Benefits of a Mediterranean Diet

People often ask, “What should I eat?” This question is complicated because everyone’s goals, therefore needs, are different.  

But I have spent a lot of time digging into the latest research on the best, most effective ways to help my clients reach their health goals. And whether it’s achieving sustainable weight loss (finally after a bazillion diets!), treating a new onset of insulin resistance (cause of diabetes), scary new cholesterol numbers (heart disease), hormone imbalance, fertility issues, autoimmune diseases, autism, or mental health. Most of the research indicated a Mediterranean diet or some variation of the Mediterranean diet. (Research 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.)

Even if you don’t have specific health concerns and are just looking for a healthy diet to support long-term health and longevity, the research supports a Mediterranean diet (Research 1, 2). One of my favorite examples of this is ‘The Blue Zones.‘ The ‘Blue Zones’ are five areas around the world with the highest number of Healthy and Happy Centenarians. One of the common through-lines is their adherence to a Mediterranean diet with cultural and regional variations.  

Okay, now that you have read all the research (right?!), let’s explore the Mediterranean diet and its benefits.

The Basics of a Medterrian Diet:

The Mediterranean diet is a plant-based diet. This is plant-based, not because it excludes animal products but because its foundation focuses on a diet built on a wide variety of nutrient-dense high-fiber plant foods, with a high dose of fish, seafood, and olive oil. 

What to eat in abundance: (daily)

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Nuts and seeds
• Whole grains
• Herbs
• Beans
• fish and shellfish
• olive oil.  

What to Eat in Moderation: (a few times a week)

• Poultry (chicken, turkey) 
• Dairy products (Milk, Cheese, yogurt 

What to Limit:  

• Red meat (beef and pork) – Try to limit to <1x per week
• Sugary drinks
• Added sugar (cookies, candy, cakes)
• Processes grains (pasta, crackers) 
• Refined oil (canola oil, margarine, Cotton oil)
• Processed Foods

Someone recently asked me, “Now, what exactly is it about the Mediterranean diet that makes it so healthy?”  

Well, I think it’s a few things. First, I think the main magic is in nutrient-dense plant foods (vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds), which give us all the essential vitamin and mineral materials for our cells to work correctly. Those nutrients are the notes in the symphony of our body; if we don’t have enough and the right ones, everything goes to ‘hell in a hand-basket‘ real quick. 

Next, It is the high fiber content of the diet. This fiber is the food for the GI bacteria that live in our intestines. This bacteria is so vital to our wellbeing. It helps digest our food, makes the vitamins and minerals usable, keeps your immune system working right, creates neurotransmitters like serotonin, and maintains our gut cells’ health. Our digestive tract is truly the place where all health begins. I will go more in-depth about this in a future article(s), but for now, let’s say it’s vital to our health. And all that fiber helps keep our GI bacteria happy and healthy, which helps keep us happy and healthy. 

Last but not least, the diet emphasizes seafood and fatty fish. These are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are so important in brain health, hormone synthesis, and balance, neurotransmitter synthesis, managing chronic inflammation (the underpinning of most diseases), and the creation of healthful cholesterol. 

Another ‘non-diet’ aspect of the Mediterranean diet and blue-zone lifestyle emphasizes community and connection, daily movement, and having fun. Maybe I will dig into these another time, but for now, let’s say it highlights the importance of a holistic approach to wellness.  

Putting it all together, here are your Action Steps: 

• Eat nine portions of fruits and vegetables every day – Ideally 5-6 Vegetables (lots of green leafy vegetables, carrots, cucumbers) and 3-4 fruits (berries, apples, pears, lemons). Get Creative. It sounds like a lot, but you can do this! 
• Add Extra Virgin Olive oil liberally (some fascinating studies showed increasing EVOO intake improved health outcomes, #scienceisfun)
• Beans, Nuts, and Seeds Daily
• Eat Whole Grains 
• Eat fish at least three times a week.
• Limit processed foods, added sugar and sugary drinks, and refined oils
• Move Daily