Chapter 1 - What is the Mediterranean Diet?

“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.” – Thomas Edison

The Mediterranean diet isn’t actually a “diet.” Yes, it can help you lose weight and improve your health but it’s really more of a lifestyle.  It’s a way of eating that can keep you healthy and provide all the nutrients you need to live life to the fullest.

The Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional dietary patterns of the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea like Greece, Spain, Israel, Southern Italy and France. It gained widespread popularity in the west during the 1990’s and since then has become one of the most well-respected diets, particularly for its heart-health and longevity benefits.

There are 21 countries that border the Mediterranean Sea and though their diets, culture, agriculture, ethnic background and economy vary there are common dietary patterns that they share. These common patterns have become characteristic of what we call the Mediterranean diet.

The most authentic version of the Mediterranean diet is based on the typical dietary patterns of the people of Crete (the largest Greek island) during the 1950’s and 1960’s.

Characteristics of the Mediterranean diet

*High consumption of food from plant sources: fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, breads, grains, potatoes, unrefined cereals

*Emphasis on seasonal, locally grown, antioxidant and micro-nutrient rich fresh produce that is minimally processed

*Olive oil is the primary source of monounsaturated fat replacing other oils and fats (including margarine and butter)    

*Moderate consumption of red wine, fish, dairy (primarily yogurt and cheese), poultry, eggs and sweets

*Low consumption of red meat

*Zero to four eggs consumed weekl y

*Substitution of salts for spices such as basil and oregano

*Fresh fruit as the typical dessert

*Daily exercise

*Replace salt with herbs and spices

Why choose the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet is easy to adapt to your lifestyle. Unlike many diets that involve increasing your intake of certain vitamins and minerals, the Mediterranean diet is different in that it allows you to eat a wide variety of foods.

Also, the foods on the Mediterranean diet are foods that you already eat fairly regularly so adapting to a Mediterranean way of eating won’t involve any drastic changes.