What is a Mediterranean diet?
Essentially, following a Mediterranean diet means eating in the way that the people in the Mediterranean region traditionally ate.
A traditional diet from the Mediterranean region includes a generous portion of fresh produce, whole grains, and legumes, as well as some healthful fats and fish.
The general guidelines of the diet recommend that people eat:
a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
healthful fats, such as nuts, seeds, and olive oil
moderate amounts of dairy and fish
very little white meat and red meat
few eggs
red wine in moderation
The American Heart Association Trusted Source note that the average Mediterranean diet contains a high percentage of calories from fat.
Although more than half of the calories from fat come from monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, the diet may not be right for people who need to limit their fat intake.
Health benefits
The Mediterranean diet receives a lot of attention from the medical community because many studies verify its benefits.
The benefits of a Mediterranean diet include:
Lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease
Evidence suggests that a Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. A study that featured in The New England Journal of Medicine compared two Mediterranean diets with a control diet for almost 5 years.
The research suggested that the diet reduced the risk of cardiovascular issues, including stroke, heart attack, and death, by about 30 percent compared with the control group.
More studies are necessary to determine whether lifestyle factors, such as more physical activity and extended social support systems, are partly responsible for the lower incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean countries than in the United States.
Improving sleep quality
In a 2018 study Trusted Source, researchers explored how the Mediterranean diet affects sleep.
Their research suggested that adhering to a Mediterranean diet may improve sleep quality in older adults. The diet did not seem to affect sleep quality in younger people.
Weight loss
The Mediterranean diet may also be helpful for people who are trying to lose weight.
The authors of a 2016 review noted that people who were overweight or had obesity lost more weight on the Mediterranean diet than on a low-fat diet. The Mediterranean diet group achieved results that were similar to those of the participants on other standard weight loss diets.
Summary
Following a Mediterranean diet involves making long-term, sustainable dietary changes.
Generally speaking, a person should aim for a diet that is rich in natural foods, including plenty of vegetables, whole grains, and healthful fats.
Anyone who finds that the diet does not feel satisfying should talk to a dietitian. They can recommend additional or alternative foods to help increase satiety.