Mediterranean Ketogenic Diet: Optimal Health and Lose Weight

Probably everyone heard about both the keto and the Mediterranean diet. But the experts, health gurus, and scientists all have been talking less about these lifestyles. In fact, there are many pieces of evidence available that combine both diets as the key thing to get long-lasting health benefits and weight loss. Longevity diets and the Mediterranean diet are widely recognized as the best diets. It’s the best diet that will help you lose weight. Ketogenic and Mediterranean both are the best diets for weight loss.

Because these diets are good for sustainable weight loss, mental health, longevity, aging, and overall health. When this diet compared with the typical western diets filled with the processed foods, this plant-based, and sprinkled with the light seafood diet. It’s a safe, effective, and reliable diet that is also reliable for heart health. Here we are going to discuss everything about this incredible diet. These diets are good for optimal health and maximum longevity by combining the low-carb Mediterranean with the ketogenic diet.

What Is Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet has been researched for about 50 years. It’s the subject of many intensive types of research for many years. This diet gets popular when a study examined the health outcomes of many middle-aged people in the United States, Japan, Italy, Greece, the Netherland, Finland, and then Yugoslavia.

People of Italy, Greece, and Crete got the experience of lower heart disease rates. Other countries didn’t get the benefits because of a “poor” diet that focused on vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, and fish. Decades ago, hundreds of studies have been documented many health benefits that are linked with the traditional Mediterranean diets. The benefits of this diet are included:

• Increased life span
• Lower risks of cancers, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and type 2 diabetes.
• Reduce the risks of mortality from stroke and heart attack
• Can improve the body composition
• May enhance the brain function
• Lower the levels of blood pressure and LDL cholesterol

Studies typically examined the Mediterranean diet that consists of 50% to 60% calories of daily intake from carbs. Or just get 25% to 35% calories from the fats, and reminder from protein. Here are some common staples in the Mediterranean diets you have to eat:

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Legumes
• Potatoes
• Whole grains
• Bread
• Herbs & spices
• Fish & Seafood
• Olive oil

Eat cheese, poultry, eggs, and yogurt in moderation while on this diet. Also, try to consume less red meat, sugar-sweetened drinks, added sugar, processed meat, refined grains, refined oils, and other highly processed foods. This diet has a very simple concept and huge researches support the health benefits of this diet.

Keto Diet Vs. Mediterranean Diet Similarities

When we compare both the keto diet and Mediterranean diet to the westernized diets, there are huge similarities between these diets. These similarities will help to understand why both diets can improve health substantially. Here are four major similarities that worth nothing are:

• The Benefits Similar Aspects of Health

When these diets compared to the westernized low-fat diets, that will help to improve many important biomarkers for overall health. These can help to improve cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, and blood pressure level.

• Provide Long-Term Weight Loss Results

Although the keto diet can provide long-term weight loss in short term. Some studies indicate that both keto and Mediterranean diets will help to get similar weight loss after 1-2 years.

• Both Diets has Similar Adherence Levels

The ketogenic diet is a more restrictive diet than the Mediterranean diet. Some researches indicate that it has roughly the same drop-outs as other diets in the dietary intervention trials. It may suggest that diet adherence depends on more heavy and individual differences. It shows how much a diet can restrict specific foods and macronutrients.

• They Both are Biased Toward “Clean Eating”

Both diets tend to avoid all kinds of heavily processed foods because most of their calories come from minimally processed, high-quality foods. This simple shift of food quality is one of the most important factors that are responsible for several health benefits these diets have in common.

Keto Diet Vs. Mediterranean Diet Differences

As both diets have several similarities and common benefits, while both diets do have many noteworthy differences:

• Carb Intakes

The Mediterranean diet allows you to eat more healthy fats and eliminate refined sugars. But also this diet includes a moderately high amount of carbs. You can consume fruits, whole-grain bread, and pasta. But the ketogenic diet never allowed to eat a high amount of carbs, even from unrefined high carb plant foods.

• Fat Intakes

Mediterranean diet allowed to eat high-fat amount but compared with the standard low-fat diets. But this diet still lower in fat intakes as compared with the keto diet. Fat is the primary key source of calories on the keto diet, and in Mediterranean diets usually, carbs are the primary source of calories.

• Type of Fat Consumed

Typically fat intakes in both diets are also different. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes the natural unsaturated fats from plant-based fish and oils. While ketogenic foods depend on a copious amount of saturated & unsaturated fats.

Science-Backed Benefits

Some recent studies suggest that the combination of the Mediterranean and keto diet may provide more significant health benefits. This is a perfect diet for weight loss and better health. A healthy Mediterranean diet offers as many benefits as it can:

• Decrease inflammation
• Total cholesterol
• LDL cholesterol
• Triglycerides
• Blood sugar
• Insulin
• Blood pressure
• Increased HDL cholesterol levels
• Significant fat loss

Each diet also can help us:

• Reduce cardiovascular disease incidence and morality
• Provide some unique benefits of ketosis and carb restriction

To get maximize all these benefits, you just need to identify the primary principles that are responsible for the remarkable results. This step will allow us to formulate the safe, simple, and highly effective Mediterranean keto diet.

What is Mediterranean Ketogenic Diet?

There is no restriction definition exist in the Mediterranean ketogenic diet. Researches studies on the combination of this diet use slightly different variations. But there is enough data on every diet plan and its macronutrient components just to identify the health-promoting aspects that the keto Mediterranean diet has. Daily total carb intake must be below 35g and net carbs amount must be less than 25g.

This level of restricted carbs can help to reduce the appetite, boost weight loss, significantly reduce insulin levels, blood sugar, and triglycerides levels. Try to eat plenty of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. For this purpose, you can use olive oil, avocados, and avocado oil instead of coconut oil and butter. Losing weight with the low carb Mediterranean style diets for weight loss and overall health.

Replace the red meat with fish, seafood, poultry, and snacking on low-carb nuts, seeds, and hard cheese instead of processed meat. All these simple swaps can increase the consumption of fats that can optimize cholesterol and triglycerides levels. Also, try to get most of your carbs from keto-friendly vegetables. You can get benefits of weight loss and overall health when compared with the other diets for weight loss.

Eat plenty of leafy greens, colorful vegetables, and cruciferous vegetables are a must. All these vegetables are healthy and contain plenty of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. That will help to optimize your health and prevent some type of common symptoms like keto flu. Also, many vegetables contain high net carb content, therefore, make sure that the vegetables you are eating have less carb content.

Food List of Mediterranean Ketogenic Diet

The Mediterranean recipes to lose weight with the benefits of the keto diet. Mediterranean recipes to lose weight fast for healthy weight management to get optimal health. The Mediterranean diet is widely recognized for health and maximum longevity. This diet contains these foods for optimal health.

• Protein source – fish, seafood, poultry, and eggs
• Oils/Fats – Olive oil, avocado oil, and MCT oil
• Low-carb vegetables – leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, and other low carb veggies
• Low carb fruits – avocado, olives, and tomatoes
• Common Mediterranean flavorings – paprika, cumin, oregano, coriander, anise, Spanish, saffron, lemon or lime juice, mint, parsley, and garlic.
• You can eat these foods in moderation:
• Nuts and seeds – macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, pecans, flaxseeds, and chia seeds are one of the lowest carb options.
• High-fat dairy – hard and full-fat cheese, full-fat low carb yogurt, heavy cream, etc.
• Red meat – beef, pork, veal, and lamb.
• Saturated fats – coconut oil, butter, ghee, and animal fats.

If it’s important then limit these common keto foods to help the lower LDL cholesterol numbers:

• Coconut oil
• Butter
• Heavy Cream
• Fatty cuts of red meat

The food you have to avoid:

• Grains – Wheat, corn, rice, cereal, etc.
• Legumes – lentils, black beans, peas, etc.
• Sugar – honey, agave, maple syrup, etc.
• Fruit – apples, bananas, oranges, etc.
• Tubers – potato, yams, etc.

Mediterranean Diet Recipe Examples

Here are some delicious recipes that are on the keto and low-carb Mediterranean diet. A perfect keto diet meal plan also good for a healthy Mediterranean ketogenic diet o achieve amazing results.

Breakfast

• Low carb spicy baked eggs with Cheesy hash
• Salmon benny breakfast bombs
• Vegan keto porridge
• Keto zucchini bread with walnuts

For Lunch

• Maple Shrimp Salad
• Salmon Lettuce Cups with Lemony Basil Spread
• Egg Salad Stuffed Avocado
• Spinach Watercress Keto Salad

For Dinner

• Low Carb Walnut Crusted Salmon
• Chicken Tender Lazone
• Zingy Lemon Fish
• Zucchini Ribbons & Avocado Walnut Pesto

For Side Dish

• Roasted Celery & Macadamia Cheese
• Raspberry Pecan Salad
• Fiesta Slaw with Avocado Lime Dressing
• Lemon Roasted Spicy Broccoli

For Dessert

• Cilantro Infused Avocado Lime Sorbet
• Pecan Softies with Sea Salt and Dark Chocolate
• Speculoos and Macadamia Biscotti
• Chocolate Chunk Avocado Ice Cream

Benefits of Switching to Mediterranean Diet

The Keto diet provides many health benefits and the Mediterranean diet is all in one. But it doesn’t mean that you should ignore the traditional Mediterranean diet altogether. Although, this diet with a moderate amount of carbs might be a good option for many people. So, there are some examples when the Mediterranean diet may be a better option:

There are many studies available on this diet, but it’s still difficult to predict the individual’s response to the diet, especially for those people who have familial hypercholesterolemia. Some people may remarkably respond well to the Mediterranean diet. While other people may need to lower their fat intake and increase their intake of carbs.

To increase their carb intakes you should eat some starchy veggies like legumes and whole grains just to keep control of their cholesterol levels. This is the only to know which way is a heart-healthy approach for you. So, take a test of blood cholesterol levels every 1-2 months.

Key Takeaways for Mediterranean Diet

It wouldn’t be surprising that the Mediterranean keto diet starts after few years. This approach does not only provides the benefits of low-carb dieting and ketosis but also comes with the same heart benefits as the Mediterranean diet. The ketogenic Mediterranean diet was ranked the best diet. Here are a quick overview of this unique diet may be doing these things for us:

• Decrease diastolic and systolic blood pressure
• It can reduce the blood sugar, triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol
• Can increase the HDL cholesterol
• Optimize overall cholesterol levels
• Improve the levels of stress and sense of well being
• Stimulate sustained fat loss
• It can decrease the heart disease mortality
• Reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease
• Also, it can decrease the stroke incidence
• Decrease the morality
• Or it can decrease the heart attack incidence

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