Everything You Should Know About the Mediterranean Diet

Learn All About the #1 Ranked Diet - The Mediterranean Diet
This week's topic is one of my favorites and apparently it is one for many others too, as the Mediterranean Diet has been ranked the number one diet for six years in a row.
I personally recommend this diet to my patients to adapt into their eating habits. I don't like to look at this as a diet, but as a lifestyle change. The Mediterranean diet / lifestyle has been linked to maintaining a healthy weight, preventing dementia, improving heart health, lowering cholesterol, helping chronic kidney disease, telomere length and much more.
And one of the best parts is you don't have to give up bread and pasta. But there is a whole lot more to this and today I am going to go over 10 things you may not know about this wonderful diet / lifestyle.
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Working as a kidney doctor, I found that my patients were often unaware of just how important diet and lifestyle were and how often they felt unsupported by generic advice to “eat healthy”. The home cook in me hated hearing this, so I set out to find a better way.
I began to combine my medical training and love of food, making videos of simple recipes that were based on science and packed with flavor. Instead of just saying “eat healthy” to my patients, I could give them the resources they needed to make a real difference in their health.
Kidney doctor, passionate home cook, and KZbin sensation Dr Blake Shusterman empowers people to proactively manage their health by stepping into the kitchen. The author of several cookbooks with over 100,000 KZbin subscribers, The Cooking Doc® believes anyone, at any age can transform their health with small changes that make a big difference. Based on science and packed with flavor, Dr. Blake’s simple recipes have inspired home cooks everywhere to change their diet, retrain their taste buds, and transform their health.
The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this website are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this website is to promote health and wellness. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
Content Chapters:
00:00 - What is the #1 Ranked Best Diet?
00:47 - The Mediterranean Lifestyle
02:13 - Plant Based
02:36 - Good Fat vs Low Fat / Nonfat
03:36 - Whole Grains
04:06 - Choosing the Right Beverages
05:02 - Dairy
05:49 - Processed Meats
06:26 - Overwhelming Data
07:18 - Good for the Kidneys
08:01 - A Lifestyle Change
08:30 - Changing Other Habits
09:15 - Conclusion

[@saristaa1]

*2:14** is when he starts to get to the point.*

[@elizabethtd1006]

I'm afraid you've missed the point! If you don't include the rest of what comprises a lifestyle rather than a diet, you may end up gaining rather than loosing weight ! In fact he should have placed more emphasis on walking and physical exercise, eliminating stress, securing a convivial atmosphere and a good night's sleep as integral parts of the Mediterranean life style. Proof of this is that Crete - of all places- has seen a dramatic rise in obesity among adolescents in the past 20 years, owed to the happy coupling mama's cooking ( heavy on cheese, olive oil, carbs etc) with a sedentary lifestyle and frequent outings for a drink

[@annelappalainen6193]

When I had my blocked artery fixed, the doctor told me to go on the Mediterranean diet! Thanks, Doc.

[@gbone1812]

Searched this diet on KZbin. Thank you for this simple explanation. Saved this video to my favorites as a reminder to keep myself in check

[@HICKSKE]

Thank you. I did the Genotype Diet/ SWAMI Assessment and I’m a GT4 Explorer. The Mediterranean Diet is almost parallel to it, but much less restrictive. This is something I can live with. Thanks again

[@ElleE953]

The was so informative- thank you!!!

[@didimohamed5345]

great video thanks doc

[@ronfontenot4534]

Bravo!!

[@Chelle-kd1po]

Thank you! I am looking into living a mostly Mediterranean lifestyle once we're moved. My husband has heart issues, & I have a family history. I appreciate the overview & providing an explanation for the low-fat dairy. I'm planning items to stock our kitchen & am looking for quick & easy meal ideas. New sub here!

[@rongarris8574]

Hello Dr. Shusterman, what a terrific video (as always)! Are you currently accepting new patients? Please keep creating your videos as they truly are jewels.

[@thecookingdoc]

Thanks so much @rongarris8574 ! So glad you like the videos. I do accept new patients if you’re in my area, Greenville SC through my practice Carolina Nephrology.

[@kat2878]

yes - great information - what are your thoughts on fat vs. protein for satiety? = and great point about consistency - and an overall healthy diet vs. focusing on "superfoods' thx😁

[@laurieswain3832]

Great 👍🏿 information

[@thecookingdoc]

Thanks so much. :)

[@Shellbee22]

I’m Italian..no doubt the best diet ..been eating this way my whole life ..my weakness though …bread 🤣🤷‍♀️

[@thecookingdoc]

Oh trust me, I am a bread fan too @michelefallo9762 - you just have to choose the right kinds of bread, choose whole grains. My fave brand is Daves Killer Bread but it is pretty pricey. Thanks so much for watching and commenting.

[@wednesdayschild3627]

The mediteraneans never eat whole grains. I think whole grains are bad. They did eat sour dough and put olive oil,salt and vinegar on bread. The vinegar lower glycemic index. I do not know why, but they throw the whole grain to the animals.@@thecookingdoc

[@thomaslevine405]

Great summary of this diet, thank you Dr. Shusterman!

[@thecookingdoc]

Thank you so much @thomaslevine405

[@bnice8940]

🙋‍♀Hello Dr. Shusterman! 🙋‍♀ Watching you from Ontario Canada. I ALWAYS enjoy watching your informative videos. I lost over 100 pounds following The Mediterranean Diet. It is not a diet, but a lifestyle. Thank you for sharing. Take care and stay safe!

[@thecookingdoc]

WOW - that is amazing @Bnice8940 . Very proud of your accomplishment and I fully agree with you! Thank you so much for sharing.

[@bnice8940]

@@thecookingdoc Thank you, Dr. Shusterman. I had a VERY ROUGH weekend. We celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday (October 9, 2023) 🦃🦃 I ate everything and NOT in moderation and I got into the Halloween candy. 🎃🎃 I weighed myself this morning and, YIKES, I'm up five pounds. Today, I'm back on track. THANK YOU again. Dr. Shusterman.

[@Moonlia8314]

Doc, do you think that Millet is better for you than other grains/seeds?

[@williamstoryiii9252]

Cool video.

[@lorrinkim2274]

Aloha. As an aspiring and proximal Mediterranean dieter/lifestyler - I have the knowledge, attitude...working on behavior - I very much appreciate your gentle but data-driven approach in your videos. I'd be interested in mackeral recipes that aren't Japanese (which is great btw but I don't have another frame of reference). Speaking of which, what are the data on Japanese diet since their longevity is so long? If you haven't done so, maybe a day-in-the-life-of video would be great.

[@thecookingdoc]

Thank you so much for the feedback and the suggestion. I will make a note of this and start to do some research for a future video.

[@CathyBruce]

Great information! I’ve been looking at the Mediterranean diet as an option, but I’m noticing that many recipes have a lot of sodium (I have CKD). Olives and salty cheeses are obvious things to avoid. Are there other ingredients we should look out for?

[@thecookingdoc]

Definitely watch out for salty meats as well. I know some recipes call for prosciutto or bacon to flavor. Thanks so much for watching and commenting Cathy.

[@Sean-bp6xb]

Sicily isn’t a city. Watching from Ontario Canada 🎉

[@muzerhythm2242]

Thank you for explaining this in a simplfied way! I had my gallbladder removed 4 weeks ago and was only told to go low fat. I'm looking for a diet full of flavor and was wondering what doctors thought of this diet....I agree it's more a lifestyle, and it looks like something I can stick to without being too restricted like other diets.😊

[@thecookingdoc]

It is my favorite lifestyle change / diet because it does include a lot of my favorite foods @muzerhythm2242 - thank you so much for watching and sharing!

[@daricerobin]

What if you don’t eat seafood?

[@doncheedleismydad4540]

I started olympic lifting, sun bathing and eating lots of cheese, fish, nuts, goat, rice, avocado. Grew my hair long and my beard longer and now Im built like Zeus! 😂

[@tarawalker7193]

Ahh Sophia!

[@Socialist36]

I got cutco

[@albertdowrn]

Seems like the way you described the diet it's Americanized. Traditional Mediterranean peoples eat lots of goat, pork full fat cheese both cow and goat. Also there are as many Mediterranean diets as cultures and nations, just follow the coastline.

[@marilynnishimura6999]

Agree with they eat cheese (especially goat & sheep) but in smaller portions than the SAD.

[@OpenBorders4isengard]

Let’s assume that’s true(I highly doubt it) but let’s just say it correct, the particular Mediterranean diet he is describing is superior to that in every way. A diet high in animal products, meat, dairy, and saturated fat ect, is not healthy. A diet high in plantbased foods with the bulk of its fats coming from polyunsaturated/monounsaturated sources, and with most of its animal based foods coming from seafood, is going to leaps and bounds healthier.

[@Sandlappersue]

AngieW-ri6qxInteresting! What exact locations of the world are you talking of? From my studies, it’s contrary to what you say. However I am open to learning more. Edited to add: studies do show that there are healthy and unhealthy fats…

[@yayayayaya362]

This must be a calorically dense way of eating, no? Avocado, oil, nuts.... And limited protein. I want to hit at least 120g of protein a day. This is much cleaner than my current diet, but not so sure about using it for losing weight and gaining muscle... any insight?

[@trappedcat3615]

There is room for extra meat

[@ss-rh4qp]

Japan has started releasing radioactive water into the international oceans, so one burning question--Can we still consume seafood？Or should we decrease intake of seafood? Thanks in advance.

[@thecookingdoc]

@ss-rh4qp - this is a great idea for a future topic. I will make a note and look into that information.

[@ReLapseJunkie]

Seeing that most fish you eat is farmed then it would be fine

[@susanmaguire9009]

@@ReLapseJunkieBetter off eating Alaskan salmon.

[@jesseherrmann893]

Why is a liver doctor telling me I can’t drink?🤔

[@soldado1268]

So you can eat anything?

[@jonc2914]

Sicily isnt a city.....

[@thecookingdoc]

I was just quoting the Golden Girls @jonc2914 which is the most popular show in my patients rooms 😂

[@KeithLivitsme]

So in other words you can eat anything. Got it lol

[@josephputz2964]

👏👏👏👏👏👏😀😀😀😀😀😀

[@Irishman8787]

How much weight does a person lose after on the diet for 8 months

[@sterlingsparkowich635]

Calories in calories out, although it's subjective to a persons metabolic rate. As long as it's controlled you can consistently lose weight on this diet. If you tend to be more endomorphic you might want to emphasize more on protien and less on fats.

[@sterlingsparkowich635]

After personally testing and finding your exact BMR, and tracking calories religiously you can consistently lose however many pounds you want in 8 months, although I wouldn't over do it since you want to be sustainable in your habits, not crash.

[@AnthonyDuah-gr5gk]

Olive oil in a metal can? Nope Not honey either. Chemically takes away nutriets

[@Spectarium]

you lost me at olive oil, as this is an ultra processed food and bad for your health, I would rather have butter or a more pure fat than that garbage

[@Phonexwing]

I thought the "seed oils are evil" crowd excluded olive oil. Olive oil is not processed, it is literally made from just squeezing olives. The Mediterranean diet also doesn't include and frying or high heat cooking that would cause problems with other seed oils. What's wrong with olive oil?

[@wisefoodfit]

Extra virgin olive oil isn’t considered ultra processed. Why ultra processed? Isn’t butter processed too in this case. It doesn’t come from milk without being processed, like the olives.

[@thegroovetube7712]

@@Phonexwing EVOO is the healthiest oil on the planet - Kudos because you are correct

[@mymail1938]

Thank you. This is so helpful. I am wondering about butter. Is it unhealthy? I just switched from margerine to real butter, because I don't want to eat ultra processed food.