All about the Mediterranean or Cretan diet: interest, weight loss, recipes and health benefits!

Eat without gaining weight! The dream of many. But it's often when trying to adopt a healthy lifestyle that most struggle to achieve it. Is this your case? The Mediterranean or Cretan diet may be the solution for you.

The Cretan diet: definition!

The Mediterranean diet was conceptualized by a 1950 study by a nutritionist american named Ancel Keys. The latter, after noticing that Cretan life expectancy was more substantial compared to the rest of Europeans, took an interest in the eating habits of the latter. At the end of his research, he concludes that the Cretans are great consumers of vegetables, legumes, whole grains and quality fats. All this constitutes the base of a healthy life, far from the risks of cardiovascular diseases and cholesterol.

And in addition, this diet has the advantage of not prohibiting any food in particular, but also limits the consumption of certain foods such as sugar, red meat and industrial products. This diet and its derivatives are consumed throughout the Mediterranean basin, from the south of France to the Middle East, via Italy, Greece, Turkey, the Maghreb and of course Lebanon!

How it works ?

Eat Cretan, is to eat essentially fish in the week, at the rate of three to four days a week. And all preparations are authorized on the condition of favoring olive oil, lemon and herbs in terms of seasoning. These small details provide the essential fats that the body needs. On the cooking side, fish cooked in the oven or stewed have much better taste and are completely free of saturated fat.

In any case, it should be remembered that the mediterranean diet has the main objective of preserve health, prevent the risk of cardiovascular disease and reduce the risk of contracting cancer. The consumption of saturated fats, industrial sugar and processed products being very low, the Cretan diet is a reference ally to promote the weightloss.

The Cretan diet for weight loss

A Mediterranean type diet is often recommended to promote weight loss in some people. The principle is simple:

• Eat vegetables, seafood, fruit, extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, fish, seeds, spices, legumes, herbs, grains (preferably whole), spices, bread and herbs.
• Reduce or even avoid the consumption of eggs, yogurts, poultry and cheese.
• Consume red meat in moderation.
• Choose water, coffee and tea instead of sugary drinks.
• Avoid consumption of processed meats, refined oils, added sugars, as well as all other types of processed foods.
• Consume wine with (great) moderation, at the rate of one glass per day maximum and optional.

Without being a restrictive diet, the Mediterranean diet is therefore rich in monounsaturated fats and omega 3 fatty acids, and very low in saturated fatty acids. It is also rich in complex carbohydrates and guarantees a maximum supply of vitamins thanks to its high content of fresh fruits and vegetables.

This diet shows satisfactory results from the first weeks of application, especially in a person who previously followed an unbalanced diet. Moreover, the Cretan diet enters into a principle of healthy lifestyle, to adopt throughout a lifetime to get the best benefits, without depriving yourself.

Recipes and standard menu

• Breakfast : green tea or coffee, a slice of cereal bread, low-fat yoghurt, half a mango.
• Lunch : a salad with endives with walnuts, red mullet with aromatic herbs, 2 figs with honey.
• Dinner : a bulgur with coriander, a warm tomato with goat cheese, a pineapple salad.

The benefits of the Mediterranean diet

Many studies have demonstrated the benefits of the Cretan diet. Most refer above all to a significant weight loss from the first weeks of application. Others highlight its beneficial side, allowing consequently reduce the risk of heart attacks, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular accidents. A recent study carried out in March 2016 even showed that the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of hip fracture in women going through menopause, victims of osteoporosis.

Among all the diets proposed by dieticians, the Cretan diet is certainly the easiest to follow because it does not cause neither frustration nor monotony. It provides an excellent contribution in quality fatty acids to the body, in addition to providing the essential micro-nutrients, dietary fiber and antioxidants. This scheme also has the particularity of prevent cell aging and adapt to all lifestyles, including an active social life. Moreover, the fibers and vegetable proteins provided by this diet provide a feeling of satiety to the body, thus avoiding snacking sessions between meals.

Of course, like all other slimming diets, the Mediterranean diet is part of a Mediterranean lifestyle. That is, with regular physical activity and outdoor outings. So, when are we getting there?

Libshop and the Mediterranean diet

As you will have understood, at Libshop, we rely on the fundamentals of the Cretan diet, which constitutes a large part of traditional Lebanese cuisine, and whose virtues are well established. To do this, we use as many healthy ingredients as possible from this diet and banish all processed products and other junk as much as possible, in order to best preserve your health, and ours! It must be said that the first consumers of Libshop products are quite simply… ourselves! And what we wish is good for us, is good for you!

Here is, in all transparency, the list of protective foods that are at the center of the Libshop menu.

• Chickpeas and broad beans, essential to our creamy hummus enhanced with beneficial olive oil.
• The eggplant from our eggplant caviar, which is one of the healthiest vegetables in the world (and the least carbohydrate!).
• Homemade bulgur, which is a wonderful alternative to industrial rice sold everywhere, and which is rich in fiber, a source of protein, fiber, group B vitamins (B1, B2, PP, B5, etc.) and magnesium, iron and zinc.
• Lemon and onions, which are mainly found in our homemade Lebanese tabbouleh, one of the most dietetic and nutritious starters in the world (just that!).
• Greek yogurt, which you will find in the base of our homemade tzatziki, decorated with garlic and beneficial herbs.
• Our homemade lentil soup, to stock up on legumes and secret spices 🙂
• Our meats marinated in various spices and secret herbs, which the centuries-old peoples of the Middle East and the Far East consume without moderation.
• And of course all the characteristic plants of the Cretan diet, which you will find in our mezes and in our salads: avocado, Fêta PDO cheese, romaine lettuce, mesclun salad, quinoa, black olives, fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil, mint , thyme, chives… just that!

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