to be eaten no more than once a month. The pyr-
amid may be found online at http://www.mediterra
neandietinfo.com/Mediterranean-Food-Pyramid.htm
and several other nutrition websites.The Cretan diet
The Cretan version of the Mediterranean diet as it
was used on the island in the 1960s was distinctive in
several respects because it contained:
A higher proportion of total calories from fat (40% ),
almost all of it from olive oil. It was low in animal
fats (butter was rarely eaten) and saturated fats.
A relatively low level of carbohydrate intake (45% of
daily calories), with most of the carbohydrates coming
from fruits (2 to 3 per day) and vegetables (2 to 3 cups
per day)—many of them foods with a low glycemic
index. Vegetables are an integral part of meals in the
Cretan diet—they are not considered side dishes.
Generous portions of whole-grain bread (8 slices per
day). The bread was made from slowly fermented
dough, however, and had a lower glycemic index
than most contemporary breads.
Moderate intake of fish (about 40 grams per day),
which, however, is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
A higher intake of meat than in most versions of the
Mediterranean diet, mostly as lamb, chicken, or pork.
High intake of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA; an omega-
3 fatty acid thought to lower the risk of heart disease)
from nuts (particularly walnuts), seeds, wild greens
(particularly purslane [Portulaca oleracea]), and
legumes. Lamb is also a good source of ALA.Online versions of the Mediterranean diet
Two of the diets available through eDiets.com as
of early 2007 are Mediterranean-type diets, the New
Mediterranean Diet and theSonoma Diet. Both plans
are recipe-based, are customized to incorporate foods
that the dieter enjoys, and provide personalized
weekly meal plans. The New Mediterranean Diet
costs $4.49 per week, with a minimum enrollment of
12 weeks, or $53.88 for the three-month trial period.
The Sonoma Diet, which is an adaptation of the tradi-
tional Mediterranean diet to foods more commonly
available in the United States, costs $5 per week for a
minimum enrollment period of five weeks. The
Sonoma Diet comes with a portion guide and wine
guide as well as a customized weekly meal plan.Function
The function of Mediterranean diets as used in the
United States and Western Europe is primarily pre-ventive health care and only secondarily as a means to
weight loss. There are several books available with
weight-loss regimens based on Mediterranean diets,
as well as cookbooks with recipes from a variety of
Mediterranean countries.Benefits
Preventive health care
Most of the scientific research that has been done
on Mediterranean diets concerns their role in prevent-
ing or lowering the risk of various diseases.
HEART DISEASE.Mediterranean diets became pop-
ular in the 1980s largely because of their association
with lowered risk of heart attacks and stroke, partic-
ularly in men, following the publication of the Seven
Countries study. Mediterranean diets are thought to
protect against heart disease because of their high
levels ofomega-3 fatty acidseven though blood cho-
lesterol levels are not lowered.
ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE.A study published inAnnals
of Neurologyin 2006 reported that subjects in a group
of 2000 participants averaging 76 years of age who
followed a Mediterranean-type diet closely were less
likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those who did not.
Further study is needed, however, to discover whether
factors other than diet may have affected the outcome.
ASTHMA AND ALLERGIES.A group of researchers in
Crete reported in 2007 that the low rate of wheezing
and allergic rhinitis (runny nose) on the island may be
related to the traditional Cretan diet. Children who
had a high consumption of nuts, grapes, oranges,
apples, and tomatoes (the main local products) were
less likely to suffer from asthma or nasal allergies.
Children who ate large amounts of margarine, how-
ever, were more likely to develop these conditions.
METABOLIC SYNDROME.Research conducted at a
clinic in Naples, Italy, suggests that Mediterranean
diets lower the risk of developing or reversing the
effects of metabolic syndrome, a condition associated
with insulin resistance and an increased risk of heart
disease and type 2 diabetes. The results from this clinic
were corroborated by a study done at Tufts University
in Massachusetts, which found that the symptoms of
metabolic syndrome were reduced even in patients
who did not lose weight on the diet.Weight loss
Some population studies carried out in Mediter-
ranean countries (particularly Italy and Spain) have
found that close adherence to a traditional Mediterra-
nean diet is associated with lower weight and a lowerMediterranean diet