Mediterranean Diet: The Best-Studied Way to Eat

The short version

It's an overall pattern of eating. You don't count anything or ban any food group.
It has strong evidence for heart health, and it helps with blood sugar and long-term health.
It's not automatically a weight-loss diet. Olive oil and nuts add calories quickly, so portions still matter.

In a sentence: Vegetables, olive oil, beans, whole grains and fish, with few rules.
How restrictive
Counting needed?: No
Quality of evidence: Strong
Typical cost: Moderate
Main drawback: Olive oil and nuts make it easy to overeat calories

See how this compares with every other diet →

What it is

This is based on the traditional eating habits of countries like Greece, Italy and Spain. There's no official plan or phases, just a pattern.

Eat	How often
Vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts, olive oil, herbs	Daily, as the foundation
Fish and seafood	Twice a week or more
Poultry, eggs, cheese, yogurt	Moderate amounts
Red meat and sweets	Occasionally
Water	As your main drink

Traditional versions include wine with meals, but if you don't drink, you shouldn't start for your health.

What the evidence says

Heart health. In PREDIMED, a large Spanish trial of about 7,400 people at high risk, those on a Mediterranean diet with added extra-virgin olive oil or nuts had about 30% fewer heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths than those told to eat a lower-fat diet.

Blood sugar. It lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes and helps manage it. In a small crossover trial against keto, a Mediterranean-style diet produced similar blood sugar and weight improvements. LDL ("bad") cholesterol fell on it and rose on keto, and people found it easier to keep up.

Weight. PREDIMED wasn't a weight-loss trial and people didn't lose much. To lose weight on this diet, you still need a calorie deficit. Being satisfying and easy to stick with is where it helps.

How to do it for weight loss

Measure your olive oil, at least at first. One tablespoon has about 120 calories.
Keep nuts to a small handful a day.
Fill half your plate with vegetables. See the plate method.
Include protein at each meal: fish, chicken, eggs, Greek yogurt or beans.
Stick to whole-grain bread and pasta, in moderate portions.

A sample day

Breakfast: Greek yogurt with berries and walnuts
Lunch: Big salad with chickpeas, tuna, tomatoes, cucumber, feta and olive oil dressing
Snack: An orange and a few almonds
Dinner: Baked salmon, roasted vegetables and a small serving of farro

Pros and cons

Good: Flexible, enjoyable and sociable, works for the whole family, and has the best long-term evidence.

Harder: Fresh fish and good olive oil can be pricey. Frozen fish, canned tuna or sardines, canned beans and frozen vegetables keep costs down. See eating well on a budget. And because it's loose, some people need more structure to lose weight.

Who should be careful

Most people can follow this diet safely. If you take warfarin, keep your intake of leafy greens consistent and talk to your clinician. If you have a fish allergy or kidney disease, you may need to adapt it.

Sources

This guide is general information, not medical advice. Please check with a clinician before making big changes, especially if you have a health condition, take medication, or are pregnant. Read the full disclaimer.