Today, US news and world news has issued the official rankings for the best diets, and the Mediterranean diet is awarded for the fourth consecutive year. The eating plan – which strives for lean protein, whole grains, seafood and lots of vegetables, along with the occasional glass of wine – has been reviewed by a panel of 25 experts specializing in nutrition, obesity, diabetes and heart disease. regard. .
This is what experts look for when determining the official ranking: how nutritious and safe the eating plan is, effectiveness for weight control, the ability to prevent and manage conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, and whether it is easy to follow. Since these parameters are in place, it is not difficult to see why the Med diet will weaken those who are more restrictive, such as the ketogenic diet or an alkaline diet: there are not just a plethora of studies outlining the benefits. of the Mediterranean diet does not support, but it leaves more on the table than it limits.
Watch the video below for more information on the benefits of the Mediterranean diet:
However, the eating plan is not without flaws. As Well + Good reported last year, scientific studies on the Mediterranean diet lack diversity, and the plan ignores the eating patterns of different cultural traditions. We reached out to registered dietitians to see how they feel about the Mediterranean diet again US news and world reports’ first place and how they hope the eating plan will develop further in the future.
According to registered dietitians, the Mediterranean diet should develop in 5 ways
1. Followers need to broaden what they consider to be Mediterranean food
Registered dietitian Maya Feller, RD, says part of the reason she feels the Mediterranean diet is still coming out on top is because it’s based on whole, minimally processed foods – a win in her book. But while the eating plan may not seem very restrictive, there are ways she believes it needs to be further broadened, starting with the types of cuisine that people consider Mediterranean food.
‘When people think of the Mediterranean, they tend to think of countries like Italy and France, but the Mediterranean spans Western Europe as well. [Northern] Africa and the Middle East, ”she says. She hopes the evolution of the Mediterranean diet includes people who go beyond what they have think of Mediterranean food to also include ingredients and dishes from these regions.
2. Use spices in new ways
Another aspect of the Mediterranean diet, according to Feller, is that it contains spices (which give flavor as well as extra health benefits), but she also feels that it can build on. “One reason I think people like Greek salad is because it contains spices, and it’s not something we think to include spices,” she says. “But I can tell you that it’s delicious to put cumin on your lettuce and baste it with pumpkin seed oil.”
Feller hopes people will think of ways to use the spices in their pantry beyond just chicken or fish. She again encourages people to experiment with a wide variety of spices, beyond what is considered Italian or Greek, to include the Mediterranean area as a whole and even further.
3. To ensure that following the eating plan is more accessible to BIPOC communities
Although dietitian Shahzadi Devje, RD, is a supporter of the Mediterranean diet, she says it has some shortcomings that need to be addressed to make it more accessible. “We usually hear that the Med diet can be ‘adapted’ to meet specific cultural needs,” she says. “I’m afraid this ‘plug and play’ model is cramped and quite discriminatory.”
This is largely due to the fact that some foods that are characteristic of the Medical diet are not always known or accessible to BIPOC communities, says Devje. Many of these communities are excessively affected by food insecurity or are more likely to live in food deserts, making it more difficult to include these ingredients in their diet.
Devje says it is therefore important that the Mediterranean diet (and those who recommend it) is important to consider accessibility and cultural habits when making dietary recommendations. “I believe it is important to build cultural skills and advocate for dietary patterns that are relevant and meaningful to all – not just to a white audience,” says Devje, adding that it is important to note that there is no one plan for all bodies. ‘In order to engage the BIPOC community, healthy diets need to be reviewed within the context of culture to ensure that they are relevant, achievable and sustainable. Food is very personal to people; it is an illustration of their culture and identity. We eat not only to nourish our body – but also our lives. ”
4. Creating Mediterranean fusion dishes
Feller hopes that the evolution of the Mediterranean diet will grow and also include people who put their own unique stamp on it. “I love fusion food so much,” she says. “There is such a wide variety of cuisine in different regions across the US. Think about what flavors are unique to where you live and how you can use them according to the principles of the Mediterranean diet.”
According to Feller, the key to adding your own twist, while still staying true to what the Medical Diet entails, is to ensure that the ways you build on it are still plant-forward, minimally processed, and contain healthy fats. That way, you still get the nutrients that make the Med diet so popular, but you use a wide variety of foods and spices to get there.
5. To reformulate the diet again from its “end all, be all” status
As beneficial as the Mediterranean diet is, Devje says she hopes the way we talk about the eating plan will evolve in the future. “Promoting health and optimizing nutrition throughout life requires a global inclusive lens; one where cultural diversity is accepted and included at all levels: in nutrition research and review, dietary guidelines, public policy on healthy eating and media, ”says Devje. To this end, she hopes that the future will be in the Mediterranean diet one healthy lifestyle, not the healthy way of life.
The health benefits that the Mediterranean diet can make a healthy eating plan for many people can not be denied. But by enlarging the way we think about what it means to eat the Mediterranean, it will make even more profit going forward.
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