish for two meals. Likewise, you will also need to purchase enough fresh fruits and vegetables to last an entire week.
Finally, you will need to deal with the dairy portion of your grocery shopping list. Instead of opting for cheese that is made from cow's milk, you should look at more exotic cheese options at your local grocery store. For example, Chevre is a type of goat's cheese that is lower in calories and fat than cow milk cheese. Parmesan and low fat mozzarella are also acceptable options. If you must have milk in your diet, then you will need to opt for no fat or 1% milk. Soy milk, although more of a vegetarian item, is also considered an acceptable substitute. The lower the fat content of the milk, the better off you will be.
No comments:
Post a Comment