Choose better carbs
Remember how you’re bypassing the middle aisles of the market? That’s where you’ll find your cookies, chips, crackers, flavoured rice blends, mashed potato mixes, and other refined carbohydrates, which are usually stripped of good-for-you fibre and loaded with added sugar, not to mention possible trans fats. Instead, the Mediterranean diet plan invites you to enjoy high-quality or complex carbohydrates. “In addition to enjoying many whole grains like oats, bulgur, and couscous, fresh bread is a staple of the region and pasta is the primary source of carbs in Italy,” Upton says.
That said, whole grains and enriched bread are typically enjoyed as part of a healthy meal, commonly served with olive oil or bean- or nut-based dips or sauces like hummus or muhammara (red pepper and walnut dip) rather than butter or sugary jams. “When choosing bread, opt for whole grain or be sure your loaves aren’t loaded with added sugars or saturated fat,” Upton says. (Related: Learn the signs your body wants you to eat more carbs.)
