{"id":135727,"date":"2025-09-14T00:43:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-14T00:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/135727\/"},"modified":"2025-09-14T00:43:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-14T00:43:07","slug":"7-day-mediterranean-diet-meal-plan-for-a-healthy-gut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/135727\/","title":{"rendered":"7-Day Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan for a Healthy Gut"},"content":{"rendered":"

Meal Plan at a Glance<\/p>\n

BREAKFAST\/ A.M. SNACK
\nLUNCH\/ P.M. SNACK
\nDINNER<\/p>\n

Smoothie\/ Blueberries & cashews
\nTomato & cheese sandwich\/ Hummus, cucumbers & walnuts
\nShrimp quinoa bowls<\/p>\n

Muffins & orange\/ Yogurt
\nShrimp quinoa bowls\/ Pear
\nSalmon, sweet potatoes & broccoli<\/p>\n

Muffins, kefir & oranges\/ Raspberries, cheese & nuts
\nGreen goddess wrap\/ Edamame
\nSpaghetti squash casserole & broccoli<\/p>\n

Overnight oats\/ Apple & walnuts
\nPower salad jar\/ Muffin
\nLentil salad & chicken<\/p>\n

Overnight oats\/ Banana & nut butter
\nLentil salad & tuna\/ Almonds
\nBBQ shrimp, kale and couscous<\/p>\n

Omelet & English muffin\/ Pear & almonds
\nTempeh & rice bowls\/ Crispy chickpeas
\nShakshuka & pita<\/p>\n

Egg scramble & raspberries\/ Kefir, honey & chia
\nTofu wraps\/ Crispy chickpeas
\nChicken ramen<\/p>\n

Day 1 <\/p>\n

Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls.<\/p>\n

Breakfast (249 calories) <\/p>\n

Morning Snack (211 calories)
\n \u00be cup blueberries3 tablespoons unsalted roasted cashews<\/p>\n

Lunch (439 calories) <\/p>\n

Afternoon Snack (163 calories)
\n 2 tablespoons hummus1 cup sliced cucumbers2 tablespoons walnut halves<\/p>\n

Dinner (429 calories) <\/p>\n

Meal-Prep Tip: Save a serving of the Charred Shrimp, Pesto & Quinoa Bowls<\/a> for lunch tomorrow.\n<\/p>\n

Daily Totals: 1,491 calories, 67 g protein, 168 g carbohydrates, 29 g fiber, 70 g fat, 1,397 mg sodium\n<\/p>\n

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast, increase to 1 cup blueberries and \u2153 cup cashews at A.M. snack, increase to \u00bc cup hummus and \u00bc cup walnuts at P.M. snack and add 2 servings Creamy Dill Yogurt Sauce<\/a> to dinner.\n<\/p>\n

Day 2 <\/p>\n

Banana Protein Muffins.<\/p>\n

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall<\/p>\n

Breakfast (254 calories) <\/p>\n

Morning Snack (208 calories) <\/p>\n

Lunch (429 calories) <\/p>\n

Afternoon Snack (101 calories) <\/p>\n

Dinner (504 calories) <\/p>\n

Daily Totals: 1,496 calories, 81 g protein, 177 g carbohydrates, 27 g fiber, 58 g fat, 1,533 mg sodium\n<\/p>\n

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast, add \u00bc cup slivered almonds to A.M. snack and add 2 ounces low-fat Cheddar cheese to P.M. snack.\n<\/p>\n

Day 3 <\/p>\n

Cucumber-Chicken Green Goddess Wrap.
\nBrie Passano<\/p>\n

Breakfast (373 calories) <\/p>\n

Morning Snack (173 calories)
\n 1 cup raspberries1 ounce low-fat Cheddar cheese3 tablespoons shelled pistachios<\/p>\n

Lunch (353 calories) <\/p>\n

Afternoon Snack (200 calories) <\/p>\n

Dinner (408 calories) <\/p>\n

Daily Totals: 1,506 calories, 84 g protein, 164 g carbohydrates, 41 g fiber, 64 g fat, 1,916 mg sodium\n<\/p>\n

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 scrambled eggs to breakfast, increase to 1\u00bd cups raspberries at A.M. snack, add 2 servings Creamy Dill Yogurt Sauce<\/a> to lunch, increase to 2 cups edamame at P.M. snack and increase to 2 slices baguette at dinner.\n<\/p>\n

Day 4 <\/p>\n

Lentil Salad with Feta, Tomatoes, Cucumbers & Olives.
\nJennifer Causey<\/p>\n

Breakfast (291 calories) <\/p>\n

Morning Snack (176 calories)
\n 1 medium apple2 tablespoons walnut halves<\/p>\n

Lunch (430 calories) <\/p>\n

Afternoon Snack (193 calories) <\/p>\n

Dinner (411 calories) <\/p>\n

Meal-Prep Tip: Save a serving of the Lentil Salad with Feta, Tomatoes, Cucumbers & Olives<\/a> for lunch tomorrow.\n<\/p>\n

Daily Totals: 1,501 calories, 80 g protein, 162 g carbohydrates, 26 g fiber, 63 g fat, 1,394 mg sodium<\/p>\n

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tablespoons peanut butter to breakfast, increase to \u00bc cup walnuts at A.M. snack, add 1 ounce dark chocolate to P.M. snack and increase to 4 ounces chicken at dinner.\n<\/p>\n

Day 5 <\/p>\n

BBQ Shrimp with Garlicky Kale & Parmesan-Herb Couscous.<\/p>\n

Breakfast (291 calories) <\/p>\n

Morning Snack (210 calories)
\n 1 medium banana1 tablespoon peanut butter<\/p>\n

Lunch (368 calories) <\/p>\n

Afternoon Snack (206 calories)
\n \u00bc cup unsalted roasted almonds<\/p>\n

Dinner (414 calories) <\/p>\n

Daily Totals: 1,489 calories, 86 g protein, 147 g carbohydrates, 24 g fiber, 67 g fat, 1,580 mg sodium\n<\/p>\n

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tablespoons peanut butter to breakfast, add \u00bd whole-wheat pita to lunch, increase to 5 tablespoons almonds at P.M. snack and add 1 ounce dark chocolate to dinner.\n<\/p>\n

Day 6 <\/p>\n

Green Shakshuka with Spinach, Chard & Feta.<\/p>\n

Breakfast (311 calories) <\/p>\n

Morning Snack (301 calories)
\n 1 large pear22 unsalted roasted almonds<\/p>\n

Lunch (333 calories) <\/p>\n

Afternoon Snack (220 calories) <\/p>\n

Dinner (330 calories) <\/p>\n

Daily Totals: 1,494 calories, 63 g protein, 168 g carbohydrates, 24 g fiber, 68 g fat, 2,384 mg sodium\n<\/p>\n

To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 1 whole English muffin at breakfast, add \u00bd cup kimchi and 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts to lunch, increase to 2 servings chickpeas at P.M. snack and increase to 1 whole pita at dinner.\n<\/p>\n

Day 7 <\/p>\n

Spinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries.
\nJen Causey<\/p>\n

Breakfast (296 calories) <\/p>\n

Morning Snack (121 calories)
\n \u00be cup low-fat plain kefir1 teaspoon chia seeds1 teaspoon honey\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lunch (488 calories) <\/p>\n

1 serving Crispy Smoked Tofu & Coleslaw Wraps<\/a>\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Afternoon Snack (220 calories) <\/p>\n

Dinner (383 calories) <\/p>\n

Daily Totals: 1,508 calories, 77 g protein, 141 g carbohydrates, 25 g fiber,\u00a0 66 g fat, 2,473 mg sodium\n<\/p>\n

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 large banana to breakfast, increase to 1 cup kefir, 2 teaspoons chia seeds and 2 teaspoons honey at A.M. snack, increase to 2 servings chickpeas at P.M. snack and add 1 hard-boiled egg to dinner.<\/p>\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/p>\n

Is it OK to mix and match meals if there’s one I don’t like?\n<\/p>\n

Yes! This meal plan is meant to serve as inspiration. It doesn\u2019t need to be followed exactly to reap the benefits. When choosing recipes, we made sure to check the calories, fiber, protein and sodium to align with the parameters of this plan and be within our sodium limits. If you\u2019re making a recipe swap, it may be helpful to choose a recipe with similar calories, fiber, protein and sodium levels. For more inspiration, check out these delicious anti-inflammatory Mediterranean meal recipes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Can I eat the same breakfast or lunch every day?\n<\/p>\n

Definitely, it\u2019s fine to eat the same breakfast or lunch every day. The breakfasts range from 249 to 373 calories while the lunches span 333 to 488 calories. These ranges are fairly close, though if you\u2019re closely monitoring your calories or other nutrients, like protein, you may want to adjust a snack or two.<\/p>\n

Why is there not a modification for 1,200 calories?\n<\/p>\n

We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it\u2019s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.<\/p>\n

Health Benefits of a Gut-Friendly Mediterranean Diet <\/p>\n

The Mediterranean style of eating is marked by a diet that is high in fruits, vegetables, beans, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, with low to moderate intakes of dairy. It is typically low in saturated fat and added sugars and higher in fiber, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. Years of research has concluded that following a Mediterranean-style eating pattern reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.\n<\/p>\n

Having a healthy gut microbiome also has many of these same benefits. Data has shown that in addition to helping with constipation and digestion, good gut bacteria may help improve mood, sleep and heart health. Probiotics\u2014fermented dairy, kimchi, sauerkraut\u2014are foods that contain healthy gut bacteria, while prebiotics\u2014onions, garlic, banana, lentils\u2014are foods that feed good gut bacteria. Furthermore, both a healthy microbiome and the Mediterranean diet are associated with helping maintain a healthy weight.\n<\/p>\n

How We Create Meal Plans<\/p>\n

Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell\u2019s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and\/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Meal Plan at a Glance BREAKFAST\/ A.M. SNACK LUNCH\/ P.M. SNACK DINNER Smoothie\/ Blueberries & cashews Tomato &…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":135728,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[102,6636,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-135727","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-nutrition","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135727","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135727"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135727\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/135728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135727"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}