Mediterranean diet

American  

[med-i-tuh-ray-nee-uhn dahy-it] / ˌmɛd ɪ təˈreɪ ni ən ˈdaɪ ɪt /

noun

• Mediterranean diets
  plural

1. a diet traditionally followed in Greece, Spain, southern Italy and France, and parts of the Middle East, with emphasis on fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seafood, and olive oil.

   A study showed that people who ate a Mediterranean diet had a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease than people following a low-fat diet.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Mediterranean diets
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Mediterranean diet

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Mediterranean diet

Participants were randomly assigned to follow a ketogenic diet, a Mediterranean diet, or a low-fat, plant-forward diet.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026

The Mediterranean diet is back in the spotlight.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 16, 2026

For decades, research has extolled the benefits of a Mediterranean diet low in sugar, rich in fresh fruits and vegetables and doused in olive oil.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

It is a striking development in a country long regarded as the spiritual home of the Mediterranean diet.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

The researchers found that older adults who followed a Mediterranean diet most closely had higher blood levels of two mitochondrial microproteins called humanin and SHMOOSE.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026