Mediterranean Mezze Feast for Two – Part 2

“Mediterranean diet: Choose this heart-healthy diet option The Mediterranean diet is a heart-healthy eating plan combining elements of Mediterranean-style cooking. Here's how to adopt the Mediterranean diet.

By Mayo Clinic staff

If you're looking for a heart-healthy eating plan, the Mediterranean diet might be right for you. The Mediterranean diet incorporates the basics of healthy eating — plus a splash of flavorful olive oil and perhaps a glass of red wine — among other components characterizing the traditional cooking style of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.

Most healthy diets include fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains, and limit unhealthy fats. While these parts of a healthy diet remain tried-and-true, subtle variations or differences in proportions of certain foods may make a difference in your risk of heart disease.

Benefits of the Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is thought to reduce your risk of heart disease. In fact, a 2007 study conducted in the United States found that both men and women who consumed a Mediterranean diet lowered their risk of death from both heart disease and cancer.

Key components of the Mediterranean diet include:

• Getting plenty of exercise and eating your meals with family and friends

• Eating a generous amount of fruits and vegetables

• Consuming healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil

• Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods

• Eating small portions of nuts

• Drinking red wine, in moderation, for some

• Consuming very little red meat

• Eating fish or shellfish at least twice a week”