Mediterranean Diet

What it is

A traditional eating pattern from countries bordering the Mediterranean sea, characterised by:

• abundant vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, and whole grains;
• olive oil as the principal added fat;
• moderate fish and seafood;
• modest dairy (typically yoghurt and cheese);
• limited red and processed meat;
• modest wine with meals (if at all — alcohol guidelines have tightened).

Why it matters

The PREDIMED trial — a Spanish primary-prevention RCT in ∼7,500 high-cardiovascular-risk participants — showed that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or mixed nuts reduced major cardiovascular events by ~30% over ~5 years compared with a low-fat control diet. Observational cohorts consistently link Mediterranean-style eating with lower all-cause mortality, lower cognitive decline, and lower type-2 diabetes incidence.

Mechanisms

• Lowers systemic inflammation (hsCRP, IL-6).
• Improves endothelial function and lipid profile (especially with extra-virgin olive oil polyphenols).
• High fibre supports a beneficial microbiome (Dysbiosis).
• Adequate but not excessive protein, mostly from plants and fish.

Practical points

The pattern is more about what dominates the plate than any specific food. Local equivalents (Nordic, traditional Japanese, Atlantic) share many of the same features and show similar associations.

Related entries

See also: Chronic inflammation, Dysbiosis, hsCRP.