Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is one of the most well-researched diets and has been proven to help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia and diabetes in addition to improved mental health and longevity. It is recognised by the World Health Organization as a healthy and sustainable dietary pattern.

In the 1960s interest started to arise in the mediterranean diet from observational studies which showed people in this region had a lower risk of developing various chronic conditions. The Mediterranean diet also includes social and cultural factors such as eating with friends and family, post-meal siestas and lengthy meal times. These habits promote positive social connections and a less stressful outlook on life

What does a Mediterranean diet look like?

A Mediterranean dietary pattern is abundant in vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and extra virgin olive oil. Fish and poultry feature more often than red meat (1-2/week maximum)

A sample of what a day’s menu could look like when eating close to the style of a Mediterranean diet could be:

Breakfast: Greek yoghurt with berries and unsalted nuts/seeds

Lunch: Sandwich (wholegrain bread), hummus/tuna/chicken and salad/vegetables such as tomato and cucumber/onion/pepper/spinach etc

Dinner: Salmon/White fish/chicken with leafy green salad/vegetables-courgette/aubergine/peppers/onion etc, canned beans and extra virgin olive oil

The Mediterranean diet limits highly processed convenience foods, refined grains, sugary drinks, high sugar foods, and processed meats such as salami, sausages and bacon. The Mediterranean lifestyle that goes with the diet involves regular physical activity, sharing of meals with other people, and reducing stress levels.

Top tips

·         Eat 5-6 serves of vegetables each day

·         Use extra virgin olive oil as your main cooking and dressing oil

·         Each week, replace a meat-based meal with one containing legumes like lentils, chickpeas or kidney beans

·         Aim to eat oily fish at least twice a week such as salmon, sardines, mackerel or herring

·         Enjoy fresh fruit each day