May is National Mediterranean Diet Month and a perfect time to give your meals a makeover. Traditional eating patterns of cultures that developed around the Mediterranean Sea are associated with lower risk for heart disease and certain cancers and perhaps with improved cognitive function in aging.
What’s so special about this way of eating? No doubt the most important factor is that it’s based on a variety of whole plant foods including lots of fruits and vegetables. But a few other things make Mediterranean diets stand out from other healthy eating patterns.
Good-for-you fats: Mediterranean diets aren’t especially low fat, but they are low in saturated fat and high in the types of fats associated with health. Olive oil is a mainstay of these diets and has been for at least 6,000 years. While much of the benefit may be due to its high content of monounsaturated fats, olive oil is also rich in beneficial compounds that are associated with reduced inflammation and oxidation and may affect enzymes that impact cancer risk. Choose extra-virgin olive oil since it is highest in protective factors, and use it in place of other fats in your diet. A little olive oil drizzled over steamed veggies or a salad will improve nutrient absorption, too.
Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and other nuts are common in many Mediterranean dishes. Research from Loma Linda University suggests that nuts reduce heart disease risk by improving cholesterol levels as well as the health of arteries.
Red wine: Moderate wine drinking with meals could protect heart health in some people. Health professionals debate about whether the benefits outweigh the risk, though, especially since alcohol may raise risk for breast cancer. If you drink wine, keep your intake moderate (2 drinks per day for men and one for women).
Omega-3 fats: Mediterranean diets are high in the omega-3 fats DHA and EPA which are found in fatty fish. Depending on what they’re fed, though, farmed fish may not provide much of these fats. And overfishing of the oceans is an increasingly important environmental problem. There are health concerns as well regarding toxic contaminants in fish. Fish are also social and sentient creatures who form monogamous relationships and live cooperatively. In his book Eating Animals, Jonathan Safran Foer described the ways in which fish are killed for food and concluded that “No fish gets a good death. Not a single one.” Fortunately, vegans can get their omega-3s the same way that fish do—from algae. Supplements of algae derived DHA and EPA are available in natural foods markets and online.
Enjoying vegan Mediterranean-style meals is a three-way win: It’s a way to eat with compassion while reaping the benefits of a healthy diet and enjoying some of the best-tasting food in the world.
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