What is the Mediterranean diet & lifestyle?

Bordering the Mediterranean sea, Italy, Spain, Greece and the South of France share more than just heat and a spot for holidays. Packed with Unesco heritage sites and connected with nature at its core, Mediterranean lifestyle is eclectic in landscapes, rich in flavours and oh so very social!

For those of us that were born and raised in the Mediterranean, this sun-kissed lifestyle is all about outdoor life, long family dinners around the table, cooking with organic products from local farmers or butchers, enjoying the sea breeze or the mountains’ fresh air and using natural materials to create beautiful everyday life objects.

Of course, at the heart of our lifestyle is food – we LOVE food! Mediterraneans have a passion for good quality produce (at the end of the day it’s the base for all of our diet), be it pure extra virgin olive oil or tasty cheese bought straight from shepherds. Mediterranean diet is based around organic fresh vegetables, seasonable fruits and herbs, legumes, grains and unrefined cereals, animal protein (meat, fish, seafood), moderate dairy and plenty of healthy fats (oils, nuts).

Recognised by the World Health Organisation as a healthy and sustainable dietary option, it’s no surprise there are many health benefits attributed to the Mediterranean diet like reducing your chance to diabetes, high blood pressure and raised cholesterol, as well as being key to live a longer life.

Want some tips to follow a Mediterranean diet? Here are our suggestions:

• Buy good quality organic produce and savour every bite
• Get yourself a good extra virgin olive oil, you won’t regret it!
• Stay away from processed food, pesticides and additives
• Eat vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy fats daily
• Eat fish, lean meats and eggs weekly
• Limit the amount of dairy and red meat you eat
• Enjoy alcohol with moderation
• Stay active, do regular exercise (preferably outdoors)
• Enjoy down time with friends and family

Ready to experience the benefits of a Mediterranean lifestyle? From carefully selected Mediterranean food products to sustainable kitchenware and stylish Mediterranean home accessories, at Vios, we bring you the best of the Mediterranean in one place.