Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet focuses on plant-based foods and healthy fats, with an emphasis on vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Extra virgin olive oil serves as the primary fat source. This diet is known for its potential to reduce the risk of heart disease and other chronic health issues. A registered dietitian can help personalize it to fit individual needs.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean Diet is an eating style that prioritizes plant-based ingredients and healthy fats. Instead of strict rules or calorie counts, it promotes overall healthy eating habits.

Typically, the diet includes:

• A wide variety of vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, and nuts.
• A significant intake of whole grains like whole-wheat bread and brown rice.
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) as a key source of healthy fat.
• Regular consumption of fish, particularly those high in omega-3 fatty acids.
• Moderate amounts of cheese and yogurt.
• Limited red meat, opting for poultry, fish, or plant-based proteins instead.
• Minimal sweets, sugary drinks, or butter.
• A moderate amount of wine with meals (but there’s no need to start drinking if you don't already).

This eating style mirrors the traditional diets of people living in Mediterranean regions during the mid-20th century. Research has shown that following this diet is linked to a lower risk of heart disease. Medical professionals now recommend it for those at risk of cardiovascular problems and for improving overall health.

A dietitian can assist in tailoring the Mediterranean Diet to suit your specific health needs, preferences, and any medical concerns or allergies.

What are the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet offers numerous health benefits, such as:

• Reducing the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.
• Promoting a healthy body weight.
• Helping maintain normal blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
• Lowering the risk of metabolic syndrome.
• Supporting a healthy gut microbiome (the balance of bacteria and microorganisms in your digestive system).
• Decreasing the likelihood of certain cancers.
• Slowing cognitive decline with age.
• Increasing life expectancy.

These benefits are achieved because the Mediterranean diet:

• Limits saturated and trans fats. While some saturated fat is necessary, excess amounts can elevate LDL (bad) cholesterol, increasing the risk of artery plaque buildup (atherosclerosis). Trans fats, with no health benefits, also contribute to inflammation.
• Promotes healthy unsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids. These fats help maintain healthy cholesterol levels, support brain function, and reduce inflammation. A diet rich in unsaturated fats and low in saturated fats can also help regulate blood sugar.
• Restricts sodium intake. High sodium levels can elevate blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
• Limits refined carbohydrates, including sugar. Refined carbs can cause spikes in blood sugar and offer empty calories with little nutritional value, often lacking fiber.
• Encourages consumption of fiber-rich and antioxidant-rich foods. Fiber aids digestion and helps regulate blood sugar, while antioxidants protect against cancer by neutralizing free radicals.

The Mediterranean diet is effective because of the combined impact of these various nutrients, rather than any single food. Like a choir, the diet works best when all nutrients come together in harmony to support overall health.

What is the Mediterranean Diet pyramid?

The Mediterranean Diet pyramid is a visual guide that shows what foods to eat and how often. While different versions exist, all emphasize eating mostly vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and extra virgin olive oil, while limiting red meat and sweets. This pyramid differs from the U.S. government’s Food Guide Pyramid from the 1990s.

How does lifestyle fit into the Mediterranean Diet?

To maximize the benefits of this eating plan, it’s important to:

• Engage in regular physical activity, ideally with others.
• Avoid smoking and using tobacco products.
• Enjoy meals with family and friends.
• Cook at home more often than dining out.
• Choose locally sourced foods when possible.

Can the Mediterranean Diet be vegetarian?

Yes, it can be adapted to a vegetarian lifestyle by replacing meat and fish with plant-based protein sources such as beans and nuts. A dietitian can provide further guidance on this.

Can the Mediterranean Diet be gluten-free?

Absolutely. Recipes can be modified to eliminate gluten, and a dietitian can help with recipe ideas and adjustments.

Can regular olive oil replace extra virgin olive oil?

While regular olive oil is a better choice than oils high in saturated fats (like palm oil), extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is preferred in the Mediterranean Diet. EVOO has a higher ratio of healthy unsaturated fats and contains more antioxidants, which help protect cells, promote heart and brain health, and reduce inflammation. Regular olive oil, processed differently, lacks the same level of these antioxidants.

What foods are not allowed on the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean Diet doesn't have strict restrictions on what you can or can't eat, but it does encourage focusing on certain foods while limiting others. Here's what you should aim to minimize:

• Foods with added sugars, such as pastries, ice cream, and certain granola bars.
• Sugary drinks, including fruit juices and sodas.
• Beer and hard liquor.
• Foods high in sodium or saturated fat.
• Refined carbohydrates like white bread and white rice.
• Highly processed foods, including some types of cheese.
• Fatty or processed meats.