How to Eat for the Rest of Your Life

Close your eyes and imagine a place several thousand miles away where millions of people eat happily, day in and day out, while maintaining a healthy weight. Plates are loaded with fresh, colorful, beautiful food. "Carb" is not a dirty word, olive oil flows liberally, and wineglasses clink. Meals are a time to celebrate and connect, not count calories. Welcome to the Mediterranean diet.

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So why is everyone talking about the Mediterranean diet right now?

People are excited because of an important recent study, conducted in Spain, that showed stunning results. Researchers put two groups on a Mediterranean diet high in either olive oil or nuts. And get this: Both groups had about a 30 percent lower risk of heart attacks, strokes, and deaths from heart disease than a third group that had eaten a reduced-fat diet. "Although you can lose weight successfully on a Mediterranean diet, this study showed that you don't have to lose a pound to experience the significant health benefits," says Holly Andersen, MD, a cardiologist and director of education at the Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute, in New York City.

It's clear we should all be eating nuts and olive oil. But the Mediterranean diet is more than a menu plan. In fact, says dietitian Connie Diekman, author of The Everything Mediterranean Diet Book, "It's not a diet at all, at least in our sense of the word." It's really a lifestyle, an attitude that celebrates the power of great fresh food as well as relaxed time at the table with friends and loved ones. It's not about fast food, eating on the run -- or deprivation.

Other research has shown that this way of eating also helps reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, and cognitive decline. As Dr. Andersen says, "It's about living longer with less disease, and isn't a long, healthy, happy life what we all hope for?"

7 Steps to Eating Smarter

There's really no single magic Mediterranean diet. From Greece to Spain, Italy to Israel, each region and country has its own special blend of ethnic and cultural cuisine. What they all have in common are meals loaded with fresh produce, beans, whole grains, nuts, and olive oil, plus some fish, cheese, yogurt, poultry, and eggs. Oh, and did we mention a glass of wine with dinner? Cheers to that!

1. Vegetables are the centerpiece.
"It's very much a plant-based diet," explains dietitian Katherine McManus, director of nutrition at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital. Americans tend to showcase a big piece of meat on the plate surrounded by just a few veggies. A Mediterranean plate reverses that, so it's full of vegetables with a small amount of meat.

2. It's all about whole foods.
Not many meals should come out of a cardboard box or a plastic bag. "We have more processed and refined foods and added salts and sugars in the United States than almost anywhere else in the world," says Dr. Andersen. Instead of prepackaged fare like chips, cookies, and crackers, Mediterranean eating emphasizes whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

3. How you shop is important.
Just because you don't have time to visit the farmers' market each morning doesn't mean you can't find fresh food. Ask your grocer when fresh fish is delivered so you can serve it for dinner that night. See if your town has a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), where you can sign up to buy local, seasonal food straight from a farm. And check out LocalHarvest.org to find a listing near you. Plan meals and take a list when you head to the grocery store. Don't go when you're hungry, and avoid the aisles filled with salty snacks, sugary baked goods, and sodas.

4. Portions don't come in super-size.
Our idea of Mediterranean dining too often means a massive pile of pasta drenched in creamy sauce with lots of bread. But a typical serving size of pasta in Italy is more like 1/2 cup (the size of your fist) served with just a bit of sauce.

5. Fat can be your friend.
Perhaps the single biggest thread that ties various Mediterranean diets together is the liberal use of fatty fish and healthy plant-based oils from nuts and especially olives. (Butter and other animal fats are used sparingly, if at all, says Diekman.) Embracing those good fats may be key to the many health benefits of Mediterranean eating. For one, fat helps you feel fuller longer, so you're less likely to overeat. In addition, studies have shown that healthy fats play an important role in heart health. In the Spanish study mentioned earlier, the two groups reduced their heart risk by eating either four or more tablespoons of olive oil or about an ounce of nuts a day. (There's no reason you can't do both, as long as you watch your calories.) "Damage occurs in the lining of our blood vessels as we age," explains Angela Lemond, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "The fats seem to keep everything nice and elastic, so these linings stay smoother." And then there's the taste. "Eating plain spinach is not so yummy. Saute it in some olive oil with a little garlic, though, and it really brings out the flavor," says Lemond.

6. Focus on meals, not grazing.
Almost no one in the Mediterranean eats while walking down the street except for children eating ice cream, says food writer Nancy Harmon Jenkins, who lives in Italy part-time. "In this country we've become so conditioned to finding food on every corner that we've turned into a nation of constant snackers." One way to curb mindless munching? Don't let yourself get too hungry before sitting down to eat. That may mean you need to eat a little more at each meal, but you'll be less likely to snack on unhealthy stuff in between.

7. A glass of wine? No problem!
The Mediterranean climate is ideal for growing grapes, so it's no surprise that wine is frequently served with lunch or dinner. But that means drinking just one glass (two for men), not the whole bottle. "Several studies show that moderate alcohol consumption may decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, but more than a glass a day can also raise your risk of breast cancer," cautions Dr. Andersen. "You have to know your family history." Although many studies have focused more on the benefits of red wine (which has higher levels of certain heart-healthy phytochemicals), the Mediterranean diet typically includes both red and white wine.

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