There are over 20 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, with very different cultures and many differences in their diets.
Many diets across the Mediterranean do not conform to the Mediterranean Diet, even in the same country, as researchers have observed. Scientific evidence exists mainly for the diets of Greece, Italy and Spain. So, this stricter definition helps us to provide more specific guidance making the Mediterranean diet more understandable.
Here are the 10 golden rules of the Mediterranean diet:
- Food comes mainly from plant sources, such as fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts, cereals. Vegetables are the main course, while meat or poultry is a complementary dish, which is not eaten every day.
- Food processing is minimal. Meals consist of simple homemade vegetable-based dishes.
- Local and seasonal foods are preferred (often maximising micronutrient and antioxidant content, which promote good health) and are better for the environment.
- Olive oil is the main source of fat, replacing other fats and oils (including butter and margarine). Extra virgin olive oil is used for all cooking needs, such as baking, sautéing and frying.
- Daily consumption of low to moderate amounts of cheese and yoghurt.
- Weekly consumption of low to moderate amounts of fish and poultry (recent research shows that fish is somewhat preferred to poultry) and consumption of zero to four eggs per week.
- Fresh fruit as a typical daily dessert. Sweets with a significant amount of sugar (often honey) and saturated fats are consumed no more than a few times a week and usually only during the holidays.
- Red meat is consumed a few times a month (recent research shows that if you eat red meat, your red meat consumption should be limited to 340 to 450 grams per month).
- Moderate wine consumption, usually with meals. About one, to two glasses a day for men and one glass a day for women.
- The true Mediterranean diet is a moderate carbohydrate diet (about 40% carbohydrate) with moderate to slightly increased fat (35-40%).
