The Mediterranean Diet is a heart-healthy eating pattern inspired by the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. But what types of foods does it include? How does it actually help with heart disease? Can it include wine?
What is a Mediterranean Diet?
Surprisingly, there is no single, universally defined “Mediterranean Diet.” The term is a generic one used to describe the traditional eating habits and food types of the 16-plus countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.1
The American Heart Association describes it as more of a “pattern” of foods to incorporate into your diet regularly.2 Unlike many other diets, it is not just about prioritizing some food groups over others but also about paying attention to how you select, cook, and eat different food types.
Food groups that are featured in a Mediterranean diet are:
- Whole grains like oats, farro, brown rice, quinoa, and barley
- Legumes such as beans, lentils, peas, alfalfa sprouts, and peanuts
- Fresh vegetables and seasonal fruits
- Healthy fats like olive oil and nuts
- Fish and seafoods like salmon, cod, tilapia, shrimp, or flounder
- Dairy from sources such as low-fat yogurt and cheese
- Spices, herbs, garlic, and onions for flavor and reduction of salt
The Science Supporting the Dietary Claim
Scientific evidence compiled from more than 438 clinical trials has explored the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet and its favorable impact on health-related outcomes.
It has been shown to help prevent heart disease and stroke by reducing risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.3
Recent research also shows that diets rich in antioxidants, monounsaturated fats, and omega-3s can boost brain function. The Mediterranean diet can enhance cognitive abilities like thinking, memory, and information processing as people age by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.4
Not only is a Mediterranean-style diet good for your health, but it’s also easy to embrace and sustain.
How do I Start the Mediterranean Diet?
In contrast to other diets or “quick fix” trends, the Mediterranean Diet offers flexibility in how it can be tailored to individual lifestyles.
- Every Day: Eat vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and plant-based fats
- Every Week: Enjoy fish, poultry, beans, legumes, and eggs
- Limit: Dairy products, red and processed meats
- Avoid: Processed snack foods like chips
“The diet that’s been around the longest, that people adhere to, because it’s got a lot of variety, is the Mediterranean Diet.”
Fruits. Nuts. Fish… What About Wine?
The Mediterranean diet includes two fluid foods in its nutrients: olive oil, the main source of fats, and a low-to-moderate consumption of wine, mainly red, particularly during meals.5
“Moderate wine drinking – particularly with meals – has been considered part of the diet. The tannins in red wine are known to increase your good cholesterol, which is your HDL.”
Wine, a product of fermentation, is naturally abundant in antioxidants, which help protect the body from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can harm cells and lead to various diseases.6
Red wines, made by fermenting the whole fruit, including skins and seeds, may provide more health benefits than white wines, which are made by fermenting only the juice. Red wine contains polyphenols that can prevent cardiometabolic diseases. The main antioxidants in wine include resveratrol, flavonoids, and tannins.
Tannins in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. They enhance digestion, reduce inflammation, and protect the gastrointestinal lining from infections, improving gut health.6
Resveratrol, a key antioxidant in red wine, is found in red grape skins and is thought to possess strong anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects. It may protect cells from oxidative stress, potentially preventing chronic diseases like heart disease.
What’s the Best Diet for Cardiovascular Health?
Diet has traditionally been considered an essential way to improve cardiovascular health.7
The Mediterranean-style diet works because it impacts cholesterol in the bloodstream: it lowers “bad” LDL cholesterol, and research suggests it doesn’t affect “good” HDL or increase it.
The Mediterranean diet combines unprocessed, plant-based foods high in monounsaturated fats and lower in saturated fats with meat and dairy. Consistently adopting it alongside a heart-healthy lifestyle offers significant benefits.
“Everyone’s genetic and medical profile varies. I tell patients asking, ‘Which diet is best for me?’ The ideal diet is one you can stick to. For many, that’s the Mediterranean Diet,” states Dr. Michael Rosenbloom, Chief of Cardiac Surgery at Cooper and Inspira Cardiac Care.
To schedule an appointment with a cardiologist, or to learn more visit: Cooper and Inspira Cardiac Care.
References
- UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. 2022. History of the Mediterranean Diet. https://mediterraneandietunesco.org/about/history-of-the-mediterranean-diet/[↩]
- American Heart Association. 2024. What is the Mediterranean Diet? https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/mediterranean-diet[↩]
- Finicelli M, Di Salle A, Galderisi U, Peluso G. MDPI.com, Clinical Nutrition. 2022. The Mediterranean Diet: An Update of the Clinical Trials. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/14/2956[↩]
- Costa, Kelsey, M.S, RDN, Medical News Today. 2025. How a Mediterranean diet might protect the brain’s white matter. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-a-mediterranean-diet-might-protect-the-brains-white-matter[↩]
- Ditano-Vázquez P, Torres-Peña JD, Galeano-Valle F, Pérez-Caballero AI, Demelo-Rodríguez P, Lopez-Miranda J, Katsiki N, Delgado-Lista J, Alvarez-Sala-Walther. National Library of Medicine PubMed Central. 2019. The Fluid Aspect of the Mediterranean Diet in the Prevention and Management of Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes: The Role of Polyphenol Content in Moderate Consumption of Wine and Olive Oil. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6893438/[↩]
- Wilson, Betty, Saebring, Frank, Scientific Origin. 2024. 14 Remarkable Health Benefits of Red Wine You Should Know About and 13 Best Foods High in Tannins for Digestive Health. https://scientificorigin.com/13-best-foods-high-in-tannins-for-digestive-health[↩][↩]
- Martinez-Gonzalez, Miguel, Gea, Alfredo, Ruiz-Canela, Miguel, AHA|ASA Journals. 2019. The Mediterranean Diet and Cardiovascular Health: A Critical Review. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.118.313348[↩]
