The Mediterranean diet is an eating style based on the countries in the region of Mediterranean sea including Spain, Greece, Morocco and Italy. The diet emphasizes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, unsaturated fats, legumes, nuts, breads and small amounts of fish, eggs and lamb. Vegetables and fruits should be as fresh as possible, so seasonal products are usually emphasized. While almost any fruit or vegetable fits into the Mediterranean diet, certain types are more typical of the region. Go for seven to 10 servings a day of fruits and vegetables, recommends MayoClinic.com.
Colorful Types
To insure you get a variety of nutrients on a Mediterranean diet, eat an array of colors. Purple eggplants, red tomatoes, dark green spinach or romaine lettuce, white cauliflower and mushrooms, and yellow peppers are featured in a number of Mediterranean food preparations. Yellow lemons are often used for flavoring. Citrus fruits and pomegranates are colorful fruits that can be eaten alone, or included as part of salads or sauces. Black and green olives are used in multiple Mediterranean preparations.
Starchy Types
Potatoes feature prominently in Mediterranean diets, as they are often used in stews or braises. Potatoes tossed with olive oil and fresh herbs may also stand in for a grain at meals. Dates and figs are starchy fruits that may be served stewed as desserts or dried for snacks. Bananas, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and carrots are also a major part of a Mediterranean diet.
Beans and Legumes
Legumes like chick peas, white cannelleni beans, lentils and peas provide fiber, vitamins and minerals. A Mediterranean diet often uses beans and peas as a protein alternative to meat. This simple swap makes a Mediterranean diet lower in saturated fat than the average American diet. For example, 1 cup of lentils contains 18 g of protein, but only 1 g of fat, while a 6-oz porterhouse steak may provide 38 g of protein with a whopping 44 g of fat, 16 g of which are saturated, notes the Harvard School of Public Health.
Fatty Types
Olives and avocados are essential to the Mediterranean diet. While these fruits contain more fat than watery types, it is mostly the unsaturated kind, which does not adversely affect cholesterol levels when used in place of saturated fats notes the American Heart Association. Olives may be eaten whole as a snack or condiment, or may be used to create dips or add flavor to small portions of fish and chicken--the diet's main sources of animal protein. Avocados are added to salads or used in sauces and dips. Olive oil is the primary source of fat in the Mediterranean diet.
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