This content is sponsored by MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
Stock up on the fruits, vegetables and whole grains because the Mediterranean Diet is a lifestyle that can help improve your overall health.
The Mediterranean Diet is a way of eating that emphasizes plant-based foods and healthy fats. It’s based on the traditional cuisines of Greece, Italy and other countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
This way of eating places emphasis on whole foods over ultra-processed products. “Ultra-processed” means either creating food-like products from manufactured ingredients or extracting certain parts of fruits, vegetables, and proteins until the original whole food is no longer nutritious, said Dr. Allen Taylor, a cardiologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
“We in the U.S. have an ultra-processed diet – ultra-processed meaning that the physical appearance of what you’re eating bears no resemblance to what went into make it. Something on the order of three quarters of the food in the US is felt to be ultra-processed,” Dr. Taylor said.
Whole foods are those that are minimally processed or are not processed at all, Dr. Taylor said. That means that foods like fruits and veggies, whole-grain breads, lean means and legumes all fall under whole foods, he added. In most groceries, you can find Mediterranean Diet items in the produce section, butcher’s counter and bulk food bins.
Numerous studies have found the Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk for diabetes, high cholesterol, dementia, memory loss, depression and breast cancer. The eating style has also been linked to stronger bones, a healthier heart and longer life.
Several studies bear out the benefits of a Mediterranean Diet as well. Among the most influential studies of diet and heart disease is PREDIMED, a clinical trial that involved nearly 7,500 patients at high risk of heart disease. It found participants who followed the Mediterranean Diet were 30% less likely to develop heart disease than those who did not.
In January, U.S. News & World Report ranked the Mediterranean Diet as the best overall diet – for the sixth straight year! US News & World Reported noted that it’s “a simple yet effective approach” that “focuses on quality rather than a single nutrient or food group.”
There’s no need to be intimidated when it comes to the Mediterranean Diet, said Dr. Taylor. Small changes can help people succeed.
“This eating pattern is less about excluding certain foods and more about practicing moderation for whole-body health,” he said.
It’s all about choices with the Mediterranean Diet, Dr. Taylor said.
“I always tell patients that this is about choices. There’s nothing in the Mediterranean diet that you can’t do. But it’s about your proportional choices,” he said. “It’s an emphasis diet — one that emphasizes the things in the diet: it’s vegetables, olive oil …, fish consumption or lean meats over red meats, avoiding baked goods, sweets, sodas.”
So how do you know which foods to eat on the Mediterranean Diet? Don’t rely on nutrition labels to point to low-calorie or “healthy” foods, Dr. Taylor said.
“The food you eat is not just about what you read a food label,” Dr. Taylor said.
“You can take a bunch of really good food and grind it up, make it … unrecognizable and ultra-processed. And … you can still quantify it has carbohydrates, protein and fat. But it’s been fundamentally altered.”
Foods that make up the foundation of the Mediterranean Diet are from the “unprocessed” category. These foods should make up the bulk of what to eat while following this eating pattern:
- Olive oil: 28 tablespoons a week, including what’s used for cooking (4 T per day)
- Tree nuts and peanuts: 3 servings a week
- Fresh fruit: 21 servings a week (3 per day)
- Vegetables: 14 servings a week (2 per day)
- Fish and seafood: 3 servings a week
- Legumes (beans, peas, lentils, etc.): 3 servings a week
- Lean, white meat: 1 serving a week
- Wine with meals: Optional, up to 1 glass a day
While nothing is off limits, enjoy these items once in a while, if at all:
- Commercial baked goods, sweets, pastries: 2 servings or less a week
- Spreadable fats (like butter and margarine): 7 servings or less a week
- Red meat and processed meat: 1 serving or less a week
The Mediterranean Diet suggests a few servings per week of cheese or yogurt, preferring less-processed cheeses like parmesan, feta, or part-skim mozzarella. Breads made from whole grains or sourdough are recommended, though ultra-processed choices like white bread are best avoided.
The Mediterranean Diet can lead to major health improvements – and that doesn’t mean you have to give up all of your favorite foods. You can still eat them in moderation, but make sure you’re combining them with lots of whole-food options.
“Less restrictions can make it easier to follow this eating plan long term and reap its proven health benefits,” Dr. Taylor said.
Read more about the Mediterranean Diet in a post by Dr. Taylor on the MedStar Washington Hospital Center website.
