Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is a dietary pattern traditionally followed by countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, including Greece, southern Italy, and Spain. It emphasizes a high intake of plant-based foods, healthy fats, and moderate consumption of animal products, contributing to its recognition as one of the healthiest dietary patterns globally.

What are the Health Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean diet comes with many health benefits, including protection against cardiovascular and metabolic disorders and cognitive deficits.

Mediterranean Diet

Dietary Fiber: Health Benefits, Food Sources, and Daily Needs

The Principles of the Blue Zone Diet

The MIND Diet Explained: Foods That Fight Cognitive Decline

The Healthy Fats: How Olive Oil Fits into a Nutrient-Rich Diet

The Effect of Diet on Mental Health

What are the Health Benefits of Nuts?

How Healthy Diets May Protect you from Dementia

Pecans and Health: Evidence from Clinical Studies

Do Superfoods Really Exist?

A Guide to Maintaining a Healthy Memory

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The Effects of a Plant-Based Diet on Gut Health

The Healthy Eating Index: How Well Does Your Diet Score?

Is Olive Oil Good for You? Evidence-Based Health Effects Explained

Latest Mediterranean Diet News and Research

Mediterranean diet benefits identified by SPARC levels

A new study published in Life Metabolism reports that a single post-meal blood biomarker, 1-hour postprandial SPARC (SPARC-1H), can predict who will benefit most from adopting a Mediterranean diet.

29 Nov 2025

Urban households across Barcelona show low or moderate adherence to Mediterranean diet

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet in urban households across Barcelona is low or moderate, despite its widely recognized benefits for cardiovascular, metabolic, and mental health.

26 Nov 2025

Ultra-processed foods make up one-fifth of Italian calories - here’s who's most affected

Italian researchers found that ultra-processed foods make up about 20 percent of daily calories in adults, with younger, single, and Northern residents consuming the most. Higher adherence to the Mediterranean Diet was strongly linked to lower UPF intake across all sociodemographic groups.

24 Nov 2025

Can diet calm early memory problems? Anti-inflammatory Mediterranean eating shows promise

Older women who follow a strongly anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet report far fewer subjective memory complaints than those who do not. The AnMED pattern outperforms both traditional Mediterranean and MIND diets, showing a clear advantage for protecting early cognitive symptoms.

24 Nov 2025

Vegan diet with unhealthy plant foods promotes greater weight loss than Mediterranean diet

Eating a vegan diet increases consumption of plant-based foods-including those defined as "unhealthy" by the plant-based diet index-leading to greater weight loss than the Mediterranean diet, finds a new analysis by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine published in Frontiers in Nutrition.

24 Nov 2025

Does coffee truly boost memory and focus or is it all hype?

Coffee’s bioactive compounds, especially caffeine, show potential cognitive, neuroprotective, and neuroplasticity benefits across animal and human studies. However, most findings are observational, mechanisms remain uncertain, and optimal intake is still unclear.

23 Nov 2025

Combined healthy eating and exercise linked to greater reductions in visceral fat

Improving diet and increasing physical activity levels together may be more effective at preventing weight gain – particularly harmful fat inside the abdomen – than just changing one of these behaviours, new research from the University of Cambridge suggests.

21 Nov 2025

Eating lean beef as part of MED diet could improve gut diversity

Incorporating lean beef into a Mediterranean diet reduces TMAO levels and improves gut health, highlighting the importance of dietary patterns for wellness.

21 Nov 2025

Lean beef fits safely into a Mediterranean diet without raising heart disease risk

Eating moderate amounts of lean beef as part of a Mediterranean diet does not increase an emerging risk factor for cardiovascular disease, according to a new study by an interdisciplinary research team at Penn State.

19 Nov 2025

Reclassifying wine intake reshapes the Mediterranean diet’s cognitive impact

Higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet was not associated with better cognition when wine was scored as a “beneficial” component. When wine was reverse scored, Mediterranean diet adherence showed a modest positive association with MMSE performance and a borderline link with MoCA in Portuguese older adults at high dementia risk.

17 Nov 2025

Which plant-based diet is healthiest and most sustainable

Vegan and vegetarian diets deliver nutrient adequacy on par with Mediterranean diets, while lowering carbon footprints and promoting environmental health.

13 Nov 2025

How modern habits are reshaping the Mediterranean diet for the worse

Nearly all children and adolescents in five Mediterranean countries consume unhealthy ultra-processed foods daily, according to the DELICIOUS Project. The study links higher intake to obesity, older age, screen time, eating out, and exposure to food advertising.

9 Nov 2025

How diet affects aging metabolism differently for men and women

Research reveals sex-based differences in diet's impact on metabolism, highlighting plant proteins for men and moderate wine for women in older adults.

7 Nov 2025

Gluten-free guide lifts diet quality for children but lasting change needs support

A new pilot RCT in children with celiac disease found that a single counselling session using a Gluten-Free Food Guide (GFFG) temporarily improved diet quality, variety, and milk intake but the benefits faded within six months. Ongoing support may be essential for lasting dietary change.

6 Nov 2025

Eating habits tied to Parkinson’s risk: sweets and processed meats raise odds, fruit lowers them

In a large Italian case-control study, researchers identified data-driven dietary patterns linked to Parkinson’s disease risk. Diets rich in sweets, red and cured meats were associated with higher odds of PD, while fruit, especially citrus, was protective.

29 Oct 2025

Mediterranean diet linked to dramatically lower odds of endometriosis

A new case–control study found that women with stronger adherence to the Mediterranean diet had dramatically lower odds of endometriosis. Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, and legumes were protective, while higher intakes of meat, dairy, and refined whole grains were linked to increased risk.

22 Oct 2025

Mediterranean-style diets improve pelvic floor function and sexual health, review finds

This systematic review and meta-analysis of 31 studies reveals that healthy, anti-inflammatory dietary patterns, particularly the Mediterranean and DASH diets, are linked to improved sexual function and reduced incontinence symptoms in pelvic floor dysfunction. However, prospective evidence for incontinence improvement remains limited, suggesting that benefits may be mediated by metabolic and inflammatory pathways, especially in individuals with obesity or metabolic syndrome.

19 Oct 2025

Healthy diet may double life expectancy benefits for frail adults

Research shows that improved diet quality significantly enhances life expectancy in frail older adults, highlighting the importance of nutrition in aging.

8 Oct 2025

Olive oil intake is linked to lower belly fat and healthier weight

Regular consumption of extra-virgin olive oil was associated with lower BMI and waist circumference in a study of more than 16,000 adults. EVOO also mediated over 60% of the Mediterranean diet’s impact on central obesity while showing an independent association with waist circumference.

30 Sep 2025

Mediterranean diet may protect gums by reducing severe periodontitis

This study reveals that the Mediterranean diet may protect against periodontitis, highlighting its benefits for oral health and inflammation reduction.

18 Sep 2025