Plan Nods to the FDA's Recommendation of Diet Low in Trans Fats

10/11/2005

eDiets.com, Inc., leveraging the power of the Internet to bring healthy diet and fitness solutions to everyone, has launched the Mediterranean Diet as its newest weight loss program for fall 2005. The Mediterranean Diet is a healthy lifestyle plan practiced for centuries in Mediterranean countries like Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and Morocco. The diet is centered on unprocessed, plant-based foods including whole grains, pasta, legumes, fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, seeds, and first and foremost, olive oil. eDiets.com, known for having a pulse on the hottest and the latest in the world of nutrition and dieting, is the first company to incorporate the dietary habits of the people of the Mediterranean into a comprehensive, personalized online diet plan.

The Mediterranean Diet emerges at a crucial moment in medical history when heart-healthy eating has taken center stage. The critical health threats of diets that are high in saturated fat have spurred serious warnings regarding cardiovascular and coronary health from medical associations nationwide. In fact, in January 2006, the FDA will require a Nutrition Facts panel on all food labels for saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol content.

"The FDA has taken large measures to distinguish between 'bad fat,' which includes saturated fat and trans fat, and 'good fat,' which includes monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. The Mediterranean Diet supports
the FDA's criticism of saturated fat and trans fat by relying heavily on 'good fat' that comes from plant sources like olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds. The diet suggests very low quantities of 'bad fat' that comes from animal
sources like red meat and high-fat dairy products, as well as from commercially processed foods," said Susan L. Burke, registered and licensed dietitian and eDiets.com's Vice President of Nutrition Services.

Unlike other diets on the American market that cut out entire categories like carbohydrates, fat, or alcohol, the Mediterranean Diet encompasses a balanced approach to eating that excludes obsessive calorie counting and
highly-regimented eating restrictions. The Mediterranean Diet is a lifestyle plan for food and wine lovers that endorses the enjoyment of food and the moderate consumption of alcohol (red wine) while it promotes weight loss,
physical exercise, cardiovascular health, and sustained healthy living.

"The Mediterranean Diet plan allows people to derive pleasure from eating while maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle. This is a long-lasting guide to eating nutritiously, maintaining physical fitness, and ultimately reducing the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer," said Burke.

Customers who purchase the Mediterranean Diet plan on eDiets.com receive personalized weekly menus and printable shopping lists that are based on the staples of the Mediterranean Diet.