Keto Mediterranean Diet: Benefits & How To Follow It

Mediterranean Keto Diet:

mediterranean keto diet

The liver turns fat into ketones, which are used for energy until you start eating carbs again. Combining the keto diet with intermittent fasting (IF) may enhance the benefits of both. The Mediterranean keto diet combines aspects of the ketogenic diet and Mediterranean diet to provide you with health benefits, such as weight loss, better blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and brain health. The Atlantic diet draws inspiration from the traditional eating habits of people living in northwestern Spain and Portugal. Like the Mediterranean diet, it’s characterised by eating local, fresh and minimally processed seasonal foods ‘ such as vegetables, fruits, fish, wholegrain, nuts, beans and olive oil.

Supplement with Omega-3 DHA + EPA supplements in order to lower inflammation, insulin, and triglycerides. Eat lots of vegetables full of vitamins and minerals to prevent the keto flu and nutrient deficiencies. By contrast, the olives and olive oil in Mediterranean keto are high in healthy unsaturated fats that can reduce the risk of heart disease. The eating pattern also emphasizes fish like sardines and anchovies that are rich in important omega-3 fatty acids, which offer a range of health benefits from lowering blood pressure to supporting brain and joint health. For reduced inflammation and better health outcomes, try to limit intake of red and processed meats, butter and cheese. One significant difference between the two diets is that the Mediterranean diet emphasizes unsaturated fats.

This means we don’t know whether the Atlantic diet will be equally beneficial for ethnic groups who are at greater risk of metabolic syndrome ‘ such as people of south Asian, Black African and Caribbean descent. At various points, researchers collected blood samples to evaluate blood glucose control, lipid control, body weight and other clinical measures. Throughout the study, participants also were interviewed on their adherence to and satisfaction with the diets. Thirty-three participants completed the study, with several dropping out due to COVID-19 disruptions. To manage or prevent diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends the Mediterranean diet and other low-carb diets, as long as they minimize added sugars and refined grains and include non-starchy vegetables.

Speaking of that weight loss, a 2021 Frontiers in Nutrition review article suggests that the initial speedy shift on the scale is almost all “fat-free mass,” or weight loss that’s due to water weight or muscle loss. The ketogenic (“keto”) diet was developed in the 1920s as a treatment for epilepsy. It’s a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that has since been analyzed for weight loss, diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and more. The keto diet is characterized by a very low carbohydrate intake, with less than 5% of all calories coming from carbs. When carbohydrate intake is extremely low, the body begins to break down fat for energy through a process called ketogenesis, which produces ketosis.

The ketogenic diet has also been studied for its ability to enhance brain health. Though there are no specific guidelines for which foods you must limit or avoid, many foods are unlikely to fit into your daily allotment of carbohydrates, which usually ranges from 20’50 grams per day (2). In today’s article, you’ll learn the rules of Keto and the Mediterranean diet, how they compare, how they differ, image source health benefits, and how to combine them. Now that we know and understand the keto and Mediterranean diets separately, let us combine them into the ketogenic Mediterranean diet and discuss its implications. This diet is exactly what it sounds like, a combination of the Mediterranean diet and the keto diet. It doesn’t call for eating a lot of lunch leftovers (although it is suggested sometimes).

Put an egg on it, top it with tuna salad or crown it with fluffy alfalfa sprouts for a healthy and satisfying meal. You can mix up the toppings too’we love Japanese furikake or everything bagel seasoning. As expected, when food was delivered, participants stuck to both diets relatively well, scoring an average of 7.5 on a 10-point adherence scale. When participants had to provide their own food, adherence on both diets dropped about two points on average. You might have noticed that the Mediterranean and the keto diet share several common benefits and are similar in certain regards.

This will allow us to formulate a safe, simple, and highly effective Mediterranean keto diet. In contrast, radically unconventional diets have a greater potential to make significant changes ‘ changes that may come with an increased health risk for some. Optimizing your cholesterol numbers becomes easier with a keto Mediterranean meal plan. You can refer to this complete keto diet food guide for more options and what to avoid. The participants in the Atlantic diet group were also provided with the food they needed in order to stick with their diet. But in a real world setting, not everyone can regularly access or afford the kinds of foods the Atlantic diet consists of.

To learn more about the benefits of the keto diet, I recommend reading this article. To learn more about what to eat on the keto diet, I recommend reading this article about the Keto Food Pyramid. “The Mediterranean diet is not only about the food,” registered dietitian Mariana Dineen previously told Insider. Rather, she said, it also advocates for people to slow down, enjoy mealtimes, and connect with the food and the people you savor it with. An added bonus of the Mediterranean side of the diet is an emphasis on deliberate, enjoyable eating habits.

The Mediterranean keto diet can lead to a significant reduction in body weight safely. Overall, the study shows that consuming the Atlantic diet may be helpful for managing weight ‘ which may in turn lower risk of some long-term chronic conditions (such as cardiovascular disease). This would be the first study to suggest a synergistic benefit of diet and exercise for gut health and weight loss if its findings are confirmed. Wheat berries, a nutty-tasting whole grain with a pleasantly chewy texture, are the base of this hearty breakfast bowl recipe. The fiber-rich grain freezes very well, so cook up a batch to stash away for salads, bowls and more. Topped with spinach, peanuts and an egg, these bowls make for a satisfying breakfast.

Letting the eggs set for a few seconds before stirring them into the pita ensures it doesn’t immediately soak up the eggs and become soggy. This delicious spinach omelet recipe is ready in just 10 minutes for a nutritious breakfast. Eggs and cheese help pack it with protein, while fresh dill boosts its flavor. This light and fluffy crustless quiche is dotted with tomatoes, little bites of melty mozzarella and savory pesto.

However, keep in mind that both groups experienced similar reductions in belly fat and total fat mass. Additionally, the low carb diet was comprised of about 30% of daily calories from carbs, which is more than a traditional keto diet typically provides (19). The keto diet has also been shown to improve blood sugar management in people with type 2 diabetes (17). Processed foods and sweets are also limited, which includes refined grains, processed meat products, convenience meals, and foods high in added sugar (3). The Keto diet is very low in carbohydrates, generally allowing just grams per day. Not true of the Mediterranean diet, which permits high-carb foods like legumes, lentils, whole grains, and root vegetables.

On a whole foods Keto diet, you eat healthy fats (olive oil, coconut oil, butter), meat, dairy, nuts, fish, and piles of non-starchy veggies. Your other main job is to avoid refined sugar, grains, tubers, and other high carbohydrate foods. Mediterranean diets tend to have very few restrictions, making them easy to follow. It does limit eating processed foods, including sugary sweets and snacks, red meat, and saturated fats. However, by making a few changes, you can incorporate the Mediterranean diet into other lifestyles, including the keto lifestyle.

The Mediterranean diet and keto diet may both be beneficial for brain function and blood sugar management. Both have also been shown to support heart health, though research on the effects of the keto diet has turned up mixed results. In fact, one study found that both a Mediterranean diet and low carb diet were similarly effective at reducing insulin resistance, a condition that impairs these details the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels (19, 20). It’s a high-fat, moderate-protein, low-carb diet best known for stimulating weight loss. However, it is crucial to recognize that these macronutrient ratios can and will differ for each person following the standard keto diet. Therefore, it is best to consult a healthcare professional before beginning any new weight loss diet.

mediterranean keto diet

For example, start by adding some of the foods you’ll be eating on the Mediterranean keto diet to your daily rotation and see what you think. ‘There were also positive health indicators observed in that study, including a decrease in total cholesterol and stabilization of blood glucose levels,’ Rivelli says. But, the healthy monounsaturated fats that you get from these two oils provide your body with inflammation-fighting antioxidants and provide you with hunger satisfaction.

And the best part’it’s mixed, assembled and baked in a pie plate for easy cleanup. Enjoy as an easy breakfast or brunch option or serve for lunch or dinner with a mixed green salad on the side. Hello, I’m Melissa, the founder and visionary this content behind Everyday Ketogenic. With more than 12 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and blogging, I’ve cultivated this platform into a leading resource for anyone interested in the ketogenic lifestyle.

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