A doctor who wrote a book on the Mediterranean diet shares his 4 favorite snacks
- The Mediterranean diet is widely considered the healthiest way to eat.
- Dr. Simon Poole, an expert in the diet, shared his favorite snack ideas with Insider.
The Mediterranean diet is widely considered the healthiest way to eat.
It prioritizes vegetables, legumes, seafood, and olive oil, and minimal amounts of processed and fried foods, red meat, refined grains, sugar, and saturated fat.
Dr. Simon Poole, an expert on the diet based in the UK, told Insider that there has been a "very considerable amount of really good, high quality scientific research to show that it reduces the risks of really so many chronic diseases, from heart disease and stroke through to many cancers and even Alzheimer's disease."
It's also associated with longevity, better mental health, and maintaining a healthy weight, so can improve quality of life in many areas as well, Poole said.
He shared four of his favorite Mediterranean diet snack ideas with Insider, following on from his favorite breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.
Olives
Olives are a great snack and popular in the Mediterranean, Poole said.
They are a brilliant source of polyphenols, which can improve digestion and brain health, as well as protect against conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, according to Healthline.
Poole recommends olives that are preserved in extra virgin olive oil rather than salt and brine, but it's easy enough to wash off excess salt.
"They're a great source of antioxidants that of course we get in a concentrated form in extra virgin olive oil," Poole said. "They're also very filling because they contain monounsaturated fats. So a nice filling snack, but plenty of healthy fats."
Nuts
A handful of unsalted, skin-on nuts is a big part of the Mediterranean diet, Poole said. Nuts provide good quality fats and minerals like magnesium and zinc.
"They're best with skins on because the protective and preservative antioxidants tend to be on the outside of the nut, concentrated in the skins," Poole said. Too much salt can increase blood pressure in some people too, he added.
"If you want to have a little bit of sweetness with those nuts, mix them with some dry fruits, which we often see in trail mix snacks," Poole said.
Dark chocolate
A square or two of high percentage dark chocolate is a very filling snack, Poole said. He recommends choosing a chocolate that is 85% cocoa, which has a "lovely bitter taste."
"One square will fill you up and people will get used to a slightly more bitter chocolate if they wean themselves off the high sugar, low cocoa chocolate," Poole said.
Dark chocolate is high in antioxidants, and consuming a small square a day could reduce the risk of some diseases such as heart disease, Poole said.
Fruit
Poole recommends snacking on any piece of fruit.
"Just carry an apple or a tangerine with you, then you're going to get a really nice little boost of sugar, but relatively slowly released with fiber and vitamin C, and other minerals," Poole said.
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