Mediterranean Diet and the South Beach Diet|A Detailed Comparison

 Mediterranean Diet and the South Beach Diet|A Detailed Comparison

  People of all ages around the world are interested in good health and longevity. As a result, the weight loss and fitness industries have been booming for years. There are so many diets that those seeking help with their weight loss or health needs don't know where to turn.
Two diets that have become extremely popular recently are the Mediterranean Diet and the South Beach Diet. Here's a detailed comparison of both diets.

Mediterranean Diet Explained

The Mediterranean Diet is often called "The Healthiest Diet in the World" because of its healthy weight loss benefits. Just as the name implies, the Mediterranean Diet has been enjoyed by people who live in the Mediterranean region, particularly Italy and Greece, for thousands of years and is now being adopted by many Americans and others around the world.
It is a diet low in saturated fat with healthy mono-unsaturated fats being provided through fish, nuts and olive oil. It features foods such as dried fruits, vegetables, whole grains, small portions of meat such as salmon, turkey, lamb, and tuna, and a small amount of wine.
The Mediterranean Diet is known for its many benefits such as help in the prevention of gallstones, breast cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, Lou Gehrig disease, high cholesterol, and other diseases.

South Beach Diet Explained

The South Beach Diet is a newer "no carb" type diet where carbohydrates are prohibited during the first phase of the diet, and then are slowly introduced back into the diet after two weeks. There are three phases all together, with the third being for maintenance. The focus is on lean meats such as chicken, turkey, shellfish, and fish as well as nuts, eggs, and low-fat cheese. The benefits are weight loss with a long-term balanced diet plan to help with weight maintenance.

How the Diets are Alike

The similarities of these two diets include eating restaurant quality recipes and promoting healthy monounsaturated fats. Both diets are low in unhealthy saturated fats. The unhealthy fats are found in cheese and meat. Both diets promote healthy foods. Both provide an avenue for fast weight loss with a plan for lifetime maintenance. Also, both diets offer online support and memberships for delicious diet recipes. For instance, Ayhan's Mediterranean Menu Plans are available for those who want to change over to a Mediterranean way of eating.

How They Differ

With the Mediterranean Diet, alcohol (especially wine) is allowed in moderation. It is prohibited in the first phase of the South Beach Diet. The Mediterranean Diet is high in fiber while the South Beach Diet is low in fiber during its initial phase.
Portion control is the main focus of the Mediterranean Diet while the South Beach Diet restricts "what" is eaten by prohibiting certain fruits and vegetables. Another major difference is that those who adopt the Mediterranean Diet may order foods, dressings and seasonings online for their cooking needs. The South Beach Diet does not offer products such as these.
The South Beach Diet has only been around a few years while the Mediterranean Diet has been around for thousands of years. Studies have shown that those eating a Mediterranean Diet have less risk of major diseases and can even increase longevity.
In this comparison, we see that both diets offer health and weight loss benefits. However, the Mediterranean Diet appears to be better for long-term good health and has fared well in many studies.

You might also like!

 Free Diet Programs - Four Of The Most Popular Types
Liquid/Powder Formula or Replacement Diet Plan
5 best moves to tighten up your triceps 

flatten-your-belly-slim-your-thighs

3 Top Tips For Your Strength Training

Bodylastics Resistance Bands Exercises

Resistance Band Exercises - Burning Fat

 Understanding your body| The best way to lose weight

6 Resistance Band Exercises To Help You Quickly Build Muscle and Lose Fat

 Free Healthy Weight Loss Tips
The Best Low Carb Diet For You!
Find the best Low Carb diet for you.

 Pre-Packaged Meal Diet Program
 Exchange-Type Diet Plan
 Fixed-Menu Diet Program

Exactly How the Acai Berry Helps With Weight Loss

What Exactly is the Mediterranean Diet?

By its name alone, the Mediterranean diet attracts a lot of current and would be dieters due to its exotic name. But what is it exactly? One concern of the Mediterranean diet is that it allows 40% fat consumption compared to the 30% of the American Heart Association. Let's go into more detail as it seems a waste to just let it go without giving it a fair reading.

The Mediterranean diet evolved from the respective diets of countries surrounding the Mediterranean basin. Among the countries surrounding the basin are the south of France, southern Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Cyprus. Originally introduced by American doctor Ancel Keys, the diet failed to gain popular recognition until the 1990's. Based on scientific data, people around the Mediterranean basin had lower rates of cardiovascular disease compared to Americans who, for all intents and purposes, consumed the same relative amount of fat. One possible explanation is the presence of olive oil and red wine. Olive oil lowers cholesterol levels in the blood while red wine contains flavonoids. Flavonoids are anti-oxidants that also help the body when dealing with allergenic material, viruses and cancer causing agents.

Another contributing factor to a European's better health could be the fact that they tend to walk more than Americans do. Questions have also been raised as to whether the Mediterranean diet contributes enough iron and calcium to the diet. Green vegetables and goat cheese have been found to contribute these nutrients respectively.
The thing about the Mediterranean diet is that its foods are often rich and tasty thanks to olive oil. Normally, margarine and hydrogenated oils lack the flavor that olive oil gives out. Another part of the diet is regular but moderate consumption of red wine. Saturated fat consumption is low as opposed to high amounts of monounsaturated fat and dietary fiber. This is due to the fact that the diet includes big servings of fruits, vegetables, breads, cereals, olive oil and fish.

In comparing the food pyramid of the United States against the Mediterranean diet, people of the Mediterranean consumed fruits, vegetables and grain just as Americans do. The main difference lies in the fact that Americans consume more red meat. Consumption of cold water fish is also prominent in the Mediterranean diet. This results in reduced risks of heart disease, cancer and improved immune system functions. Compared to the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) pyramid, the Mediterranean diet contains little saturated and trans fat that raise cholesterol in the blood. The USDA's pyramid does not differentiate from healthy and unhealthy fats.

Characteristically speaking, the Mediterranean diet has high consumption of olive oil. Breads, cereals, fruits and vegetables likewise have a high rate of consumption in the diet. Fish and poultry as well as wine are moderately consumed while eggs and red meat are rated as very low in consumption.
The problem with most diets is that they tend to be extreme. Some diets, like the vegetarian diet, limit a person to just eating fruits, tofu, yogurt and vegetables. Other diets would require high protein intake while severely limiting intake of the other food groups. Like a user friendly computer, the Mediterranean diet does not go to extremes to achieve a desired result. The diet allows for consumption of tasty foods. This allows the dieter to actually enjoy the gastronomic delights normally prohibited by other diets. A solid testament to this fact rests on the presence of wine in the diet.

The most surprising aspect of the Mediterranean diet is that fat is regarded as a healthy dietary component. Keep in mind that it is the fat that gives food most of its flavor. Two substances, omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats, are considered to be healthy and are not restricted in the diet. Olive oil, canola oil and nuts are good sources of monounsaturated fat while fish, vegetables and nuts contain the healthy omega-3 acids. Saturated fats and trans fat, on the other hand are considered to be unhealthy as they contribute to heart disease. Red meat, butter cheese and milk are sources of saturated fat while processed foods contain hydrogenated oils from which trans fat comes from.

From what has been written so far, and from all the sources and references where this article was taken from, the Mediterranean diet comes highly recommended by health professionals. The Mediterranean diet maintains a healthy but tasty, smorgasbord of delicious foods with which you can maintain a healthy diet without the need to sacrifice flavor and variety. While we appreciate the people who struggle and strive to come up with healthy diets, good food carries more weight in our stomachs.

Top 10 Reasons Why the Mediterranean Diet is Good For You

Low in Saturated Fat
Physicians and nutritionists the world over all agree that a diet that is high in saturated fat can have very negative consequences on a person's health and wellbeing. Indeed, a diet that is high in saturated fat can cause a person to suffer heart disease, can lead to cancer and can cause a whole host of other health problems and concern.
The Mediterranean diet is noteworthy because of the fact that it is very low in saturated fat. The typical person who follows the Mediterranean diet intakes less than eight percent of his or her calories from potentially harmful saturated fat. This is significantly below the average of people who do not follow a Mediterranean diet regimen.
Includes Plentiful Amounts of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Another reason why the Mediterranean diet is good for you lies in the fact that the diet includes the consumption of a significant amount of fruit and vegetables. Indeed, the diet encompasses more fresh fruits and vegetables than any other dietary program or plan today.
Fresh fruits and vegetables have a significant beneficial effect on a person's health and wellbeing. People who following the Mediterranean diet and consume generous servings of fruits and vegetables each day have a lower incidence of certain diseases including cancer and cardiovascular ailments.
High in Whole Grains and Fiber
A benefit in the Mediterranean diet is found in the fact that it lowers in the incidence of certain types of cancer. One of the reasons that the Mediterranean diet lowers the incidence of cancer is found in the fact that the diet is rich in whole grains and dietary fiber. Both whole grain and fiber have proven to lower the incidence of cancer, including colorectal cancer.
High in Anti-Oxidants
The Mediterranean diet is high in anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants play a significant role in maintaining the body -- including organs, muscles and skin -- in top condition. A diet high in anti-oxidants is believed to ensure that a person will live a longer, healthier life.
Low in Red Meat
Because the Mediterranean diet is low in red meat, the diet plan works to reduce the amount of "bad cholesterol." A diet low in "bad cholesterol" lessens the incidence of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke.
High in Lean Meats
The Mediterranean diet includes lean meats in moderate portions. The reasonable amount of lean meats -- including fish and certain seafood and fish -- provides a health source of protein and energy for a person.
Low in Dairy
The Mediterranean diet is low in dairy products. In fact, a true adherent to the Mediterranean diet includes almost no dairy products at all. Any dairy that is included in the diet is low fat or non fat. Because the diet is low in dairy, particularly fatty dairy products, the diet encourages a person to obtain or maintain an ideal weight. Additionally, the diet aids in reducing cholesterol and works to prevent heart disease.
Prevents Disease
As mentioned, one of the reasons that the Mediterranean diet is good for you rests in the fact that the diet plan appears to reduce the incidence of certain diseases including:
-- heart and cardiovascular disease
-- cancer
-- diabetes
-- hypertension
-- diabetes
Longevity
The history of the people of the Mediterranean region demonstrates that the Mediterranean diet works to extend a person's life. In addition, while working to extend a person's life, this diet scheme works to ensure that a person's longer life will be healthy as well.
A Convenient Diet Program
Finally, the Mediterranean diet is good for you because it is a convenience diet program. In order to follow the Mediterranean diet you do not need to buy any special products or prepare a unique and hard to manage diet plan. If used with moderate exercise, it is a great way to lose weight while remaining healthy.