Mediterannean Diet

The Mediterranean Diet is not a diet per se, but rather a prescription of the eating practices of people in countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. Researchers have discovered that people in the Mediterranean region exhibit some of the lowest rates of chronic disease and highest rates of adult life expectancy in the world. The traditional Mediterranean diet includes locally grown fruits and vegetables that are consumed raw or with little processing. Though people in the region tend to consume relatively high amounts of animal fat, they also consume large amounts of olive oil, which tends to counterbalance the health consequences associated with fat consumption. The Mediterranean Diet also includes moderate amounts of wine.

The 'Mediterranean Diet Healthy Weight Plan' offers foods comparable to those consumed in the Mediterranean region. The diet consists mostly of grains, fruits, beans, and vegetables that may improve longevity, lower the risk of heart disease, lower the risk of cancer, and lower cholesterol.

Key features of the Mediterranean diet include:

• High consumption of breads, pasta, rice, couscous, polenta, bulgur and potatoes
• High consumption of fruits (3-4 pieces a day), legumes and vegetables (5 different varieties)
• Moderate amounts of grilled and steamed fish
• Moderate amounts of olive oil - consumed with fresh vegetables and on salads
• Small portions of lean red meat with no visible fat and lean pork
• Alcohol in small amounts
• High intake of antioxidants
• Regular exercise

Who invented the Mediterannean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet gained popularity in the 1990s.

Medical Studies

In January 1993, the Harvard University School of Public Health and Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust (a Boston based educational organization) held a conference on the Mediterranean diet and its impact on public health. They reviewed data from a variety of epidemiological studies that described the dietary traditions of the people from Creete, Greece, Southern Italy and Northern Africa that exhibit low rates of chronic disease.

Cautionary Notes

Demosthenes Panagiotakos, PhD, a lecturer in the department of nutrition and dietetics at Harokopian University of Athens in Greece, says it is not fully understood how the Mediterranean diet exerts its protective effect. "Some have suggested it lowers blood pressure; others speculate it reduces cholesterol levels. Still others say it is not the diet itself but other characteristics, such as a healthy lifestyle."

Additional Resources

The Mediterranean diet: constituents and health promotion, by Antonia-Leda Matalas