Mediterranean diet

Traditionally, Western Europe has two broad nutritional approaches - the Northern European and Southern European. The Mediterranean Diet is Southern European, and more specifically focuses on the eating habits of the people of Crete, much of Greece, and southern Italy.

Today, Spain, southern France, and Portugal are also included; even though Portugal does not have a Mediterranean coast.

The Mediterranean diet includes
- Lots of plant foods
- Fresh fruit as dessert
- High consumption of beans, nuts, cereals (in the form of wheat, oats, barley, corn or brown rice) and seeds
- Olive oil as the main source of dietary fat
Cheese and yogurt as the main dairy foods
- Moderate amounts of fish and poultry
- No more than about four eggs each week
- Small amounts of red meat each week (compared to northern Europe)
- Low to moderate amounts of wine
- 25% to 35% of calorie intake consists of fat
- Saturated fat makes up no more than 8% of calorie intake