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The Mediterranean Diet is a nutritional model that stresses limiting red meat and eating large amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil and fish. It is based on the traditional diet of people who live in the regions of Europe and Africa that lie on the Mediterranean Sea (e.g., Greece, Italy, Spain, Morocco, Tunisia).

The Mediterranean diet was developed primarily from the diet of Cretans (people who live on the Greek island of Crete) and generally reflects the diet of much of southern Europe and northern Africa, although the different Mediterranean regions do have somewhat different diets. For example, in Morocco, pastries and couscous are eaten instead of the Italian bread and pasta and, in Turkey, beef and lamb are eaten more often than in southwestern Europe. However, what unites most of the countries of the Mediterranean is their production of olive oil and reliance on fish, fresh fruits and vegetables as a source of nutrition. In the 1950s, scientists discovered that the populations of these countries had a lower rate of heart disease and generally lived longer than most people in northern Europe and America.  

The Mediterranean Diet was produced by combining the various dietary elements of the different Mediterranean countries with modern nutritional information. The diet became popular in the 1990s after scientists found encouraging evidence in support of the claims regarding its benefits for people with a high risk of heart disease. It seems, according to research, that there is not one element of the Mediterranean diet that is more beneficial for the body than any other. Studies have shown that all the elements work in synergy with each other to provide many of the health benefits that its supporters claim.

In 1993, a number of health organizations produced a Mediterranean Diet pyramid to reflect the healthy choices that people who choose to follow the Mediterranean Diet can make. Unlike the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) food guide pyramid, the Mediterranean food pyramid does not give specifics on how much of each food should be consumed. Rather, it indicates the frequency that each food group should appear in an individual’s diet. It is divided into foods that should be consumed daily, weekly and monthly.

In the Mediterranean Diet, the following foods are consumed daily:

• Bread, pasta, rice, couscous, polenta, other whole grains and potatoes. Whole grain bread, pasta and rice are favored over bleached forms since whole grains contain more nutrients.
  
  
• Fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes and nuts. Between 7 and 9 servings of fruits and vegetables are eaten every day on the Mediterranean Diet. This is slightly higher than the USDA recommendation of 5 servings per day. The Mediterranean Diet stresses the importance of eating seasonally fresh and locally-produced fruits and vegetables, which often maximizes the health-promoting micronutrient and antioxidant content of these foods. In addition, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes are consumed on a daily basis. According to the Mediterranean Diet, the most nutritionally valuable nuts are those that come from trees (e.g., walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts).
  
  
• Olive oil and other plant oils. Olive oil is the defining characteristic of the Mediterranean Diet, since it is the one element common in the diets of most of those who live in the Mediterranean region. Proponents of the Mediterranean Diet suggest that most sources of saturated fats (e.g., butter, margarine, lard) should be replaced with olive oil, which is high in healthy monounsaturated fats and low in unhealthy saturated fats. Virgin and extra virgin olive oils are considered healthier because they are the least processed and provide the most antioxidant elements. These types of olive oil are also the most flavorful. In addition to olive oil, other plant oils such as canola oil are used. In the Mediterranean Diet, fats account for up to 40 percent of caloric intake, compared to just 25 percent to 35 percent as recommended by the American Heart Association.
  
  
• Cheese and yogurt. Low-fat cheese (e.g., mozzarella, feta) and low-fat yogurt are consumed daily. High-fat dairy products, such as whole milk and high-fat cheeses, are avoided.
  
  
• Alcohol. The Mediterranean Diet encourages drinking a moderate amount of alcohol, usually red wine, every day. The diet recommends no more than one alcoholic drink per day for women and no more than two alcoholic drinks per day for men. One drink is equal to:
  
  
• • 12 ounces (350 milliliters [ml]) of beer or wine cooler
    
    
  • 4 ounces (150 ml) of wine
    
    
  • 1.5 ounces (45 ml) of 80-proof liquor

It is important that people do not introduce alcohol into their diet for the supposed health benefits – many of the benefits of red wine can also be gained by drinking purple grape juice. It is important for people to discuss the risks and benefits of alcohol with a physician before changing their diet.

The following foods are consumed weekly in the Mediterranean Diet:

• Fish (three to five times per week).
  
  
• Poultry (one to three times per week). Fish is generally preferred over poultry.
  
  
• Eggs. Yolks (including those used in baking and cooking) are restricted to zero to  four per week. Egg whites are eaten freely.
  
  
• Sweets. In the Mediterranean Diet, fresh fruit is normally eaten after dinner instead of sugary, processed desserts. Those sweets that are eaten are often sweetened with honey rather than refined sugars.

Traditionally, red meat is rarely eaten in the Mediterranean Diet because of the abundance of fish and poultry in the region. The Mediterranean Diet pyramid advises that red meat should be eaten very rarely – only a few times per month.

The Mediterranean Diet differs slightly from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which was developed by the U.S. departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA). Some of these differences include:

• Fat. The Mediterranean Diet encourages fat intake through olive oil and nuts (a source of healthy monounsaturated fats), but not through butter or margarine (a source of unhealthy saturated fats). In the Guidelines, all fats are combined in one group (including heart-healthy monounsaturated fats), with recommended serving sizes to maintain a low-fat diet.
  
  
• Meat. The Guidelines make no distinction between red meat (high in saturated fat) and white meat and fish (high in protein and low in fat).
  
  
• Nuts and beans. The Guidelines combines meat, beans and nuts into one category. Portions of nuts and beans that are eaten contribute to the daily recommended meat intake.

Despite these differences, many of the recommendations of the Mediterranean Diet fall within the guidelines set by the USDA, which has endorsed the Mediterranean food pyramid (as well as the Asian and the Latin American food guide pyramids) as an alternative that can be followed alone or in conjunction with the traditional USDA food guide pyramid.