The Pyramid of the Mediterranean Diet
The Pyramid of the Mediterranean Diet indicates foodstuffs that characterise this allowance and the frequency of suitable consumer spending for a healthy adult. This pyramid places at the base foodstuffs that must maintain the allowance and it relegates to the superior spaces those which are had to consume with moderation. As well as, establishes follow-up diet guidelines daily, weekly and occasional to follow a healthy diet and balanced. Finally, includes indications of cultural and social type, and offers recommendations on how to select, to cook and to consume foodstuffs. The base of the pyramid is represented by foods of plant origin, that they contribute key and substances nutrients protectors that they contribute to the common well-being and to achieve a balanced diet. For this reason, it is recommended that every main food (food and dinner) guarantees a minimum of 2 portions of vegetables (r = portion), 1r-2r of cereals (bread, dough, rice or couscous, among others), 1r of olive oil and 1r-2r of fruits as an usual dessert.
Additionally, throughout on the day would be owed to take 2r of derivatives milk, as the yoghurt or the cheese, and 1r-2r of nuts, seeds or olives. Additionally include daily is recommended herbs, species, garlic or onion to contribute variety of aromas and thus to decrease the amount of added salt to meals. Weekly, the Pyramid of the Mediterranean Diet recommends the consumer spending of a maximum of 3r of potatoes and a minimum of 2r of legumes.
When it comes to protean animal origin foodstuffs, establishes the following weekly recommendations: between 2r and 4r of eggs, minimum 2r of fish or seafood, 2r of lean meat (chicken, rabbit, turkey, between other) and a maximum of 2r of red meat (veal, pig, lamb, etc.). Processed meats, such as hamburgers, butifarras or sausages, would be owed to restrict and to represent at the most an only portion a week.
Finally, is had to say that sweets (cake shop, viennoiserie, titbits, desserts, ice creams) usually contribute a high one amount of fast absorption sugars and sometimes also considered fats little healthy ones excessively. For this reason, are in the highest apex of the pyramid, which it indicates that its consumer spending would have be occasional and sporadic. All these foodstuffs you can consume from time to time, within a balanced diet, but in the case of to consume them the set limit for the pyramid is of a maximum total of 2 weekly portions. When it comes to drinks, the water and herbal teas are presented as the everyday way of moisturizing the organisation. As well as, the Mediterranean diet considers came the or other fermented drinks as an option for adults, provided that are taken with moderation and respecting habits.
Following on from this, the reference is of a glass a day for women and two for men. To these guidelines of diet, add also is had the recommendation of selecting the fresh season products and minimally processed, since they contain more nutrients and protective substances. It is had to give priority to local and environmentally conscious products and the diversity. With the end to guarantee a nourishing and healthy diet, also it will be necessary to consider following advice and the information on different food groups:
Water: Is had to drink between 1.5 and 2 litres of water a day. The contribution of liquid also you can complete with herbal teas, lowering the amount of sugar add-on, and low broths in fat and salt. This liquid intake is indispensable for a correct hydration of the organisation. He must say that needs of liquids are variable according to the age of the person, the physical level of activity that is done, the personal situation and climatic conditions.
Cereals: This group is represented basically for the bread, the dough, the rice and the couscous. In every food are had to take one or two portions. Is recommended to choose the all-inclusive varieties, given that processes of refinación involve losses of minerals, as the magnesium or the phosphorus, and also within fibre is lost. Cereals are foodstuffs rich in absorption carbon hydrates slow and, therefore, help to lengthen the digestive process and that it has less peaks of glycemia in the blood. This food group is characterised, also, for its contribution in proteins, vitamins of the group B, minerals and fibre.
Vegetables and vegetables: Both in the food and in the dinner are had approximately include two portions of vegetables. At least one of these portions should be raw, in the shape of salad, to guarantee the contribution of vitamins that another way are lost in the processes of baking. Vegetables and vegetables have an energetic scant contribution and they combine perfectly with other foodstuffs as the meat, the fish, eggs, the dough, the rice or legumes.
Fruits: One is recommended or two portions because of food as dessert usual. Fruits contribute a variable amount of fast absorption sugars, vitamins antioxidants, minerals as the potassium, the magnesium or the selenium, fibre and water. It is preferable to choose fresh fruit of season because this product respects the cycle of maturation of the fruit and it allows that they remain its nourishing properties and its flavour. Milk: The Mediterranean diet considers suitable for the adult around two servings per day of milk, preferably in the shape of low yoghurt or cheeses in fat. The milk ones are foodstuffs that they contribute protein, fat-soluble vitamins, a variable amount of saturated fats, and are especially rich in calcium. For its composition, the milk ones help to strengthen bones, but also can be a significant saturated fats source. For this reason, within the framework of a healthy diet the low varieties are recommended in fat. Is had to emphasise that recommended portions of milk also are variable according to the age and the situation of life (pregnancy, breastfeeding). According to experts in nutrition, for children between one and ten years are recommended two servings per day, whereas during the adolescence, the menopause and the old age, are appropriate three servings per day, and during the pregnancy and the breastfeeding you can arrive at four servings per day.
Olive oil: Its nutritional quality is characterised for being an unsaturated rich fat in vitamin E. Is one of the central foodstuffs of the Mediterranean diet and it has demonstrated profits good for the heart. You should be the fat of choice to season and cook different foodstuffs (a spoonful per person). Its unique composition him confers a tall resistance to temperatures of baking.
Species, herbs, onions and the garlic: They are a good way of introducing aroma and flavour variety to culinary preparations, and they contribute to reduce an excessive salt intake.
Olives, nuts and seeds: They are a good fats source healthy, proteins, minerals and fibre. In this context, a handful of nuts or some olives are an excellent choice when to take an appetiser or also in the food of average tomorrow or average afternoon. According to the pyramid, every day would be owed of ensuring the intake of one or two portions of these foodstuffs. Within the framework of a healthy diet, can not not have enough in no food the consumer spending of animal origin protein or of vegetal origin. The pyramid gives information requires how would be owed to distribute the protean food consumption throughout the week. Usually Mediterranean dishes add protean animal origin foodstuffs as a complement of main ingredients, that they are those of vegetal origin. Thus, the meat, the fish and eggs would not have be main ingredients of the dish, despite the fact that a relevant serving size of these products is recommended.
Fish and seafood: They are sources of protein and at the same time of healthy fats of the family omega-3, that are considered essential nutrients, given that the human body does not be able to them to synthesise by itself. The fish and the seafood constitute the natural main source of iodine. The seafood is also a good zinc source, a primordial element in the immune system. Is recommended a minimum of 2 portions a week of fish and seafood, which it indicates that you would be able to arrive at consume daily, since a maximum of weekly portions is not established.
Lean meat: Lean meat or half note is considered that one of birds, as the chicken or the turkey, and also the rabbit. The lamb lechal and the cabrito are initially lean meat, but are red meat when it moves forward the age. When it comes to the pig, you can consider lean meat some part of the service channel, as the tenderloin, whereas the filet of pig is red meat. Thus, which it characterises mostly to the white meat is an inferior content of fats. Suitable to take is considered white meat 2 times a week.
Carne red: This type of meat is richer in iron, in purines and in fats that the white meat. Although that thanks to this composition the red meat is tastier than varieties of white meat, its consumer spending should not exceed the two weekly portions to avoid an over-consumption of saturated animal fats. Legumes: They belong to this food group chickpeas, lentils, beans, broad beans and peas. Combined with cereals, are a good proteins source of vegetal origin, and also contribute absorption carbon hydrates slow and dietary fibre. In the context of protean foodstuffs, a serving size is recommended of two or more portions. It is significant to do a good foodstuffs allocation protean throughout on the day and not ultrato happen the recommended portion for every food. The Mediterranean diet is also a way of life and in this respect the pyramid highlights the need of practicing moderate physical activity daily for regular the energy consumption and to maintain the muscular tonicity and the healthy body. Ideally, it would be owed to do physical exercise at least 30 minutes every day. There are ways very simple to put in practice this recommendation, such as to walk, to go up and to go down staircases, or to do housework. Practice the physical exercise outdoors and in company assistance to be done more attractive this activity.