The Mediterranean and Good Unlike the typical American diet, the traditional Mediterranean diet is high in fiber and low in saturated . However, the Mediterranean diet is not necessarily low in total fat. But, the types of emphasized in the Mediterranean diet are "healthy" monounsaturated fats, like those found in , which do not raise cholesterol levels. There is no one typical Mediterranean diet. Many countries border the and variations in the Mediterranean diet exist between these countries. However, according to the American Heart Association, traditional Mediterranean diets have the following characteristics in common:

Health Benefits There has been a lot of research on the potential health benefits of following the Mediterranean diet. According to studies, this diet may offer these benefits:  Reduce the rate of death in people who have had a heart attack  Reduce the rate of heart attack and in people who have heart disease  Aid in weight loss  Lower the risk of developing  Lower HbA1c levels (a measurement of how well the body uses blood sugar) in people with  Reduce pain in rheumatoid arthritis  Lower the risk of developing  Reduce the risk of —The term "metabolic syndrome" refers to a group of risk factors for . These risk factors include , low amounts of "good" (HDL) cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, and prediabetes.

Helpful Resources  www.cardiosmart.org  www.eatright.org  ChooseMyPlate.gov  https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating

Serving Recommendations Food Group Servings Serving Size Example Tip 2-3 times per week 3-4 ounces Salmon, sardines, Rich in omega 3s herring, tuna and mackerel 3-4 daily 1 medium sized fruit Berries, oranges, Aim for at least 1 1 cup fresh cut , , serving of berries 1/4 cup dried melon, avocados, daily kiwi, dates, pineapple, pear 4-5 daily ½ cup cooked Broccoli, asparagus, Aim for 1 1 cup raw eggplant, squash, cruciferous, 2 leafy zucchini, Brussel greens, and 2 other sprouts, cauliflower, vegetables daily spinach, kale, bell peppers, mushrooms, onion Whole grains and 3-6 daily ½ cup cooked Oats, barley, quinoa, Aim for equal starchy vegetables 1 slice of brown rice, sweet servings daily of 1 oz dry , red skin whole grains and potato, starchy vegetables. whole/sprouted grain Be sure that bread, couscous, “whole” is your first ingredient for and Beans and 1-3 daily ¼ cup hummus or Any beans, black- Use in place of bean dip, ½ cup eyed peas, green cooked, 1 cup fresh beans, chickpeas, peas or sprouted edamame, peas, lentils lentils, miso, Nuts and seeds At least 3 per week ¼ cup, 2 Tbsp or Walnuts, hazelnuts, Choose raw, seed almonds, pumpkin unsalted and dry seeds, sunflower roasted seeds, cashews, macadamia nuts

Additional recommendations:  Extra virgin olive oil used as a common monounsaturated fat source. At least 1 Tbsp per day (no more than 4 Tbsp per day).  Low-to-moderate amounts of dairy products (mostly and ) Limit cheese to 3 servings per week. Tip: Choose fat-free or 1% , yogurt and cottage cheese. Eat natural, light or part-skim cheese. Avoid whole-milk dairy, cream and cream-based sauces and dressings.  Low-to-moderate amounts of eggs (zero to four times per week)  1 tablespoon ground flaxseed per day. Tip: Mix in a smoothie or oatmeal.  Low-to-moderate amounts of (one glasses of red wine per day), normally consumed with . If you do not drink alcohol, there is no reason to start.  Avoid . No more than 2 times per month.  Avoid saturated fats (fried food, cookies, cakes etc)

7-day Plan Here is an example of a 7-day Mediterranean diet meal plan:

Day 1 Breakfast Lunch Dinner  one boiled egg (sliced)  2 cups of mixed salad  whole-grain with  whole-grain or wheat greens with cherry tomato sauce, grilled toast tomatoes and olives on vegetables, and low-fat  sliced tomatoes top and a dressing of cheese as toppings For additional calories, add olive oil and vinegar For added calories, add some sliced avocado to the  whole-grain pita bread some shredded chicken, toast.  2 ounces (oz) of ham, tuna, or pine nuts to hummus the pizza. Day 2 Breakfast Lunch Dinner  1 cup of plain Greek  whole-grain or  one portion of baked cod yogurt pita with grilled or salmon with garlic  half a cup of , such vegetables, such as and black pepper as blueberries, eggplant, zucchini, bell  roasted sweet potato raspberries, or chopped pepper, and onion with a drizzle of olive nectarines To increase the calorie content, oil and cinnamon For additional calories, add 1–2 spread hummus or avocado on  roasted asparagus with a oz of almonds or walnuts. the bread/pita before adding the drizzle olive oil, garlic fillings. and onion powder

Day 3 Breakfast Lunch Dinner  1 cup of whole-grain  cannellini beans with  one-half of a cup of oats with cinnamon, spices, such as laurel, whole-grain pasta with dates, and honey garlic, and cumin tomato sauce, olive oil,  top with low-sugar  1 cup of arugula and and grilled vegetables fruits, such as spinach with an olive oil  1 tablespoon of raspberries and lemon dressing with Parmesan cheese  1 oz of shredded toppings of tomato, almonds or powdered cucumber, and feta peanut butter(optional) cheese

Day 4 Breakfast Lunch Dinner  two-egg scramble with  roasted anchovies or  2 cups of spinach with a bell peppers, onions, and tuna in olive oil on sprinkling of lemon tomatoes whole-grain toast with a juice and herbs  top with 1 oz of queso sprinkling of lemon  one boiled artichoke fresco or one-quarter of juice with olive oil, garlic an avocado  a warm salad powder, and salt comprising 2 cups of Add another artichoke or steamed kale and cooked quinoa for a hearty, tomatoes filling meal.

Day 5 Breakfast  1 cup of plain Greek  1 cup of quinoa with  2 cups of steamed kale yogurt with cinnamon bell peppers, sun-dried with tomato, cucumber, and honey on top tomatoes, and olives olives, lemon juice, and  mix in a chopped  roasted garbanzo beans Parmesan cheese and shredded almonds with oregano and thyme  brown rice  top with feta cheese  grilled salmon with a crumbles or avocado slice of lemon (optional) Lunch Dinner

Day 6 Breakfast Lunch Dinner  two slices of whole-  2 cups of mixed greens  oven-roasted vegetables, grain toast with soft with tomato and such as: cheese, such as ricotta, cucumber  artichoke queso fresco, or goat  a small portion of  carrot cheese roasted chicken with a  zucchini  add chopped blueberries sprinkling of olive oil  eggplant or figs for sweetness and lemon juice  sweet potato  tomato  toss in olive oil and heavy herbs before roasting

 1 cup of whole-grain couscous

Day 7 Breakfast Lunch Dinner  whole-grain oats with  stewed zucchini, yellow  2 cups of greens, such as cinnamon, dates, and squash, onion, and arugula or spinach, with maple syrup potato in a tomato and tomato, olives, and olive  top with low-sugar herb sauce with lentils oil fruits, such as  a small portion of white raspberries or fish blackberries  leftover stew from lunch

Snacks There are many snack options available as part of the Mediterranean diet. Suitable snacks include:  a small serving of nuts  whole fruits, such as oranges, plums, and  dried fruits, including apricots and figs  a serving of yogurt  hummus with celery, carrots, or other vegetables  avocado on whole-grain toast

Excerpt from Our Guide to the Mediterranean Diet by Jon Johnson