A healthy-eating model called mediterranean diet

Abstract

Mediterranean Diet refers to dietary patterns found in the olive tree-growing areas of the Mediterranean basin before the mid-1960s. The main characteristics of this pattern are: the high consumption of abundant plant foods; fresh and varied fruits as the main and usual dessert; olive oil as the main source of fat and commonly used for salads and cooking; frequent consumption of fish; moderate wine consumption with meals; low amounts of meat; and low to moderate consumption of dairy products. Over the last few decades, the Mediterranean Diet has been recognized for its nutritional composition and effects on human health because it shows an excellent profile of macronutrients and essential micronutrients. Several observational studies with longitudinal design as well as two important clinical trials (PREDIMED and Lyon Hearth Study) have demonstrated the favorable role of this dietary pattern in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease.