For the eighth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named the Mediterranean diet the world’s best overall diet. This diet can help support brain function, promote heart health and regulate blood sugar levels. Research also suggests that this well-balanced eating pattern can help prevent some chronic diseases and increase longevity.
Because the Mediterranean diet is nonrestrictive, almost anyone can follow it and adapt it to their personal and cultural food preferences. The winning meal plan emulates how people in the Mediterranean region have traditionally eaten, focusing on whole grains and heart-healthy fats. These foods are encouraged in the diet:
- Fruits (e.g., apples, bananas, grapes, melons, oranges, peaches, pears and strawberries)
- Vegetables (e.g., artichokes, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, cucumbers, kale, spinach, onions, spinach and sweet potatoes)
- Nuts and seeds (e.g., almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, peanut butter, sunflower seeds and walnuts)
- Legumes (e.g., beans, chickpeas, lentils, peanuts and peas)
- Whole grains (e.g., barley, buckwheat, brown rice, oats and whole-wheat bread and pasta)
- Fish and seafood (e.g., crab, mussels, oysters, salmon, sardines, shrimp, trout and tuna)
- Herbs and spices (e.g., basil, cinnamon, garlic, mint, nutmeg, rosemary and sage)
- Healthy fats (e.g., avocados, avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil and olives)
The meal plan also encourages poultry (e.g., chicken, duck and turkey), eggs, cheese and yogurt in moderation. Sweets, red meat and other highly processed foods should be limited.
A nonrestrictive healthy eating regimen such as the Mediterranean diet may be easier to follow and stay committed to. After all, you can start building Mediterranean-inspired meals with foods you already love or by incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your meals and snacks.
U.S. News & World Report also ranked diets for 21 categories based on health and lifestyle goals, so check out the full results. Talk to your doctor about any diet-related questions. Learn more in our latest Live Well, Work Well Newsletter!
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