For the fourth year in a row, dietitians and physicians crowned the Mediterranean diet as the healthiest diet in the world, and for good reason. Scientists have looked into this nonrestrictive diet for years, finding wonderful new benefits with each study. These benefits include weight loss, healthier aging and a lower risk of diseases.

The diet is named so because it is based on the eating habits of people from Mediterranean countries like Italy and Greece. These countries are among the world’s so-called blue zones, where people tend to live longer lives. This has led experts to suggest that diet might have something to do with this trend.

But before you try the celebrated Mediterranean diet for yourself, here are 11 things you should know:

1. The Mediterranean diet is more than just a diet

Despite its name, the Mediterranean diet isn’t a “diet” in the conventional sense of the word. Instead, it’s more of an eating pattern that focuses on a variety of foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein.

In other words, the Mediterranean diet is less a matter of eliminating things from your diet and more of eating healthier foods as part of your daily diet.

And it doesn’t stop there. The Mediterranean diet also takes other lifestyle factors into account because people from the Mediterranean region practice healthy habits, too. For instance, people living in countries that inspired this diet walk more than people from other parts of the world.

2. The Mediterranean diet is easier to follow than other diets

One of the best things about the Mediterranean diet is it’s so much easier to follow than other diets. You spend less time worrying about what not to eat because you don’t really have to cut out any food groups. This diet simply asks that you add more whole, minimally processed and nutrient-dense foods to your daily diet.

The lack of hard-and-fast rules also means that people get to modify the diet to their preferences. For instance, you don’t need to eat fish if you don’t like seafood. You can opt for other protein sources like beans instead. It’s also up to you whether you want to go entirely plant-based or incorporate some lean meat into your diet.

3. The Mediterranean diet involves eating lots of fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are part and parcel of the Mediterranean diet. They provide antioxidants that help lower inflammation in your body and protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. You get plenty of antioxidants from foods like berries, spinach, garlic, onions, broccoli, oranges, basil and oregano.

One way you can eat more fruits and vegetables is to have them as snacks. Serve raw carrot sticks or cucumber rounds with some hummus or blend leafy greens like spinach into a healthy green smoothie.

4. The Mediterranean diet calls for olive oil – and lots of it

Olive oil is packed with monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to raise “good” cholesterol levels. These fats also lower “bad” cholesterol levels. This type of cholesterol can build up inside your arteries. Drizzle olive oil on savory meat dishes, swap butter for olive oil in pasta and use olive oil for cooking.

5. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes sources of beneficial fats

Olive oil isn’t the only food with healthy fats. Nuts, avocados and seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have shown that omega-3s can reduce inflammation, support healthy heart function and improve brain health. To add more healthy fats to your diet, top salads and grain bowls with chopped nuts or roasted seeds.

6. The Mediterranean diet focuses on lean proteins

Although the Mediterranean diet doesn’t really prohibit red meat, it’s better to go for clean meats, such as free-range chicken and wild or sustainably caught fish.

The Mediterranean diet also emphasizes fatty fish like salmon, sardines and tuna. These fish are rich in omega-3s as well.

7. The Mediterranean diet can also work for vegans and vegetarians

As mentioned earlier, the Mediterranean diet is easy to stick to because you can alter it to your preferences. So if you’re a vegan or vegetarian, for example, you can go for plant-based proteins like beans, nuts and mushrooms and still follow a Mediterranean diet.

8. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes whole grains

The Mediterranean diet is big on whole grains. These are grains that haven’t been refined. Think brown rice or whole-wheat bread. Whole grains are said to be more nutritious because they still have the bran and germ. These are the parts of the grain that hold most of its nutrients, antioxidants and beneficial compounds.

9. The Mediterranean diet allows red wine in moderation

People who live along the Mediterranean region are not known to shy away from wine. They practically invented wine as many Mediterranean countries produce most of the world’s wines.

And wine isn’t inherently bad for you. It’s made from grapes, which are rich in antioxidants. That said, experts still advise drinking wine in moderation, which could mean only one to two glasses a day.

10. The Mediterranean diet allows dairy products in moderation

Milk, cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are still very much allowed in the Mediterranean diet. That said, you should be selective about the dairy products you consume. For instance, you should definitely avoid ice cream and sweetened milk and yogurt because they contain sugar, artificial flavors and other additives.

11. The Mediterranean diet allows dessert

Dessert doesn’t always have to mean ice cream, cake, cookies and other high-sugar foods. You can always have fresh fruit or yogurt after a meal. You can also make no-bake energy bites, gluten-free crumbles or flourless fruit muffins for dessert.

Time and again, experts laud the amazing health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, including better digestion, weight loss and a lower risk of serious health conditions. And the best part is it’s easier to get into compared to other diets. If you want to give the Mediterranean diet a shot, just follow the tips above.

Sources:

EcoWatch.com

Healthline.com

MindBodyGreen.com