This post has been updated since its initial 08/19/21 publish date to include more expert insight.
There is no one, single diet that works completely perfectly for everyone, but if you know the right doctors to ask, you can find a pretty wide-reaching recommendation for a diet plan that everyone should at least try. So we asked around and found out some interesting details about a type of diet that focuses on a lot of healthy, nutritional ingredients and cuts out everything that you don’t need. Plus, it’s actually quite delicious!
SheFinds spoke to Dr. Stacie J. Stephenson, also known as “The VibrantDoc.” A recognized leader in functional medicine, Dr. Stephenson focuses on integrative, regenerative, anti-aging, and natural medicine modalities. So she clearly knows a thing or two about healthy eating.
“Doctors don’t make recommendations lightly,” Dr. Stephenson told us. “They base their recommendations on science, and there is one style of eating that is the most studied and the most widely recommended. That is the Mediterranean diet.”
Why Doctors Recommend The Mediterranean Diet To Lose Weight
"While you might occasionally get doctors who suggest certain kinds of diet, like low-carb or low-fat for those with certain diagnosed health issues, most doctors advising people who say they want to start eating better or who are seeking to lose weight will recommend some form or aspect of the Mediterranean diet," Dr. Stephenson said.
She continued, "The Mediterranean diet has many characteristics and a doctor might propose only some of them, or the diet style as a whole. The main defining characteristics of this kind of diet are a focus on fresh vegetables and fruit, seafood, legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and olive oil as the primary fat. This diet may also include some dairy products, like yogurt and cheese, and poultry, as well as small amounts of wine (and I mean small amounts, like no more than 3 or 4 ounces per day).
"Finally, the Mediterranean diet focuses on seasonal eating and whole foods, not processed and packaged foods, and it contains very little sugar and red meat.
How To Folloe The Mediterranean Diet
To follow this diet plan, focus on eating a LOT of vegetables, as well as whole grains like barley or farro, olive oil, beans, nuts and seeds. You'll also need protein, and this diet calls for a lot of fish beause they tend to be high in protein and healthy fats like omega-3. You can also try lean meats like poultry, and dairy products like cheese and yogurt.
"In my opinion, the most important elements of this dietary style are the vegetables, seafood, nuts and seeds, olive oil, and the seasonal eating of whole foods. If I had to pare it down even more and could get you to change just one thing, it would be to eat mostly whole foods the way nature made them, rather than processed foods," Dr. Stephenson added. "That one change could do more for your health than anything else."
