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The Mediterranean Diet, rich in fruit, vegetables and fish, has long been held as a blueprint to long life and good health.

Typically, it emphasises olive oil as the main source of fat, fresh fruit, and low to moderate amounts of red wine, fish and dairy products. Let’s take a closer look at some of the many benefits.

High In Anti-oxidants

This diet is rich in anti-oxidants. These are the chemical compounds that fight against oxidants.

Oxidants are a natural waste product of the body but as they accumulate, they contribute to cancer, heart disease and diabetes to name just a few illnesses.

Especially healthy are green vegetables and tomatoes, both are rich in anti-oxidants.

Reduced Cancer Risk

The western diet contains high levels of meat and therefore animal fats which are universally bad for us. In the Mediterranean diet, you will find meat often substituted for fish, fruit and vegetables.

Fish oils are highly beneficial to health and are an animal that you simply cannot have too much of.

This diet also uses plenty of olive oil which is the most healthy oil that you can consume.

One study followed 26,000 Greek people over 8 years and found amazing things such as just changing from butter to olive oil could reduce a person’s risk of cancer by as much as 12%.

Heart Disease

Studies have shown that there is a signficiantly reduced risk of heart disease with this diet. This is especially due to the fats coming mainly from olive oil.

Animal fats are highly saturated. This means that they raise the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream.

On the other hand, olive oil is a mono-unsaturated fat and actually lowers the amount of cholesterol.

Diabetes

There is a well studied link between lower cases of diabetes and this diet. For instance, one study concluded that “Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes.”

If you want to know more about the Mediterranean Diet then check out The Mediterranean Diet - By, About and For Figure and Health Minded People.