Help with Mediterranean Vegetarian Diet

[Veeee]

Does anyone have any quick and easy tips for vegetarian mediterranean way of eating. I avoid eggs. Would appreciate any quick and easy recipes as well.

Many thanks.

Veee

[MichaelJH Heart Star]

I have Robin Ellis's! (he was the original Captain Poldark) Mediterranean cookery book. His recipes are very enjoyable. He has also published "Robin Ellis's Mediterranean Vegetarian Cooking" which should be highly suitable.

[Veeee in reply to MichaelJH]

Thank you 😊

[Sunnysummerdays]

Hi Veee,I do my best to follow a healthy diet, usually breakfast is fruit and low fat yogurt with nuts and tea, wholemeal toast with benecol spread,lunch homemade veg soup,just boil whatever fresh veg and blend, butternut squash, sweet potato and spices,veg all prepared in most supermarket, dinner usually salmon and veg done in foil with olive oil and pepper and herbs cook for 25 mins,I try to follow this mon to Friday ,then my weekend treat be bacon and egg mushrooms, tomato and beans,maybe a bar of chocolate or some popcorn, crisps and 2,3 glasses of wine,I walk 30 mins per day and feel ok ,eat healthy but don't forget the odd treat good luck 👍

[Sunnysummerdays in reply to Sunnysummerdays]

I would someday replace the salmon with chicken,if I'm hungry I'd do a potato waffle or some brown rice with it ,I also have 2 rich tea lights with a cup of tea daily . hope this helps or gives you some ideas Veee

[Veeee in reply to Sunnysummerdays]

Thank you 😊

[Veeee in reply to Sunnysummerdays]

Thank you 😊

[Curlyman83 in reply to Sunnysummerdays]

Watch the low fat yoghurt - they’re usually loaded with sugar

[RufusScamp in reply to Curlyman83]

True of many low-fat products. Look for "modified corn starch" in the list of ingredients.

[Veeee]

Thank you for your kind reply. I have just looked at Bosh, and Ella. I don't eat fish either so that is part of Mediterranean diet I am unable to do as well. 😊

[Veeee]

Thank you. I am not vegan and eat some dairy but avoid eggs. I have not heard of the Happy Pear. Will look them up 😊

[Curlyman83]

Is there any particular reason for you starting this diet? Have you spoken to a professional (dietician/nutritionist). If it’s purely for health reasons, speak to your GP and they can refer you to a dietician.

Mine didn’t really help, just told me to drink loads of expensive Benecol drinks. You might have a different experience.

[Veeee in reply to Curlyman83]

No reason just wanting to improve my health in the 60's.😊

[DaveSpice]

Number 1 consideration in any healthy diet is to avoid all processed foods, especially oils and all margarines. From then you can eat what you like in moderation as your sugar intake with be low as a result. For a healthy gut try fermented foods like saurkraut and probitic yoghurts (okay processed unless you can do it yourself). Keep carbs low.

As for the Med part, fresh fruit and vegetables, orgainic where available and eaten raw where practical,. EV olive oil for eating/dressing and cool very shallow frying.

Esentially eat whatever healthy foods you like, "sinning" only occasionally, as my mother said "a little of what you fancy does you good" bordom is bad for you, but make sure it is a treat not a habit.

Eat slowly and enjoy what you eat, a diet will only work if you are happy with your food.

[Veeee in reply to DaveSpice]

Thank you 😊

[winniebago]

Have read the replies you’ve received so far. I couldn’t tolerate statins so have to manage my cholesterol. I follow the Mediterranean diet as it has become classified. Basically no sat fats, no refined carbs, monitor salt and sugar. I have a collection of Greek cookbooks bought while holidaying there for over 35 years. Since my heart failure was identified last year I have also started eating almonds, Brazil and walnuts daily. I limit the amount since whilst they’re very good for the heart they’re also calorific. I usually have 2 or 3 after each meal with a piece of dark chocolate (80% + cocoa). I limit myself to two squares per day and break them up to share it out. Have found that I don’t notice any more it’s not as sweet as “normal” chocolate - in fact the combo of nuts and chocolate is delicious. I also drink a couple of cups of real cocoa per day - also very good for the heart. I eat real porridge, lots of fruit, veg and salads. Dressings always olive oil and real cider vinegar (with the mother) or maybe a touch of balsamic. Lots of olives, pepper, red onion etc. I don’t eat any shop bought ready meals and tend to batch cook to make life easier. Good luck. Not easy but my left EF was functioning at 35% and now after 12 months on tablets and my diet regime it’s over 50%.). CCardiologist was really pleased. (Big down side - no mince pies or Christmas cake this year but well worth it!! 😂)

[Veeee in reply to winniebago]

Thank you 😊

[Veeee in reply to winniebago]

Do you limit your nut intake daily?

[DaveSpice in reply to winniebago]

It is interesting that you mention "no saturated fats", well the french would disagree 100%, their diet is full of butter, cream, meat, etc and statically they have the healthiest hearts in Europe.

If you don't eat butter, I assume you have margarine instead which is almost a poison, orginally designed as an engineering lubricant with added chemicals to make it palitable.

Olive oil, is the exception, EV preferably, because it has very little processing, the rest of the oils are very heavily processed and not good.

The Med diet is healthy, but like everywhere else the people around the Med are subject to pressure from the evil food industry. No one has mentioned organic, which is crucial in a healthy diet.

[Curlyman83]

My reasoning is there is lots of dirge and misinformation out there - by speaking to a dietician, you get professional and accurate advice. Sensible, no?

[Veeee in reply to Curlyman83]

Very sensible but not alot GP'S are referring patients. I have asked them before.

[winniebago]

I don’t really limit my nut intake since they are good for our hearts. I’m lucky - I weigh between 8 st 7 lbs and 8 st 9lbs - very steady. Nuts are pretty calorific however and I usually have 3/4 almonds, 3/4 walnuts and 3/4 brazils after breakfast, lunch and evening meal respectively. Lunch and evening meal I have with a square of dark chocolate and if I’m really indulging myself I have a small amount of raisins or currants (careful - dried fruit has a lot of sugar). Honestly I find that combination a really lovely treat and never notice that the chocolate is different to “normal” stuff. Perhaps it tastes so great because it’s the nearest I get to a “pudding”. Of course by adopting a healthy diet - more veg etc. - there’s usually a bit of weight loss anyway. I make a lot of sacrifices but this morning I saw my cardiologist. He said how pleased he is with my progress - diagnosed heart failure 35% January 2021 (severe) refraction, now 45-50% (low). He has booked me for another cardiogram in 6 months when he is hoping I might be approaching 55% which he says is regarded as normal (I’m hoping to be 80 this year.). Good luck. If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate.

[Veeee in reply to winniebago]

Thank you 😊

[winniebago in reply to Veeee]

You’re welcome. Good luck. 👍

[Curlyman83]

It may be “widely accepted” but my point stands that there is a lot of misinformation out there.

Different sources promote different ideas of exactly what a “Mediterranean diet” actually is…I’ve seen some espousing drinking wine and others telling people to avoid all dairy products. And it doesn’t end there.

I’m not saying the Mediterranean diet isn’t the way forward, just that the whole concept has been hijacked in recent years by people trying to sell books and/or promote their own agenda (YouTube).

For anybody with an underlying heart condition, advice should be sort when radically changing diet…at least in my eyes.