• Bread (without butter or margarine) (whole grain is best)
• Cereal (whole grain is best)
• Polenta
• Pasta (whole wheat is best)
• Fruit
• Vegetables
• Grains
• Potatoes
• Rice
• Olive oil/olives
• Low-fat cheese, milk and yogurt
• Wine (optional and in moderation)
• Nuts and beans
Foods that should be eaten a few times a week include:
• Eggs (egg whites best)
• Poultry
• Veal/lamb
• Fish
• Sweet foods and drinks
Foods that should be eaten a few times a month (or more often in smaller amounts):
• Red meats
Fruits, Vegetables & Grains
You want to eat very little red meat and focus more on your fruits and veggies, averaging up to 9 servings a day. This eating pattern has been associated with a lower level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation — a change in LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) that makes it more likely to build up deposits in your arteries. You want to stick to whole grains, not packaged, so to keep from eating trans fats. Breads are eaten often but without butter or margarine, which contain saturated or trans fat.
Healthy Fats
Not all fats are bad, and this diet focuses on choosing the healthier options when it comes to the fat you eat. You want to eat more fats that contain the beneficial linolenic acid (a type of omega-3 fatty acid).
The main healthy fat sources are:
• Olive oil
• Canola oil
• Nuts
• Fish
Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids lower triglycerides and may provide an anti-inflammatory effect helping to stabilize the blood vessel lining. The Mediterranean diet discourages saturated fats and hydrogenated oils (trans-fatty acids), both of which contribute to heart disease.
You want to cook with olive oil, specifically of the virgin or extra virgin variety. All types of olive oil provide monounsaturated fat, but "extra-virgin" or "virgin" oil are the least processed forms, and so contain the highest levels of the protective plant compounds that provide antioxidant effects.
Also, try to incorporate nuts into your daily food intake in small amounts, especially walnuts. Nuts are high in fat — up to 80 percent of their calories — but tree nuts, including walnuts, pecans, almonds and hazel nuts, are low in saturated fat. Walnuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids. 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.
Wine
Red wine intake is encouraged in moderation, and is even associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. Red wine has an aspirin-like effect, reducing the blood's ability to clot, and also contains antioxidants.
This means no more than one 5-ounce glass of wine daily for women (or men over age 65), and no more than two 5-ounce glasses of wine daily for men under age 65. Any more than this increases the risk of health problems, including increased risk of certain types of cancer.
Red wine isn’t for everyone, so if you have a personal or family history of alcohol abuse, experience migraines, or you have liver disease, refrain from drinking wine or any other alcohol.
