Food & Recipes

The Mediterranean Diet

Consistently a Top-Rated Diet

Nutrition experts tout the traditional Mediterranean diet as a first-rate diet plan.

U.S. News and World Report ranked it second to the DASH diet as best diet overall.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines used a Mediterranean diet template in the design of the U.S. government's My Plate model, which encourages Americans to eat more nutritious whole plant foods and fewer animal foods.

Hands down, it is one of the best diet plans. It tastes delicious, is totally enjoyable, and exactly what the body needs for good health, says Diekman, nutrition director at Washington University in St. Louis.

“For decades, the science continues to grow and support the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet emphasizing the importance of a plant-based diet, healthy fats, and stress relief from family, friends, and regular physical activity," Diekman says.

Adopt a Mediterranean-Style Diet

The Mediterranean diet is considered a model for good health. Research continues to show the Mediterranean diet, based on healthy foods and physical activity, are the prescription for a long, healthy life. It is an excellent, enjoyable lifestyle diet plan that is easy to follow, flexible, and best of all - good for you.

And you don’t need to live along the Mediterranean. “Whether you live in Alaska, Maine, or somewhere in between, you don’t need to travel any farther than your local supermarket to find everything you need to bring the Mediterranean Diet to your own table," Baer-Sinnott says.

Even if you don’t completely follow the dietary pattern, simply eating more of the foods on the plan, making dining more leisurely, and being more active are superb health goals.

Plans like the DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension), My Plate, OMNI Heart diet, and the American Heart Association diet and lifestyle recommendations are very similar healthy eating plans. Following any of these diets is an investment in good health.

Consult WebMD's Mediterranean diet pyramid for more information about foods to eat, portion sizes, and tips for embracing the Mediterranean style of eating.

Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, is director of nutrition for WebMD. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.