1 of 11
The Mediterranean-style diet has been all the rage in recent years. This eating pattern is built on the fundamentals of healthy eating—emphasizing fresh produce, lean meats, whole grains, and healthy fats—and is colorful, delicious, and satisfying. No wonder it perennially lands atop U.S. News & World Report’s list of outstanding diets. There are loads of factors that earn this eating pattern its strong ranking, including simplicity and heart-health benefits.
"When compared to a low-fat diet, it has a moderate impact on weight loss, but I think there are more health benefits people can reap, like lower blood pressure and reduced risk for heart disease and diabetes," says Lauren Zimmerman, RD, a dietitian in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
A wealth of research backs this up, too. Read on to learn about the serious advantages to adopting a Mediterranean-style diet.
Sources: American Heart Association. What is the ... + 18
- American Heart Association. What is the Mediterranean Diet? Page last reviewed January 9, 2020.
- Mayo Clinic. Mediterranean diet for heart health. July 15, 2023.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mental Health Conditions: Depression and Anxiety. Page last reviewed September 14, 2022.
- Cleveland Clinic. How Exercise Affects Your Sleep. November 10, 2020.
- Mayo Clinic. Napping: Do's and don'ts for healthy adults. November 9, 2022.
- DeAngelis, Tori. “That salad isn’t just good for your nutrition—it may help stave off depression.” American Psychological Association. June 1, 2023.
- Selvaraj R, Selvamani TY, Zahra A, et al. Association Between Dietary Habits and Depression: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 2022 Dec 9;14(12):e32359.
- Akhlaghi M, Kohanmoo A. Sleep deprivation in development of obesity, effects on appetite regulation, energy metabolism, and dietary choices. Nutr Res Rev. 2023 Oct 31:1-21.
- Scoditti E, Tumolo MR, Garbarino S. Mediterranean Diet on Sleep: A Health Alliance. Nutrients. 2022 Jul 21;14(14):2998.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tips for Better Sleep. Page last reviewed September 13, 2022.
- Milenkovic T, Bozhinovska N, Macut D, et al. Mediterranean Diet and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Perpetual Inspiration for the Scientific World. A Review. Nutrients. 2021 Apr 15;13(4):1307.
- Zhu Q, Shu L, Zhou F, et al. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and risk of gastric cancer: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2023 Sep 8;10:1259453.
- Morze J, Danielewicz A, Przybyłowicz K, et al. An updated systematic review and meta-analysis on adherence to mediterranean diet and risk of cancer. Eur J Nutr. 2021 Apr;60(3):1561-1586.
- Fu J, Tan LJ, Lee JE, et al. Association between the mediterranean diet and cognitive health among healthy adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2022 Jul 28;9:946361.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Know Your Risk for Heart Disease. Page last reviewed March 21, 2023.
- Laffond A, Rivera-Picón C, Rodríguez-Muñoz PM, et al. Mediterranean Diet for Primary and Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality: An Updated Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2023 Jul 28;15(15):3356.
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The Nutrition Source: Potassium. Page last reviewed March 2023.
- Wang Y, Hao Q, Su L, et al. Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and the Risk of Frailty in Old People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging. 2018 May 22;5(613-618).
- Karam G, Agarwal A, Sadeghirad B, et al. Comparison of seven popular structured dietary programmes and risk of mortality and major cardiovascular events in patients at increased cardiovascular risk: systematic review and network meta-analysis. BMJ 2023;380:e072003.
