5.3 Mediterranean Diets

The Mediterranean diet emphasises eating primarily plant-based foods, such as vegetables and fruits, whole grains, legumes and nuts. Unprocessed meat is included along with what many proponents believe is the key food – cold-pressed organic olive oil. Figure 6.1 shows the basic composition of the Mediterranean diet and the amounts of food consumed to support health.

There are many studies demonstrating the health benefits of this whole food diet, especially in supporting the gut microbiome and increasing longevity. Please read the following articles that make up part of the Advanced course content:

• High level adherence to a Mediterranean diet beneficially impacts the gut microbiota and associated metabolome
• The Mediterranean diet and ADHD in children and adolescents.
• The Mediterranean diet has components that may extend life.

It’s believed that one of the main keys to the health status this diet can confer is the use of high quality virgin olive oil, even though this is deemed a high fat food. The key is the type of olive oil – one that is cold-pressed, organic and an extra virgin oil ensures that there are still the key phytonutrients, i.e. polyphenol antioxidants and mono-unsaturated fatty acids, present. Please read the following short article that makes up part of the course content:

• Olive oil and the hallmarks of ageing

The food pyramid in Figure 5.1 also recommends an increase in the amount of fish over meat and dairy, which also supports health. However, the pyramid shows that the basis of food intake comes primarily from whole grains, bread, pasta, nuts and beans. As we will go on to discuss, grains, including wheat, can disrupt digestion and even lead to symptoms of IBS and other gut disorders. This is the main disadvantage of recommending this dietary approach.

Summary of the Mediterranean Diet

• There are many ways of eating for health all based around a common theme of increasing plant matter, reducing meat, dairy, sugar and processed foods, and increasing fish intake.
• The Mediterranean diet also focuses on including beneficial dietary oils by recommending 1-2tbsp daily extra virgin, organic, cold-pressed olive oil and increasing oil fish to 2-3 times per week to increase beneficial EFA.

Please make sure you’ve read the following articles, which make up part of the course content:

• High level adherence to a Mediterranean diet beneficially impacts the gut microbiota and associated metabolome.
• The Mediterranean diet and ADHD in children and adolescents.
• The Mediterranean diet has components that may extend life.
• Olive oil and the hallmarks of ageing.