7 Reasons Why The Mediterranean Diet IS The Best Diet
Discover why the Mediterranean diet is the best for health and longevity. Packed with fresh, flavorful foods, it’s easy to follow, sustainable, and backed by science.
If there’s one diet that lives up to its name, it IS the Mediterranean diet. It’s not just a trend; it’s a timeless way of living that’s equal parts delicious and nutritious and is not only about food but a lifestyle. As someone who’s been raised on this incredible way of living and seen its benefits firsthand, let me break it down for you. From heart health to staying sharp, this diet delivers results—and the best part? It’s easy, enjoyable, and backed by serious science. Here are 7 reasons why the Mediterranean diet is hands-down the best diet you’ll ever try.
7 Reasons Why The Mediterranean Diet IS The Best Diet
1. Reduces the risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Research is increasing in that the Mediterranean diet as a whole can protect the heart even compared with conventional low fat diets. Research shows that the Mediterranean diet is ideal for an individual with an increased risk of heart disease. A study by Greek researchers published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, actually showed that individuals who already suffer of coronary artery disease, have a 27 % lower risk of mortality when they followed a Mediterranean diet. Another large study the Epic-Norfolk study, found that following the Mediterranean diet was associated with lower heart diseases incidence and mortality in an English (non-Mediterranean) population.
2. Helps you live longer
The closer an individual follows the Mediterranean diet, the longer they live, even if they do not live in a country in the Mediterranean region. This has been shown by numerous studies, and most recently by the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer (EPIC), in which researchers gathered information on the nutritional habits of 74607 people from 9 countries. The participants were graded according to how closely they followed the Mediterranean diet. For every 2 point increase there was an 8 percent decrease in mortality.
3. Protects from Diabetes
The Mediterranean diet is not a high carbohydrate diet, in fact it is a moderate carbohydrate diet with a high intake of fiber, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, and has been shown that it can lower the risk of type II diabetes. A review of studies by Austrian researchers found a 19% reduction of risk of diabetes with adherence to a Mediterranean diet.
4. Keeps Cancer Away
The traditional Mediterranean diet is rich in substances that have protective effects such as selenium, vitamin E and C, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, antioxidants such as polyphenols from olive oil and resveratrol from wine. All these nutrients may lower the risk of cancer, particularly prostate and colon cancer. A large meta-analysis conducted by German researchers that included 83 studies (over 2 million participants) provided important evidence of the beneficial effect of high adherence to a Mediterranean diet in regards to prevention and overall cancer risk and specific types of cancer, especially colorectal cancer.
5. It can keep you thin
This diet is not a low fat diet, in fact 40 percent of calories come from fat, but it is not fattening. A Spanish study analyzed data from 3162 people and assessed their diets based on the frequency of consumption of foods associated with the Mediterranean diet. A high score meant that they followed the diet closely. Those who followed a Mediterranean diet and that included moderate fat intake had a lower body weight. Another study associated adherence to the Mediterranean diet with less body fat.
6. Good for Your Brain
The study, led by the University of California at San Francisco, on over 6,000 people found that participants who stuck to a Mediterranean style diet for over a year had a 30-35 % less chance scoring low on cognitive tests. These tests include memory, attention-speed and more. This protective benefit was even seen with individuals who modestly followed the diet. These results were independent of factors like smoking, exercise, overall health, and socio-economic status
7. It is Easy to Follow
While this may not be a direct health benefit, the truth is that a diet is good only if you follow it. A Mediterranean diet is a naturally occurring diet based on the circumstances at the time… and people made it work. So for example, since they did not have the luxury of eating meat often, they made sure that foods that they did have available were delicious. The abundance of crave-worthy vegetable dishes in the Mediterranean diet, makes it so easy to eat healthy. The food is simple to prepare and using locality and seasonality as your guide makes everything easy. A good “diet” should keep you healthy and happy. An extremely strict diet or a diet based on all sorts of pre-packaged foods is not healthy, fun or sustainable.
-References-
Modified Mediterranean diet and survival: EPIC-elderly prospective cohort study, BMJ 2005
Mediterranean diet, cognitive function, and dementia: a systematic review, Epidemiology, 2013
Photo by Elena Paravantes © All Rights Reserved
Hi Elena,
I love your Med diet manifesto!
Do you think that we shouldn’t call it Med diet because not all Med countries have the same “healthy” diet?
For example some they dont consume (enough) olive oil, zero pork or alcohol.
I see today more scientists call it Greek diet or Cretan diet. Probably because in Greece they consume every food without restrictions and the most olive oil.
I would like to read your opinion.
Thank you,
Pavlos
Thank you Pavlos! Yes, I have written extensively about this issue. Check these posts: https://www.olivetomato.com/the-mediterranean-diet-a-misleading-term/
and https://www.olivetomato.com/greecemediterraneandiet/
Hi Elena,
I’m wondering if you have any guidelines for healthy weight gain following a Mediterranean diet? Obviously it depends heavily on the person and the situation so it’s not really a fair question, but is there any general advice / ‘good practice’ that comes to mind? (I could specify that this is about ‘regular’ weight gain following an illness – I’m not looking to body-build or anything like that…)
Thanks so much!
Elena, I love your blog. I’ve been following you for 5 years and have seen miraculous changes in my health and life.
I just saw this study which adds one more reason to go Mediterranean- nutrients for eye health. Here’s the link from Science Daily:
Naoko A Chapman, Robert J Jacobs, Andrea J Braakhuis. Role of diet and food intake in age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review. Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology, 2018; DOI: 10.1111/ceo.13343
Elena, Off the topic but might interest you.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/jewish-community-in-cretes-last-survivor-watches-its-rebirth-with-gratitude/
Enjoy your site.
Regards,
Mo
Dear Elena, you have a funny typo – “Helps you love longer”, but of course if it helps circulatory health, that is also true!
That fish looks so good. What is it – sardines, anchovies or something else?
Ha Ha Thanks, Yes I guess it would help you love longer! Those are grilled sardines.
My doctor told me to follow the Mediterranean diet because of my heart disease and borderline diabetes.
It is a good diet to control your glucose levels and the original heart healthy diet . Good Luck!