The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet): There’s more to it than olives and grape leaves

Abstract

The Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet): There’s more to it than olives and grape leaves Centered around the consumption of whole and unprocessed foods, we hear how following a Mediterranean diet can bring long-term health benefits, including mitigating the risk of common diseases. The popular press seems to publish articles daily about the Mediterranean diet. This eating pattern has been shown to reduce the risk of many of our most formidable health problems, including diabetes, hypertension, cancer, heart disease, and even depression. (1) In January 2023, the New York Times published an article: The Mediterranean Diet Really Is that Good for you. Here’s Why, (2) describing the many benefits of this “bedrock of virtuous eating.” Many nutrition professionals prefer to call the MedDiet an eating pattern rather than a “diet”, which implies a restrictive and onerous weight loss diet. If you are “on a diet,” there will likely be a time, or many times, when you are “off” the diet, while an eating pattern reflects long-term habits.