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Mediterranean Diet: What is it? What are the health-related benefits? Examples?

Updated: Dec 6, 2022


The Mediterranean diet has repeatedly proven that it has incredibly beneficial health properties for reducing morbidity (reducing death) and improving overall health [1]. A clinical randomised control trial (experiments that CAN determine CAUSE AND EFFECT) demonstrated a 70% reduction in all-cause death (generalised death) and a 73% reduction in death by cardiovascular disease [2] for participants assigned to the Mediterranean diet.


A Mediterranean diet consists of the following food groups:

  • Fruits

  • Vegetables

  • Extra virgin olive oil

  • Wholebreadbreads and cereals

  • Legumes or beans (e.g. chickpeas, kidney beans or lentils)

  • Nuts and seeds

  • Fish and seafood

  • Onion, garlic and other herbs and spices (e.g. oregano, coriander, cumin etc.)


Additional considerations for the Mediterranean diet:

  • Red wine is traditionally drunk with the Mediterranean diet

  • Red meat is limited within the Mediterranean diet

  • Yoghurt, cheese, milk and lean protein (including chicken, turkey and eggs) are also eaten in the Mediterranean diet

  • Processed meat is avoided within this diet

Why is the Mediterranean diet healthy?

  • Good balance of healthy fats

  • High in fresh foods and low in processed foods

  • High fibre and more prolonged feelings of fullness

  • High in antioxidants and reduce inflammation throughout the body

  • Promotes protection against harmful (damaging) chemicals in the blood (e.g. inflammatory markers, platelet aggregation factors, oxidative stress)

  • Robust and healthy gut-microbiota [1]

A Mediterranean diet can help people suffering from:

  • Heart disease

  • Type 2 diabetes mellitus

  • Fatty liver disease

  • Chronic kidney disease

  • Anxiety and depression

  • Help prevent cognitive decline

Examples of the Mediterranean diet throughout the day:

Breakfast


- Toast with extra virgin olive oil and cheese, grilled tomato, baked beans OR eggs

- Natural greek style yoghurt with fruit

- Wholegrain breakfast cereal (e.g. Weetbix)


See more Mediterranean breakfast suggestions here...

Lunch

Dinner

Snacks

Cardiovascular disease is one of the most considerable disease burdens worldwide. While sometimes the effects of cardiovascular disease are unavoidable and unexpected, there are ways to reduce or even prevent its onset.


Sometimes, waiting for an episode, such as a stroke or a heart attack, is too late. Changing our diet is something we can do now.

"Let's prevent heart disease, not react to it."

Learn more for FREE here...

 

References:


[1] V. Tosti, B. Bertozzi, and L. Fontana, "Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet: Metabolic and Molecular Mechanisms," The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, vol. 73, no. 3, pp. 318-326, 2018, doi: 10.1093/gerona/glx227.

[2] M. de Lorgeril et al., "Mediterranean alpha-linolenic acid-rich diet in secondary prevention of coronary heart disease," (in eng), Lancet, vol. 343, no. 8911, pp. 1454-9, Jun 11 1994, doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(94)92580-1.


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