The Mediterranean diet centers on foods traditionally eaten in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.
The Mediterranean diet is not exactly a diet – it is a food principle featuring foods typical of countries such as Greece, Italy and Spain. There are no hard and fast rules on exactly what, when, and how much to eat – instead, it focuses on general cooking.
As Insider reported, a Mediterranean diet is:
- Rich in plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes
- Moderate amount of lean protein from fish and, to a lesser extent, poultry and eggs
- Moderate amount of wine
- Low in saturated fat from red meat and dairy products
- Low in carbohydrates and processed sugars
Research suggests that the Mediterranean diet is linked to a longer, healthier life. In January 2023, it was ranked the best diet for the sixth consecutive year by a panel of experts for US News & World Report, reported Insider’s Gabby Landsverk.
Research suggests that eating the foods of the Mediterranean diet may benefit your heart and brain, reduce the risk of diabetes and promote weight loss, depending on your meal plan.
John Goodman lost 200 pounds following the Mediterranean diet.
The ‘Roseanne’ star worked with fitness guru Mackie Shilstone to help her lose weight after hitting 400 pounds more than a decade ago.
Shilstone told the New York Post that she put Goodman on a “Mediterranean-style diet,” which the Post described as “a diet that leans heavily toward fish, nuts, olive oil, vegetables and fruits”, in 2015, when he’d lost 100 lbs.
“I used to take three months, lose 60 or 70 pounds, then reward myself with a six-pack or whatever and just go back to my old ways,” Goodman told ABC in 2017, Page Six reported. “This time I wanted to take it slow. Move, exercise. I’m getting to the age where I can’t afford to sit still.”
He has now lost 200 pounds. He has also reduced his alcohol intake and now tries to take between 10,000 and 12,000 steps a day.
Selena Gomez said she drank olive oil before going on stage.
In 2021, Gomez’s trainer, Amy Rosoff Davis, shared with Byrdie what she recommended Gomez eat while on tour.
“Last year on Selena’s ‘Revival’ tour, I made sure the locker room always had veggies and protein and brown rice or whole grains,” Davis said.
“I made lots of rice bowls with veggies, protein and avocado for Selena. It helped give her the energy and stamina she needed to get through her shows. I also made a healthy chicken salad with grapes and celery – it quenched her thirst and the protein filled her.”
In 2010, the “Lose You to Love Me” singer told Ellen DeGeneres that she drank olive oil to coat her throat before performing. Olive oil is another staple of the Mediterranean diet.
Penélope Cruz follows the Mediterranean diet because it is close to the cuisine she enjoys in her country of origin, Spain.
“My family and friends are all there, so it’s my place. I love Spanish food. My diet is the Mediterranean diet, which is good food. I eat well but I try to eat healthy,” said Cruz told the Mirror in 2011.
She explained in an interview with Hello! magazine, saying, “I try to avoid dairy and sugar, and I can’t eat gluten because I have a big intolerance. I eat lots of quality fruits, vegetables, and protein from free-range animals. I also drink liters of water now, which I didn’t. I hardly drink alcohol and quit smoking years ago. I don’t miss it in my life.
Fitness influencer Kayla Itsines wrote about her love for the Mediterranean diet.
In a 2019 blog entry, Itsines explained why she follows this diet.
“For me, it’s all about balance, so I choose exactly what I want, and add lots of salads and roasted vegetables to my plate, along with protein (I love seafood) and rice or pasta – and I never feel like I miss it,” she wrote.
When she went to a restaurant, she recommended putting all the dressing or sauce on the side. “I love dressing, but only if it’s olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper! I avoid heavy, creamy dressings because I don’t like them, so I ask for salad dressings and sauces on the side,” she continued.
Cameron Diaz wrote about his diet in his books “The Body Book” and “The Longevity Book”.
According to Eating Well, in “The Longevity Book,” she wrote, “Good nutrition can prolong life. What we eat affects how long we live and how we feel every day we are alive.
The website reported that Diaz uses “protein + carbs + good fats + leafy greens” as a formula for her meals, and that she enjoys “a Mediterranean-style diet” that emphasizes “products, whole grains, good fats and healthy proteins”.
Geoffrey Zakarian shared tips with Insider on the Mediterranean diet.
The “Chopped” star gave Insider seven tips for following the Mediterranean diet in 2021.
He advised not to skip breakfast
“Breakfast is where you bring all those gorgeous vegetables,” Zakarian told Insider. “…We can make a beautiful bowl of yoghurt with wonderful dried fruit and all the fresh fruit that the Mediterranean produces.”
“People have always asked me what’s the last thing on Earth you would have to eat if there was only one kitchen,” Zakarian added. “I would say Mediterranean cuisine because this cuisine offers everything that is good for you on the planet.”
Brooke Burke stays in shape with the Mediterranean diet.
“I try to eat something similar to a Mediterranean diet — lean meat, fish, crunchy vegetables, olive oil, and green tea. Avoid starches, flour, processed foods, and saturated fats,” Burke said. at Forbes in 2022.
“There isn’t a restaurant in the world where I can’t find a good meal,” she said.
Catherine Zeta-Jones loves a Mediterranean-style salad.
Zeta-Jones shared her daily diet with Harper’s Bazaar in 2021.
“I have a salad with every meal except breakfast because I love it,” she said. Her favorite is a mixture of spinach, arugula, pine nuts, tomatoes, blue cheese, dried cranberries and a vinaigrette made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and mustard.
Like a classic Mediterranean diet, she also adds a light protein like chicken or “something light that doesn’t weigh me down too much.”