4 Easy Ways to Start the Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is one of the most researched and most prescribed eating plans for weight loss, heart health, and many conditions in between. Research has linked it to better health outcomes, including lower rates of Type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart issues, cancer, and even better cognitive health. Yet many people still have misconceptions about the Mediterranean diet: mainly that it’s expensive and difficult. “I think that people just have to be told that it is affordable and it's quite easy,” says Joan Salge Blake, clinical professor of nutrition at Boston University, author of the book Nutrition & You, and the host of the nutrition podcast Spot On! The pillars of the Mediterranean diet include eating more vegetables, whole grains, fish, and olive oil, and consuming minimal amounts of alcohol, red meat, and saturated fats. Getting good amounts of physical and social activity is a core tenet of the lifestyle plan, too. But you don’t have to overhaul your diet overnight. “Try to take one one or two small steps at a time, and you'll eventually get there,” says Angel Planells, a registered dietitian in Seattle and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.We sp...