Key nutrients in a Mediterranean diet
A Mediterranean diet contains more fruit, vegetables, nuts, fish and olive oil than other diets designed to prevent cardiovascular disease (Bach-Faig A et al. 2011)
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KEY nutrients in a Mediterranean diet
- All essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals (see below)
- Polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants in plants. Sources include wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables, spices, fruits, cocoa, olive oil, tea, coffee and wine. They have a “prebiotic” effect on the gut, promoting beneficial gut bacteria and inhibiting potential pathogenic species, and their antioxidant activity protects against oxidative stress. Flavonoids are a class of polyphenols and include:
- Flavanols, which modulate the composition and function of the gut microbiome to promote healthy metabolic pathways and immune responses and inhibit low-grade chronic inflammation. Rich sources are bananas, apples, blueberries, peaches and pears.
- Anthocyanins, which produce the vivid colors of many fruits and vegetables, and improve the proportion of beneficial gut microbiota with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Good sources are red, purple, blue and black fruits and vegetables, and red wine.
Vitamin A & carotenoids
Vitamin A in fish oils, cheese, eggs. Carotenoids in carrots, sweet potatoes, green leafy veg, red bell peppers, mangoes
Heme iron (15–35% absorption). Rich sources are red meat, poultry, fish & seafood, eggs. Non-heme iron (2–20% absorption). Rich sources are legumes, tofu, tempeh, dark leafy greens, wholegrains, nuts & seeds, dried fruit, 70+% cocoa chocolate
