Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is a heart-healthy style of eating. It features foods eaten in Greece, Spain, and other countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. It emphasizes eating fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, high-fiber breads, whole grains, nuts, and olive oil. These foods are rich in fiber and healthy fats. The diet limits meat, cheese, and sweets.

The fats allowed in this diet are mainly unsaturated fats. These include fish oils, olive oil, and certain seed oils (such as canola, soybean, and flaxseed) and nut oils (walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds). These types of oils may have a protective effect on the heart.

Most other heart-healthy diets recommend getting less than 35% of your calories from fat. But in the Mediterranean diet, an average of 35% to 40% of calories can come from healthy fats.

A Mediterranean-style diet may improve heart health. It contains more fat than other heart-healthy diets. But the fats are mainly from nuts, unsaturated oils (such as fish oils and olive oil), and certain nut or seed oils (such as canola, soybean, or flaxseed oil). These fats may help protect the heart and blood vessels.

Here are some things you can do to switch to a more Mediterranean way of eating.

What to eat

• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables each day, such as grapes, blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, figs, olives, spinach, eggplant, beans, lentils, and chickpeas.
• Eat a variety of whole-grain foods each day, such as oats, brown rice, and whole wheat bread, pasta, and couscous.
• Eat fish at least 2 times a week. Try tuna, salmon, mackerel, lake trout, herring, or sardines.
• Eat moderate amounts of low-fat dairy products, such as milk, cheese, or yogurt.
• Eat moderate amounts of poultry and eggs.
• Choose healthy (unsaturated) fats, such as nuts, olive oil, and certain nut or seed oils like canola, soybean, and flaxseed.
• Limit unhealthy (saturated) fats, such as butter, palm oil, and coconut oil. And limit fats found in animal products, such as meat and dairy products made with whole milk. Try to eat red meat only a few times a month in very small amounts.
• Limit sweets and desserts to only a few times a week. This includes sugar-sweetened drinks like soda.

The Mediterranean diet may also include red wine with your meal—1 glass each day for women and up to 2 glasses a day for men.

Tips for eating at home

• Use herbs, spices, garlic, lemon zest, and citrus juice instead of salt to add flavor to foods.
• Add avocado slices to your sandwich instead of bacon.
• Have fish for lunch or dinner instead of red meat. Brush the fish with olive oil, and broil or grill it.
• Sprinkle your salad with seeds or nuts instead of cheese.
• Cook with olive or canola oil instead of butter or oils that are high in saturated fat.
• Switch from 2% milk or whole milk to 1% or fat-free milk.
• Dip raw vegetables in a vinaigrette dressing or hummus instead of dips made from mayonnaise or sour cream.
• Have a piece of fruit for dessert instead of a piece of cake. Try baked apples, or have some dried fruit.

Tips for eating out

• Try broiled, grilled, baked, or poached fish instead of having it fried or breaded.
• Ask your server to have your meals prepared with olive oil instead of butter.
• Order dishes made with marinara sauce or sauces made from olive oil. Avoid sauces made from cream or mayonnaise.
• Choose whole-grain breads, whole wheat pasta and pizza crust, brown rice, beans, and lentils.
• Cut back on butter or margarine on bread. Instead, you can dip your bread in a small amount of olive oil.
• Ask for a side salad or grilled vegetables instead of french fries or chips.