The Spanish monarch constantly turns heads during public appearances, forever looking elegant and regal. One thing that stands out is Queen Letizia’s enviable physique, which she maintains by sticking to a healthy diet plan – and it’s not the Mediterranean diet.
Queen Letizia is reportedly a follower of the Perricone Diet.
The diet is known for its focus on anti-inflammatory foods.
But why does the Spanish queen follow it?
One reason could be the monarch’s age, which is 49-years-old.
The average woman experiences menopause between the ages of 45 and 55, with perimenopausal symptoms beginning as much as a few years before this.
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Perimenopause is classed as an inflammatory event, so anti-inflammatory foods are beneficial during this time of a woman’s life to reduce symptoms.
Inflammation can also cause “accelerated signs of ageing”, according to the official Perricone diet website.
If Queen Letizia is avoiding inflammatory foods, this may explain why she looks so young.
Not only this, but the Perricone diet also has incredible weight loss benefits.
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But what does it involve?
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On the 28-day Perricone diet, slimmers are required to eliminate foods that are linked to inflammation and weight gain.
These include breads, cereals, crackers, fried, sugary and processed foods, jelly, pasta, pizza, potatoes, rice and snack foods such as pretzels and chips.
The diet is relatively strict when it comes to beverages too, shunning fruit juices and soft drinks.
Dieters can stock up on lean protein and carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables are an important components of the diet.
This can be eaten with a cup of three-bean salad including chickpeas, kidney beans and black beans dressed with olive oil, fresh lemon juice and a clove of garlic, served on a bed of cabbage leaves.
The diet encourages slimmers to drink plenty of water, which is a great way to reduce inflammation, so slimmers should drink another eight ounces of water at lunch.
A sample Perricone diet dinner includes a cup of lentil soup, Spiced Diver Scallops, a green salad with olive oil and fresh lemon juice dressing, a small wedge of cantaloupe and of course, eight ounces of water.
While processed and sugary snacks are forbidden, slimmers can have two nutritious snacks per day, the first, six ounces of unflavoured Greek yoghurt mixed with a tablespoon of pomegranate juice, with eight ounces of water to drink.
The final snack of the day, eaten before bedtime, is a protein rich boiled egg, two celery sticks, three brazil nuts and eight ounces of water.
Source: Daily Express | Diet
