The best diet overall is the Mediterranean diet. Additionally, it's a highly recommended diet for anyone wishing to support bone and joint health, lower their risk of heart disease, or manage their diabetes. However, Americanized Mediterranean cuisines, which frequently have excessive amounts of cheese, steak, and refined pasta, should not be mistaken for nutritious food. See our evaluation of the Mediterranean diet to find out more about what it is, how well it works for weight loss, and what foods to consume.
The Mediterranean Diet: What Is It?
Plant-based foods, such as whole grains, legumes, nuts, and extra-virgin olive oil, are the main focus of the Mediterranean diet. The traditional diet, which is popular in Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey, emphasizes overall diet quality above individual nutrients and calls for a small quantity of lean poultry and lots of seafood.
The Mediterranean diet, one of the most thoroughly studied diets, has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses (like heart disease and Type 2 diabetes), increase longevity, and improve quality of life.
Is It Simple to Comply with?
For good reason, the Mediterranean diet is among the simplest to adhere to. A sustainable approach to eating, the Mediterranean diet offers broad guidelines that can be tailored to any cuisine or lifestyle, as opposed to being extremely restrictive and eliminating particular nutrients or food groups or extremely rigid about particular macronutrients.
"One of the most essential elements of the Mediterranean diet … is that it is simple to follow for extended periods of time,” says Elena Paravantes-Hargitt, a registered dietitian nutritionist specialized in the Mediterranean diet and author of "The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners."
What Is the Process of the Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean diet comes in many varieties. While the eating habits of people in Greece, Italy, Spain, and other Mediterranean countries vary, they all adhere to a plant-based diet that emphasizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts as the primary sources of fat. They also consume a moderate amount of poultry and seafood and very little red meat.
Like other diets, the Greek Mediterranean diet does not specify exact macronutrients; nonetheless, it typically consists of 40% carbs, 40% healthy fats, and 20% protein.
The diet emphasizes the superiority of good unsaturated fats over trans and saturated fats and promotes the consumption of whole, minimally processed foods. This combination contributes to overall lifespan and the prevention of chronic illnesses like Type 2 diabetes in addition to supporting heart health by lowering inflammation and raising cholesterol levels.
I Want to Lose Weight—Can the Mediterranean Diet Help?
Yes, you can lose weight on the Mediterranean diet, particularly if you're coming from the notoriously high-sugar, high-sodium, and high-saturated-fat conventional American diet. However, you might not want to follow a Mediterranean diet if you're hoping to lose weight quickly.
The Mediterranean diet's concentration on high-fiber foods, such fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, can help you feel satiated for longer even though it was not intended to help people lose weight. It has also been demonstrated that substituting unsaturated fats for harmful saturated fats might enhance metabolic health and promote weight reduction.
While there are no set nutrient standards for the Mediterranean diet, it is important to watch portion sizes and limit the amount of healthful but high-calorie items like nuts, seeds, and olive oil that you eat.
Permanent Loss of Weight
It has been demonstrated that the Mediterranean diet encourages sustained weight reduction.
Numerous studies have shown that those trying to reduce weight can benefit from the Mediterranean diet's healthful emphasis on eating mostly whole, plant-based meals. For instance, a 2015 study discovered that individuals who followed the Mediterranean diet for more than a year saw more weight loss than those who followed a low-fat diet.
Maintaining and Managing Weight
Among those of normal weight at baseline, a large, longitudinal 2018 study evaluating over 32,000 participants found that adhering to the Mediterranean diet was linked to a lower risk of weight gain and obesity after 6 to 20 years, as well as a lower risk of carrying belly fat.
Mediterranean Diet's Health Benefits: Lowers the Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke
might stop dementia and cognitive decline
possibly avert Type 2 diabetes
probably slows the development and symptoms of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such rheumatoid arthritis
might lessen depression
Heart Conditions
Numerous studies have demonstrated the heart-healthy effects of the Mediterranean diet.
The Seven nations Study, a large-scale study project that examined the link between food and heart disease among 13,000 men across seven nations, including Greece, Italy, and Japan, from 1958 to 1999, was particularly noteworthy for confirming the diet's health advantages. The results of the study demonstrated that the kind of dietary fat—more particularly, unsaturated fats—was better for heart health than fat content overall.
Subsequent research has shown that following the Mediterranean diet is linked to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and body weight, which in turn leads to a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease, mortality, coronary heart disease, and stroke. These studies include the 2019 PREDIMED study and the 2022 randomized clinical trial.
Diabetes
The Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes a wholesome, balanced, and healthful nutritional approach linked to a lower BMI, is beneficial in controlling and maybe even curing diabetes. Research, including this 2019 study and this 2020 study, has demonstrated that the diet, which is high in nutrient-dense, whole foods and extra-virgin olive oil as the main source of fat, improves glucose control and slows the course of diabetes, postponing the need for glucose-lowering drugs.
Mental Wellness
The Mediterranean diet, which places a strong focus on seafood, nuts, seeds, extra-virgin olive oil, beans, leafy greens, and whole grains, is linked to several advantages for brain health. Numerous research have shown that the Mediterranean diet helps reduce the symptoms of aging in people's brains, one of which is this 2023 study. Moreover, an increasing amount of studies shows that eating a well-rounded diet might reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. In reality, a 2023 research and a 2018 investigation found that those who followed a Mediterranean diet had a 23% lower risk of dementia and 1.5 to 3.5 years of protection against the advancement of Alzheimer's disease.
The Mediterranean diet helps prevent neurodegenerative disorders, enhance cognitive function, and enhance mental wellness. Participants in a 2019 research who suffered from depression reported better mental health after following a Mediterranean-style diet supplemented with fish oil. A diet that prioritizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes and limits unhealthy foods has been shown to significantly improve mental health outcomes, including depression. This improvement is probably because the diet provides a variety of essential nutrients that are necessary for brain function and nourishes the gut microbiome, which in turn promotes mental wellness.
The Mediterranean Diet's Potential Health Risks
For good reason, the Mediterranean diet is recognized by many as one of the healthiest eating plans. As long as the Mediterranean diet is followed correctly, there are no known health hazards.
Who Is Not Supposed to Adhere to the Mediterranean Diet?
Everyone, including toddlers, pregnant women, and elderly persons, may safely follow the Mediterranean diet.
Consult your physician or a qualified dietitian to see whether the Mediterranean diet is right for you if you have any chronic illnesses, digestive problems, or other medical concerns. Fortunately, you can easily modify this healthy eating plan to accommodate any dietary limitations you may have.
