Doctor reviews the Mediterranean Diet

Is the Mediterranean Diet as healthy as they say? Let's look at the pros and cons of the Mediterranean diet and tips to save time and money on a Mediterranean diet.

the Mediterranean diet evokes a romantic image of tradition, sophistication and health. and the Mediterranean diet seems to get all the critical acclaim

US News ranking placed the Mediterranean diet at #1 for 4 years in a row

so what is it about the Mediterranean diet that has experts so fired up?
pros and cons of the Mediterranean diet
Mediterranean diet pro #1 is science

studies have linked the mediterranean diet to a number of health benefits

Lyon: the Mediterranean diet cut overall cardiovascular risk in half and cardiac deaths by 2/3s

people suffering with depression fed a mediterranean diet had improved mood

the foods that make up the Mediterranean diet are vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, beans, cereals, fish, and unsaturated fats like olive oil, all of which are consistently tied to health benefits

foods tied to health concerns, like red and processed meat and ultraprocessed foods, are minimized in traditional Mediterranean diets

the 2nd point in favor of the Mediterranean diet is history

Classical Mediterranean populations recorded great health. provides confidence regarding long-term safety

The 3rd upside is that the mediterranean diet is Sustainable

the mediterranean diet doesn’t cut out any major food groups, so it may be an easier transition

science, population data and sustainability are the reasons experts like the Mediterranean diet

AHA, Harvard and mayo clinic all give the mediterranean diet their seal of approval

Mediterranean diet pro #4 is Environment

The mediterranean diet relies more on plant foods and less on red meat & dairy, thereby reducing its carbon footprint

Mediterranean diet pro #5 is flexibility
the Mediterranean diet is named after the mediterranean region.
so the Mediterranean diet varies by country and region.

There’s vegan Mediterranean, low carb mediterranean diet, no oil mediterranean diet
juice cleanse Mediterranean, Mediterranean for ur blood type… just kidding

If there’s no olive oil, is it really mediterranean? flexibility is key

cons of mediterranean diet:
flexibility of Mediterranean diet can be taken too far. when scientists talk about mediterranean diet it’s the classical version not the modern way they eat in the Mediterranean

second downside of mediterranean diet: Calories

3rd caveat of the mediterranean diet: Cost
Some of the typical foods of the mediterranean diet can be pricey. Fish, nuts seeds, extra virgin olive oil can all add up

The 4th downside of a mediterranean diet is Time

is the mediterranean diet for you?

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Animations: Even Topland @toplandmedia

References:

Disclaimer: The contents of this video are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, nor to replace medical care. The information presented herein is accurate and conforms to the available scientific evidence to the best of the author's knowledge as of the time of posting. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions regarding any medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of information contained in Nutrition Made Simple!.

#NutritionMadeSimple #GilCarvalho

[giovanbattistafichera]

I'm a Sicilian born and raised and yes, the olive oil is a staple. When I was little, meat was occasional (usually on Sundays) but throughout the years, we've started to consume more, together with larger amounts of salami and cured meats in general.

Where I'm from, local fresh cheese like ricotta and caciocavallo are very common and consumed (grated) on pasta dishes. Fresh vegetables are widely available throughout the year, thanks to the fact that the area has lots of greenhouses and so is fresh fish.

I think that the major health problems affecting the population that lives there nowadays are the lack of physical exercise, too many sweets and cured meat in the diet. However, people live more connected lives and it's sunny most of the year, which has an obvious positive impact on mood and longevity.

[megavegan]

I lived in a Mediterranean country for several years in the early 80’s. Forget fast-food restaurants, my small town didn’t even have a supermarket. The main street was essentially one long, permanent farmers’ market (local fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, dairy, legumes, nuts & seeds). But, to Dr. Carvalho’s point, people consumed olive oil by the liter, including hefty amounts of pan-frying. The cafes were also well-stocked with pastries, gelati, and cooked treats (arancini, panzarotti, frittelle, etc.). Most of my older relatives were taking medications for high blood pressure and arthritis, but they lived relatively long lives.

[nathancallaghan]

I’ve stumbled on a goldmine. This is the proper nutritional education I’ve been after for almost a year of hearing extreme polarised advice online . Wish I’d come across this sooner. Love it🙏

[gregp]

The absolute win on this channel is not promoting veganism, labelling all animal products as bad, and putting non vegan viewers off. It’s totally balanced. It would have been so easy to put fish and chicken as a ‘downside’ to this diet, but instead it highlights the benefits of plant based foods, rather than demonising animal products. I still choose a predominantly plant based diet but it does have some meat and fish. And I’m never made to ‘feel bad’ about this when I watch these videos, instead it just inspires me to eat what works and keeping an eye on the fact that plant based diets are among the healthiest

[mattgtz]

Thank you for your noble efforts to promote public health. You are a great teacher.

[lizk]

I have NAFLD/minor NASH diagnosed after a bad case of gastroenteritis (it caused my liver to swell, so I was pretty sick for awhile despite being a healthy weight and 36 yrs old). I found many people in my NASH group apply the Med diet in so many ways (many still eat loads of pasta). I do eat wild caught fish (2-3x per week for dinner), egg whites, and some 0% dairy (I'm lactose intolerant), but I do not allow flour in any form. It works for me for sure, my liver stabilized within two months on this diet and I do not feel deprived at all. However, people in my liver group have improved on diets from vegan to keto. I really like your channel, I'm a geneticist myself, and I love seeing the science not just anecdotal crap. For those trying Mediterranean, I cannot recommend Chronometer and a food scale enough to give yourself an idea about what you are eating on a new diet. I had the opposite problem than most, I actually under ate because I no longer had my typical protein bars after workouts. It doesn't have to be forever, but until you can figure out what whole foods weigh, nutrients they carry, and calories, it's really easy to over or under eat and miss critical nutrients (especially things like B12).

[Scottsyy]

I feel that now days it's very hard to a choose a way of eating or in fact it's hard to do anything without conflicting information. One thing will say its good and another will say its bad 😩

[dontworrybehappy]

Is there a well established set of guidelines about what constitutes a Mediterranean Diet? As you alluded to in the video, the same term seems to be used to describe diets that are drastically different. About the only thing, most agree on is that "Mediterranean Diet" is usually synonymous with pasta and olive oil. It would be good to have some must have criteria that defines the diet. For example, guidelines on how many meals per week may contain meat or fish and in what proportions.

[nomandad]

I’d like to see the Ornish diet hit the spotlight on this channel

[armanzbahrani]

Dr. Carvalho, here's a topic you might want to touch upon in your next video: The idea that we don't have as developed a caecum as our ape cousins, and therefore "aren't suited to a high-plant diet" (per carnivory). It's also been posited that our stomachs are among the most acidic in the animal kingdom, even more than dogs and cats, pointing to a meat-based diet being ideal (though the fact that rabbits also have possibly even more acidic stomachs challenges this). GI length: torso length ratio is another point to consider in that video. Thanks so much and keep up the fantastic work!

[Zenoutside]

My stomach just doesn’t feel good with the Mediterranean diet and I wish I knew why.

[bigdaddy]

The name is confusing to me, I am mediterranean and I know a lot of food from this region. And the diet is not high in Beans and nuts. Red meat is far from a rarity and dairy is an everyday thing.

[hmpf]

Hi Doc, on the website that you've provided to purchase nuts in bulk, some are actually fumigated and treated. Is that a cause for concern?

[MarkusWaas]

My ideal diet for health is mediterranean keto.

[scottyg]

I'm don't eat fish or red meat but everything else looks delicious on the Mediterranean dirt! Another excellent video!Thank you!

[sdktms]

What about alcohol and wine? Is that not a downside of the Mediterranean diet?

[person]

Do a video on a whole foods vegan diet and also can you recommend a b12 company

[Magnulus]

Ancel Keys, the American giant of cholesterol research, thought the Mediterranean diet, a diet based off what rural Greeks and Italians of the 1950's were eating, was the easiest diet for westerners to lower cholesterol and heart disease, and it was the diet he followed and advocated for himself.

[lanazak]

Step 1: Live near the equator (like all blue zones) LOL

[kulata]

They eat a boat load of sheep and goats