What Is The Mediterranean Diet and Why You Should Try It Too?

Do you know you have the control and power to change the trajectory of your health and life?

If you’re looking for a way to improve your health and live longer, you might want to consider the Mediterranean diet, according to lead study author and Johns Hopkins expert Haitham Ahmed, M.D., M.P.H.

Have you ever wondered how much impact diet can have?

A Mediterranean style of eating reduced heart disease risk by 28 to 30 percent in a large 2013 study from Spain.

In 2013, a study from Spain showed that people who eat a Mediterranean-style diet have a 28 to 30 percent lower risk of heart disease. And since then, more research has shown that the same diet combined with exercise and healthy weight is even more powerful Mediterranean diet. In 2013, Johns Hopkins University researchers and others tracked 6,229 American women and men for eight years.

They found that those who followed a Mediterranean-style diet combined with regular exercise, healthy weight, and not smoking had an 80 percent lower risk for early death from heart disease than their peers.

But you don’t have to live near the Mediterranean to get the benefits.

The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating that’s linked to better health. The goal of this diet is to help you live longer and healthier by reducing your risk for heart disease and cancer.

In 2022, the Mediterranean Diet was ranked #1 Best Plant-Based Diet, Best Heart-Healthy Diet, Best Diabetes Diet, Best Diet for Healthy Eating, and the Easiest Diet to Follow, according to U.S. News & World Report.

What is the Mediterranean diet?

The Mediterranean diet is a style of eating that’s been around for centuries, and it’s been proven to help prevent heart disease and stroke.

The diet has its roots in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, where people ate lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts. They also consumed healthy amounts of fish and poultry. Dairy products were eaten in moderation. Olive oil was used for cooking and to dress salads or cooked vegetables. Wine was consumed with meals, but not excessively.

Interest in the diet began in the 1950s when it was noted that heart disease was not as common in Mediterranean countries as it was in the U.S. Since then, numerous studies have confirmed that the Mediterranean diet helps prevent heart disease and stroke.

With the Mediterranean diet, people typically eat three to nine servings of vegetables and up to two servings of fruit a day on a Mediterranean diet.

Foods you can eat on a Mediterranean diet include: olive oil, salmon, tuna, tomatoes, walnuts, chickpeas, pomegranate, lentils, Greek yoghurt, red wine, dark chocolate, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, barley, oats, lima beans, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, chicken breasts.

The diet emphasizes eating lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as healthy fats like olive oil and nuts. It also includes fish, poultry and eggs.

The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating based on the traditional cuisines of Greece, Italy and the other countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. The diet emphasizes plant-based foods like whole grains, vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, seeds and herbs and spices. Olive oil is the main source of added fat. Fish, seafood and poultry are eaten in moderation while red meat is eaten only occasionally.