by Rafi Letzter

There’s an endless supply of fad diets out there. Many of them
have at least
some studies to back them up. Others
don’t. But there’s one way of eating that has an unusually
substantial body of research and scientific consensus to
back it up: the restricted
Mediterranean diet. If all you want to do with a diet is shed some
pounds, pretty much any plan you stick to that cuts sugar
and calories should do the trick — at least in the
short-term. But if you want to live a longer, healthier, more
nutritious life, the best evidence and scientific
consensus point to Mediterranean eating as the
way to go. Here, in short, is how you follow the Mediterranean diet:

• Eat rich, complex plant-based carbohydrates like whole
  grains.
• Eat large portions vegetables and fruits.
• Eat lots of foods rich in fiber, like split peas, lentils,
  and artichokes.
• Eat plenty of healthy, monounsaturated fats like
  olive oil.
• Eat lots of nuts and legumes.
• Eat eggs and dairy fat in smaller portions.
• Avoid red meat in favor of plant proteins, fish, and the
  occasional poultry meat.
• Avoid added sugar and highly processed foods.

In general, people eating in
the Mediterranean style should mostly be eating whole foods,
prepared simply.