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The traditional foods and lifestyle choices common for people in Italy, Greece, Israel, Egypt, and Morocco in the 1960s are now referred to as the Mediterranean diet.
After years of research, it was found that people from these areas were much healthier than their counterparts in America. A growing number of studies suggest the Mediterranean diet is associated with weight loss and may help prevent heart attacks, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and premature death. (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8). A recent cross-sectional observational study published early in 2021 observed participants with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). The study found that the participants that closely followed the Mediterranean diet experienced a beneficial effect on Lupus activity and cardiovascular risk.
One significant aspect of following the Mediterranean diet is its flexibility. There is no singular correct way to follow this type of lifestyle. Below you will find a brief overview of foods generally included and excluded from this diet. You will also find additional information on the benefits associated with following this eating pattern. We will wrap up with some additional information and tips to keep you going for the long haul.
So let’s dive in!!!
Build Your Foundation
Enjoy Frequently
Vegetables (10)- Some of the most nutrient-dense leafy greens are romaine lettuce, Swiss chard, and spinach. Tomatoes, broccoli, onions, cauliflower, carrots, Brussels sprouts, and cucumber are great veggies to incorporate into your diet daily.
Fruits (10)- Choose fruits that offer a healthy dose of fiber. High-fiber fruits to consider apples, avocado, blackberries, pears, raspberries, strawberries.
Lean Protein(10) - Seafood makes up a significant portion of the Mediterranean diet, along with added protein sources like nuts, legumes, beans, and seeds. Great options would be fish, salmon, sardines, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds.
Whole grains (10)- Whole grains provide a great source of fiber, a bit of protein, and healthy fats. Great choices are whole oats, brown rice, rye, barley, corn, buckwheat, whole wheat, whole-grain bread, and pasta.
Herbs and spices (10) - Garlic, basil, rosemary mint, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, and pepper are just a few spices you will use.
Healthy fats (10)- Extra virgin olive oil, olives, avocados, and avocado oil.
Enjoy in Moderation
Poultry, eggs, cheese, yogurt, and wine. (10)
Eat Rarely
Red meat (10)
Avoid
Sugar-sweetened beverages, processed meats, refined baked goods, butter, and other spreadable fats. (10)
Who Benefits
Several studies suggest the Mediterranean diet is a healthy lifestyle choice for a wide range of individuals, including those interested in preventing or managing heart disease (1,6), type 2 diabetes (2,7), and other health conditions, including Lupus(9). The Mediterranean diet is also associated with facilitating healthy weight loss. (3)
The Mediterranean diet encompasses cooking styles from very diverse countries. Countries like Morocco with spice-rich dishes to southern Italian cuisine use of lemon juice to add spark to a dish. This diet is easily adaptable to the cultural, religious, and dietary needs of most individuals.
Downsides
The Mediterranean diet focuses on whole foods. The majority of your meals need some form of home preparation. If you are not used to cooking, you may have a slightly larger learning curve.
The Mediterranean diet is flexible and very adaptable. For some, that is not necessarily a good thing. For those who like more structure in the eating plan, you can find many menu plans that will help narrow the decisions you will need to make.
Tips
To help keep costs down, consider
Shopping grocery store sales
Purchase frozen seafood; it is usually less expensive than fresh.
Consider canned fish as another cost-effective option
Dry beans and legumes are very cost-effective and keep for an extended period.
What this means for you
The Mediterranean diet is derived from a diverse group of countries, including Italy, France, and Spain on the north side, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon and Syria on the east side, and Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, and Libya, which are North African countries located on the south side of the sea. These diverse countries feed into a lifestyle of cooking that does not form a “single” diet. The Mediterranean way of eating emphasizes consuming vegetables, fruits, beans and lentils, whole grains, and more seafood than red meat and poultry, and we can’t forget the heart-healthy olive oil. (10) It is a flexible eating plan that is simple to follow and has a multitude of research that backs the health benefits associated with the diet.
References
de Lorgeril M, Salen P, Martin JL, Monjaud I, Delaye J, Mamelle N. Mediterranean diet, traditional risk factors, and the rate of cardiovascular complications after myocardial infarction: final report of the Lyon Diet Heart Study. Circulation. 1999;99(6):779-785. doi:10.1161/01.cir.99.6.779
Esposito K, Maiorino MI, Ciotola M, et al. Effects of a Mediterranean-style diet on the need for antihyperglycemic drug therapy in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: a randomized trial [published correction appears in Ann Intern Med. 2009 Oct 20;151(8):591]. Ann Intern Med. 2009;151(5):306-314. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-151-5-200909010-00004
Shai I, Schwarzfuchs D, Henkin Y, et al. Weight loss with a low-carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or low-fat diet [published correction appears in N Engl J Med. 2009 Dec 31;361(27):2681]. N Engl J Med. 2008;359(3):229-241. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa0708681
Esposito K, Marfella R, Ciotola M, et al. Effect of a mediterranean-style diet on endothelial dysfunction and markers of vascular inflammation in the metabolic syndrome: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2004;292(12):1440-1446. doi:10.1001/jama.292.12.1440
Guasch-Ferré M, Bulló M, Martínez-González MÁ, et al. Frequency of nut consumption and mortality risk in the PREDIMED nutrition intervention trial. BMC Med. 2013;11:164. Published 2013 Jul 16. doi:10.1186/1741-7015-11-164
Estruch R, Martínez-González MA, Corella D, et al. Effects of a Mediterranean-style diet on cardiovascular risk factors: a randomized trial [published correction appears in Ann Intern Med. 2018 Aug 21;169(4):270-271]. Ann Intern Med. 2006;145(1):1-11. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-145-1-200607040-00004
Salas-Salvadó J, Bulló M, Babio N, et al. Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with the Mediterranean diet: results of the PREDIMED-Reus nutrition intervention randomized trial [published correction appears in Diabetes Care. 2018 Oct;41(10):2259-2260]. Diabetes Care. 2011;34(1):14-19. doi:10.2337/dc10-1288
Salas-Salvadó J, Fernández-Ballart J, Ros E, et al. Effect of a Mediterranean diet supplemented with nuts on metabolic syndrome status: one-year results of the PREDIMED randomized trial. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168(22):2449-2458. doi:10.1001/archinte.168.22.2449
Pocovi-Gerardino G, Correa-Rodríguez M, Callejas-Rubio JL, et al. Beneficial effect of Mediterranean diet on disease activity and cardiovascular risk in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: a cross-sectional study. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2021;60(1):160-169. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keaa210
Rakel, D., 2017. Integrative Medicine - E-Book. Saintt Louis: Elsevier.
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