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Why is it a good idea to eat based on a Mediterranean diet?

A Mediterranean diet is one that includes lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and fewer meats and sweets. There are many reasons why eating a Mediterranean diet is a good idea. From research, we know that it can help prevent many diseases. It can help you to¹

• Lose weight²
• Lower your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke^2,3
• Prevent many cancers^4-6
• Avoid diabetes³
• Prevent dementia⁷

It can also reduce wheezing and asthma in children and reduce hip fractures in women over the age of 50.^8,9

Another important part of being healthy is having healthy bacteria in your intestines.¹⁰ Everyone has bacteria in the intestines, or the gut. Some bacteria are healthier than others. The foods you eat determine which bacteria live in your intestines. Eating a Mediterranean diet helps make sure that you have healthy bacteria. We also know that people who eat a Mediterranean diet live longer and are healthier overall.¹¹

We know that eating a diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables and less meat helps the environment, too.¹² It takes more grain, land and fuel to feed and transport animals than it does to feed people. Eating a Mediterranean diet is one way we can protect our forests.

What is a Mediterranean diet?

A Mediterranean diet is a pattern of eating based on what people from Crete, Greece and Southern Italy ate in the 1950s and 1960s. At that time, people from those regions were the healthiest, even if they didn’t have good medical care. They lived longer. They also had fewer diseases.¹³

What if I don't like typical Mediterranean foods? What can I do?

The Mediterranean diet is one example of a traditional diet.¹³ Traditional diets are the foods eaten by people from different parts of the world in the 1950s and 1960s. This was before people ate as many processed foods as they do today. All regions have traditional diets: Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Arctic, and Europe. All traditional diets are healthier than more modern diets. They have a few things in common. They all emphasize eating meals together with friends and family and being physically active. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are eaten at each meal. Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese) are eaten a few times per week in some cultures. Meat is eaten less often. Sweets are eaten only on occasion. Fruits are eaten for dessert.

An Asian traditional diet may include rice, noodles and soybeans. A Latin American diet may have beans and corn. These diets may include different vegetables and different spices. But research shows that traditional diets are healthier than modern ones that have processed foods and sugar.¹⁴ Processed foods are those that come in bags, boxes or cans. They may have artificial ingredients to make them last longer. Visit Oldways for information on other traditional diets. One reason that traditional diets are healthier is that they are anti-inflammatory diets.

What is an anti-inflammatory diet?

Inflammation is a natural way the body protects itself. It is how the body fights off infections and sends blood to areas that need healing. It is what causes an infected area to be red, warm, swollen, and painful.

However, too much inflammation can cause disease—arthritis, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis), chronic pain and fibromyalgia, dementia, and cancer.¹⁵

What we eat can cause inflammation in our bodies. We know some foods that can cause inflammation: red meat, dairy, refined and simple carbohydrates (white flour, sugar, white rice, white pasta), processed foods and alcohol. (Processed foods are those that have a long shelf life such as crackers, cookies and foods that are in boxes, bags or cans).

Other foods lower inflammation in our bodies. These include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, whole grains, and fish. All traditional diets have foods that lower inflammation. The Mediterranean diet is one example of a traditional diet. It has been studied by many researchers.

How do I eat a Mediterranean diet?

Please refer to the pyramid diagram on the next page. Begin at the base of the pyramid.

• Every day:
  • Be physically active, eat meals with friends and family
  • Eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices
• At least twice per week:
  • Eat fish or seafood
• A few times per week, eat in small amounts:
  • Low fat dairy (cheese, yogurt)
  • Eggs
  • Poultry
• Eat less often (once per week or less)
  • Red meat
  • Sweets
• Drink:
  • Mostly water
  • Wine in moderation (For women: up to 1 glass daily, with no more than 7 glasses per week. For men: up to 1-2 glasses daily, with no more than 10 glasses per week).

Figure 1. Oldways Mediterranean Diet Pyramid.¹³

Reprinted with permission from Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust.

For you to consider:

• Do you want to try eating based on a Mediterranean diet?
• Is there a different traditional diet you would like to try? For example, African, Asian, Latin American, vegetarian, or vegan?
• Why is eating in one of these ways important to you?
• You are more likely to be successful if you set clear goals.
  • What changes will you make first as you start to eat this way?
  • When will you start eating this way?
  • What changes will you make next? When will you make these changes?

The information in this handout is general. Please work with your health care team to use the information in the best way possible to promote your health and happiness.

For more information:

ORGANIZATION	TITLE	DESCRIPTION
Osher Center for Integrative Health	Osher Center for Integrative Health Resource Library	A variety of Integrative Whole Health handouts
Veterans Health Administration	Discover What Matters: Live Whole Health	Veterans talk about the Whole Health approach and why discovering what matters most improves their health and well-being
Oldways Cultural Food Traditions	What is the Mediterranean Diet?	Guidelines, recipes, and studies supporting the use of a Mediterranean Diet

What we know about integrative health care has come to us thanks to the efforts, experiences, and collective wisdom of people from many cultures and backgrounds. We wish to acknowledge all the healers, researchers, patients, and peoples who have informed the content of this tool.

Author(s)

This handout was adapted for the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from the original written by Suhani Bora, MD.

Originally Created: March 2017, Updated: April 2022

References

1. Mediterranean diet brochure. Oldways. Accessed June 22, 2025. https://oldwayspt.org/product/welcome-to-the-mediterranean-diet-trifold-brochure-100-pcs/

2. Garcia-Fernandez E, Rico-Cabanas L, Rosgaard N, Estruch R, Bach-Faig A. Mediterranean diet and cardiodiabesity: a review. Nutrients. Sep 2014;6(9):3474-500. doi:10.3390/nu6093474

3. Estruch R, Ros E, Salas-Salvado J, et al. Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet. The New England journal of medicine. Apr 4 2013;368(14):1279-90. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1200303

4. Filomeno M, Bosetti C, Bidoli E, et al. Mediterranean diet and risk of endometrial cancer: a pooled analysis of three Italian case-control studies. Br J Cancer. May 26 2015;112(11):1816-21. doi:10.1038/bjc.2015.153

5. Schwingshackl L, Hoffmann G. Adherence to Mediterranean diet and risk of cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. international journal of cancer. Oct 15 2014;135(8):1884-97. doi:10.1002/ijc.28824

6. Toledo E, Salas-Salvado J, Donat-Vargas C, et al. Mediterranean diet and invasive breast cancer risk among women at high cardiovascular risk in the PREDIMED trial: a randomized clinical trial. Jama Nov 2015;175(11):1752-60. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.4838

7. van de Rest O, Berendsen AA, Haveman-Nies A, de Groot LC. Dietary patterns, cognitive decline, and dementia: a systematic review. Adv Nutr. Mar 2015;6(2):154-68. doi:10.3945/an.114.007617

8. Haring B, Crandall CJ, Wu C, et al. Dietary patterns and fractures in postmenopausal women: results from the women's health initiative. Jama May 1 2016;176(5):645-52. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.0482

9. Garcia-Marcos L, Castro-Rodriguez JA, Weinmayr G, Panagiotakos DB, Priftis KN, Nagel G. Influence of Mediterranean diet on asthma in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. Jun 2013;24(4):330-8. doi:10.1111/pai.12071

10. Haro C, Garcia-Carpintero S, Alcala-Diaz JF, et al. The gut microbial community in metabolic syndrome patients is modified by diet. Journal of nutritional biochemistry. Jan 2016;27:27-31. doi:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2015.08.011

11. Saulle R, Semyonov L, La Torre G. Cost and cost-effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet: results of a systematic review. Nutrients. Nov 2013;5(11):4566-86. doi:10.3390/nu5114566

12. Erb KH, Lauk C, Kastner T, Mayer A, Theurl MC, Haberl H. Exploring the biophysical option space for feeding the world without deforestation. Nat Commun. 2016;7:11382. doi:10.1038/ncomms11382

13. Mediterranean diet. Accessed June 16, 2016, http://www.oldwayspt.org/traditional-diets/mediterranean-diet

14. Why traditional diets? Accessed June 16, 2016, http://www.oldwayspt.org/traditional-diets/why-traditional-diets

15. Kohatsu W. The Anti Inflammatory Diet. In: Rakel D, ed. Integrative Medicine. 3rd ed. Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc; 2012:795-802.