The Mediterranean diet - a recommendable diet for a healthy nutrition?

Epidemiologic and clinical research has indicated that the diet influences the risk of several major chronic diseases, e.g. coronary heart disease and cancer. Diets of the Mediterraneans have been a subject of interest for decades; since recently, however, interest has focused on the evident health benefits of the Mediterranean diet based on the observation that the Mediterraneans show lower rates of chronic diseases and higher life expectancies than most Western populations. There is increasing evidence that the Mediterranean diet can contribute to the prevention of cardiovascular disease and may possibly play a preventive role against certain cancers. Defining the Mediterranean diet, one has to keep in mind that there is no typical Mediterranean diet. Diets vary greatly, not only among Mediterranean countries but also among different regions within a country. However, the traditional Mediterranean diet is characterized by an abundance of plant foods such as bread, pasta, other forms of cereals, vegetables, salads, potatoes, legumes, fruits and nuts, olive oil as the principal fat, moderate quantities of fish, cheese and dairy products, small quantities of meat and moderate alcohol consumption. The Mediterranean-style diet is a good example of a tasty and healthy alternative to typical Northern and Western European diets which contain large quantities of saturated mt, meat and high-fat dairy products. Advice for the adoption of such a healthy nutrition should focus on achievable changes including traditional products of a region or country.