An European study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2003 followed more than 22,000 people living in Greece and investigated their eating habits. During the 4 years of the study, researchers found that the closer people followed the so called "Mediterranean diet", the less likely they were to die from either heart disease or cancer.

Fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains

The Mediterranean diet traditionally includes fruits, vegetables, pasta and rice. For example, residents of Greece eat very little red meat and average nine servings a day of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables. The Mediterranean diet has been associated with a lower level of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the "bad" cholesterol that's more likely to build up deposits in your arteries.

Nuts are another part of a healthy Mediterranean diet. Nuts are high in fat (approximately 80 percent of their calories come from fat), but tree nuts, including walnuts, pecans, almonds and hazel nuts, are low in saturated fat. Nuts are high in calories, so they should not be eaten in large amounts — generally no more than a handful a day. For the best nutrition, avoid honey-roasted or heavily salted nuts.

Grains in the Mediterranean region are typically whole grain and usually contain very few unhealthy trans fats, and bread is an important part of the diet there. However, throughout the Mediterranean region, bread is eaten without butter or margarines, which contain saturated or trans fats.

From: http://www.mayoclinic.com

There are three kinds of dietary fats: saturated (animal), polyunsaturated (plants, seeds, nuts, vegetable oils), and monounsaturated (olive oil). From a nutritional standpoint, all types of olive oil are approximately the same, with 80% monounsaturated, 14% saturated, 9% polyunsaturated fats on average.

Olive oil is rich in vitamins A, B-1, B-2, C, D, E and K and in iron. Olive oil, which is beneficial to the digestive system, does not necessarily keep you thin; it contains just as many calories as other oils (9cal/g).

Olive oil acts as a mild laxative, is a friend to the intestine and an enemy of ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil is a good tonic, with specific benefits for people suffering from heart disease.

Olive oil has been regarded as the "beauty oil". The body's cells incorporate the valuable fatty acids from the oil, making arteries more supple and skin more lustrous. The amount of oleic acid in olive oil is about the same as that found in a mother's milk and is thus the best growth supplement for infants.

Characteristics and benefits

- Rich in anti-oxidants
- Prevents heart and cardiovascular diseases
- Reduces the risk of cancer (especially breast and colon)
- Reduces the risk of diabetes
- Reduces Hypertension and infarct risk
- Protects from Alzheimer’s disease
- Reduces the risk of chronic bronchitis and emphysema
- Has anti-inflammatory properties
- Reduces blood pressure
- Improves life span and the quality of life
- It’s convenient (It’s based on easy to find and cheap foods)
- It’s tasty
- Ideal for sport lovers (balanced, rich of vitamins and minerals)
- It’s amusing!

As compared to the other diets, the Mediterranean diet has a higher calorie count, due to the use of Olive oil.

This anti aging food has fantastic health benefits because it’s does not contain bad fats but is rich in the good ones (poli-saturated and monounsaturated).

It’s very good for your heart and useful in reducing cholesterol, and blood pressure.

Olive oil contains also:

- Anti oxidants
- Oleic acid that reduces the risk of breast cancer
- Vitamins A, B1, B2, C, D, and K,
- Iron
- Poli-phenols

From: http://www.mediterraneanbook.com/the-mediterranean-diet/

It is not surprising to learn that people following the Mediterranean diet have a lower incidence of heart disease and cancer. Actually, the Mediterranean diet is not really a set diet. It is simply a healthy eating pattern - a pattern close to the dietary guidelines recommended by the American Heart Association. This diet is high in the good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats) as present in fish, olive oil and nuts; and low in saturated fats and trans fats. It provides excellent source of fiber and antioxidants through encouragement of eating lots of plant-based foods.