Foundation’s objectives include publication and dis-
semination of scientific findings about the diet and
the promotion of its healthful use among different
population groups.
Description
Typical Mediterranean diet
In general, Mediterranean diets have five major
characteristics:
High levels of fruits and vegetables, breads and other
cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts, and seeds.
Olive oil as the principal or only source of fat in the diet.
Moderate amounts of dairy products, fish, and poul-
try; little use of red meat.
Eggs used no more than 4 times weekly.
Wine consumed in moderate amounts—two glasses
per day for men, one glass for women.
Since wine and olive oil are obtained from their
respective plant sources by physical (crushing or press-
ing) rather than chemical processes, their nutrients
retain all the properties of their sources. Wine contains
polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidantsand
also have a relaxing effect on blood vessels, thus low-
ering blood pressure.
The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid is an illustrated
version of this typical dietary pattern. The base of
the pyramid is labeled ‘‘Daily Physical Activity,’’
with four layers of foods consumed on a daily basis
above it. Fish, poultry, eggs, and sweets are in the next
section of the pyramid—foods that may be eaten
weekly. At the very top of the pyramid is red meat,KEY TERMS
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)—A polyunsaturated
omega-3 fatty acid found primarily in seed oils (can-
ola oil, flaxseed oil, and walnut oil), purslane and
other broad-leaved plants, and soybeans. ALA is
thought to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Glycemic index (GI)—A system devised at the Uni-
versity of Toronto in 1981 that ranks carbohydrates
in individual foods on a gram-for-gram basis in
regard to their effect on blood glucose levels in the
first two hours after a meal. There are two commonly
used GIs, one based on pure glucose as the reference
standard and the other based on white bread.
Metabolic syndrome—A group of risk factors related
to insulin resistance and associated with an increased
risk of heart disease. Patients with any three of the
following five factors are defined as having metabolic
syndrome: waist circumference over 102 cm (41 in)
for men and 88 cm (34.6 in) for women; high trigly-
ceride levels in the blood; low levels of HDL choles-
terol; high blood pressure or the use of blood pressure
medications; and impaired levels of fasting blood
glucose (higher than 110 mg/dL).
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)—A group
of antidepressant medications that may interact with
foods used in Mediterranean diets, particularly red
wines and aged cheeses.
Monounsaturated fat—A fat or fatty acid with only
one double-bonded carbon atom in its molecule.
The most common monounsaturated fats are palmi-
toleic acid and oleic acid. They are found naturallyin such foods as nuts and avocados; oleic acid is the
main component of olive oil.
Purslane—A broad-leafed plant native to India,
commonly considered a weed in the United States.
Purslane has the highest level of omega-3 fatty acids
of any leafy vegetable, however, and is eaten fresh in
salads or cooked like spinach as part of the Cretan
diet.
Trans-fatty acid—A type of unsaturated fatty acid
that takes its name from the fact that its alkyl chains
are arranged in the so-called trans configuration (in
which the carbon atoms that have double bonds
form a long chain rather than a kinked shape).
Trans-fatty acids occur naturally in small quantities
in meat and dairy products; however, the largest
single source of trans-fatty acids in the modern diet
is partially hydrogenated plant oils, used in the proc-
essing of fast foods and many snack foods. Trans-
fatty acids are not necessary for human health and
increase the risk of coronary artery disease.
Unsaturated fat—A fat or fatty acid in which there
are one or more double bonds between carbon
atoms in the fatty acid chain, which means that the
compound could absorb more hydrogen atoms. A
saturated fat is one that has no room for more hydro-
gen atoms.
Whole-diet approach—The notion that the benefi-
cial effects of any dietary regimen are produced by
the diet as a whole rather than by one specific food or
other factor.Mediterranean diet