Kumari Palany & Co

The Benefits of Vegetarian diet and Mediterranean diet

Posted on: 25/Apr/2018 2:52:46 PM
Diet patterns are always in a variable mode for every two hundred miles irrespective of the boundaries and inter-states of any country. It will mostly depend on the climatic and agricultural factors of the particular location. The recent modernization brought up foods from all over the world to any local places without considering the effect it will have on that particular area. Most of the fried and junk foods imported from other nations will have a negative impact on people as it is an alienated food source that body do not accept it.

Mediterranean diet Vs Vegetarian Diet

On contrary to this fact there are diet concepts that will be healthy for all kinds of people irrespective of age, sex, Country and body types. Vegetarian Diet is such a concept got a world-wide reach and recognition in the late 50’s and 60’s among the western nations. This kind of eating vegetarian foods alone was originated from India and then to other nations all around the globe.

Mediterranean diet is a type of food habit followed in the regions of Spain, Greece and Southern Italy. Most of the nutritionists consider this Mediterranean diet as an effective food method for weight loss and normally for good health.

In order to have a clear picture in recognizing the right kind of diet among the two types, Mediterranean diet and Vegetarian Diet, a recent study was conducted and the results were published in the journal Circulation. This study was based on 118 participants monitored for six months in terms of various tests and fitness experimentations. Before analyzing the results the basics methods to adapt these two diets and the possible benefits should be considered on the first hand.

Vegetarian Diet

The Vegetarian diet mostly constitutes of food sources based on plants, fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts. In some parts of India milk and eggs are also restricted as a part of following pure vegetarian diet. The Vegetarian diet is based on Carbohydrate as a basement of the food pyramid followed by proteins and lower fat consumption. Grains are an integral part of the food routine of any Indian Vegetarian Diet.

But the recent study doesn’t include this type of vegetarian diet into the participants. The Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian was the one of the vegetarian diet models that was taken into account for this research study. Lacto-Ovo in Latin means Milk and Egg, including the derivatives of these two foods. Lacto-Ovo model includes milk, egg, butter, ghee, curd, Egg compositions in desserts and breads and other milk derived products.

Many people from India follow this kind of Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian diet and in rare cases some communities omit milk, egg and even garlic-onion based on their systematic religious beliefs and Vedic teachings.

Mediterranean diet

Mediterranean diet is a pattern of food model that includes Fish as a main source of protein and most of the times the red meat is avoided or taken on an extremely limited portion. Fish, Whole Grains, legumes, Nuts, Vegetables, Moderate Wine and Fruits are the basic components of Mediterranean model of diet. This diet will always incorporate Pure-virgin Olive Oil in all kinds of cooking and dressing combinations. Olive Oil consists of essential fatty acids and Omega substititutes necessary for good heart health.

Easting slowly and with an ease are the lifestyle pattern of Mediterranean diet that makes it a form of digestive friendly food habit. Moderate Wine intake and eating lots of Vegetable salads with slices of roasted fish are very common along with fruits as desserts. Apricots and Strawberries along with nuts are considered as an evening snack in the Mediterranean locations.

Results of the Study:

In this study on 118 participants for over six months helped the researchers to conclude the average weight reduction in both of the diet models.  Average weight loss in following Vegetarian diet was1.88kg whereas in the Mediterranean diet rounded about 1.77kg. Results were more or less equal in terms of weight reduction and overall health testing factors.

One of the key researcher mentioned that Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian was found very simple to follow and cook when compared to Mediterranean diet model that asks for more detailed menus and food sources that are not common in many parts of the world.

Considering the fitness levels and heart health both the diets got equally positive results and feedback from the participants. Mediterranean diet reduced the triglyceride levels in the blood that will improve the overall healthy heart-blood circulation. The Vegetarian diet reduced the levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in the participants following the Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Diet.

New Trends

However the latest trend in diet models approach a classic modelling of dieting from the time period before all the Industrialization and Agricultural revolution. Pure Fat sources and consuming very low carbohydrates with periodic fasting methods generate the human bodies into the state called Ketosis. Ketosis will burn enough fat for the fuel to brain function and other basic functions like Detoxification and Cell Regeneration. This kind of Low Carb diets omits all the existing diet models of the world that mainly constitutes of grain consumption.