Mediterranean diet hailed as one of the best - health benefits explained and recipe ideas

For years, people have been experimenting with diets to aid them with fitness and weight loss.

But now, it appears the king of diets has been crowned - and it's probably not the one you'd have guessed. Keto diet? Old hat, nobody needs it. 5:2 fasting? Bin it off and fill your boots instead.

As it turns out, the best diet for your long-term health is actually a Mediterranean diet. As the name would suggest, this involves eating foods that come from the likes of Italy, Greece, Spain and the south of France. Most of these foods are vegetables, grains, beans and nuts.

Researchers have found a multitude of health benefits to the Mediterranean diet, both for your insides and your quality of life. Chief among these health benefits is that these foods reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and cancers - with researchers highlighting breast cancer as being particularly nullified, thanks to the diet's reliance on olive oil.

A Mediterranean diet can also improve fertility, according to research by Professor Roger Hart, who found that the diet can make IVF treatment more likely to be successful.

Now, new research has found that it improves your sleep as well. The study, published in MDPI, the study found that sticking with a Mediterranean diet lowered people's chances of being sleepy during the day or suffering from insomnia.

Researchers said: "Despite the possibility of a causal relationship, the outcomes of this study consistently demonstrate that higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with overall better sleep quality. These findings could support the inclusion of the Mediterranean diet in intervention programs to promote healthy eating aiming to improve sleep quality or sleep-related features.

"The appealing aspect of the Mediterranean diet, which includes flavorful foods with inherently robust organoleptic and nutritional properties, could be an additional incentive for its adoption especially if compared to interventions limiting certain foods’ or nutrients’ intake."

Below are three Mediterranean recipes you could try if you're looking to adopt a healthier diet.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cucumber, diced

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, sliced

1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, and feta cheese.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors meld.

Grilled Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 lemons, juiced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a bowl, mix together lemon juice, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, chopped oregano, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Place chicken breasts in a dish and pour the marinade over them. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

Grill the chicken for 6-8 minutes per side or until fully cooked.

Serve with a side of roasted vegetables or a green salad.

Quinoa and Roasted Vegetable Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

4 large bell peppers, halved and seeds removed

1 cup quinoa, cooked

1 zucchini, diced

1 eggplant, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

In a bowl, toss the diced zucchini, eggplant, and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, roasted vegetables, feta cheese, and fresh basil.

Stuff each bell pepper half with the quinoa and vegetable mixture.

Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the peppers are tender.

Serve warm and enjoy.