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Nutrition & Dietetics vocabulary · Diets and Meal Planning

Mediterranean diet

Meaning in nutrition & dietetics, with examples

nounCommon term

In nutrition & dietetics, Mediterranean diet means: A traditional eating pattern of countries around the Mediterranean, rich in vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and fish, with moderate dairy and little red meat.

In Turkish: Akdeniz diyeti, Akdeniz tipi beslenme

How it is used

Often mentioned in research on heart health, diabetes and healthy aging, including the PREDIMED trial. People 'follow' or 'adhere to' a Mediterranean diet, and researchers measure this with adherence scores. It is described as an eating pattern rather than a strict diet.

Example sentences

  1. Many traditional Aegean dishes fit perfectly into a Mediterranean diet.

  2. Participants with higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet had fewer cardiovascular events.

Common collocations

  • follow a Mediterranean diet
  • Mediterranean diet score
  • adherence to the Mediterranean diet
  • Mediterranean-style diet
  • unsaturated fatA type of fat with one or more double bonds in its fatty acids, usually liquid at room temperature. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are its two main groups.
  • whole grainA grain such as wheat, oats, barley or brown rice that still contains all three parts of the kernel: the bran, the germ and the endosperm.
  • plant-basedDescribing a diet or food that comes mainly or entirely from plants, such as vegetables, fruit, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. It may or may not include small amounts of animal foods.
  • balanced dietA way of eating that includes a variety of foods from all the main food groups in suitable amounts, so that the body gets the energy and nutrients it needs.
  • adherenceThe degree to which a person actually follows an agreed treatment, diet or plan over time, such as eating according to a meal plan or taking supplements as prescribed.

More terms: Diets and Meal Planning

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.