Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet is a collective term for the traditional dietary pattern that has long been common in countries around the Mediterranean, particularly Greece, southern Italy, Spain and Croatia.
What is the Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet is a collective term for the traditional dietary pattern that has long been common in countries around the Mediterranean, particularly Greece, southern Italy, Spain and Croatia.
The pattern is built on a high proportion of vegetables, legumes, fruit, wholegrains, nuts and olive oil, with moderate amounts of fish, dairy and wine. Red meat and processed foods are consumed sparingly.
UNESCO recognised the Mediterranean diet as intangible cultural heritage in 2010.
Why it gets attention
The Mediterranean diet is one of the most studied dietary patterns in nutrition research. Several large studies, including the PREDIMED study, have linked the Mediterranean diet to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions.
It's important to note that the research concerns the dietary pattern as a whole, not individual foods. It is the combination of ingredients and eating habits that appears to be decisive.
Olive oil's role
Olive oil is the primary source of fat in the Mediterranean diet. It's used as a base in cooking, as a dressing and as an accompaniment to bread. In traditional Mediterranean countries, olive oil is consumed daily, often in amounts of 30–50 ml per day.
In the PREDIMED study, one group received extra olive oil (one litre per week) as a supplement to the Mediterranean diet. That group showed significantly lower risk of cardiovascular events compared to the control group.
Olive oil is not just olive oil
What is rarely discussed is that the olive oil in traditional Mediterranean countries is typically locally produced, relatively fresh and has a higher polyphenol content than most of what is sold in grocery stores in Northern Europe.
This means that the olive oil underlying the research differs from the average supermarket oil. Polyphenol content, freshness and handling matter for the oil's nutritional value.
If you want to get closer to what the Mediterranean diet is actually built on, an oil with high polyphenol content, a short time from harvest to pressing and a clear origin is a good starting point.