We all know that the Mediterranean diet is considered the best diet plan in the whole world especially when it comes to providing health benefits. The diet consists of ingredients and foods that lack fatty meat and sweets such as oils (olive), fish, seeds, nuts, beans, grains, fruits, vegetables, and much more like this.
When Canadian people read about this diet plan, the first thing that comes to mind is that they aren’t in a Mediterranean region. This thought gave them an assumption that they cannot benefit from this diet which is a completely wrong assumption.
The truth is that some Canadian foods and ingredients can provide you with all the nutrients and minerals that are needed in a Mediterranean diet. You can make an all-Canadian diet at your home or order kits from service providers like mealkitsdelivery.ca. In this article, we will talk about all such foods so that you can have a healthy diet while not compromising on your taste as well.
Proportions of Building your Plate
The all-Canadian healthy diet plan will have the same proportion in the plate as you do on a Mediterranean diet. As there are three main things included in a diet composed of vegetables, grains, and proteins. So, the proportions will be:
- ½ Vegetables
- ¼ Grains
- ¼ Proteins
½ Plate of Vegetables and Fruits
Fill half of your plate with vegetables and fruits as these are the most effective ingredients in any kind of diet. They offer a good amount of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and fibers. Which is great in preventing major diseases and health conditions such as heart strokes.
It is better to choose vegetables with different shapes, patterns, colors, and textures as it will make your plate look attractive and will make it easy for you to consume. You can eat vegetables and fruits in fresh, frozen, canned, or any other condition you like but ensure minimal use of salt and seasoning.
The best suitable vegetables for an all-Canadian healthy diet include eggplant, cauliflower, bitter melon, zucchini, broccoli, onion, garlic, tomatoes, chayote, celery, daikon radish, mushrooms, squash, peppers, and sweet potato.
Although the above-mentioned vegetables are great for your diet, leafy vegetables bring even better results. They include names like spinach, kale, bok choy, mustard greens, lettuce, cabbage, hinn choy, snow pea shoots, swiss chard, summer savory, collard greens, rapini, and water spinach.
Fruits
Recommended fruits for an all-Canadian healthy diet include apples, pears, cantaloupe, berries, watermelon, peaches, plums, and grapes.
Some other vegetables and fruits can also be included in the diet but you may have to roam through different grocery stores to buy them as they are not cultivated on Canadian soil.
The list includes names like bananas, plantain, yuca, jicama, mangoes, papaya, durian, lychee, pineapple, jackfruit, and rambutan.
½ Plate of Whole Grains
Grains are great when it comes to a healthy diet and whole grains are even better than refined grains. Whole grains are rich in fiber which is essential for the human body. Although whole grains are great, you may also eat refined grains once in a while as they are also beneficial.
The research was conducted on the benefits of eating grains and it was concluded that people who eat whole grains regularly have ⅓ risk of getting heart disease as compared to people who don’t.
Experts’ recommendations on grains to eat as an all-Canadian healthy diet include bread, oats, rice, pasta, quinoa, barley, wild rice, wheat, millet, rye, sorghum, buckwheat, and corn.
½ Plate of Protein Foods
Most people think that a healthy diet consists only of vegetables and greens but the fact is that you can and you should add a small touch of proteins as well. The only thing is the processing of the food because it is not a good idea to process meat or eggs in a whole lot of oil.
Go for foods that are derived or based on plants so that you can get protein with minimal saturated fats.
The best and healthy protein foods to be added to your diet include foods and ingredients like eggs, lower-fat dairy products, lean meats and poultry, seafood, nuts, seeds, beans, peas, lentils, avocado, chickpeas, lentils, split peas, kidney, black turtle, adzuki, fava, pinto, otebo, flax, and hemp.
Drink a Whole Lot of Water
Drink a lot of water as it is only good and brings no bad effects. Water is an ingredient of your diet that can add a lot of hydration to your body without injecting a single trace of calories.
Foods and Intakes to Avoid while on All-Canadian Healthy Diet
Eating healthy foods is not all that you need but staying away from harmful mistakes is also an essential part of maintaining and living a healthy life. Some common foods and intakes to avoid are listed below.
Soda and Juices
Avoid drinking any other drinks such as soda or juices as they include a ton of fat, sodium, sugars, and calories which are harmful to your body in the long run.
Processed Foods and Snacks
Proteins can be processed if you want but it doesn’t mean that you should add every harmful thing in it along with seasoning. You need to ensure that processed foods that are high in sodium, sugar, and saturated fat should be avoided at all costs. Some such foods and snacks include Candy, Fast food, Sugary drinks, Frozen meals, Pizzas, Premade Dinners, Bacon, and Sausages.
Tips to Get Better Results Out of Your Diet
Only diet is not enough unless you also adopt habits that are healthy and cannot only bring benefits but enhance the outcomes of your diet as well. Some big tips suggested by experts include the following:
- Store and prepare your food with proper focus.
- Only eat at specific times instead of eating whenever food comes in front of you.
- Order meal kits as they will only have what should be included in your diet or cook yourself as you will know what ingredients to add and what to avoid.
- Enjoy your food instead of just filling your belly. Enjoying food gives more satisfaction and enhances the benefits as well.
- Have a word with your doctor if you are pregnant, have certain health conditions, or are underage.
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