How to Follow the Mediterranean Diet

Dr. Simon Poole, author of The Real Mediterranean Diet and co-author of The Olive Oil Diet with Judy Ridgeway, says that if he had to choose one diet that combines nutrition, sustainability, taste and a healthy lifestyle, it would be the Mediterranean diet.

“Diets advocated today focus a lot on single nutrients like fat or carbs, completely missing the point that food combinations are more important,” he says.

But don’t worry if you’re having trouble getting even close to your 5-a-day, because frozen, canned, and dried fruits and vegetables all count the same as fresh — but make sure the canned fruit doesn’t have added sugar or syrup. The main thing is to eat a variety of plant foods. You can also substitute hard-to-buy Mediterranean options, like eggplant, for typical British foods like cabbage or kale.

Dietitian Dr Duane Mellor says: “There is some debate about whether it is best to mimic the Mediterranean diet in the UK, or focus on foods that are more typical of the UK. These may provide similar nutrients to foods commonly used in Mediterranean countries.”

Swaps might include oats instead of spelled, salmon instead of shellfish, or lentils instead of chickpeas.

Unlike many diets promoted in books, social media or on celebrity websites, the Mediterranean diet is supported by numerous studies.

Poole says: “One of the largest studies was PREDIMED – a multi-country study of about 7,500 older adults – which compared two forms of the Mediterranean diet with a normal low-fat ‘healthy eating’ plan.”¹

He explains that one Mediterranean diet group was given unsalted nuts as a snack, while the other group was given olive oil. Over the next five years, both diet groups performed so well in terms of health that the trial had to be stopped so that everyone could benefit.

The results showed a staggering 30% reduction in the chance of dying from a stroke, heart attack or breast cancer.

Along with heart disease, the Mediterranean diet also appears to be beneficial for managing type 2 diabetes, Mellor says.

“A review of five clinical studies found that people who ate a Mediterranean-type diet improved their long-term glucose control compared with people who ate other types of diets,” he says.²

But would you expect to gain weight by including high-fat foods like nuts, seeds and olive oil in your diet?

“Not really,” says Poole. “Because these whole foods help fill us up, we eat less of other foods.”

One downside of the Mediterranean diet may be the cost. Oily fish, nuts, seeds and extra virgin olive oil can be expensive. However, you can save money by buying less sweets, confectionery, prepared meals and savory snacks as these are not part of the Mediterranean plan. Eating seasonal fruits and vegetables available at the supermarket will also help keep costs down.

Mellor says the benefits of red wine have been overstated and studies of the Mediterranean lifestyle often find that moderate wine consumption is associated with better quality of life and less stress. However, this may be due more to the positive social environment than to the alcohol itself.

If you’re more addicted to pie and chips than pimiento and chickpeas, read on.

Here are Poole’s top ten tips for starting a Mediterranean diet:

• vegetables – Any type but ring changes so you can get lots of variety.

• extra virgin olive oil – Use for cooking and salads. Dip your bread in butter or margarine instead of spreading it.

• Fruit – Enjoy after meals instead of high-calorie sweets.

• Breakfast – Choose unsalted nuts and seeds – a handful (about 30 grams) per day is enough.

• herbs and spices – They contain polyphenol compounds that act as natural antioxidants in the body. Try turmeric, basil, parsley, rosemary, oregano, sage, saffron, and freshly ground black pepper.

• fish – Each week, aim to eat one portion of white fish and one portion of oily fish, such as mackerel, salmon, tuna – fresh but not canned tuna counts as oily fish – or herring.

• dairy – Try Greek yogurt or cheese made from sheep or goat milk. Full-fat versions fit better with the Mediterranean lifestyle. Try fermented dairy products, for example, kefir.

• drink – If you wish, you can occasionally drink a glass of red wine with your meal. Water or herbal tea is recommended.

• Whole grains – Try a variety of grains, such as spelt, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, farro, millet, oats, polenta, and rice.

• Beans and pulses – Being rich in fiber, they can be added to soups and stews to enhance beef, lamb, pork and chicken.