By Judith Riddle
Vol. 23, No. 5, P. 6
It’s that time again to celebrate the Mediterranean diet, the highly esteemed eating pattern that continues to hold the No. 1 spot in several categories listed in
U.S. News & World Report’s annual diet rankings.
The Med diet, which has evolved over 5,000 years, is the traditional diet of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, including France, Italy, Spain, Morocco, and Greece. It’s centered predominantly on an abundance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish and seafood, olives and olive oil, and capers, as well as small portions of dairy and meat and the occasional glass of red wine. The traditional diet is high in monounsaturated fats, antioxidants, carotenoids, vitamin C, tocopherols (vitamin E), polyphenols (flavonoids in particular), anthocyanins, other vitamins and minerals, and dietary fiber.