There are parts of the Mediterranean region where normal life expectancy is 90 years or over. The reason? Balanced lifestyle, a drop of red wine and Mediterranean food.

Studies of Mediterranean people show that, not only do they live longer, they have a much better quality of life, suffering far fewer chronic diseases than those eating a Western diet.

WHAT TO EAT

With this in mind, it’s worth incorporating even some of the foods in your diet that Mediterraneans enjoy.

MEDITERRANEAN DIET PYRAMID

The main features of the Mediterranean food pyramid are:

• Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, wholegrains, olive oil, nuts and legumes daily.
• Each week have a few servings of fish, cheese, eggs, poultry and yoghurt.
• Eat red meat and poultry moderately but not every day.

WHAT IS NOT ALLOWED ON THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET?

Mediterranean eating is all about moderation. One to two small glasses of red wine or one or two cups of coffee are beneficial, but have any more than that and they become unhealthy.

Refined sugar is restricted to celebratory events and are not seen as every day foods.

4 TOP MEDITERRANEAN DIET BENEFITS

1. HEART PROTECTOR

The Mediterranean diet is well known for its significant benefits for heart health.

Results of several studies of Mediterranean populations are dramatic. For instance, a study of Greek island-dwellers showed that they had a mortality rate that was 22 times lower than Americans. Scientists were able to link this big difference to the fact that these islanders were using olive oil as their main fat source, and because around 90% of their diet was plant based.

Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants which both help to reduce cholesterol and lower blood pressure and homocysteine levels.

Nuts and avocadoes are also a rich source of monounsaturated fats, and including these in your diet on a daily basis can greatly decrease your risk of heart disease. One study where participants added just 30 g of nuts to a Mediterranean-style diet cut their risk of cardiovascular events by an astonishing 30%.

2. ANTI-CANCER

Mediterranean foods are typically anti-inflammatory and have been shown again and again to reduce risk of many diseases, and have anti-cancer properties.

The list of cancers they help prevent is long and includes:

• endometrial
• stomach
• colorectal
• liver
• and pancreatic cancer.

3. WEIGHT LOSS RESULTS

Not only is this way of eating great for health, it also helps keep you trim. This is mainly because a diet high in plant foods and good fats helps you burn sugar more efficiently in the body and helps you feel fuller for longer.

The diet has been shown to be more effective than a low-fat diet and helps you keep weight off long-term.

4. BRAIN PROTECTOR

Because the Mediterranean diet is so high in antioxidants and good fats, it has very positive benefits for the brain, particularly in reducing risk of degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

One study of people eating Western diets over time showed significantly greater build-up of beta-amyloid proteins in the brain, a key risk factor for Alzheimer’s – compared with those eating more Mediterranean-type foods.