What Is The Mediterranean Diet: How It Can Improve Health

If you're remotely interested in food, there's a solid chance you've heard someone extol the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. Not only has it been touted to help you lose weight, but it may also decrease your risk of diabetes and heart disease, among other benefits. But what is the Mediterranean diet and what does it entail?

The Mediterranean diet is based on traditional foods eaten by people living in the regions near the Mediterranean Sea, particularly Italy and Greece. In the 1960s, researchers noticed fewer people in these countries were developing heart disease and cancer, and they were living longer overall than people in Western countries.

The traditional Mediterranean diet focuses on plant-based foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, and nuts. It emphasizes monounsaturated fats like olive oil. Poultry and fatty fish like salmon are typical main courses. A moderate amount of red wine is allowed, while the consumption of red meat, added sugar, and processed foods are discouraged ( Rishor-Olney, 2021 ).

Some typical Mediterranean diet dishes include fixtures of Greek, Spanish and Italian cuisine, such as white beans with spinach, Greek salad (which typically includes feta cheese, tomatoes, olives, and green peppers), and paella (a seafood dish containing shrimp, lobster, and clams) ( Tuttolomondo, 2019 ).

The Mediterranean diet encourages people to adopt a healthy diet. Examples of foods that you should eat on the Mediterranean meal plan include (Rishor-Olney, 2021):

High fiber fruits and vegetables like leafy greens and legumes (lentils, chickpeas, peas, green beans, etc.)

Lean meats, like poultry and fish (especially salmon and sardines, which are high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids )

Whole grains like whole-wheat bread, brown rice, oats, quinoa

Healthy fats like nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil, avocados

Red wine in moderation—it contains resveratrol, an antioxidant that may be beneficial to heart health

Low-fat dairy products like low-fat milk, greek yogurt, cheese ( Wade, 2018 )

The Mediterranean diet limits dairy products (such as milk and cheese) and red meat, and processed foods and added sugars are discouraged altogether.

As part of a heart-healthy diet plan, the Mediterranean meal plan recommends avoiding fatty foods and those with high amounts of sugar.

Examples of foods to avoid (or eat in small amounts) on the Meditteranean diet include ( MedLinePlus, 2020 ):

Foods high in saturated fats like red meats, eggs, butter, full-fat dairy products

Sugary foods like soft drinks, sweets, and other desserts

Studies show that the Mediterranean diet may also reduce the risk of heart disease . According to a recent literature review, the Mediterranean diet is associated with reducing several risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood lipids (like cholesterol and triglycerides), blood pressure, inflammatory markers, and diabetes (Tuttolomondo, 2019).

Another clinical trial found that this diet may improve sleep quality. Researchers found that people who reported eating a Mediterranean-style diet had fewer insomnia symptoms than those who followed other eating patterns ( Castro-Diehl, 2018 ).