Mediterranean Diet Guidelines

What Exactly is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet is not a specific diet plan or diet program. Rather, it's a collection of eating habits that are traditionally followed by the people of the Medierranean region. The Mediterranean diet has attracted interest due to the traditionally lower rates of diet-related disease (e.g. heart disease and cancer) within the region.

Mediterranean Diet - In a Nutshell

Heavily Dependent on Plant Foods
Low in Saturated Fat - Rich in Monounsaturated Fat
Low to Moderate Consumption of Dairy Products
Limited Consumption of Fish, Poultry and Red Meat
Moderate Consumption of Wine With Meals

What Does the Mediterranean Diet Consist of?

Here are the basic elements of a Mediterranean-style diet. For a visual illustration, please click Mediterranean Diet Pyramid

Emphasis on food from plant sources, including fruits and vegetables, potatoes, breads and grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.
Emphasis on a variety of minimally processed and, wherever possible, seasonally fresh and locally grown foods.
Olive oil (rich in monounsaturates) as the principal fat. Almost no butter, margarine, or other fats. No trans-fats or hydrogenated fats.
Total fat contributing 25-35 percent of calories - saturated fat no more than 8 percent of calories.
Daily consumption of low to moderate amounts of cheese and yogurt. Frequently from goats and sheep - even camels.
Regular consumption of small amounts of fish and poultry.
Fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert.
Very small amounts of red meat, eaten occasionally.
Moderate consumption of wine with meals; about one to two glasses per day for men and one glass per day for women.

Mediterranean Diet - Other Important Elements

To the above diet food guidelines must be added three very important non-food elements.

(1) Sunshine. (2) Regular Physical Exercise. (3) Reduced stress.

To what extent these non-food elements contribute to the healthfulness of the Mediterranean diet, remains unknown.

Mediterranean Diet - A Traditional Style of Eating

Although some people living within the Mediterranean region still follow this traditional Mediterranean diet, many do not. So the idea that such a diet is still the norm throughout Mediterranean countries is a myth. Nonetheless, studying the Mediterranean diet, with it's emphasis on fruits, vegetables and other healthy carbohydrates, it is clearly far-removed from the high-protein, low-carb diets which seem to be the current fashion.

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