Mediterranean diet proves to be success for local chef

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - The Mediterranean diet consists of eating whole foods and lean meats like fish, lamb, and chicken that give your body the proper fuel.

Toga Grill Chef, Sammi Chloun started it 8 years ago and lost 100 pounds in just 8 months. He says the diet consists of beneficial oils that work in your body’s favor.

“I used to be like 320 pounds, fat and depressed,” Chloun said. “We use a lot of lemon juice, vinegar, garlic and olive oil.”

Lake Area nutritionist Dr. Eric Snow said it’s the olive oil that makes the diet a game changer.

“So, olive oil is not synthetic, a good cold processed olive oil has great monounsaturated fats in it and it has something called oleic acid," Snow said. "The research is shown that it is very good at reversing neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease, and diabetes.”

Dr. Snow said the diet became popular when studies showed the health of the Mediterranean people was greater than ours in the U.S.

“They had significantly lower issues with things that Americans have problems with which is heart disease and diabetes," Snow said. “It’s balanced in fats, balanced in carbohydrates, and balanced in proteins. I wouldn’t see that many people would have much trouble going on to the Mediterranean diet except for getting off the standard American diet where we’re addicted to these processed foods and this high sugar consumption.”

Common foods that fall under the diet are vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, olive oil, lemon juice.

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