The Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, promoting longevity and improving gut health. Here’s your 24-hour sample diet plan.

Why the Mediterranean diet?

Eating like you’re living on a Greek island or in a Spanish village can do more than give your taste buds a treat. Studies show that the Mediterranean diet (MD), which is high in olive oil, vegetables, leafy greens, tomatoes, seafood, nuts, fresh fruit, legumes, and wholegrain cereals, can have potent anti-inflammatory effects.

As a result, “The Mediterranean diet can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, promoting longevity and improving gut health,” says Antonia Thodis, a clinical and research dietitian currently studying the diet at La Trobe University.

“To maximise the anti-inflammatory benefits, replace two meat-based meals per week with two legume- or tofu-based dishes. Traditionally, in Mediterranean countries, red meat and chicken were eaten only in small portions.” Here’s what a day on the Mediterranean diet might look like: