Here are the foods to incorporate into your life, how much of them to eat and some ideas for preparing them. “The reason people have followed this style of eating for so many centuries is that it focuses on whole foods that are relatively accessible.” “The best thing about the Mediterranean diet is that people can follow it,” Zumpano says. Whole grains and starchy vegetables: Three to six servings per day (one serving = 1/2 cup cooked vegetables, one slice of bread or 1-ounce dry cereal).Nuts: At least three servings per week (one serving = 1/4 cup or 2 tablespoons nut butter).Legumes: Three servings per week (one serving = 1/2 cup).Vegetables: Three-plus servings per day (one serving = 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw).Fruit: Three servings of fruit per day (one serving = 1/2 to 1 cup).Extra-virgin olive oil: At least 1 tablespoon per day, but no more than 4 tablespoons per day.Fish: Three servings per week (one serving = 3 to 4 ounces).We’ll delve deeper into the guidelines in each of the sections that follow, but here’s your easy, no-frills list of what to aim for when you’re following the Mediterranean diet:
“Studies of people living in the seven countries around the Mediterranean Sea show that they eat very similar foods, and they have lot fewer health problems,” Zumpano says.
The goals? Long-term health and longevity. Loaded with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, lean meats and olive oil, the Mediterranean diet focuses on plant-based foods and healthy fats while allowing for versatility and creativity. “It’s really about filling up your diet with single-ingredient foods that have so much nutritional benefit.” And it’s scientifically backed, too: The Mediterranean diet has been shown to be the healthiest diet for your heart, among other major health benefits. “Think of this way of eating as a lifestyle, not a short-term diet,” says registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD. And time and again, research shows that when it comes to heart health and overall well-being, one eating style reigns supreme: The Mediterranean diet.
While some eating styles focus on weight loss (many using unproven, unsafe methods), others focus on specific elements of your health. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center.
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