Mediterranean-style diet & satiety on fewer calories
tomatoey
Posts: 5,446 Member
I usually tend to eat a lot of red meat and eggs (lots and lots of eggs) bc it helps me stay full. Have been trying to replace that with more chicken, fish, beans & legumes, and nuts instead, and to replace sat fat with healthier fat (just in case that helps with cholesterol. I know the research says it might not, just want to try it and see what happens for my next test).
The beans and legumes on their own (with no other meat) aren't working to hit the spot, and I can't eat a ton of them bc of IBS. Volume eating (lots of veg) doesn't tend to work for me without a good chunk of meat somewhere in the mix (also again, IBS - cooking things helps). Dairy helps but isn't the same as meat (especially red meat).
Really, it seems satiety is oriented around eating a lot of farm animals, for me... any tips on staying full with less of that?
(Also - not exercising a lot right now, so have a limited burn, smaller margin for error & fewer calories to play with overall.)
The beans and legumes on their own (with no other meat) aren't working to hit the spot, and I can't eat a ton of them bc of IBS. Volume eating (lots of veg) doesn't tend to work for me without a good chunk of meat somewhere in the mix (also again, IBS - cooking things helps). Dairy helps but isn't the same as meat (especially red meat).
Really, it seems satiety is oriented around eating a lot of farm animals, for me... any tips on staying full with less of that?
(Also - not exercising a lot right now, so have a limited burn, smaller margin for error & fewer calories to play with overall.)
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It sounds dreadful, I hope you don't have to change your diet permanently - I like to balance my fruit/veg/starch with plenty of fish/meat/fats/dairy. Anyway. Have you looked into vegetarian substitutes - soy, tofu, tempeh or what ever they are called? Do you get enough fat, even if it is unsaturated, it may help satiety?0
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You are including plenty of olive oil, right? That's a staple on the Med Diet. Beans and legumes and most veg on their own are practically fat free, so you need to add fat for satiety. Plus, the unsaturated fats in olive oil can help with your lipid profile.
What about fish or poultry? I realize the Med Diet is heavy on plants, but if that doesn't work for your IBS then you could modify it.
Also, sticking to leaner cuts of lean red meats would be closer to the diet guidelines. The main beef (so to speak) with red meat seems to be with fatty cuts and processed meats. So, a lean pork loin chop or beef steak would be closer to the diet than ribs or a well marbled ribeye. Cook the meats in olive oil with whatever veg you can best tolerate.0 -
Yeah, what @Need2Exerc1se says. My pet peeve with North American versions of the Mediterranean diet is that they remove nearly all the fat. But that's where satiety comes in. Try some stuffed grape leaves.0
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Yeah, what @Need2Exerc1se says. My pet peeve with North American versions of the Mediterranean diet is that they remove nearly all the fat. But that's where satiety comes in.
Oh I hope that's not true. It didn't use to be. Stupid diet industry has to mess with everything.
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The recipes, @Need2Exerc1se , I swear! Low fat has been ingrained in us for so long here.....0
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kommodevaran wrote: »It sounds dreadful, I hope you don't have to change your diet permanently - I like to balance my fruit/veg/starch with plenty of fish/meat/fats/dairy. Anyway. Have you looked into vegetarian substitutes - soy, tofu, tempeh or what ever they are called? Do you get enough fat, even if it is unsaturated, it may help satiety?
I haven't really, have read that soy may have estrogenic effects, but I could look more I to it.Need2Exerc1se wrote: »You are including plenty of olive oil, right? That's a staple on the Med Diet. Beans and legumes and most veg on their own are practically fat free, so you need to add fat for satiety. Plus, the unsaturated fats in olive oil can help with your lipid profile.
What about fish or poultry? I realize the Med Diet is heavy on plants, but if that doesn't work for your IBS then you could modify it.
Also, sticking to leaner cuts of lean red meats would be closer to the diet guidelines. The main beef (so to speak) with red meat seems to be with fatty cuts and processed meats. So, a lean pork loin chop or beef steak would be closer to the diet than ribs or a well marbled ribeye. Cook the meats in olive oil with whatever veg you can best tolerate.
Great advice, thank you. Yup, I get a lot of olive oil in. I'm working on the chicken and fish
Learning a few more recipes, that will help. I really hate boneless skinless, hate brining and marinating and all that kind of effort and also the taste. but I should probably get over it.
Choosing leaner cuts of beef and pork will help me with this, a LOT Will also have to experiment a bit more with that, too. A lifetime's cooking habits to review! It's ok though. Thanks Yeah, what @Need2Exerc1se says. My pet peeve with North American versions of the Mediterranean diet is that they remove nearly all the fat. But that's where satiety comes in. Try some stuffed grape leaves.
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stuffed grape leaves. Thanks 0 -
I am in the Mediterranean and was fortunate enough to be raised with a pretty traditional diet. Some remarks:
- use olive oil, it is not supposed to be low fat
- it is very common for meals to include or have as a side dish some form of dairy: piece of cheese or yoghurt usually
- meat, contrary to what people seem to think, it is not supposed to be really lean. Things like lean cuts of meat, skinless chicken breasts etc, are not part of the traditional diet. It is just that meat is a small part of the diet. I personally use lean meat, but you need to make up for it by adding oil, or most recipes do not work that great
- google regional recipes. If you are going to try for meatless meals, you need to know how to cook them, it is completely different from just preparing vegetables as a side dish. There is a lot of cooking in tomato sauce, or lemon and oil based sauces etc, and then the meal accompanied by bread or potatoes or other starches cooked with the vegetables. It is never just plain vegetables, no one can get full on this. Imagine e.g. a meal based on green beans. Just boil, steam etc the beans, and you got yourself a salad, no one is happy with this as a meal if you do not add meat. Now, try making beans into a meal: prepare a base of caramelised onions in olive oil, add the beans, cook in a thick tomato sauce, add a few potatoes while cooking, then serve with a slice of bread and some goat cheese. You no longer need the meat
- in case it is not clear and you are wondering, low carb and Mediterranean do not work together.0 -
I am in the Mediterranean and was fortunate enough to be raised with a pretty traditional diet. Some remarks:
- use olive oil, it is not supposed to be low fat
- it is very common for meals to include or have as a side dish some form of dairy: piece of cheese or yoghurt usually
- meat, contrary to what people seem to think, it is not supposed to be really lean. Things like lean cuts of meat, skinless chicken breasts etc, are not part of the traditional diet. It is just that meat is a small part of the diet. I personally use lean meat, but you need to make up for it by adding oil, or most recipes do not work that great
- google regional recipes. If you are going to try for meatless meals, you need to know how to cook them, it is completely different from just preparing vegetables as a side dish. There is a lot of cooking in tomato sauce, or lemon and oil based sauces etc, and then the meal accompanied by bread or potatoes or other starches cooked with the vegetables. It is never just plain vegetables, no one can get full on this. Imagine e.g. a meal based on green beans. Just boil, steam etc the beans, and you got yourself a salad, no one is happy with this as a meal if you do not add meat. Now, try making beans into a meal: prepare a base of caramelised onions in olive oil, add the beans, cook in a thick tomato sauce, add a few potatoes while cooking, then serve with a slice of bread and some goat cheese. You no longer need the meat
- in case it is not clear and you are wondering, low carb and Mediterranean do not work together.
Thank you, aggelikik!
Although it's true that I often go the simple route with veg (steaming or boiling) when it accompanies meat, I do try to make my meatless meals actual meals, and it's in my habit to include yogurt or cheese with many meals, and to use olive oil in cooking. There are some delicious meatless Med dishes I've yet to try to cook, of course but so far, this is still not really cutting it compared to e.g. a grilled steak.
Regarding lean vs. fatty meat - it's less that I'm trying to stay true to a Med diet than it is that I'm trying to bring down my cholesterol levels. You're probably right, though, that sticking with fattier (and yummier) meats and just reducing quantity would be another way to go. I suppose I'll have to experiment a bit more with the veggie-only meals. (I made a chickpea dish the other day that wasn't too bad...
Yeah, I know LC and Med are basically opposed, it's more that I don't know what to do about my addiction to cows
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I am in the Mediterranean and was fortunate enough to be raised with a pretty traditional diet. Some remarks:
- use olive oil, it is not supposed to be low fat
- it is very common for meals to include or have as a side dish some form of dairy: piece of cheese or yoghurt usually
- meat, contrary to what people seem to think, it is not supposed to be really lean. Things like lean cuts of meat, skinless chicken breasts etc, are not part of the traditional diet. It is just that meat is a small part of the diet. I personally use lean meat, but you need to make up for it by adding oil, or most recipes do not work that great
- google regional recipes. If you are going to try for meatless meals, you need to know how to cook them, it is completely different from just preparing vegetables as a side dish. There is a lot of cooking in tomato sauce, or lemon and oil based sauces etc, and then the meal accompanied by bread or potatoes or other starches cooked with the vegetables. It is never just plain vegetables, no one can get full on this. Imagine e.g. a meal based on green beans. Just boil, steam etc the beans, and you got yourself a salad, no one is happy with this as a meal if you do not add meat. Now, try making beans into a meal: prepare a base of caramelised onions in olive oil, add the beans, cook in a thick tomato sauce, add a few potatoes while cooking, then serve with a slice of bread and some goat cheese. You no longer need the meat
- in case it is not clear and you are wondering, low carb and Mediterranean do not work together.
And this is why from the tip of Spain, Italy, Greece, and North Africa have the best food in the world.
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I haven't really, have read that soy may have estrogenic effects, but I could look more I to it.
I've been tracking this pretty closely, being vegetarian & having had estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer (i.e., estrogen made the tumors grow). Soy seems to have some estrogen-like effects, and some estrogen-agonist effects. Still lots of ambiguity about when it's good, or how much. *However*, most things I've read suggest that eating it occasionally is not likely to be a problem (even for folks like me) - say, once or twice a week . . . and I'm talking significant portions here; teensy amounts of soy are nothing to obsess about.
*But* I'm not a trained dietician, nutritionist, or anything like one, just an interested (*very* interested) lay person. It would be poor practice to listen to me.
FWIW!0 -
I haven't really, have read that soy may have estrogenic effects, but I could look more I to it.
I've been tracking this pretty closely, being vegetarian & having had estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer (i.e., estrogen made the tumors grow). Soy seems to have some estrogen-like effects, and some estrogen-agonist effects. Still lots of ambiguity about when it's good, or how much. *However*, most things I've read suggest that eating it occasionally is not likely to be a problem (even for folks like me) - say, once or twice a week . . . and I'm talking significant portions here; teensy amounts of soy are nothing to obsess about.
*But* I'm not a trained dietician, nutritionist, or anything like one, just an interested (*very* interested) lay person. It would be poor practice to listen to me.
FWIW!
Thanks!
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I usually tend to eat a lot of red meat and eggs (lots and lots of eggs) bc it helps me stay full. Have been trying to replace that with more chicken, fish, beans & legumes, and nuts instead, and to replace sat fat with healthier fat (just in case that helps with cholesterol. I know the research says it might not, just want to try it and see what happens for my next test).
The beans and legumes on their own (with no other meat) aren't working to hit the spot, and I can't eat a ton of them bc of IBS. Volume eating (lots of veg) doesn't tend to work for me without a good chunk of meat somewhere in the mix (also again, IBS - cooking things helps). Dairy helps but isn't the same as meat (especially red meat).
Really, it seems satiety is oriented around eating a lot of farm animals, for me... any tips on staying full with less of that?
(Also - not exercising a lot right now, so have a limited burn, smaller margin for error & fewer calories to play with overall.)
Have you tried soups? They can be very satiating. Mediterranean style soups rely mainly on legumes, but can contain also different vegetables (like minestrone) or grains (like Tuscan farro soup).
As for the fish, I think the most satiating are tuna and swordfish steaks. If you don't have access to them, salmon will do the job as well (even if not exactly Mediterranean
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I am in the Mediterranean and was fortunate enough to be raised with a pretty traditional diet. Some remarks:
- use olive oil, it is not supposed to be low fat
- it is very common for meals to include or have as a side dish some form of dairy: piece of cheese or yoghurt usually
- meat, contrary to what people seem to think, it is not supposed to be really lean. Things like lean cuts of meat, skinless chicken breasts etc, are not part of the traditional diet. It is just that meat is a small part of the diet. I personally use lean meat, but you need to make up for it by adding oil, or most recipes do not work that great
- google regional recipes. If you are going to try for meatless meals, you need to know how to cook them, it is completely different from just preparing vegetables as a side dish. There is a lot of cooking in tomato sauce, or lemon and oil based sauces etc, and then the meal accompanied by bread or potatoes or other starches cooked with the vegetables. It is never just plain vegetables, no one can get full on this. Imagine e.g. a meal based on green beans. Just boil, steam etc the beans, and you got yourself a salad, no one is happy with this as a meal if you do not add meat. Now, try making beans into a meal: prepare a base of caramelised onions in olive oil, add the beans, cook in a thick tomato sauce, add a few potatoes while cooking, then serve with a slice of bread and some goat cheese. You no longer need the meat
- in case it is not clear and you are wondering, low carb and Mediterranean do not work together.
Thank you, aggelikik!
Although it's true that I often go the simple route with veg (steaming or boiling) when it accompanies meat, I do try to make my meatless meals actual meals, and it's in my habit to include yogurt or cheese with many meals, and to use olive oil in cooking. There are some delicious meatless Med dishes I've yet to try to cook, of course but so far, this is still not really cutting it compared to e.g. a grilled steak.
Regarding lean vs. fatty meat - it's less that I'm trying to stay true to a Med diet than it is that I'm trying to bring down my cholesterol levels. You're probably right, though, that sticking with fattier (and yummier) meats and just reducing quantity would be another way to go. I suppose I'll have to experiment a bit more with the veggie-only meals. (I made a chickpea dish the other day that wasn't too bad...
Yeah, I know LC and Med are basically opposed, it's more that I don't know what to do about my addiction to cows
I understand completely. I have my 5 year old (yes 5 year old, and very thin and active) on a low saturated fat diet currently, because his cholesterol levels are unusually high for his age and weight. We are still investigating why, probably thyroid related, but on the meantime, the dr requested some diet changes. The plan is something like no more than 2-3 meals per week based on red meat, only lean cuts, chicken instead of meat whenever possible and fish.
What I have found works best with very lean meats is ground meat or ground chicken. I either cook vegetable or pasta based dishes, following recipes where ground meat is needed, usually in tomato sauce, so the lack of fat is not a problem with taste, or I prepare burgers or meatballs, adding oil to replace the meat fat, and then oven bake them or grill them instead of pan frying.
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I am in the Mediterranean and was fortunate enough to be raised with a pretty traditional diet. Some remarks:
- use olive oil, it is not supposed to be low fat
- it is very common for meals to include or have as a side dish some form of dairy: piece of cheese or yoghurt usually
- meat, contrary to what people seem to think, it is not supposed to be really lean. Things like lean cuts of meat, skinless chicken breasts etc, are not part of the traditional diet. It is just that meat is a small part of the diet. I personally use lean meat, but you need to make up for it by adding oil, or most recipes do not work that great
- google regional recipes. If you are going to try for meatless meals, you need to know how to cook them, it is completely different from just preparing vegetables as a side dish. There is a lot of cooking in tomato sauce, or lemon and oil based sauces etc, and then the meal accompanied by bread or potatoes or other starches cooked with the vegetables. It is never just plain vegetables, no one can get full on this. Imagine e.g. a meal based on green beans. Just boil, steam etc the beans, and you got yourself a salad, no one is happy with this as a meal if you do not add meat. Now, try making beans into a meal: prepare a base of caramelised onions in olive oil, add the beans, cook in a thick tomato sauce, add a few potatoes while cooking, then serve with a slice of bread and some goat cheese. You no longer need the meat
- in case it is not clear and you are wondering, low carb and Mediterranean do not work together.
The Mediterranean isn't really based on how one region of the Mediterranean eats. Living there doesn't really give you greater knowledge of the diet itself. It's a well documented eating plan based on foods that grow and are common in the Mediterranean region.
If someone wants to follow the Mediterranean Diet, they should read up on the diet, not talk to one person living in the rather large Mediterranean region.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I am in the Mediterranean and was fortunate enough to be raised with a pretty traditional diet. Some remarks:
- use olive oil, it is not supposed to be low fat
- it is very common for meals to include or have as a side dish some form of dairy: piece of cheese or yoghurt usually
- meat, contrary to what people seem to think, it is not supposed to be really lean. Things like lean cuts of meat, skinless chicken breasts etc, are not part of the traditional diet. It is just that meat is a small part of the diet. I personally use lean meat, but you need to make up for it by adding oil, or most recipes do not work that great
- google regional recipes. If you are going to try for meatless meals, you need to know how to cook them, it is completely different from just preparing vegetables as a side dish. There is a lot of cooking in tomato sauce, or lemon and oil based sauces etc, and then the meal accompanied by bread or potatoes or other starches cooked with the vegetables. It is never just plain vegetables, no one can get full on this. Imagine e.g. a meal based on green beans. Just boil, steam etc the beans, and you got yourself a salad, no one is happy with this as a meal if you do not add meat. Now, try making beans into a meal: prepare a base of caramelised onions in olive oil, add the beans, cook in a thick tomato sauce, add a few potatoes while cooking, then serve with a slice of bread and some goat cheese. You no longer need the meat
- in case it is not clear and you are wondering, low carb and Mediterranean do not work together.
The Mediterranean isn't really based on how one region of the Mediterranean eats. Living there doesn't really give you greater knowledge of the diet itself. It's a well documented eating plan based on foods that grow and are common in the Mediterranean region.
If someone wants to follow the Mediterranean Diet, they should read up on the diet, not talk to one person living in the rather large Mediterranean region.
Like I said, it would be a good idea to look for some traditional recipes from all over the area to understand how it works. As for reading up on the diet, it is based on how people in the Mediterranean eat, or rather used to eat. It is based on studying real people and their eating habits, it is not some made up diet with a fancy name, like paleo, so yes, living in the area actually does give one a very good idea of what the diet looks like. Of course OP (or anyone else) should not base her eating on how me, or any other individual in the area eats, same as talking with a single person in France is not likely to make me an expert in French wines.
But, since it is a real eating style, and there are thousands of traditional recipes from all over the area, it is very easy to search for these recipes on regional sites, to have as a starting point. Just following a guide of ingredients will not help OP, or anyone else, to actually end up with something edible, and nice to eat, especially if the recipes she has been used to have different basic ingredients.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I am in the Mediterranean and was fortunate enough to be raised with a pretty traditional diet. Some remarks:
- use olive oil, it is not supposed to be low fat
- it is very common for meals to include or have as a side dish some form of dairy: piece of cheese or yoghurt usually
- meat, contrary to what people seem to think, it is not supposed to be really lean. Things like lean cuts of meat, skinless chicken breasts etc, are not part of the traditional diet. It is just that meat is a small part of the diet. I personally use lean meat, but you need to make up for it by adding oil, or most recipes do not work that great
- google regional recipes. If you are going to try for meatless meals, you need to know how to cook them, it is completely different from just preparing vegetables as a side dish. There is a lot of cooking in tomato sauce, or lemon and oil based sauces etc, and then the meal accompanied by bread or potatoes or other starches cooked with the vegetables. It is never just plain vegetables, no one can get full on this. Imagine e.g. a meal based on green beans. Just boil, steam etc the beans, and you got yourself a salad, no one is happy with this as a meal if you do not add meat. Now, try making beans into a meal: prepare a base of caramelised onions in olive oil, add the beans, cook in a thick tomato sauce, add a few potatoes while cooking, then serve with a slice of bread and some goat cheese. You no longer need the meat
- in case it is not clear and you are wondering, low carb and Mediterranean do not work together.
The Mediterranean isn't really based on how one region of the Mediterranean eats. Living there doesn't really give you greater knowledge of the diet itself. It's a well documented eating plan based on foods that grow and are common in the Mediterranean region.
If someone wants to follow the Mediterranean Diet, they should read up on the diet, not talk to one person living in the rather large Mediterranean region.
Like I said, it would be a good idea to look for some traditional recipes from all over the area to understand how it works. As for reading up on the diet, it is based on how people in the Mediterranean eat, or rather used to eat. It is based on studying real people and their eating habits, it is not some made up diet with a fancy name, like paleo, so yes, living in the area actually does give one a very good idea of what the diet looks like. Of course OP (or anyone else) should not base her eating on how me, or any other individual in the area eats, same as talking with a single person in France is not likely to make me an expert in French wines.
But, since it is a real eating style, and there are thousands of traditional recipes from all over the area, it is very easy to search for these recipes on regional sites, to have as a starting point. Just following a guide of ingredients will not help OP, or anyone else, to actually end up with something edible, and nice to eat, especially if the recipes she has been used to have different basic ingredients.
Actually, it is a made up diet and the recipes don't have to be traditional Mediterranean recipes to fit it's guidelines, though those are fine. There are recipes from many regions of the world that would fit the Mediterranean Diet guidelines.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I am in the Mediterranean and was fortunate enough to be raised with a pretty traditional diet. Some remarks:
- use olive oil, it is not supposed to be low fat
- it is very common for meals to include or have as a side dish some form of dairy: piece of cheese or yoghurt usually
- meat, contrary to what people seem to think, it is not supposed to be really lean. Things like lean cuts of meat, skinless chicken breasts etc, are not part of the traditional diet. It is just that meat is a small part of the diet. I personally use lean meat, but you need to make up for it by adding oil, or most recipes do not work that great
- google regional recipes. If you are going to try for meatless meals, you need to know how to cook them, it is completely different from just preparing vegetables as a side dish. There is a lot of cooking in tomato sauce, or lemon and oil based sauces etc, and then the meal accompanied by bread or potatoes or other starches cooked with the vegetables. It is never just plain vegetables, no one can get full on this. Imagine e.g. a meal based on green beans. Just boil, steam etc the beans, and you got yourself a salad, no one is happy with this as a meal if you do not add meat. Now, try making beans into a meal: prepare a base of caramelised onions in olive oil, add the beans, cook in a thick tomato sauce, add a few potatoes while cooking, then serve with a slice of bread and some goat cheese. You no longer need the meat
- in case it is not clear and you are wondering, low carb and Mediterranean do not work together.
The Mediterranean isn't really based on how one region of the Mediterranean eats. Living there doesn't really give you greater knowledge of the diet itself. It's a well documented eating plan based on foods that grow and are common in the Mediterranean region.
If someone wants to follow the Mediterranean Diet, they should read up on the diet, not talk to one person living in the rather large Mediterranean region.
Like I said, it would be a good idea to look for some traditional recipes from all over the area to understand how it works. As for reading up on the diet, it is based on how people in the Mediterranean eat, or rather used to eat. It is based on studying real people and their eating habits, it is not some made up diet with a fancy name, like paleo, so yes, living in the area actually does give one a very good idea of what the diet looks like. Of course OP (or anyone else) should not base her eating on how me, or any other individual in the area eats, same as talking with a single person in France is not likely to make me an expert in French wines.
But, since it is a real eating style, and there are thousands of traditional recipes from all over the area, it is very easy to search for these recipes on regional sites, to have as a starting point. Just following a guide of ingredients will not help OP, or anyone else, to actually end up with something edible, and nice to eat, especially if the recipes she has been used to have different basic ingredients.
Actually, it is a made up diet and the recipes don't have to be traditional Mediterranean recipes to fit it's guidelines, though those are fine. There are recipes from many regions of the world that would fit the Mediterranean Diet guidelines.
Actually, the authors of the "Harvard version" of the Mediterranean diet claim that it "is based on food patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 1960s"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7754995
so I wouldn't say that it is "made up". Yes, Greek and Italian people don't necessarily know how their traditional diet looked like. Still, if you want to follow that dietary pattern, it seems reasonable to me to take inspiration from the traditional recipes of those countries.0 -
Gianfranco_R wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I am in the Mediterranean and was fortunate enough to be raised with a pretty traditional diet. Some remarks:
- use olive oil, it is not supposed to be low fat
- it is very common for meals to include or have as a side dish some form of dairy: piece of cheese or yoghurt usually
- meat, contrary to what people seem to think, it is not supposed to be really lean. Things like lean cuts of meat, skinless chicken breasts etc, are not part of the traditional diet. It is just that meat is a small part of the diet. I personally use lean meat, but you need to make up for it by adding oil, or most recipes do not work that great
- google regional recipes. If you are going to try for meatless meals, you need to know how to cook them, it is completely different from just preparing vegetables as a side dish. There is a lot of cooking in tomato sauce, or lemon and oil based sauces etc, and then the meal accompanied by bread or potatoes or other starches cooked with the vegetables. It is never just plain vegetables, no one can get full on this. Imagine e.g. a meal based on green beans. Just boil, steam etc the beans, and you got yourself a salad, no one is happy with this as a meal if you do not add meat. Now, try making beans into a meal: prepare a base of caramelised onions in olive oil, add the beans, cook in a thick tomato sauce, add a few potatoes while cooking, then serve with a slice of bread and some goat cheese. You no longer need the meat
- in case it is not clear and you are wondering, low carb and Mediterranean do not work together.
The Mediterranean isn't really based on how one region of the Mediterranean eats. Living there doesn't really give you greater knowledge of the diet itself. It's a well documented eating plan based on foods that grow and are common in the Mediterranean region.
If someone wants to follow the Mediterranean Diet, they should read up on the diet, not talk to one person living in the rather large Mediterranean region.
Like I said, it would be a good idea to look for some traditional recipes from all over the area to understand how it works. As for reading up on the diet, it is based on how people in the Mediterranean eat, or rather used to eat. It is based on studying real people and their eating habits, it is not some made up diet with a fancy name, like paleo, so yes, living in the area actually does give one a very good idea of what the diet looks like. Of course OP (or anyone else) should not base her eating on how me, or any other individual in the area eats, same as talking with a single person in France is not likely to make me an expert in French wines.
But, since it is a real eating style, and there are thousands of traditional recipes from all over the area, it is very easy to search for these recipes on regional sites, to have as a starting point. Just following a guide of ingredients will not help OP, or anyone else, to actually end up with something edible, and nice to eat, especially if the recipes she has been used to have different basic ingredients.
Actually, it is a made up diet and the recipes don't have to be traditional Mediterranean recipes to fit it's guidelines, though those are fine. There are recipes from many regions of the world that would fit the Mediterranean Diet guidelines.
Actually, the authors of the "Harvard version" of the Mediterranean diet claim that it "is based on food patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 1960s"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7754995
so I wouldn't say that it is "made up". Yes, Greek and Italian people don't necessarily know how their traditional diet looked like. Still, if you want to follow that dietary pattern, it seems reasonable to me to take inspiration from the traditional recipes of those countries.
I don't disagree with any of that. "based on" vs "made up" Reasonable vs required.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I am in the Mediterranean and was fortunate enough to be raised with a pretty traditional diet. Some remarks:
- use olive oil, it is not supposed to be low fat
- it is very common for meals to include or have as a side dish some form of dairy: piece of cheese or yoghurt usually
- meat, contrary to what people seem to think, it is not supposed to be really lean. Things like lean cuts of meat, skinless chicken breasts etc, are not part of the traditional diet. It is just that meat is a small part of the diet. I personally use lean meat, but you need to make up for it by adding oil, or most recipes do not work that great
- google regional recipes. If you are going to try for meatless meals, you need to know how to cook them, it is completely different from just preparing vegetables as a side dish. There is a lot of cooking in tomato sauce, or lemon and oil based sauces etc, and then the meal accompanied by bread or potatoes or other starches cooked with the vegetables. It is never just plain vegetables, no one can get full on this. Imagine e.g. a meal based on green beans. Just boil, steam etc the beans, and you got yourself a salad, no one is happy with this as a meal if you do not add meat. Now, try making beans into a meal: prepare a base of caramelised onions in olive oil, add the beans, cook in a thick tomato sauce, add a few potatoes while cooking, then serve with a slice of bread and some goat cheese. You no longer need the meat
- in case it is not clear and you are wondering, low carb and Mediterranean do not work together.
The Mediterranean isn't really based on how one region of the Mediterranean eats. Living there doesn't really give you greater knowledge of the diet itself. It's a well documented eating plan based on foods that grow and are common in the Mediterranean region.
If someone wants to follow the Mediterranean Diet, they should read up on the diet, not talk to one person living in the rather large Mediterranean region.
Like I said, it would be a good idea to look for some traditional recipes from all over the area to understand how it works. As for reading up on the diet, it is based on how people in the Mediterranean eat, or rather used to eat. It is based on studying real people and their eating habits, it is not some made up diet with a fancy name, like paleo, so yes, living in the area actually does give one a very good idea of what the diet looks like. Of course OP (or anyone else) should not base her eating on how me, or any other individual in the area eats, same as talking with a single person in France is not likely to make me an expert in French wines.
But, since it is a real eating style, and there are thousands of traditional recipes from all over the area, it is very easy to search for these recipes on regional sites, to have as a starting point. Just following a guide of ingredients will not help OP, or anyone else, to actually end up with something edible, and nice to eat, especially if the recipes she has been used to have different basic ingredients.
Actually, it is a made up diet and the recipes don't have to be traditional Mediterranean recipes to fit it's guidelines, though those are fine. There are recipes from many regions of the world that would fit the Mediterranean Diet guidelines.
Completely agree with this part. I am not saying that it would fail if you cooked the same ingredients with different recipes. But since OP is having a specific problem, feeling that something is missing with this eating style, maybe taking inspiration from some traditional recipes and menus would help her feel more satisfied after eating.0 -
actually...0
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Whoa guys, please don't get worked up about this! And thank you so much @Gianfranco_R @aggelikik @Need2Exerc1se for all of your answers! Each of you has offered helpful information!
My constraints are really just that the food I eat
- Is ok for both IBS & lowering cholesterol
- Addresses hunger currently best satisfied by eating cow meat (will allow me to eat ~1600 without feeling hangry)
- Is tasty, sure
I thought what I understood of the diet in question might work to help with all the above, since it is close to what's recommended for dietary control of cholesterol - thought of using it as a rough guideline. I do also like actual Mediterranean food when I'm in the area As well as other cuisines that apply similar principles. It just doesn't usually get me to 1600, that's all 0 -
eggs are pretty damned nutritious...not sure why you're not eating eggs. i eat a more Mediterranean inspired diet, and I eat tons of eggs. the cholesterol in eggs does not increase blood serum cholesterol...soon, the RDA for cholesterol will be removed because it's completely meaningless.
basically, I eat a ton of veg and a few servings of fruit per day, lots of legumes and lentils, whole grains (i.e. oats, brown rice, etc) seeds, nuts, avocados, olives and olive oil...lots of fish and salmon and chicken...and I consume eggs daily.0 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »eggs are pretty damned nutritious...not sure why you're not eating eggs. i eat a more Mediterranean inspired diet, and I eat tons of eggs. the cholesterol in eggs does not increase blood serum cholesterol...soon, the RDA for cholesterol will be removed because it's completely meaningless.
basically, I eat a ton of veg and a few servings of fruit per day, lots of legumes and lentils, whole grains (i.e. oats, brown rice, etc) seeds, nuts, avocados, olives and olive oil...lots of fish and salmon and chicken...and I consume eggs daily.
I know about that research, and I'm going to try this anyway. For most of my life, I didn't eat tons of eggs, and then I did, and now I have cholesterol problems. About one million other explanations for it, obviously, but I'm still trying this in case it works.
(Here's a thing that happened - my mom dropped her total number from 7.35 to 6.85 over a month by consuming 1/2 a cup of olive oil a day [as a beverage, with lemon, which, ew], making no other changes. I am not about to do that [because again ew and I already use a ton of OO] but I will try things that seem to have worked for some. I don't want my medicine cabinet to get any more crowded than it is.)0
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