The Mediterranean diet typically refers to the eating habits of the dwellers of Mediterranean countries such as Italy, Greece, etc. In the Mediterranean diet, you mainly consume foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, seeds, meats, and fish oils. But the common mistake you tend to do is consuming other foods along with the diet. When you do that, the whole health benefits of a Mediterranean diet don’t come into effect.

Foods to avoid while following the diet
Home-cooked meals are the best choice for a Mediterranean diet. The food that is available in the market contains unhealthy fats, oils, and other substances that destroy the whole working method of diet. Those kinds of foods are listed below:

Refined carbohydrates
Another food item that might affect your Mediterranean diet plan is refined carbohydrates. It may not be visible, but a great quantity of sugar hides secretly inside grains like white rice, white bread, and white pasta. It again affects the whole dietary plan. Switch to whole grains such as brown rice, millet, farro, couscous, etc.

Processed foods
The first item that comes in the list is processed foods. Processed food meals mean the foods that are compressed with a great amount of sodium. These sorts of meals spoil your whole effort of following the diet. Apart from that, some processed foods contain sugar. The externally added sugar is tremendously bad for your health. These types of foods will give you extra fats and can also increase your blood sugar level. Thus, to relish the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, make sure to avoid the intake of processed food.

Red meat
While you are on a Mediterranean diet, try to limit the consumption of red meat. Red meats that are processed with salt and other spices are more likely to harm your overall body health. The main purpose of the Mediterranean diet is to improve your heart health. But the huge consumption of red meat plunders the diet’s purpose, making your heart weak and disease-prone. Moreover, frequent intake of it may increase the death risk.

Butter
Butter is another food item to restrict while maintaining the Mediterranean diet. Though the dietary pattern contains saturated fat, the fat in butter is excessive. Instead of butter, you can use olive oil. It is far healthier than butter. The fat content in an average-sized spoon is 7gm. The amount of fat in the same portion of olive is 2gm. Hence, choosing olive oil over butter can help you enjoy the excellent health benefits of a Mediterranean diet.

Alcohol
Alcohol is a must-avoid drink in your Mediterranean diet. If you are unable to leave it, you can rely upon red wine. However, you have to limit the intake of red wine. According to a study, the average amount of alcohol consumption for men is two drinks a day and for women, it is one drink a day.

These are some foods to avoid strictly while undergoing the Mediterranean diet. Otherwise, you will not be able to enjoy the health benefits of the diet plan.