It can be difficult to go on holiday if you are on any kind of special diet. This is something many diabetics are all too well aware of.
But what about if you are following a specific diet to improve your health while maybe shedding a few extra pounds you’ve gained?
A growing number of people are taking to the Paleo diet, which requires a new way of thinking about the foods you eat.
If you are interested in spending a holiday in the Mediterranean but aren’t sure if you will find the right foods to eat while away. Here is some of what you should know about the countries that may offer the best chance of finding those foods in local restaurants and grocery stores.
First A Look At Foods You Can’t Eat
Perhaps it’s best to first look at the foods you can’t eat.
You know grains, legumes, potatoes, dairy, and refined oils are taboo. You can’t eat refined sugar, processed foods, or overly salty foods either.
What does that leave on a trip to the Mediterranean?
You know that most countries eat rice and/or pasta as a main staple in their diets.
This is true even of Malta and Gozo.
But the difference between a Maltese diet and the typical Mediterranean diet is that you will find most of the foods it allows you to eat are some of the finest foods available on those islands.
The allowed food group is a regular part of their daily diet.
Foods You Can Eat On A Paleo Diet
Here is the exciting part of a holiday in Malta or Gozo! The basic foods you are “allowed” that appear on a Paleo diet list are all part of the Maltese diet every day for reasons specific to the islands.
While not a huge factor in the economy, fishing is important to the locals.
Fish serves as a major part of their regular diets and that’s something is near the top of every Paleo diet food list of “dos.”
In Gozo, for example, you will find fishermen have earned their livings for countless generations, and unlike other areas of the world, the daily “catch” varies from season to season.
Therefore, they have all the gear necessary to switch as the seasons require.
Although you aren’t allowed to eat the candies and pastries, the islands are famous for.
You can eat the fruits of the season that are grown locally on Gozo.
Drop by the many fruit and vegetable hawkers and ask for the local fruits such as the tangy orange and tangerine, the prickly pears and the strawberries.
Most restaurants on the island get their fresh fruits and vegetables from the local farming estates.
You can eat nuts and seeds, which are also a part of the Maltese diet.
But if you are looking for the one essential ingredient that no self-respecting home or restaurant would do without, that would be olive oil!
What Mediterranean home would be complete without olive oil?
They cook most foods with olive oil and not those overly processed vegetable oils you’ll find in much of Europe and North America.
Beyond this, also note that Gozo’s is known for its remarkable honey, which is one treat you can enjoy whilst on a Paleo diet.
Visit Gozo for the Perfect Mediterranean Paleo Holiday
In fact, while on a holiday in Gozo, why not look at how the Gozitans harvest sea salt in the traditional way?
You can watch the fishing boats leave in the wee hours of the morning and be on the shore when they return with the catch of the day in the afternoons.
That’s one thing you can always find plenteous amounts of and always fresh: fish.
There is no other country in the Mediterranean as well suited to the Paleo diet than Malta, the island of Gozo in particular.
If you have your heart set on a lovely Mediterranean holiday, visit Gozo–a wonderful holiday fit for the Paleo diet.