(AscendHealthy.com) – Have you wanted to shift to a healthier diet, but you enjoy eating meat too much to make any drastic cuts? There might be a compromise. The Med-Pork diet combines the Mediterranean diet with a tiny cheat that might make it easier to adhere to. We have the details.
Learn More About the Med-Pork Diet.
Benefits and Drawbacks of a Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is based on the eating patterns of the Mediterranean region, where people commonly eat ample servings of fruits, veggies, nuts, legumes and whole grain breads in place of large servings of meat. The animal protein they do consume is usually in the form of eggs, cheese, fish and poultry. People who adhere to this diet also consume generous amounts of healthy fats like olive oil and small amounts of red wine.
The American Heart Association recommends this diet as an effective tool for improving heart health. It may also significantly reduce dementia risks.
The biggest drawback is that it cuts out more meat than most people accustomed to a Western diet are willing to live with. Most of us are used to eating meat every day, and notable amounts of it. This can make diet adherence low — and if a diet is impossible to stick with, what good is it?
Enter the Med-Pork Diet
The Med-Pork diet uses the basic principles of the Mediterranean diet — eat lots of fruits, veggies, nuts and whole grains — but it allows dieters to include pork three times a week. This less-restrictive regimen still requires you to cut out almost all your red meat intake, but it might be easier to stick to than strictly chicken or fish once or twice a week.
Potential Benefits
A recent study looked at the health benefits of this diet compared to a regular low-fat diet. The study recruited 35 people between 45 and 80 years old, with each participant having high blood pressure and at least two other cardiovascular risk factors.
The Med-Pork diet didn’t offer any notable cardiovascular benefits during the 8-week intervention period, but its cognitive and mood benefits were similar to those seen with a traditional Mediterranean diet. This means it could reduce dementia risks and possibly help with depression.
And here’s the biggie: It had a whopping 90% adherence rate, meaning the diet could really make a difference in the US and other countries where people rely heavily on Western eating patterns.
The Mediterranean diet isn’t for everyone, but you might be able to enjoy some of its benefits by adopting a close version of it. Every healthy step counts. One simple compromise could be the beginning of a beautiful new relationship with food; try it for yourself and see how satisfying healthy eating can be.
~Here’s to Your Healthy Ascension
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