The Mediterranean Diet

Written by Kara Mayer Robinson, Kendall K. Morgan
Medically Reviewed by Christine Mikstas, RD, LD on February 18, 2025
9 min read

The Mediterranean diet focuses on eating plant-based, whole foods and healthy sources of fats and proteins. 

It's called the Mediterranean diet because it's based on the way people in Mediterranean countries traditionally eat. But experts now also consider the Mediterranean diet to be the best-known and most well-studied diet in the world. There's plenty of evidence that following this diet has a wide range of health benefits.

There’s no single or strict Mediterranean diet plan. But, in general, you'd be eating lots of fruits and vegetables, beans and nuts, healthy grains, fish, olive oil, small amounts of meat and dairy, and moderate amounts of red wine.

This lifestyle also encourages daily exercise, sharing meals with others, and enjoying it all.

Where did the Mediterranean diet start?

The Mediterranean diet mainly refers to the traditional eating habits of people who live along the Mediterranean Sea, especially in Greece and southern Italy. It refers not just to food but to a more general way of living or lifestyle. The diet includes many plant foods that come from the Mediterranean and other regions.

While this diet emerged naturally in a particular part of the world, recognition of the diet and the term "Mediterranean diet" is credited to Ancel Keys, an American scientist. Keys was one of the first to note a link between diet in the Mediterranean and improved heart health. The diet has since been well studied, with proven benefits for heart health, longevity, and a wide range of other health conditions.

Of course, everyone is different when it comes to food preferences. You may respond to the Mediterranean diet differently than someone else. People also can have different nutritional needs or concerns based on certain health conditions, sensitivities, or predispositions they have. It's always a good idea to talk to a doctor or dietitian before making big changes to your diet. Any specific claims about the Mediterranean diet are not backed by WebMD. But the Mediterranean diet and its health benefits have been widely studied.

The Mediterranean diet works in large part because it aligns with general dietary guidelines, including:

  • Eat foods of many varieties.
  • Eat foods that are low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.
  • Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
  • Limit sugar and salt.
  • Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all

There's evidence the Mediterranean diet may come with health benefits such as:

  • Reducing the risk for cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke
  • Supporting a healthy weight
  • Supporting healthy blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels
  • Lowering the risk for metabolic syndrome and diabetes
  • Supporting a healthy gut microbiome
  • Reducing cancer risk
  • Supporting healthy brain function and thinking with age
  • Increasing lifespan and longevity

These benefits come from the Mediterranean diet, as it:

  • Limits saturated and trans fats in favor of unsaturated fats that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids
  • Limits salt
  • Limits refined grains and sugars
  • Encourages foods naturally high in fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients

To get started on a Mediterranean diet, you'll need to first understand the basic principles. It isn't a strict diet, but it focuses on:

  • Lots of whole vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and beans
  • Olive oil as a primary source of fat
  • Cheese and yogurt, in moderate amounts
  • Fish and poultry, in low or moderate amounts
  • Limited red meat
  • Limited desserts or heavily sweetened foods
  • Wine, often with meals

In general, making changes to your diet is best if you do it slowly. Start with elements that seem most natural to you or easiest. For example, you could:

  • Switch from other oils or butter to olive oil for cooking and salad dressings
  • Snack on nuts or olives
  • Replace refined carbohydrate breads with whole-grain breads
  • Swap white rice for bulgur, barley, farro, couscous, or whole-grain pasta
  • Add more veggies and salads to your meals
  • Replace meats with lentils, chickpeas, or beans a few times a week
  • Drink wine in place of other forms of alcohol
  • Stick to water instead of soda or juice
  • Skip dessert or stick with fresh fruit
  • Choose fresh, whole foods you can buy locally, if possible

The Mediterranean diet is generally safe and healthy to try. But you should talk to a dietitian or nutritionist, especially if you have any specific dietary requirements, food allergies, or sensitivities.

You'll eat mostly plant-based foods, including fruits and vegetables, potatoes, whole-grain bread, beans, nuts, and seeds. But the Mediterranean diet includes a wide range of food choices.

Foods allowed on the Mediterranean diet

Your main foods and food groups will include:

  • Fruits
  • Vegetables
  • Legumes
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Whole grains
  • Seafood
  • Poultry
  • Eggs
  • Olive oil
  • Red wine

Foods to avoid on the Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet isn't strict, but you should generally avoid or limit:

  • Red meat
  • Processed or ultra-processed packaged foods
  • Refined grains and sugars
  • Butter and other saturated or trans fats

Mediterranean diet food list

Some items you may want to add to your shopping list include:

Vegetables. Choose any whole veggies you like and aim for some variety. Examples include squash, artichokes, arugula, beets, cucumber, kale, or potatoes.

Fruits. Anything with a seed is a fruit. Good choices include avocados, apples, apricots, figs, tomatoes, and melons.

Whole grains. Explore some options that may be new to you, such as brown rice, barley, buckwheat, couscous, farro, quinoa, or millet.

Nuts, seeds, and legumes. Options include almonds, cannellini beans, chia seeds, chickpeas, fava beans, flaxseed, pine nuts, and lentils.

Any diet comes with pros and cons. Your list of pros and cons of the Mediterranean diet will depend on your own preferences, health concerns, and other factors. Some factors to consider when thinking through the pros and cons include:

  • You may need to shop more often to have lots of fresh fruits and vegetables on hand.
  • Your shopping changes may affect your grocery bill.
  • You'll need to cook or prepare meals at home more often. 
  • The Mediterranean diet allows for lots of flexibility depending on which foods you enjoy, but you'll need to make choices and find new recipes.
  • Snacks can be simple fruits, nuts, or hummus.
  • The Mediterranean diet and lifestyle include regular exercise.
  • It also encourages enjoying healthy meals with friends and family.

One benefit of the Mediterranean diet is that it’s easy to adjust for different diets, needs, or restrictions. For example, a Mediterranean diet can be:

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Gluten-free
  • Low-sodium

If you plan to follow another type of diet and aren't sure whether a Mediterranean diet will work for you, consult your doctor or dietitian first to be sure. For example, the Mediterranean Renal diet is an adaptation for people with chronic kidney disease. Compared to a standard Mediterranean diet, it includes:

  • Less protein
  • Lower salt
  • Lower phosphate

Depending on your current diet, habits, and nutritional needs, a Mediterranean diet could have some drawbacks, such as:

  • Weight gain
  • Low iron from eating less meat
  • Low calcium from consuming less milk or other dairy products
  • Higher food costs
  • More foods that are perishable

Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RDN, LD, is a registered dietitian nutritionist at No Nonsense Nutrition, LLC, based in Marietta, GA, and a proponent of the Mediterranean diet. WebMD spoke with her about the Mediterranean diet and the evidence for its health benefits.

Does the Mediterranean diet have proven health benefits?

"It is so heavily studied, and there's been just a preponderance of evidence about the benefits of a Mediterranean diet," Zelman says. "There's such a nice variety within the Mediterranean diet, too. If you're in Greece, you're going to eat a little differently than maybe you would in Italy. But yet it's plant-based with reasonable portions. It's lifestyle. It's exercise. It allows for alcohol."

Does the Mediterranean diet work?

Those basic features of the Mediterranean diet, including its adaptability, make it easier than some other diets for many people to follow, Zelman says. Because it isn't rigid, it also can form the basis of a sustainable, lifestyle approach to healthy eating.

"Compared to Weight Watchers, for instance, the Mediterranean diet is much more flexible and I think more adaptable to most people's preferences, disease conditions, and lifestyle," Zelman says. "It offers a great deal of flexibility."

Is it good for certain conditions?

The Mediterranean diet scores big for heart health and longevity , Zelman notes. Studies suggest it may make you less likely to get heart disease, lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, help you manage diabetes, and help you avoid certain cancers and chronic diseases. The benefits for your heart are key, given that heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and worldwide, she says.

"It's really good for just about anyone, unless there may be some very particular things you need to avoid," Zelman says.

Who shouldn't try the Mediterranean diet?

Zelman says that people with certain health conditions, including genetic conditions, that affect their ability to process certain foods or ingredients need to take special precautions with any diet. People with kidney disease also may need to consider other nutrient restrictions. Even then, the Mediterranean diet may offer benefits with some adjustments. Zelman advises working with a registered dietitian nutritionist to help you navigate it.

The final word

Research continues to show the Mediterranean Diet, based on healthy foods and physical activity, is a top choice among diets aimed at heart health, longevity, and many other health benefits.

Even if you don't follow the diet faithfully, simply eating more of the foods that are consistent with this diet, dining more leisurely, and being more active are worthwhile health goals.

"It's survived the test of time," Zelman says. "If you adopt the Mediterranean diet as a lifestyle and not just a diet, and you follow the tenets of whatever Mediterranean preferences you might have — the olive oil and fish and lean protein and whole grains and fruits and vegetables — they're never going out of style. They're never going to be not good for you because they're just so full of phytonutrients and fiber and other nutrients. We've just learned more and more about the benefits of it over time."

You can follow a Mediterranean diet in many ways. Look over the food lists and choose the things you like. Begin by adding foods from these lists at each meal. Be sure to plan ahead, and go to the store with a shopping list. Avoid the packaged food aisles to make it easier. Some recipe ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks include:

Breakfast

  • A slice of whole grain toast with avocado and sunflower seeds
  • Vegetable scramble with a side of fruit
  • Plain yogurt with nuts and fruit

Lunch

  • Greek salad with olives, feta, and olive oil dressing
  • Chickpea and whole grain salad with olive oil and fresh herbs
  • Whole grain pasta salad with plenty of veggies

Dinner

  • Salmon with a side of broccoli and farro
  • Chicken kabob with quinoa and a green salad
  • Lentil curry with brown rice

Snack

  • Orange
  • Nuts
  • Apple and cheese

A Mediterranean diet is heavily plant-based and includes lean protein, healthy fats, some dairy, and olive oil. It's based on the way people traditionally eat in the Mediterranean and has been well-studied. The diet can have benefits for heart health, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and more. But it's always a good idea to talk with a doctor or dietitian first before making big changes to your diet, especially if you have health concerns or sensitivities to particular foods or nutrients.

What kind of snacks can you eat on a Mediterranean diet?

Instead of grabbing a packaged snack, the best snacks for a Mediterranean diet may include a handful of nuts, whole fruit, or raw vegetables with hummus.

How does a Mediterranean diet help reverse fatty liver?

Exercise and healthy eating are important ways to help you manage fatty liver, also called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. The low saturated fats, fruits, vegetables, fiber, and other qualities of the Mediterranean diet may help with this. However, more study is needed to confirm the effects of following a Mediterranean diet on MASLD. Some dietitians do suggest the Mediterranean diet for people with liver disease. But you should talk with your doctor or dietitian before making diet changes to help with MASLD or any other health condition.

How do you eat out on a Mediterranean diet?

Preparing food at home might be easier, but you can also find restaurants with options that fit the Mediterranean diet. You could choose a Mediterranean restaurant or order a dinner salad, vegetable curry, or salmon with a side of vegetables instead of steak. Because it isn't a strict diet, it generally suits many eating preferences.