I used to have a terrible diet that was heavy on processed foods, red meat and sugar and little on vegetables and whole grains. Worse, I would graze and snack all day rather than sit down.
In July 2019, I made a drastic change by cutting out all meat (except fish) and a Mediterranean diet filled with lots of colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, seafood and occasional dairy.
Read the 12 things that have amazed me the most since I started the diet.
The variety is endless, so it does not feel limiting
I never thought I would be the type of person who would find vegetables exciting, but now I get it.
I am so excited and excited to plan, prepare and eat my meals in a way I have never started with the Mediterranean diet before.
Switching was much easier than I expected, because there is nothing boring or restrictive about eating – it never feels like deprivation.
I discovered all these wonderful and delicious fragrance combinations that I never knew existed. For example, I am currently obsessed with golden and red beets with feta, spinach and quinoa.
It’s an ongoing learning process, and I’ve never been a more eager student and experimented with different herbs and spices on fish and vegetables to see which one works best. Last week I discovered rose-harissa makes zucchini virtually dance in my mouth.
My meals are also much more balanced, so I don’t have to snack like I used to.
I do not miss red meat at all
I used to eat a lot of red meat.
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I used to love steaks, cheeseburgers, bacon, even raw red meat – one of my favorite dishes in restaurants was steak tartare.
I thought I would really struggle without it, but amazingly I do not miss it at all. I also realized that my body is not made for red meat, and that bloating and intense stomach cramps do not have to accompany every meal.
This was one of the almost immediate benefits I noticed when I started following a Mediterranean diet. I no longer had stomach pains after every meal and my body weight was no longer a source of great discomfort.
But I had to consume my legumes, such as lentils and chickpeas, much more, except that I had fish and eggs a few times a week to make sure I was getting enough protein in my diet.
It’s easy to order at home or make meals
It’s easy to find Mediterranean-friendly options on take-out menus.
Jennifer Barton for Insider
It is true that preparing a dish, even a salad, takes more effort than opening a bag of chips. But I could find very easy meals on the Mediterranean diet.
I grew up in New York, so it’s virtually part of my DNA, and I’m glad to report that it’s just as easy to order a Mediterranean diet – friendly choice if I feel lazy, or if I fancy delivery. it’s to go for burgers or pizza.
A veggie moussaka is the warmest comfort food on a cold winter day.
You can also find pre-cooked (or frozen) quinoa, lentils, brown rice and more, so if you are in a hurry, you can eat a healthy meal within minutes by just tossing a few ingredients together and warming up.
It can be a cheap alternative
Seafood, fish, avocados and certain types of olive oil can be expensive. Fortunately, it is very easy to make budget-friendly exchanges and still stick to a Mediterranean diet.
Canned tuna, beans, vegetables and frozen fish are cheaper alternatives. On top of that, it’s easier and more fun to make your own dips, like hummus, than most alternatives in the supermarket.
Furthermore, you can cook and freeze meals to save cash and last longer.
You can also spend a lot on this food, especially if you go to local delis
One of the reasons why it is so easy to stick to a Mediterranean diet is that it is so readily available today.
Within a few blocks of my place there are two cafe delicacies that contain everything from homemade baby ghanoush and hummus to cupboards and bar fridges, such as quinoa, feta, fresh fish and Halloumi. They also sell pre-made salads, grilled vegetable dishes, soups and more.
It’s all totally delicious, but it’s expensive too.
It’s infinitely cheaper to make your own dishes, but it’s good to know that you can get all the necessities at ease – or you can run out and have a healthy lunch if you do not have time to cook.
I have discovered so many new ways to make vegetables exciting
Vegetables can be exciting if you know how to prepare them.
Jennifer Barton for Insider
I never understood how delicious it can be to eat a plate of rainbow food, but now I get it. Every meal I make is full of yellow, oranges, reds, greens, purples.
One of the reasons I never appreciated the full potential of vegetables is that I did not realize how versatile it is. I mainly want to make it raw, chopped up and tossed in a salad, or previously fried. And I often have leftovers from my weekly vegetable box that I wasn’t sure what to do with.
I now spend my days doing all sorts of exciting things with vegetables – charring, pureing, frying, crushing, putting in soup, stuffing, steaming, using as a topping.
Instead of just grinding potatoes, I now turn butter beans or cannellini beans into a mash. Pureed beets have become a favorite dip if I want an alternative to hummus. And green pepper – which I really do not like raw – has become my best choice for an omelette filling.
There is not just one Mediterranean diet
I think one of the biggest misconceptions about the Mediterranean diet before I started following it was that it was pretty limited.
I did not appreciate the great geographical variety of the available food that was super easy to cook, deliciously delicious, and everything fell under the “Mediterranean” umbrella.
Although a Mediterranean diet can be Greek, French, Spanish and Italian, it is also Turkish, Lebanese, Israeli and Moroccan. The cookbooks of chef Yotam Ottolenghi, for example, are a delightful introduction to the great variety of Mediterranean cuisine.
I learned so many new ingredients and herbs, which helped me expand my cooking repertoire and add tons of flavor to dishes, without excess salt.
You can get sick of fish – I definitely did
I love fish, but it can get boring to eat every day.
Rachel Askinasi / Business Insider
If you follow a Mediterranean diet, you can expect to eat a few servings of poultry or fish a week, as this can be a great way to add protein to your diet along with eggs.
I stopped eating white meat, but I like fish, eggs and seafood.
A few servings of fish such as tuna, salmon, mackerel or sardines are recommended in the Mediterranean diet, but last summer, after I got into a routine of salmon with vegetables every other day – because it’s just as easy to cook – I definitely have a wall.
I feel bored and uninspired by fish. There really is something like too much salmon.
I tried to cook fish in different ways: mute, fry, fry, to make it into a pâté. It helped, but eventually I had to take a break for a few weeks and rather get my protein from eggs, chickpeas and lentils.
My kids and husband love it too
One of the biggest bonuses of this diet is how much my family enjoys it.
My husband used to be a voracious meat eater, but he did not complain when I offered portobello “steaks” and peanut mash the other night. In fact, he loved it.
My children – from ten years and younger – were more informed about fruits, vegetables and whole grains than in my twenties, and they tasted everything from golden beets to passion fruit.
They are also very excited to prepare dishes with me, so they benefit from learning all about the cooking process and where the food also comes from.
Olive oil is now my favorite ingredient
I use different types of olive oil every week.
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Heavy salad dressings, full of cream, mayonnaise, salt and many artificial ingredients, used to be a requirement for me if I was going to eat lettuce or spinach.
Now, I’m totally obsessed with olive oil, and I like to make different kinds of dressings with it – add a little apple cider vinegar, add a spoonful of mustard and combine with sage leaves.
I use the cheapest kind for cooking and extra-pure olive oil for a mixing base and fish marinade.
I even have garlic and chili varieties, which are great for dripping over eggs or roasted vegetables.
My skin has improved since I started the diet
My skin used to be angry, inflamed and sore.
I have rosacea, redness, dryness and acne, an unsightly combination that led me to protect myself from photos and keep my babies in front of my face to cover my red cheeks and recurrent outbreaks.
The Mediterranean diet is full of anti-inflammatory foods – Omega-3 rich fish, green vegetables, nuts, fruits and olive oil – and although I did not start eating that way for my skin, I was blown away by the results.
My skin has improved significantly over the past year and a half. It really calms down and sometimes it even gets the hint of a healthy glow from within from time to time.
It helped me discover a love of cooking
The main reason why I am a Mediterranean diet expert is that it makes me feel good inside and out.
I now have a healthier and happier relationship with food. I love knowing what I am feeding myself and my family, and I enjoy cooking in a way I have never done before.
As someone who never learned to cook food in growing up, I never thought about chopping vegetables or scattering herbs in a pan is one of the activities I enjoy doing with my family.
By making this lifestyle change, my repertoire of ingredients and dishes not only expanded, it helped me to discover the simple pleasure that cooking and eating can bring.
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