Mediterranean Diet Food List: How to Follow This Popular Meal Plan

 


Unlike other diets, the Mediterranean diet doesn't have strict rules or cut out any one food group. Instead, it focuses on fresh produce, healthy fats, fish, and whole grains. 

Unlike other popular diets, the Mediterranean diet doesn't involve strict rules like calorie counting or macro tracking. Instead, followers consume foods that are part of the traditional diet of citizens who live in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea—lots of vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and fish. If this sounds like an eating style for you, here's an overview of the specific foods that make up the bulk of the Mediterranean diet, plus the foods you should limit.

Veggies:

Artichokes

Beets

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Carrots

Celery

Cucumbers

Eggplant

Leafy greens

Mushrooms

Onions

Peppers

Potatoes

Sweet potatos

Tomatoes

Zucchini


Fruits:

Apples

Apricots

Berries

Cherries

Citrus

Dates

Figs

Grapes

Melons

Peaches

Pears

Pomegranates


Whole grains:

Barley

Buckwheat

Corn

Millet

Oats

Whole wheat

Whole grain bread

Whole grain pasta

Whole grain rice


Pulses:

Cannellini beans

Chickpeas

Fava beans

Kidney beans

Lentils

Split peas


Healthy fats:

Almonds

Cashews

Hazelnuts

Olives

Pine nuts

Pistachios

Sesame seeds

Tahini

Walnuts


Fish:

Clams

Crab

Eel

Flounder

Herring

Lobster

Mackerel

Mussels

Octopus

Oysters

Salmon

SarHerbsdines

Sea bass

Shrimp

Tuna 


Herbs and spices:

Anise

Basil

Bay leaf

Chiles

Cloves

Cumin

Garlic

Lavender

Marjoram

Mint

Oregano

Parsley

Pepper

Rosemary

Sage

Sumac

Tarragon

Thyme


While the Mediterranean diet doesn't require you to cut out one food group or food entirely, it does encourage people to limit or avoid certain items like:

Red meat . Consumed regularly in small amounts, it can increase the risk of colorectal cancer, according to the American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR).

Sweets . In excess, they boost the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, high blood pressure, and more, according to the American Heart Association.

Highly processed foods. A 2021 study in the journal Nutrients found that each 10% increase in calories from highly processed food was associated with a 15% higher risk of death from all causes.

Specific examples of foods to limit on a Mediterranean Diet include:

Alcohol, other than red wine in moderation

Bacon

Candy

Commercial baked goods

Fast food

Frozen pizza

Ham

Hotdogs

Lunch meat

Pepperoni

Processed cheese

Refined oils

Sausage

Soda and sugary drinks

White bread

White pasta

White rice



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