Dr Michael Mosley has helped millions get healthy and lose weight. For anyone following a Mediterranean diet, he has shared a few tips about what should be eaten and what should be avoided for maximum results.
What is a Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet varies by country and region, so it has a range of definitions.
But in general, the diet is high in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, cereals, grains, fish, and unsaturated fats such as olive oil.
It usually includes a low intake of meat and dairy foods.
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As for what Dr Michael’s advice is, he says dieters should “focus on high-quality protein”.
This “includes oily fish, prawns, chicken, turkey, pork, beef and eggs”.
As for vegetable sources of protein, he listed: “Soya, edamame beans, Quorn and hummus.”
“Limit processed meats such as bacon and salami to no more than a couple of times a week.”
He also suggested eating “more healthy fats and oils”.
“Full-fat yoghurt is good and cheese in moderation is fine.”
As for why Dr Michael suggests butter instead of margarine, he explained: “Margarine itself is processed and made from vegetable oil.
“As vegetable oil is liquid at room temperature, a process called hydrogenation takes place, which resultantly creates trans-fat.”
Trans fats “should be avoided where possible”, he urged.
While margarine has less saturated fat than butter, Dr Mosley pointed out that “saturated fat is not necessarily a bad thing”.
“New studies have found no direct link between saturated fats and heart health.”
Butter is made from churning cream – a natural whole food and the diet expert recommends eating it in moderation.
He said: “We’re not advising you to lather butter onto every meal.
“However, a small amount every now and then will cause far less harm than processed margarine and spreads.”
