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The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, a dietary pattern that incorporates an abundance of whole, plant-based foods, are well documented. There’s plenty of research to back the diet’s benefits for weight management, elongating your lifespan and reducing your risk of certain chronic illnesses.
And according to a new randomized control trial published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the Mediterranean diet could play a crucial role in lowering your risk for a common health condition: type 2 diabetes. The six-year trial concluded a low-calorie Mediterranean diet, alongside exercise and behavioral support, may help decrease your risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
What’s the science behind it? Here’s what experts need you to know.
What is the Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet is “an eating pattern inspired by the dietary habits of Greece, Italy, Spain, Morocco (and) every country touching the Mediterranean,” says Max Goldstein, a chef registered dietitian at Yale New Haven Health.
The parameters of the diet are simple. At its core, “the Mediterranean diet emphasizes the consumption of plant-based foods,” including fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts, says Miguel Ruiz-Canela, a professor and chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at the University of Navarra, and the first author of the new trial published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The diet also encourages the moderate consumption of poultry and fish, and a lower intake of red meat. Additionally, it promotes extra virgin olive oil as the primary fat you’re consuming.
As for foods to avoid, the Mediterranean diet recommends you minimize your intake of processed meats (including chorizo, salami, sausages and hamburgers) and ultra-processed foods (such as sugary drinks and refined grains), says Ruiz-Canela.
Could the Mediterranean diet lower your risk of type 2 diabetes?
Previous studies have demonstrated the Mediterranean diet’s potential benefit for type 2 diabetes prevention, but what makes the outcome of the new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine significant was its scale, and the nature of it being a randomized control trial, Ruiz-Canela says.
A total of 4,746 men and women, all between the ages of 55 to 75, took part in the six-year trial. “The main criteria was to select participants at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease” who had excess body weight and lived with metabolic syndrome, says Ruiz-Canela.
Throughout the trial, the intervention group had extensive nutritional coaching on following a low-calorie Mediterranean diet, and received recommendations to incorporate weekly exercise. The control group, by comparison, had preliminary support on following a traditional Mediterranean diet, but had fewer follow-ups with dietitians.
While both groups saw a reduction in body weight, at the end of the six-year period, the intervention group exhibited greater levels of sustained physical activity and presented a 31% decrease in their type 2 diabetes risk.
Ultimately, the results of the trial reveal a low-calorie Mediterranean diet, in conjunction with regular exercise and behavioral support, could lower your risk for type 2 diabetes, Ruiz-Canela says.
What is the best way to start the Mediterranean diet?
Unlike more restrictive dietary patterns (think: the keto diet), the Mediterranean diet is incredibly flexible and “plant-forward,” says Goldstein.
To follow the Mediterranean diet, you don’t necessarily need to eat foods originating from the Mediterranean region. Rather, the Mediterranean diet simply underscores that the majority of your plate consists of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes, Goldstein says. This could look like a mix of fibrous greens, black beans roasted potatoes, quinoa or brown rice.
Extra virgin olive oil is regarded to be a staple of the Mediterranean diet. But if it’s not accessible, unsaturated fats like avocado oil, sesame oil and canola oil “are all perfectly healthy and safe for us,” Goldstein adds.
The Mediterranean diet also encourages eating a moderate amount of animal protein; a serving of chicken, beef, pork or fish should average around four ounces, Goldstein says.
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