6 unexpected benefits of the Mediterranean diet

• The Mediterranean diet has been proven to help with weight loss.
• But the benefits aren't limited to weight loss. 
• People who follow the Mediterranean diet may notice increased heart health, greater digestive ability, better long term health, and diabetes prevention.
• It can also improve your skin and energy throughout the day.

A lot of people go on diets with one goal in mind: to lose weight. But if the diet is a sustainable one, its benefits often extend beyond shedding pounds. Many people find this to be the case with the Mediterranean diet, which mimics traditional eating patterns of people who live along the Mediterranean sea and eat diets heavy in vegetables, fruit, lean protein, and nuts.

In addition to weight loss, the diet has been shown to assist with heart health and diabetes prevention, and was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the best diet of 2019.

INSIDER spoke with Brigitte Zeitlin, a registered dietitian, and owner of BZ Nutrition, to learn more about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet that don’t have anything to do with weight loss.

SEE ALSO: Food to eat on the mediterranean diet

FOLLOW US: INSIDER is on Facebook

Heart health is improved by healthy fats.

One of the main benefits of the Mediterranean diet is the prevention of heart disease.

"This diet helps to boost heart health thanks to all the healthy fats it uses, like olive oil, olives, nuts, and avocado," Zeitlin told INSIDER.  "They help to boost your HDL (the good cholesterol), which in turn helps to lower your LDL (the bad cholesterol)."

The reduction of LDL helps keep arteries clear, which helps prevent heart attacks.

Easier digestion comes from the fiber.

Taking up the Mediterranean diet may also assist with digestion.

"This diet is also packed in fiber thanks to the fruits and vegetables that help promote motility, fight constipation, and reduce bloat[ing] and gas," Zeitlin told INSIDER.  

Diabetes can also be prevented with fiber.

Zeitlin added that "all that fiber will help to prevent type 2 diabetes." 

Dietary fiber also helps absorb sugar from the bloodstream and regulate blood sugar, according to the Mayo Clinic. This, in turn, helps prevent diabetes.

See the rest of the story at INSIDER