The Mediterranean Diet is more than just a diet; it's a way of eating rooted in the traditional dietary patterns of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, such as France, Spain, Greece, and Italy. This approach emphasizes a lifestyle that includes physical activity and shared meals, not just specific foods. Researchers have observed that people in these regions tend to have a lower risk of chronic conditions compared to those who follow a standard American diet. It focuses on overall eating patterns rather than following strict formulas or calculations.
Core Principles of the Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats. This dietary pattern has been linked to a reduced risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), and healthcare providers often recommend it for individuals with heart disease risk factors or to support overall health. A dietitian can tailor the diet to individual needs, considering medical history, allergies, and preferences.
In general, the Mediterranean Diet involves:
- Abundant Consumption: Vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, and nuts.
- Regular Intake: Whole grains (whole-wheat bread and brown rice), extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), and fish (especially those rich in omega-3 fatty acids).
- Moderate Amounts: Natural cheese and yogurt.
- Limited Consumption: Red meat, sweets, sugary drinks, and butter. Poultry, fish, or beans are preferred over red meat.
- Optional: A moderate amount of wine with meals (though it's not recommended to start drinking if you don't already).
Benefits of Adopting the Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean Diet offers numerous health benefits due to its balanced combination of nutrients. There's no single food or ingredient responsible for the diet’s advantages; rather, it's the synergy of various nutrients working together. The Mediterranean Diet encourages you to eat plenty of some foods (like whole grains and vegetables) while limiting others.
Key benefits include:
- Cardiovascular Health: Lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke.
- Weight Management: Supporting a healthy body weight.
- Blood Sugar Control: Supporting healthy blood sugar levels.
- Blood Pressure Regulation: Supporting healthy blood pressure.
- Cholesterol Management: Supporting healthy cholesterol.
- Metabolic Health: Lowering the risk of metabolic syndrome.
- Gut Health: Supporting a healthy balance of gut microbiota in the digestive system.
- Cancer Prevention: Lowering the risk for certain types of cancer.
- Cognitive Function: Slowing the decline of brain function as you age.
- Longevity: Helping you live longer.
These benefits stem from the diet's emphasis on:
- Limiting Unhealthy Fats: Saturated and trans fats are minimized to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and inflammation.
- Promoting Healthy Fats: Unsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, support healthy cholesterol levels, brain health, and combat inflammation.
- Limiting Sodium: Reducing sodium intake helps maintain healthy blood pressure.
- Limiting Refined Carbohydrates: Minimizing refined carbs and sugar prevents blood sugar spikes and provides more nutritional benefits through fiber.
- Encouraging Fiber and Antioxidants: High fiber and antioxidant content reduces inflammation, supports digestive health, and protects against cancer.
Mediterranean Diet Food List: A Comprehensive Guide
When planning a grocery store trip for the Mediterranean Diet, here are examples of foods to eat often:
Vegetables
Tomatoes, broccoli, kale, spinach, onions, cauliflower, carrots, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips. Have at least 1 serving of veggies at each meal.
Read also: A Review of the Mediterranean Diet in Kidney Disease
Fruits
Apples, bananas, oranges, pears, strawberries, grapes, dates, figs, melons, peaches. Choose fruit as a snack. Fruit: 3 servings per day
Whole Grains and Starchy Vegetables
Oats, brown rice, rye, barley, corn, buckwheat, whole wheat bread and pasta, potatoes, peas, and corn. Choose oats, barley, quinoa or brown rice; Bake or roast red skin potatoes or sweet potatoes; Choose whole grain bread, cereal, couscous and pasta; Limit or avoid refined carbohydrates. 3 to 6 servings per day.
Legumes
Beans, peas, lentils, pulses, peanuts, chickpeas. Add to salads, soups and pasta dishes; Try hummus or bean dip with raw veggies; Opt for a veggie or bean burger. 3 servings per week.
Nuts and Seeds
Almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almond butter, peanut butter. Ideally, choose walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts; Add to cereal, salad and yogurt; Choose raw, unsalted and dry roasted varieties; Eat alone or with dried fruit as a snack. At least 3 servings per week.
Fish and Seafood
Salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, mackerel, shrimp, oysters, clams, crab, mussels. Choose fish rich in omega-3s, like salmon, sardines, herring, tuna and mackerel. 3 servings per week.
Read also: Delicious Mediterranean Recipes
Poultry
Chicken, duck, turkey. Choose white meat instead of dark meat; Eat in place of red meat; Choose skinless poultry or remove the skin before cooking; Bake, broil or grill it. No more than once daily (fewer may be better).
Dairy
Cheese, yogurt, milk. Choose naturally low-fat cheese; Choose fat-free or 1% milk, yogurt and cottage cheese; Avoid whole-fat milk, cream, and cream-based sauces and dressings. No more than once daily (fewer may be better).
Eggs
Chicken, quail, and duck eggs. Limit egg yolks; No limit on egg whites; If you have high cholesterol, have no more than 4 yolks per week. Up to 1 yolk per day.
Healthy Fats
Extra virgin olive oil, olives, avocados, and avocado oil. Use instead of vegetable oil and animal fats (butter, sour cream, mayo); Drizzle on salads, cooked veggies or pasta; Use as dip for bread. 1 to 4 servings per day.
Herbs, Spices, and Condiments
Sea salt, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, oregano, garlic, basil, mint, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper
Read also: Mediterranean Diet, Instant Pot Style
Foods to Limit or Avoid
The Mediterranean Diet doesn’t set hard and fast rules for what you’re allowed or not allowed. Rather, it encourages you to eat more of certain foods and limit others.
Red Meat
Beef, pork, veal and lamb. Limit to lean cuts, such as tenderloin, sirloin and flank steak. None, or no more than 1 serving per week.
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
Baked Goods and Desserts
Avoid commercially prepared baked goods and desserts; Limit homemade goods to no more than 3 servings per week. Instead, choose fruit and nonfat yogurt; Bake using liquid oil instead of solid fats; whole grain flour instead of bleached or enriched flour; egg whites instead of whole eggs.
Drinks to Include
Water, coffee and tea (with limited sugar or cream), small to moderate amounts of red wine (only alongside a meal), fresh fruit juices without added sugar
Drinks to Limit
Beer and liquors, sugar-sweetened beverages, such as sodas, which are high in added sugar, fruit juices with added sugar
Mediterranean Diet Serving Goals and Sizes
A fridge and pantry full of nutritious foods are great for starters. But where do you go from there? How much of each food do you need? It’s always best to talk to a dietitian to get advice tailored to your needs as you get started.
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
- Serving Goal: Fruit: 3 servings per day; Veggies: At least 3 servings per day
- Serving Size: Fruit: ½ cup to 1 cup; Veggies: ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw
- Tips: Have at least 1 serving of veggies at each meal; Choose fruit as a snack
Whole Grains and Starchy Vegetables (potatoes, peas and corn)
- Serving Goal: 3 to 6 servings per day
- Serving Size: ½ cup cooked grains, pasta or cereal; 1 slice of bread; 1 cup dry cereal
- Tips: Choose oats, barley, quinoa or brown rice; Bake or roast red skin potatoes or sweet potatoes; Choose whole grain bread, cereal, couscous and pasta; Limit or avoid refined carbohydrates
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
- Serving Goal: 1 to 4 servings per day
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Tips: Use instead of vegetable oil and animal fats (butter, sour cream, mayo); Drizzle on salads, cooked veggies or pasta; Use as dip for bread
Legumes (beans and lentils)
- Serving Goal: 3 servings per week
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Tips: Add to salads, soups and pasta dishes; Try hummus or bean dip with raw veggies; Opt for a veggie or bean burger
Fish
- Serving Goal: 3 servings per week
- Serving Size: 3 to 4 ounces
- Tips: Choose fish rich in omega-3s, like salmon, sardines, herring, tuna and mackerel
Nuts
- Serving Goal: At least 3 servings per week
- Serving Size: ¼ cup nuts or 2 tablespoons nut butter
- Tips: Ideally, choose walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts; Add to cereal, salad and yogurt; Choose raw, unsalted and dry roasted varieties; Eat alone or with dried fruit as a snack
Poultry
- Serving Goal: No more than once daily (fewer may be better)
- Serving Size: 3 ounces
- Tips: Choose white meat instead of dark meat; Eat in place of red meat; Choose skinless poultry or remove the skin before cooking; Bake, broil or grill it
Dairy
- Serving Goal: No more than once daily (fewer may be better)
- Serving Size: 1 cup milk or yogurt; 1 ½ ounces natural cheese
- Tips: Choose naturally low-fat cheese; Choose fat-free or 1% milk, yogurt and cottage cheese; Avoid whole-fat milk, cream, and cream-based sauces and dressings
Eggs
- Serving Goal: Up to 1 yolk per day
- Serving Size: 1 egg (yolk + white)
- Tips: Limit egg yolks; No limit on egg whites; If you have high cholesterol, have no more than 4 yolks per week
Red Meat (beef, pork, veal and lamb)
- Serving Goal: None, or no more than 1 serving per week
- Serving Size: 3 ounces
- Tips: Limit to lean cuts, such as tenderloin, sirloin and flank steak
Wine (optional)
- Serving Goal: 1 serving per day (females); 2 servings per day (males)
- Serving Size: 1 glass (3 ½ ounces)
- Tips: If you don’t drink, the American Heart Association cautions you not to start drinking; Talk to your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of consuming alcohol in moderation
Baked Goods and Desserts
- Serving Goal: Avoid commercially prepared baked goods and desserts; Limit homemade goods to no more than 3 servings per week
- Serving Size: Varies by type
- Tips: Instead, choose fruit and nonfat yogurt; Bake using liquid oil instead of solid fats; whole grain flour instead of bleached or enriched flour; egg whites instead of whole eggs
Creating a Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan
It’s important to consult with a primary care physician (PCP) or dietitian before making drastic changes to your diet or trying any new eating plan. They’ll make sure your intended plan is best for you based on your individual needs. They may also share meal plans and recipes for you to try at home.
In general, when thinking about meals, you’ll want to collect some go-to options and recipes for breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks. The more variety, the better. You don’t want to get stuck in a rut or feel like you’re restricted in which foods you can or should eat. Luckily, there’s plenty of room for changing things up with the Mediterranean Diet.
Sample Meal Plan for One Week
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
Breakfast Ideas
Get your day going strong with breakfasts like:
- Steel-cut oats with fresh berries and ground flaxseed.
- Whole-grain toast with nut butter and a nutritious smoothie.
- Greek yogurt topped with fruit and walnuts.
- Egg white omelet with fresh, seasonal veggies.
Lunch Ideas
For midday nutrition and a powerful energy boost, consider:
You may want to prepare some lunches the day before so they’re ready to pack or grab from the fridge as needed.
Dinner Ideas
Wrap up the day with a hearty, nutrient-packed entree like:
For some added nutrients and color, throw together a side salad - like a sesame cucumber salad or a fennel, orange and mint salad. To keep things simple, try drizzling mixed greens with a nutritious Mediterranean dressing.
Snack Ideas
Portion and prepare snacks ahead of time so they’re ready when you need them. Here are some ideas of what to keep at the ready:
- A handful of nuts and seeds (low salt or no salt added).
- Fresh fruit, ideally local and in-season.
- Nonfat Greek yogurt and a small piece of dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao).
- Whole-grain crackers with hummus.
- Raw veggies with a nonfat Greek yogurt dip.
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
Key Ingredients for a Mediterranean Diet Pantry
For cooking with staples of the Mediterranean diet, a well-stocked pantry is key. Along with plenty of herbs and spices, plan to stock these eight delicious diabetes-friendly and nutrient-rich foods.
Extra-virgin olive oil
Using polyphenol-rich extra-virgin olive oil daily may improve metabolic control in people with overweight and type 2 diabetes. Swap in olive oil in place over other fats like butter or other oils. Drizzle onto foods, like hummus or cooked vegetables, just before serving. Swap it in place of butter when mashing potatoes or scrambling eggs.
In-shell pistachios
Pistachios are a great plant-based protein. Plus, they may play a role in reduction of fasting blood glucose and are delicious. Snack on them. Cracking open pistachio shells may slow you down during snack time-and the empty shells can act as a visual cue to help you eat mindfully. Sprinkle pistachios onto salads, soups, and stews for contrasting color and crunch.
Tomatoes (can, carton, or jar)
Diced or crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and other tomato products, like marinara sauce, all provide lycopene. This naturally occurring pigment makes tomatoes red and may contribute to protection against diabetes and obesity. Add marinara sauce on eggplant or other vegetables during roasting. Make a big pot of tomatoey veggie chili or Cajun grains for a gathering-or for enjoying over several days.
Dry lentils
Compared to eating starchy foods like pasta, lentils seem to help lower post-meal blood glucose and insulin response. Try lentils in place of ground beef, like in zesty taco filling or comforting sloppy joes. Prepare these pulses in an instant pot for a satisfying breakfast or brunch paired with spinach and poached eggs.
Chickpeas (can or carton)
As part of a nutrient-rich, wholesome eating plan, research finds chickpeas may make it easier to manage your blood glucose thanks in part to their high fiber, protein, and low starch digestibility. Whirl these pulses into a classic or a simple Italian-inspired twist hummus. Roast and spice them up for snacking or for sprinkling onto salads or soups.
Bulgur wheat
Eating more whole grains, in general, is associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, including insulin resistance, glucose regulation, and obesity. Soak bulgur and enjoy in traditional or chickpea-accented tabbouleh salad. (Hint: Bulgur wheat is steamed, cracked, and dried, so it only requires rehydrating, not lengthy cooking.) Craft an appealing appetizer of bulgur, mint, and tomatoes on cucumber.
Tahini (sesame seed paste)
Studies have found that consuming sesame products, including tahini, could have a beneficial effect on fasting blood glucose and A1C1 levels. Puree a gorgeous dip featuring tahini, roasted beets, and Greek yogurt. Whisk a lemony-tahini dressing for a leafy salad, falafel sandwich, or a grain or pasta bowl.
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