The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating based on the traditional cuisine of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. If you're looking for a heart-healthy eating plan, the Mediterranean diet might be right for you. Diet is known to have an effect on long-term diseases, including heart and blood vessel problems known as cardiovascular disease. Today, the Mediterranean diet is one of the healthy eating plans that American nutrition experts recommend. And other diets have some of the same recommendations as the Mediterranean diet.
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean Diet is a healthy-eating plan that emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats. It focuses on overall eating patterns rather than following strict formulas or calculations. There's no single definition for the diet. The foundation of the Mediterranean diet is plant foods. Moderate amounts of dairy, poultry and eggs are part of the Mediterranean diet, as is seafood. Unsaturated fats are a strength of the Mediterranean diet. Olive oil and nuts are the main sources of fat in the Mediterranean diet, providing unsaturated fat.
While other dietary fads come and go, the Mediterranean diet endures with effectiveness and enjoyment. News & World Report has declared it the best diet to try for the past four years. While most diets are restrictive, the list of foods allowed by the Mediterranean diet hardly feels limiting, rather it bursts with the lively flavors of Southern Europe where goat cheese has long been cultivated.
Core Components of the Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet generally involves eating whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein, while limiting processed foods. The diet of course takes its name from the Mediterranean Sea, where the warm, breezy climate makes for fine farming and produce. Freshness is a key feature of the Mediterranean diet.
Overall, the diet:
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- Is high in healthy plant foods
- Is low in animal products and meat
- Includes fish and seafood at least twice a week
You can include a mix of fresh, frozen, dried, and canned fruits and vegetables, but check package labels for added sugar and sodium.
You can base your diet on these foods:
- Vegetables: tomatoes, broccoli, kale, spinach, onions, cauliflower, carrots, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips
- Fruits: apples, bananas, oranges, pears, strawberries, grapes, dates, figs, melons, peaches
- Nuts, seeds, and nut butters: almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almond butter, peanut butter
- Herbs, spices, condiments: sea salt, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, oregano, garlic, basil, mint, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper
- Legumes: beans, peas, lentils, pulses, peanuts, chickpeas
- Whole grains: oats, brown rice, rye, barley, corn, buckwheat, whole wheat bread and pasta
- Fish and seafood: salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, mackerel, shrimp, oysters, clams, crab, mussels
- Poultry: chicken, duck, turkey
- Eggs: chicken, quail, and duck eggs
- Dairy: cheese, yogurt, milk
- Healthy fats: extra virgin olive oil, olives, avocados, and avocado oil
The Role of Cheese in the Mediterranean Diet
Mediterranean diet includes fermented dairy products like yogurt and cheese. These foods provide calcium, phosphorus, fat, carbohydrates and protein, all nutrients influencing various systems including bone, cardiovascular system, intermediary metabolism, cancer, central nervous system, and inflammation. In addition, they contain prebiotics and provide probiotics which are capable of modifying microbiota composition and metabolism, potentially acting also indirectly on the various systems.
In general, any cheese can be eaten on a Mediterranean diet, so long as moderation is practiced. However, goat cheese has a slight nutritional advantage over cow cheese. Goat cheese is particularly a better fit for the Mediterranean diet due to its lower fat, sodium, and cholesterol content-three nutritional keys to reaping the diet’s health benefits.
Foods to Limit or Avoid
Foods to limit on a Mediterranean diet include:
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- Added sugar: added sugar is found in many foods, but especially high in soda, candies, ice cream, table sugar, syrup, and baked goods
- Refined grains: white bread, pasta, tortillas, chips, crackers
- Trans fats: found in margarine, fried foods, and other processed foods
- Processed meat: processed sausages, hot dogs, deli meats, beef jerky
- Highly processed foods: fast food, convenience meals, microwave popcorn, granola bars
Drinks to Include and Limit
Drinks to include are:
- Water
- Coffee and tea are also suitable, but with limited sugar or cream
- Small to moderate amounts of red wine, and only alongside a meal
- Fresh fruit juices without added sugar
Drinks to limit:
- Beer and liquor
- Sugar-sweetened beverages, such as sodas, which are high in added sugar
- Fruit juices with added sugar
Sample Mediterranean Diet Menu
Below is a sample menu for 1 week of meals on the Mediterranean diet. You can adjust the portions and food choices based on your own needs and preferences and add snacks as desired.
- Monday
- Breakfast: Greek yogurt with strawberries and chia seeds
- Lunch: a whole grain sandwich with hummus and vegetables
- Dinner: a tuna salad with greens and olive oil, as well as a fruit salad
- Tuesday
- Breakfast: oatmeal with blueberries
- Lunch: caprese zucchini noodles with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar
- Dinner: a salad with tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, farro, baked trout, and feta cheese
- Wednesday
- Breakfast: an omelet with mushrooms, tomatoes, and onions
- Lunch: a whole grain sandwich with cheese and fresh vegetables
- Dinner: Mediterranean lasagna
- Thursday
- Breakfast: yogurt with sliced fruit and nuts
- Lunch: a quinoa salad with chickpeas
- Dinner: broiled salmon with brown rice and vegetables
- Friday
- Breakfast: eggs and sautéed vegetables with whole wheat toast
- Lunch: stuffed zucchini boats with pesto, turkey sausage, tomatoes, bell peppers, and cheese
- Dinner: grilled lamb with salad and baked potato
- Saturday
- Breakfast: oatmeal with nuts and raisins or apple slices
- Lunch: lentil salad with feta, tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives
- Dinner: Mediterranean pizza made with whole wheat pita bread and topped with cheese, vegetables, and olives
- Sunday
- Breakfast: an omelet with veggies and olives
- Lunch: falafel bowl with feta, onions, tomatoes, hummus, and rice
- Dinner: grilled chicken with vegetables, sweet potato fries, and fresh fruit
Snack Ideas for the Mediterranean Diet
If you start feeling hungry between meals, there are plenty of healthy snack options, such as:
- A handful of nuts
- A piece of fruit
- Baby carrots with hummus
- Mixed berries
- Grapes
- Greek yogurt
- Hard-boiled egg with salt and pepper
- Apple slices with almond butter
- Sliced bell peppers with guacamole
- Cottage cheese with fresh fruit
- Chia pudding
Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet has many benefits, including:
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- Lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease, including a heart attack or stroke.
- Supporting a body weight that’s healthy for you.
- Supporting healthy blood sugar levels, blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Lowering your risk of metabolic syndrome.
- Supporting a healthy balance of gut microbiota (bacteria and other microorganisms) in your digestive system.
- Lowering your risk for certain types of cancer.
- Slowing the decline of brain function as you age.
- Helping you live longer.
The Mediterranean Diet has these benefits because it:
- Limits saturated fat and trans fat.
- Encourages healthy unsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids.
- Limits sodium.
- Limits refined carbohydrates, including sugar.
- Favors foods high in fiber and antioxidants.
Adherence to a MedDiet is associated with a 10% reduction in mortality or incident cardiovascular disease for each 2-point increase in adherence score, as shown in a 2010 meta-analysis. Benefits of yogurt consumption on cardiovascular risk were also demonstrated in hypertensive patients.
Large body of evidence indicates that a MedDiet offers many benefits to patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), both in the prevention of the disease and in its management such as in glycemic control.
A meta-analysis including 117 studies with 3,202,496 participants has demonstrated a reduction of 13% for cancer mortality (18 studies), of 25% for all-cause mortality among cancer survivors (8 studies), of 6% for breast (23 studies), of 17% for colo-rectal (17 studies), of 44% for head and neck (9 studies), of 16% for respiratory (5 studies), of 30% for gastric (7 studies), 13% for bladder (4 studies), and of 36% for liver cancers (4 studies).
A systematic review and meta-analysis has evaluated the association between adherence to a MedDiet and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Alzheimer’s diseases (AD). In five studies which met eligibility criteria, higher adherence to the MedDiet was associated with a reduced risk of MCI and AD.
How to Start the Mediterranean Diet
It’s worth reiterating: This isn’t some short-term fad diet with strict rules and restrictions. The Mediterranean diet is a lifestyle, a way of eating that’s meant to stick with you for the long term - so you don’t have to feel beholden to stressful, stringent guidelines that seem impossible to follow.
Start by incorporating a fruit or vegetable into every meal and exchanging processed snacks for healthier ones. It’s OK to stay within your comfort zone at first, but as you get comfortable, begin experimenting with new ingredients and recipes to expand your options.
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