Studies including millions of people from around the world have consistently found that following a Mediterranean diet can lower your risk of developing many chronic illnesses, including heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
It has been shown to lower your risk of bowel, breast and prostate cancer. There is also growing evidence that it is important in brain health and can lower your risk of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
The best bit? This pattern of eating is highly palatable and satisfying. It can also be sustained over the long term, which is important for overall health.
The world's best diet
Although many healthy dietary patterns across the world have been associated with health and longevity, the most scientific evidence is attributed to the traditional Mediterranean diet. Around the world, government guidelines on health promotion and illness prevention are now identifying the Mediterranean diet as a top approach for health maintenance and disease prevention.
For example, the Mediterranean diet was designated in the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans among the healthiest dietary patterns recommended. Guidelines from the American Heart Association, Australian National Heart Foundation and the European Society of Cardiology all consistently highlight the Mediterranean diet as a healthy dietary pattern in promotion of heart and metabolic health.
For the sixth year in a row the U.S. News & World Report, a global authority on consumer advice, has ranked the Mediterranean diet as the number one best diet overall.
The Mediterranean diet scored highest for:
- best diet for healthy eating
- easiest to follow
- best diet for diabetes
- best heart-healthy diet
- best plant-based diet.
The 10 key principles of the Modern Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is a cuisine and a way of life, not a fad diet promising unrealistic weight loss or health benefits in one week. Adopting a Mediterranean-style diet does not have to involve complex, time-consuming dishes such as moussaka and stuffed vegetables every day.
These key principles are easily adopted into everyday diets and even a few of the changes will make a big difference to your health and wellbeing.
1. Use extra-virgin olive oil in place of other oils in cooking and on salads.
2. Make vegetables the hero of your meal. Be sure to include bright, leafy greens and tomatoes.
3. Flavour your dishes with fresh and dried herbs and spices, and citrus juice from lemons and limes in salad dressings.
4. Use plant proteins from legumes (chickpeas, lentils and other beans) at least twice per week in place of meat proteins, and daily if you are vegetarian.
5. Include sustainably caught fish and seafood, such as sardines and mussels, a few times per week.
6. Eat red meat and processed meats sparingly with a preference for white meats (chicken) and game meats.
7. Prefer wholegrain sourdough breads (or gluten-free options) for mopping up juices from casseroles and salads.
8. Consume fresh fruit daily as a snack between meals or toss through salads for natural sweetness.
9. Enjoy fermented dairy foods on a daily basis, such as yoghurt, feta cheese or dairy-free alternatives.
10. Snack on a handful of nuts and seeds daily in between meals and toss them through salads for extra protein and texture. Indulgences like wine (preferably red) and sweets should be consumed in moderation.
Note that health authorities recommend that men and women should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day to reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury.
This is an edited extract from The Modern Mediterranean Diet by Dr Catherine Itsiopoulos & Vivienne Koutsis, published by Macmillan Australia, $39.99, photography by Rob Palmer.
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