The Mediterranean Diet is based on the dietary patterns of the people found in countries around the or near the Mediterranean Sea (particularly Greece) and today this particular way of eating has been deemed the most heart-healthy. A team of researchers literally conducted a “study of studies” and correlated results from almost 200 studies conducted between 1950 and 2007:
Researchers evaluated more than 50 years of research on diet and heart disease and found diets rich in vegetables, nuts, and those that follow a Mediterranean pattern with lots of fruits, vegetables, and fish have “strong evidence” of lowering the risk of heart disease. [WebMD]
What is The Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean Diet is essentially a diet focused mainly on plant-based foods including fresh fruits and vegetables, leaves, nuts and seeds. Olive Oil forms the backbone of the diet and is consumed in moderate quantities along with small servings of fish, chicken, turkey and so on.
Conversely, a western diet with higher saturated fat, processed red meat and sugary products had an adverse effect on heart-health.
Oldways, a Boston based organization has even published a so-called “Mediterranean Diet Pyramid”:
What diet patterns do you follow and how close is it to the heart-healthy wonder that is the Mediterranean Diet?
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I’m a huge fan of the Mediterranean Diet…I follow it now more or less. I like how it places less emphasis on meat and more emphasis on fruits, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, seafood, etc. Just go to Italy, and you’ll see how much healthier Italians (and Europeans, in general) seem to be.