The Mediterranean diet is based upon the traditional dietary patterns of the countries of the Mediterranean Basin. The principal aspects of this diet include high consumption of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits, vegetables, moderate consumption of dairy products (mostly as cheese and yogurt), moderate to high consumption of fish, low consumption of meat and meat products, and moderate wine consumption. More than any other food ingredient, olive oil represents the Mediterranean diet. There is considerable clinical data to show that antioxidants in olive oil can provide additional heart health benefits such as positive cholesterol regulation and LDL cholesterol reduction, and that it exerts additional anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive effects in humans.
