Mediterranean Diet
What is the Mediterranean diet?
A Mediterranean diet is a nutrient-rich diet that has plenty to offer in terms of reducing the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. While diet trends come and go, the Mediterranean diet is the one way of eating that continues to be the gold standard for heart health.
The Mediterranean Diet is:
- Rich in healthy fats
- Rich in diverse fruits and vegetables
- Rich in legumes, nuts and wholegrains
- Lower in refined grains
- Lower in red meats
- Lower in heavily processed food
Why is the Mediterranean diet beneficial for heart health?
There are several key aspects of the Mediterranean diet that provide benefits for heart health. These include:
- Increased intake of nutrient-rich wholefoods vs heavily processed nutrient-deficient foods - which ensures adequate intake of fibre, and essential vitamins and minerals that contribute to heart health
- Increased intake of heart-healthy unsaturated fats, including Omega-3 fats - which help to lower triglyceride levels and may help increase HDL (good) cholesterol
- Increased fibre - which can reduce blood pressure and cholesterol and increase feelings of fullness
- Increased antioxidants - which can neutralise free radicals that can cause damage in the body
Heart-friendly foods from the Mediterranean diet that you should be eating regularly
Oily fish
With growing evidence showing the benefits of oily fish to cardiovascular health, it might be time to swap some of those steaks for salmon.
Tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel and herring contain high amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower blood pressure and triglyceride levels, and raise HDL or ‘healthy’ cholesterol.
Adding these oily types of fish into your meals two to three times a week will help you reap the benefits of these heart-healthy fats while reducing saturated fat intake from red meats.
Nuts
Another great source of beneficial unsaturated fats, including Omega-3 fats, is nuts.
Snacking on unsalted nuts regularly is a great way to support heart health by increasing your intake of healthy fats, fibre, and vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin E, magnesium and zinc.
Nuts can make a healthy change from less nutrient-rich snack foods, but be aware of serving size as nuts are calorie dense. Servings differ depending on the type of nut, but you should generally aim for no more than a small handful eg. 30 almonds or 15 cashews.
Legumes
Legumes are heart-friendly and serve as a nutritious alternative to red meat.
Chickpeas, lentils, black beans and green peas are high in fibre, helping to keep you feeling full. They are rich in B vitamins and are a vegetarian source of calcium and iron.
Legumes are a fantastic addition to dishes such as pastas, tacos and burritos. If you’re not ready to give up the meat entirely, they can help to reduce your intake by including half legumes and half meat in your meals.
For a snack option, try hummus with vegetables or wholegrain crackers.
Olive oil
One of the stars of the Mediterranean diet is olive oil. A staple ingredient, olive oil is the main source of fat in this popular diet.
Offering heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, olive oils can lower LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol and increase HDL ‘good’ cholesterol when swapped with saturated fats. The antioxidant content of olive oil also contributes to reducing the risk of heart disease.
Olive oils can be used in a variety of ways, including in cooking, salad dressings, to garnish soups and as an alternative to butter on bread.
Wholegrain foods
Wholegrain foods are another nutrient-rich source of fibre that offers benefits in terms of controlling blood pressure and cholesterol.
Wholegrain foods include wholegrain breads, pastas and cereals, brown rice, quinoa and wholegrain oats.
Swapping out white breads and other highly-refined grains for wholegrain alternatives offers a beneficial boost to your heart health, as well as contributing to good gut health and reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.
Vegetables
We all know the benefits of eating vegetables, but unfortunately less than one in ten Australian adults are eating the recommended five to six serves of vegetables daily.
Variety is the key here, so aim for a wide range of vegetables, including nutrient-dense green leafy vegetables.
Adding extra vegetables to your meals will keep your heart happy by increasing your fibre and antioxidant intake, which can improve heart health. Eating more fresh produce can also help keep you feeling full and help you to avoid consuming too many nutrient-poor, high salt and high saturated fat foods.
Fruit
Less than half of Australian adults eat the recommended two or more serves of fruit a day, so there’s plenty of room for improvement in this area.
Containing similar health benefits to vegetables, including helping to manage cholesterol and weight, fruits are a great snack when you’re feeling like something a little sweet.
A serve of fruit is one medium fruit, like an apple or banana, or two small fruits, such as kiwifruits and apricots. Fruit is a great snack, but it can also be added to meals such as muesli for breakfast or a salad at lunch or dinner.
Acknowledgement of Country
The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.
