Introduction
The typical foods and eating practices of those who reside close to the Mediterranean Basin inspired the Mediterranean diet. This sets it apart from Mediterranean food, which is native to and develops naturally in Mediterranean nations. The term "Mediterranean diet" refers to adopting eating habits (diet) typical of the region, which can happen to anybody, anywhere globally.
The main components of this diet include a proportionately high intake of unprocessed grains, legumes, olive oil, fruits, and vegetables, as well as a moderate intake of fish, dairy products (primarily cheese and yogurt), and meat products. Olive oil has been investigated as a possible health factor for lowering chronic disease risk and death from all causes.
In observational studies, the Mediterranean diet is linked to a decline in all-cause mortality. The Mediterranean diet has been shown to provide health benefits lowers the risk of heart disease and early mortality. The Mediterranean diet is suggested as a healthy eating strategy that may lower the risk of cardiovascular illnesses and type 2 diabetes by the American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association. The Mediterranean diet may aid obese persons in losing weight. The DASH diet, vegetarianism, and Mediterranean diet are the three healthy diets advocated in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Two primary sources for the MIND diet recommendations are the Mediterranean and DASH diets.
The Mediterranean diet as a nutritional guide differs from the cultural practices that UNESCO listed In 2010, the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity listed the Mediterranean diet not as a specific diet but as "a set of skills, knowledge, rituals, symbols, and traditions concerning crops, harvesting, fishing, animal husbandry, conservation, processing, cooking, and particularly the sharing and consumption of food." (Use the term Mediterranean cuisine.) Some of its backers include Cyprus, Croatia, Spain, Greece, Italy, Morocco, and Portugal.
A cardiovascular condition
The Mediterranean diet is among the dietary styles that may lower the risk of cardiovascular illnesses. Little evidence that a Mediterranean diet positively impacts cardiovascular risk factors were revealed in a 2013 Cochrane study. A 2013 meta-analysis compared several diets with controls, including the Mediterranean, vegan, vegetarian, low-glycemic index, low-carb, high-fiber, and high-protein diets. The study found that vegetarian diets had only a weak impact on glycemic control and lipid levels unrelated to weight reduction. In contrast, Mediterranean, low-carb, low-glycemic index, and high-protein diets are successful in lowering indicators of risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Early in 2016, more careful evaluations emerged, raising questions about the caliber of earlier systematic reviews on how a Mediterranean diet affects cardiovascular risk factors. These studies stated that more standardized research was required since there was "little and extremely varied" evidence that a healthy diet may prevent cardiovascular disease. Similar results on the efficacy of a Mediterranean diet in reducing cardiovascular risk factors, such as the risk for hypertension and other cardiovascular illnesses, were obtained in reviews published in 201617.
The Mediterranean diet has high levels of dietary fiber, monounsaturated fat, and minimal quantities of saturated fat. The potential health benefits of olive oil in the Mediterranean diet are one probable cause. Monounsaturated fats are found in olive oil, most notably oleic acid, which is now being studied in clinical settings for possible health advantages. According to Commission Regulation (EU) 432/2012 of May 16, 2012, the European Food Safety Authority Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition, and Allergies has approved health claims regarding olive oil, including protection from blood lipid oxidation by its polyphenols[19] and a contribution to the maintenance of normal blood LDL-cholesterol levels by substituting oleic acid for saturated fats in the diet. A 2014 meta-analysis found that while monounsaturated fatty acids of mixed animal and plant origin had no discernible impact, higher intake of olive oil was associated with a decreased risk of heart disease, stroke, and all-cause death. The American Heart Association mentioned the Mediterranean diet as a healthy eating strategy that may lower the risk of cardiovascular illnesses.
Diabetes
A reduced risk was associated with the Mediterranean diet of type 2 diabetes in two meta-analyses published in 2014; these results were comparable to those of a 2017 analysis. The Mediterranean diet is a healthy eating strategy that may lower the risk of developing diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association and a 2019 study.
Cancer
According to a meta-analysis published in 2008, strict compliance with the Mediterranean diet was linked to with a 6% lower chance of dying from cancer.
According to further research from 2014, following the Mediterranean diet was linked to a lower chance of dying from cancer. Although the evidence was tenuous, analysis from 2017 revealed a decline in the cancer rate. The Mediterranean diet is linked to a 13% decreased risk of cancer death in the general population, according to an updated analysis published in 2021.
Loss of weight in obesity
Those who are overweight and follow a Mediterranean diet may reduce their caloric intake and lose weight. According to research published in 2019, the Mediterranean diet may aid obese persons in reducing their food intake while enhancing the nutritional value of their meals, thus leading to weight loss.
mental capacity
More adherence to a Mediterranean diet was linked to higher cognitive function, according to a comprehensive study from 2016, albeit it is unclear if the link is causative.