The Mediterranean diet is less a diet than a description of how people in a particular part of the world have tended to eat.
This guide covers what the pattern actually involves, how to follow it with ordinary Australian ingredients, and the swaps worth starting with.
Key points
- It is a pattern of eating rather than a set of rules or a meal plan.
- Vegetables, legumes, whole grains, olive oil and fish are the recurring features.
- Very little needs to be bought from a speciality shop.
- It is one of the least restrictive approaches, which is part of why people stay on it.
- Start with two or three swaps rather than overhauling everything at once.
What is the Mediterranean diet?
healthdirect describes it as a way of eating made up mainly of vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, seeds, fish and olive oil, with a moderate amount of dairy, low amounts of red meat and limited processed meats and packaged foods.
There is no single official version, which is why you will see it described slightly differently in different places. The recurring features are consistent even when the details are not.
What does it actually involve eating?
The shape is easier to remember than any list.
- Vegetables and fruit. A lot of them, and across the day.
- Legumes. Chickpeas, lentils and beans appear regularly.
- Whole grains. Bread, pasta and rice in less refined forms.
- Olive oil. The main added fat rather than butter.
- Fish and seafood. Featured more often than red meat.
- Nuts and seeds. As everyday food rather than an occasional snack.
- Dairy. Mostly yoghurt and cheese, in moderate amounts.
What features less
Red meat, heavily processed foods and sugary drinks. Less often rather than never, which is part of why the pattern is straightforward to live with.
Can I follow it on an Australian shop?
Easily. Almost everything on that list is in a standard Australian supermarket, and much of it is cheaper than the meat-heavy alternative.
- Tinned legumes. Chickpeas and lentils, inexpensive and ready to use.
- Tinned fish. Tuna and salmon do most of the work.
- Frozen vegetables. Nutritionally sound and they do not spoil.
- Olive oil. Bought in a larger bottle it is not expensive per use.
You do not need speciality ingredients to start, and the ones that are genuinely useful are pantry staples.
How do I start without changing everything?
Two or three swaps is a better opening than a full overhaul, which tends not to survive contact with a normal week.
- Cook with olive oil instead of butter.
- Add a tin of legumes to a meal you already make.
- Have fish twice a week in place of red meat.
- Put vegetables in first when you plan a meal, rather than last.
Why gradual works better
Each swap is small enough to stick, and together they move the pattern without requiring you to learn a new way of cooking in one week.
Is it good for weight loss?
It is a way of eating rather than a weight-loss program, and it is not built around restriction.
What it does offer is a pattern most people find genuinely pleasant, which matters because the approaches people abandon are usually the ones they disliked. Portions and overall intake still apply here as they do anywhere else.
Important. If you are managing a medical condition or want an eating plan built for your circumstances, speak to your GP or an Accredited Practising Dietitian.
Does it work with training?
Yes. It is not a low-carbohydrate pattern, so it leaves room for the carbohydrate that supports harder sessions.
If you train seriously you may want to pay more attention to protein than the pattern does by default, since it leans on fish and legumes more than on large meat portions. Adding a protein source at more meals is usually enough to address that.
Sources
Sources are cited for the general health information in this article. They do not endorse any product or brand.
- Mediterranean diet, healthdirect Australia
