What is the Mediterranean diet?
The term "Mediterranean diet" can be confusing because it can have two definitions:
The diet eaten by people in the Mediterranean (i.e., Mediterranean cuisine)
The healthy dietary pattern studied in the scientific literature
Many people mistakenly think that "Mediterranean diet" is the first definition: they believe that Mediterranean diet is synonymous with Mediterranean cuisine. Many of the non-scientific sources on social media and throughout the internet use this definition. However, this is not the definition that aligns with optimal health outcomes.
The Mediterranean diet, known for promoting optimal health outcomes, is a specific dietary pattern that has been extensively researched in scientific literature. It was first identified through studies that began in the 1950s, examining rural communities across seven countries. Researchers closely documented the foods consumed in these regions over several decades and analyzed the foods in laboratories, while also carefully monitoring the health outcomes of the populations. The differences in health between communities were striking, and those in the Mediterranean region and Japan showed the best outcomes. Based on these findings, researchers named the most beneficial dietary pattern the "Mediterranean diet." Since then, numerous additional studies have confirmed and expanded upon these early results, revealing even more health benefits associated with this way of eating.
