What is the Mediterranean diet?
Why the Mediterranean diet?
Interest in the diet began in the 1950s when it was noted that heart disease was not as common in Mediterranean countries as it was in the U.S. Since then, numerous studies have confirmed that the Mediterranean diet helps prevent heart disease and stroke.
What are the key components of the Mediterranean diet?
| Food | Serving Goal | Ways to Incorporate |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh fruits and vegetables | 3 servings fruit per day (1 serving = 1/2 cup to 1 cup) 3+ servings vegetables per day (1 serving = 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw) | Have at least 1 serving at each meal or choose as a snack. |
| Legumes (beans and lentils) | 3 servings per week (1 serving = 1/2 cup) | Add to salad, soups and pasta dishes; try hummus or bean dip for veggies or a veggie or bean burger. |
| Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) | At least 1 Tbsp per day (no more than 4 Tbsp per day) | Use instead of vegetable oil and animal fats (butter, sour cream, mayonnaise). Drizzle on salads, cooked vegetables, pasta or as a dip for bread. |
| Fish (especially fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids) | 3 servings per week (1 serving = 3 to 4 ounces) | Fish rich in omega-3s include salmon, sardines, herring, tuna and mackerel. |
| Nuts: Ideally, walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts | At least 3 servings per week (1 serving = 1 ounce or 1/4 cup or 2 Tbsp nut butter) | Add to hot or cold cereal, salad and yogurt. Choose raw, unsalted and dry roasted varieties alone or with dried fruit as a snack. |
| Whole grains and starchy vegetables (potatoes, peas and corn) | 3 to 6 servings per day (1 serving = 1/2 cup cooked; 1 slice of bread; or 1 ounce of dry cereal) | Choose oats, barley, quinoa, brown rice, or a baked or roasted red skin or sweet potato. Choose whole grain bread, cereal, couscous and pasta. |
| Poultry (white meat) | Choose white meat instead of dark meat. | Choose skinless white meat poultry that is baked, broiled or grilled. |
| Dairy | Choose fat-free or low-fat dairy products. | Choose fat-free or 1% milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Choose natural, light, or part-skim cheese. Avoid whole-milk dairy, cream, and cream-based sauces and dressings. |
| Eggs | Limit egg yolks; have up to 1 yolk per day. | No limit on egg whites. If you have high cholesterol, consult an MD or RD for specific recommendations on egg yolks, or limit to no more than 4 yolks per week. |
| Red meat (beef, pork, veal and lamb) | None (no more than 1 serving per week; 1 serving = 3 ounces) | Limit to lean cuts, such as tenderloin, sirloin and flank steak |
| Wine (optional) | 1 to 2 glasses per day Limit to one serving per day for women and two servings per day for men. | If you do not drink, the American Heart Association cautions people NOT to start drinking. Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of consuming alcohol in moderation. |
| Baked goods and desserts | Avoid commercial baked goods/sweets and desserts. Limit homemade goods to less than 3 times/week. Instead, choose fruit and nonfat yogurt. | Bake using liquid oil instead of solid fats; whole grain flour instead of bleached or enriched flour; and egg whites instead of whole eggs. |
How to make your diet more Mediterranean
- eating plenty of starchy foods, such as bread and pasta
- eating plenty of fruit and vegetables
- including fish in your die
- eating less meat
- choosing products made from vegetable and plant oils, such as olive oil
Mediterranean diet for heart health
Health effects
A 2017 review found evidence that practice of a Mediterranean diet could lead to a decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases, overall cancer incidence, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and early death. A 2018 review showed that practice of the Mediterranean diet may improve overall health status, such as reduced risk of non-communicable diseases, reduced total costs of living, and reduced costs for national healthcare. A 2016 review found similar weight loss as other diets.
The US 2015–2020 national guidelines devised a "Healthy Mediterranean-Style Eating Pattern", assessed against and mirroring the Mediterranean diet patterns and its positive health outcomes. It was designed from the "Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern", but it contains more fruits and seafood, and less dairy. In the 2020s, research on the Mediterranean diet indicates that a Mediterranean diet may contribute to health.
The Mediterranean Diet and Health: Proven Benefits in Countless Studies
Scientists have intensely studied the eating patterns characteristic of the Mediterranean Diet for more than half a century.
Shortly after World War II, Ancel Keys and colleagues (including Paul Dudley White, later President Eisenhower’s heart doctor) organized the remarkable Seven Countries Study to examine the hypothesis that Mediterranean-eating patterns contributed directly to improved health outcomes. This long-running study examined the health of almost thirteen thousand middle-aged men in the United States, Japan, Italy, Greece, the Netherlands, Finland, and then-Yugoslavia.
When the data were examined, it was clear that people who ate a diet where fruits and vegetables, grains, beans, and fish were the basis of daily meals were healthiest. Topping the chart were residents of Crete. Even after the deprivations of World War II – and in part, perhaps, because of them – the cardiovascular health of Crete residents exceeded that of US residents. Researchers attributed the differences to diet.
Out of this extensive work came an understanding that certain Mediterranean-eating patterns were remarkably connected with good health. From this conclusion emerged the concept of a “Mediterranean Diet” that could promote lifelong good health.
In subsequent years, hundreds if not thousands of additional studies have added to the body of scientific evidence supporting the “gold standard” status of traditional Mediterranean Diet eating patterns. These studies show that eating the Med way may:
- Lengthen your life
- Improve brain function
- Defend you from chronic diseases
- Fight certain cancers
- Lower your risk for heart disease, high blood pressure and elevated “bad” cholesterol levels
- Protect you from diabetes
- Aid your weight loss and management efforts
- Keep away depression
- Safeguard you from Alzheimer’s disease
- Ward off Parkinson’s disease
- Improve rheumatoid arthritis
- Improve eye health
- Reduce risk of dental disease
- Help you breathe better
- Lead to healthier babies
- Lead to improved fertility