The Mediterranean diet is responsible for the good health and longevity of people in the Mediterranean region. A large volume of research supports the benefits of the Mediterranean style of eating in managing many common lifestyle related health problems including- diabetes, heart disease, blood pressure, cholesterol, overweight and obesity, osteoarthritis, dementia and cancer. What’s more, the diet is economical and people report that it is easy to follow and they rarely feel hungry.
So what are the characteristics of a Mediterranean style diet? Take the quiz below to see how does your diet stacks up?
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1. Do you use olive oil as your main fat / oil? |
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2. Do you eat plenty of vegetables? (Includes 100g leafy greens, 100g tomato and 200g other vegetables per day) |
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3. Do you eat 2- 3 pieces of fruit every day? |
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4. Do you eat at least 2 serves of fish per week (includes oily fish such as salmon and sardines)? |
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5. Do you include 2 legume meals each week? (For example lentils, kidney beans) |
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6. Do you eat smaller portions of meat less frequently? ( 60 – 80g on only 1-2 days per week) |
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7. Do you eat yoghurt every day and cheese in moderation? |
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8. Do you choose wholegrain breads and cereals? |
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9. If you choose to drink alcohol, do you have wine in moderation (1-2 glasses / day) and only drink with meals? |
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10. Do you limit sweets and sweetened drinks to special occasions only? |
If you answered yes more than 8 times you are doing well with your diet.
If you answered yes 5-8 times you have room to improve your diet.
If you answered yes fewer than 4 times you could make a lot of changes to your diet to reap the rewards of a Mediterranean style diet.
The questionnaire was based on The Mediterranean Diet written by expert dietitian, Dr Catherine Istiopolous (PhD, APD). For a personalised eating plan to improve your health contact Susan here.