Fact sheet

Mediterranean Diet

Less a diet, more a way of eating: plenty of plants, olive oil, fish and shared meals. It has some of the strongest trial evidence of any eating pattern, for hearts and possibly for mood.

What’s on the plate

Most days: vegetables, fruit, legumes (beans, chickpeas, lentils), wholegrains, nuts, seeds and herbs.
Main fat: extra virgin olive oil, used generously for cooking and dressing.
A few times a week: fish and seafood, eggs, some yoghurt and cheese.
Less often: red and processed meat, sweets, sugary drinks and highly processed snacks.
The bits people forget: eating with others, cooking from scratch and moving every day.

The evidence

PREDIMED (Spain): 7,447 people at high heart risk. A Mediterranean diet with extra olive oil or nuts cut heart attacks, strokes and heart deaths by about 30% over 4.8 years, compared with advice to eat low fat. The original paper was retracted and re-analysed in 2018 after problems at some sites, and the result held.
CORDIOPREV (Spain): 1,002 people who already had heart disease. Over 7 years, the Mediterranean diet led to about 25% fewer heart attacks, strokes and heart deaths than a low-fat diet. The benefit was clear in men; there was no clear difference in women.
SMILES (Australia): 67 adults with moderate to severe depression. After 12 weeks of help to eat a Mediterranean-style diet, 32% were in remission, versus 8% with social support. A small trial, but a striking one.

Making the switch

Step 1 · EasySwap the fatUse extra virgin olive oil instead of butter for cooking, dressings and drizzling.
Works
Part of the PREDIMED effect
Cost
Around $15–25 a litre
How long
Ongoing
Watch for
It’s still energy-dense: generous, not unlimited
Liquid gold, used daily.
Step 2 · EasyLegumes twice a weekChickpeas, lentils or beans in soups, salads, curries or on toast.
Works
Fibre, protein and fullness for very little money
Cost
Cheap, especially tinned
How long
Ongoing
Watch for
Rinse tinned ones to cut the salt. Wind settles as your gut adjusts
The cheapest heart food in the supermarket.
Step 3 · ModerateFish twice a weekOily fish like salmon, sardines or mackerel. Tinned counts.
Works
Linked with lower heart risk
Cost
Tinned sardines are a few dollars
How long
Ongoing
Watch for
Pregnancy: choose low-mercury fish and follow Food Standards advice
The tin is your friend.
Step 4 · ModerateA handful of nuts most daysAbout 30 g (a small handful) of unsalted nuts.
Works
Part of the PREDIMED effect
Cost
About $1 a day
How long
Ongoing
Watch for
Allergies, obviously
Snack upgrade, not a bowl at the footy.
Step 5 · OngoingShrink the ultra-processed shareFewer packaged snacks, processed meats and sugary drinks; more meals cooked from basic ingredients.
Works
The overall pattern matters more than any single food
Cost
Often saves money
How long
Gradual change works best
Watch for
Don’t aim for perfect: aim for most meals
Progress, not purity.

Save your money

Supplements instead of foodFish oil or olive oil capsules don’t reproduce the diet. The trials tested whole meals.
Red wine as a health foodIf you don’t drink, there’s no reason to start. Australian guidelines advise no more than 10 standard drinks a week, and less is better.
Expensive “Mediterranean” productsTinned legumes, frozen vegetables, oats and tinned fish do the heavy lifting.

See your GP if

You have heart disease, diabetes or kidney disease and want help with a diet plan (ask about a dietitian referral)
You take warfarin and plan a big increase in leafy greens: keep intake steady
You’re losing weight without trying

Common questions

What is the Mediterranean diet?

A traditional way of eating from countries around the Mediterranean Sea: mostly vegetables, fruit, legumes, wholegrains, nuts and olive oil, with fish a few times a week and less red meat and sweets. UNESCO listed it as intangible cultural heritage in 2010.

Does the Mediterranean diet prevent heart attacks?

In the PREDIMED trial, people at high risk who followed it with extra olive oil or nuts had about 30% fewer heart attacks, strokes and heart deaths than those told to eat low fat. In CORDIOPREV, people with existing heart disease had about 25% fewer events than on a low-fat diet.

Can the Mediterranean diet help depression?

Possibly. In the Australian SMILES trial, 32% of people with depression who were helped to eat this way were in remission after 12 weeks, versus 8% with social support alone. It’s a small trial and doesn’t replace other treatment.

Is the Mediterranean diet good for weight loss?

It isn’t designed for weight loss, but it’s filling and sustainable, and people tend to stick with it. Portion size still matters.

Is the Mediterranean diet expensive?

It doesn’t have to be. Legumes, tinned fish, frozen vegetables, oats and seasonal produce are cheap. Olive oil is the main extra cost.

Do I have to drink wine?

No. Wine isn’t needed for the benefits, and Australian guidelines advise no more than 10 standard drinks a week.

Helpful resources

Heart Foundation: Healthy eatingAustralian heart-healthy eating pattern, recipes and tips. Free.
Eat for Health: Australian Dietary GuidelinesServe sizes and food group advice. Free, Australia.

Evidence and more information

Updated 12 November 2026. General education, not personal medical advice. Treatment depends on your situation, so talk to your GP or pharmacist.

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