Guide to the Mediterranean diet

Heralded as one of the healthiest diets in the worldthe Mediterranean diet is one of the most popular diets today. Learn the essentials of this dietincluding its health benefitsand how to start eating Mediterranean .

What is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet is a of eating that emphasizes minimally processedplant-based foods. It includes fruitsvegetablesnutsbeanswhole grains including whole-grain pasta and breadsolive oilred wineand small amounts of fisheggsdairyand meats.

As the name impliesthe Mediterranean diet is inspired by the traditional eating habits of people living in countries bordering the Mediterranean Seaparticularly the olive-growing cultures of Southern Italy and Greece.

There is no single Mediterranean diet. The details of what characterizes Mediterranean- eating can shift from country to country due to differences in cultureethnic backgroundreligioneconomygeographyand agricultural production. Howeverthe various versions of a Mediterranean diet share common features such as:

• plentiful vegetables and fruitswhole grainslegumesfishnutsseedsand olive oil
• ample amounts of fishin areas where it is easily available
• low to modest amounts of meat and dairy
• very limited processed foods or sugars.

Mediterranean diet food list

In generalthe following foods are eaten frequentlymoderatelyand rarely as part of the Mediterranean diet:

High intake (several times a day)

• fruits
• vegetables
• whole grains
• nuts
• legumes
• extra virgin olive oil.

Moderate intake (several times a week)

• fish/seafood
• poultry
• eggs
• dairy foods such as cheese and yogurt.

Low intake (several times a month)

• sweets containing added sugars or honey
• red meat.

In additionred wine may be consumed in low to moderate amountsusually with meals.

Health benefits of the Mediterranean diet

Numerous studies have looked at the health effects of the Mediterranean diet over the years. Studies have linked the diet to lower risk of cardiovascular diseasecancerdiabetesand other health conditions.

In one studyover a period of 12 yearswomen who most closely followed a Mediterranean diet had a 25% reduced risk of four cardiovascular eventsincluding heart attack and strokecompared to women whose diet least resembled a Mediterranean diet.

One large long‑term cohort study followed more than 25,000 women for nearly 25 years. It found that those with the highest adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern had about a 23% lower risk of dying from any cause compared with women whose diets were least like a Mediterranean diet.

Another study of over 450,000 participants from European countries found that people with the highest adherence to the diet had a lower risk of obesity-related cancerssuggesting that the diet may protect against both overall mortality and certain types of cancer. Obesity-related cancers include breastpancreatickidneyand colorectal cancer.

Among the health benefits of following a Mediterranean diet is lower risk of the following:

• cardiovascular disease
• heart attack
• stroke
• various types of cancer
• Parkinson's disease
• Alzheimer's disease
• type 2 diabetes
• rheumatoid arthritis
• nonalcoholic fatty liver.

The Mediterranean diet may be especially helpful for keeping weight off over time. In one studypeople who closely followed a Mediterranean- eating pattern were about twice as likely to maintain weight loss after initially losing weightcompared with those whose diets were less Mediterranean. This supports the idea that the Mediterranean diet works as a sustainable eating patterneven if early weight loss is modest.

Researchers have also studied associations between a Mediterranean diet and aging. One study of over 10,000 women ages 57 to 61 found that women who followed a Mediterranean-type eating pattern were 46% more likely to live to 70 or older without chronic disease.

The health benefits of this eating make it a top recommendation of health experts. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends the diet for the role it can play in preventing heart disease and strokeand reducing risk factors such as obesitydiabeteshigh cholesteroland high blood pressure.

Benefits of a Mediterranean life

But diet isn't the only aspect of Mediterranean living that's important for health. Along with eating life habits that include regular physical activityadequate restand social connections also contribute to health benefits.

A major long-term trial known as PREDIMED-Plus found that older adults at risk for diabetes who followed a Mediterranean- dietcombined with moderate physical activitycalorie reductionand professional supporthad a 31% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes over six years compared with those following the dietary pattern aloneeven though average weight loss was modest.

And a previous study that looked at what type of impact these other life factors might have on the health of people following the Mediterranean diet found that people who adhered to the Mediterranean life's tenets of adequate restexerciseand socializing had a lower risk of dying from cancer or from any cause.

A 7-day sample Mediterranean- diet meal plan

How can you bring the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet into your life? To get startedmix and match from the following list of breakfastlunchand dinner ideas for a week's worth of Mediterranean diet- meal inspiration.

Breakfast

• whole-grain bread topped with ricotta cheeseslices of fresh tomatodrizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil
• vegetable omelet with mushroomsspinachand onions cooked in olive oil with crusty whole-grain bread
• plain Greek yogurt topped with nuts and fresh berries
• oatmeal pecan waffles
• white bean and egg shakshuka
• overnight oatmeal
• citrus salad with lemon yogurt.

Lunch

• Greek salad made with chopped mixed greenskalamata olivestomatoesfresh parsleyfeta cheesedressed with extra virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon
• chickpea and farro salad with red peppersspring onionsand fresh oreganodressed with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice
• vegetarian pizza topped with mozzarella cheeseroasted broccolionionsgreen peppersand carrots
• lentilfarroand vegetable soup
• Mediterranean couscous salad with chickpeas
• tomato and tomatillo gazpacho
• tomato and cucumber salad.

Dinner

• grilled vegetable kabobs with shrimptoasted quinoa saladand mixed green salad with pine nuts
• steamed mussels with spinach-orzo salad and minestrone soup
• salmonwhole-grain pilafroasted vegetablesgreen salad with olive oil vinaigrette
• buddha bowl with whole grainvegetablesplant proteinand flavorful sauce
• Mediterranean bowl with whole-grain sorghumpeppersfeta
• farro and winter vegetables
• vegetable stir fry.