Mediterranean diet

by Lucia Stansbie

The idea of a specifically defined Mediterranean diet comes from a 70s study, in which Ancel Keys compared the risk of CVD in middle-aged men between seven countries, finding that people in the Mediterranean area (specifically Corfu and Crete) had the lowest. ⁠
⁠This study sparked further research on the Mediterranean diet as a cardio-protective diet. Today it is still considered one of the healthiest and most sustainable diets, and is recommended for individuals suffering from diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease.⁠
The main features of the Mediterranean diet are plenty of seasonal vegetables, legumes, more fish than meat, almost no processed foods, occasional sweets and red wine. Olive oil is the main source of fat in this diet, and many studies show how this food is rich in antioxidants and vitamins.