Mediterranean Diet

Mediterranean Diet

• What is the Mediterranen diet?
• Where is the Mediterranean diet most commonly followed?
• What is eaten and how much can be eaten?
  • Fat
  • Meat, eggs and poultry
  • Seafood
  • Dairy
  • Nuts and legumes
  • Cereals
  • Fruit
  • Vegetables
  • Red wine

• Health benefits of the Mediterranean diet
• How does the Mediterranean diet work?
• Limitations of the Mediterranean diet
• Tips for changing to a Mediterranean diet

 

Mediterranean diet is a diet based on plant foods. It is high in N-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytochemicals.

Fat intake under the Mediterranean diet is moderate (up to 35% of total calories). It consists predominately of monounsaturated fats (e.g. olive oil) as opposed to polyunsaturated (e.g. canola oil) and saturated (e.g. animal) fats.

The diet is also low in cholesterol, salt and sugar. It has received a lot of attention in recent years because scientists have shown that following a Mediterranean diet is associated with a number of health benefits.

Watch a video on Metabolic Syndrome and Diet

Red meat is eaten on rare occasions, as are sweets and butter. Cheese, yoghurt, eggs and red wine are consumed most days, in moderation. Olive oil, which is a monounsaturated fat, is used in place of butter and oil containing saturated fats.

Two people following the Mediterranean diet can consume a different amount of energy (i.e. calories) and still be following the diet. The total number of calories eaten will depend on whether one is trying to lose or gain weight, or simply maintain a healthy lifestyle.

For weight loss, a diet restricted to 1500 calories per day for women, and 1800 per day for men, is recommended. Many individuals will eat more than that; in general, it is recommended that one does not eat more than 2400 calories per day.

It should be noted that even people who eat in excess and become overweight or obese still receive benefits from following a Mediterranean diet. Compared to obese people who follow other diets, they are less likely to suffer from metabolic syndrome, which often leads to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The Mediterranean diet offers health benefits because of the combination of foods consumed and the relative quantities in which they are consumed. A typical Mediterranean diet should include the following.

dairy products are consumed daily, but in moderation and usually in the form of cheese or yoghurt and not butter or milk. It is typical to eat the equivalent of a small tub of yoghurt and a small piece of cheese every day.

coronary heart disease and other chronic conditions were low in Italy. Since then, the lower rates of chronic diseases have been linked to the dietary patterns of people living in the Mediterranean region (i.e. adhering to a Mediterranean diet). Studies have shown that following a Mediterranean diet can:

• Increase longevity: A European study showed that elderly people (older than 60 years) who followed a Mediterranean diet were less likely to die (i.e. they lived longer) than elderly people who did not follow a Mediterranean diet.
• Reduced risk of cardiovascular problems: Following a Mediterranean diet after having a heart attack can reduce the risk of both having and dying from a heart attack in the future.
• Reduced risk of metabolic syndrome: Individuals who follow a Mediterranean diet are less likely to develop metabolic syndrome. Many individuals who already have the syndrome can reverse the metabolic alterations associated with it by following a Mediterranean diet.
• Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: Following a Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of developing diabetes for healthy people and for people who are obese (and therefore have a high risk of developing diabetes).
• Reduced risk of cancer: A European study showed that following a Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of developing cancer.
• Increased weight loss: Obese individuals who follow a Mediterranean diet lose more weight than those following similar diets matched for total calorie and fat intake.

nutritional balance of a diet (i.e. the combination of fats, cereals, sugars, vitamins and other nutrients), and particularly the types of fats consumed, have different effects on the body. For example, monounsaturated fats are associated with less abdominal obesity (instead, fat is stored around the hips and buttocks) than saturated fats. In terms of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, evidence suggests that abdominal fat poses greater health risks than fat which is stored around the buttocks. Saturated fats are also associated with endothelial dysfunction, which increases the risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

Fish is a good source of long chain omega 3 fatty acids, which play an important role in fighting the metabolic imbalances that cause diabetes. Refined grains (which are largely excluded from traditional Mediterranean diets in favour of whole grains) are associated with increased glucose and triglyceride levels after eating, which increases the risk of cardiovascular problems and diabetes. Butter and full fat milk have a greater impact on cholesterol levels than other dairy foods like cheese and yoghurt, which are most common in Mediterranean diets.

exercise is necessary for good health. The Mediterranean diet is not a substitute for daily physical activity.

Nutrition. For more healthy and tasty recipes, including recipes for breakfast, snacks, parties, dinner and dessert, as well as recipes for kids, see Recipes.

Reference

1. Esposito K, Ceriello A, Giugliano D. Diet and the metabolic syndrome. Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders. 2007; 5(4): 291–6.
2. Shai I, Schwarzfuchs D, Henkin Y. Weight loss with a low-carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or low fat diet. NEJM. 2008; 359(3): 229–41.
3. Trichopoulou A, Orfanos P, Norat T, Bueno-de-Mesquita B, Ocke MC, Peeters PH, et al. Modified Mediterranean diet and survival: EPIC-elderly prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2005; 330: 991.
4. Willet WC. The Mediterranean diet: Science and practice. Pub Health Nutr. 2006; 9(1a): 105–10.
5. de Lorgeril M, Salen P, Martin JL, Monjaud I, Delaye J, Mamelle N. Mediterranean diet, traditional risk factors and the rate of cardiovascular complications following myocardial infarction: Final reports of the Lion Heart Study. Circ. 1999; 99: 779–85.
6. Esposito K, Marfella M, Ciotola M, Di Palo C, Giugliano F, Giugliano G, et al. Effect of a Mediterranean-style diet on endothelial dysfunction and markers of vascular inflammation in the metabolic syndrome: A randomised trial. JAMA. 2004; 292(12): 1440–6.
7. Blaha MJ, Bansal S, Rouf R, Golden SH, Blumenthal RS, Defelippis AP. A practical “ABCDE” approach to the metabolic syndrome. Mayo Clin Proc. 2008; 83(8): 932–43.
8. Martinez-Gonzalez MA, de la Fuente-Arrillaga C, Nunez-Cordoba JM, Basterra-Gortari FJ, Buenza JJ, Vazquez Z, et al. Adherence to Mediterranean diet and risk of developing diabetes: Prospective cohort study. BMJ. 2008; 336: 1348–51.
9. Benetou V,. Trichopoulou A, Orfanos P, Naska A, Lagiou P, Bofetta P, et al. Conformity to traditional Mediterranean diet and cancer incidence: The Greek EPIC cohort. Brit J Cancer. 2008; 99(1): 191–5.
10. Larsson B, Svardsudd K, Welin L, Wilhelmsen L, Bjorntorp P, Tibblin G. Abdominal adipose tissue distribution, obesity and risk of cardiovascular disease: 13 year follow up of participants in a study of men born in 1913. BMJ. 1984; 288: 1401–04.
11. Jakulj F, Zernicke K, Bacon SL, van Wielingen LE, Key BL, West SG, et al. A high fat meal increases cardiovascular reactivity to psychological stress in healthy young adults. J Nutr. 2007; 137(4): 935–9.
12. O’Keefe JH, Gheewala NM, O’Keefe J. Dietary strategies for improving post-prandial glucose, lipids, inflammation, and cardiovascular health. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2008; 51(3): 249–55.
13. Carpentier YA, Portois L, Mallaise WJ. N-3 fatty acids and the metabolic syndrome. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006; 83(6 Suppl): 1499S–1504S.
14. Beulens JWJ, de Bruijne LM, Stolk RP, Peeters PHM, Bots ML, Grobbee DE, et al. High dietary glycemic load and glycemic index increase risk of cardiovascular disease among middle-aged women: A population-based follow-up study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2007; 50: 14–21.
15. Biong AS, Muller H, Seljefot I, Veierod MB, Pedersen JI. A comparison of the effects of cheese and butter on serum lipids, haemostatic variables and homocysteine. Br J Nutr. 2004; 92(5): 791–7.

Related Diseases:

• Obesity
• Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 (non-insulin dependent, mature age onset)
• Metabolic Syndrome

Connect

Sign up for free newsletters

Subscribe to RSS feeds

Discuss on Forum

Article Dates:

Modified: 30/12/2010

Created: 1/10/2008

Mediterranean Diet