The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook by Rockridge Press (2013): Food list

The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook (2013) is a cookbook for a Mediterranean diet.

• Eat fruits, vegetables, grains (mostly whole), olive oil, beans, nuts, legumes, seeds, herbs, spices, seafood.
• Limit cheese and yogurt, poultry, eggs, wine.
• Avoid or eat rarely meat, sweets foods, soft drinks, processed foods, fast food.

Below is a description of the food recommendations in the diet.  What to eat  |  Foods to limit  |  Foods to avoid.  There’s a lot more in the book.

Use this page as a cheat sheet alongside the book. Send this page to friends, family, and anyone else who you want to understand what you’re eating on this diet.

Get a copy of The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for recipes.

The reasoning behind The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook

The Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional foods eaten by people living in the Mediterranean region, especially in Crete. If you remember the advice “eat like your ancestors,” you’ll be on the right track. Your ancestors did not eat soft drinks, processed food, or fast food, and neither should you. The Mediterranean diet has a food pyramid that allows any kind of food but places them in a hierarchical order.

The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook plan – what to eat and foods to avoid

What to eat  |  Foods to limit  |  Foods to avoid

Foods to eat in The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook

Every meal should be based on fruits, vegetables, grains (mostly whole), olive oil, beans, nuts, legumes, seeds, herbs, and spices

• Fruits
  • Eat a wide variety
  • E.g. apples, apricots, bananas, berries, cherries, figs, lemon, mango, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, pomegranate, raspberries, strawberries
  • Dried fruits e.g. dried apricots, dried cherries, dried cranberries, dried figs, raisins
• Vegetables
  • Eat a wide variety
  • E.g. acorn squash, alfalfa sprouts, artichokes, arugula, asparagus, baby greens, beets, bell peppers, broccoli, broccoli rabe, Brussels sprouts, carrots, celeriac/celery root, celery, cucumber, eggplant, endive, fennel, garlic, grape leaves, green beans, green onions/scallions, kale, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, onions, peas, peppers (all types), potatoes, pumpkin, romaine, shallots, spinach, sugar snap peas, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, zucchini
  • Fatty vegetables e.g. avocado, olives (many recipes call for low-salt olives)
• Grains
  • Mostly whole grain
  • Whole and cracked grains – barley, bulgur wheat, farro, oats, quinoa, rice, wild rice
  • Flours and meals – cornmeal, whole-wheat flour, polenta
  • Pastas and noodles – whole-wheat couscous, whole-wheat pasta
  • Breads – whole wheat bread, whole-wheat pitas, whole-grain tortillas
• Legumes
  • Beans e.g. fava beans, garbanzo beans/chickpeas, cannellini beans, lima beans, white beans
  • Dried peas e.g. black-eyed peas
  • Lentils
• Nuts and seeds
  • Nuts and nut butters, e.g. almonds, coconut, hazelnuts, pecans, pine nuts, walnuts
  • Seeds and seed butters, e.g. sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, tahini
• Oils
  • Olive oil, peanut oil
  • People in this region tend to eat a diet high in monounsaturated fat
• Herbs and spices
  • Herbs e.g. basil, bay leaves, chives, cilantro, dill, herbes de provence, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, thyme
  • Spices e.g. 7 spices/baharaat, allspice, cardamom, cayenne, chili flakes, chipotle chili, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, fennel seeds, garlic powder, ginger, ground ginger, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, paprika, saffron, turmeric
• Fish and seafood
  • Should be consumed often, at least 2 times a week
  • Fish e.g. anchovies, bluefish, cod, flounder, halibut, monkfish, salmon, sardines, sea bass, tuna
  • Shellfish e.g. clams, mussels, shrimp
• Beverages
  • Drinking water is encouraged
• Condiments and pantry
  • Almond milk, baking powder, baking soda, cranberry juice, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla extract
  • Arrowroot, broth, capers, hummus, mustard, tomato paste, vinegar (e.g. apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar)
  • Sea salt, pepper

Enjoy meals with others.

Foods to limit with The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook

• Cheese and yogurt
  • Eat in moderation, daily to weekly
  • Many recipes call for low-fat or non-fat, especially for soft cheeses and yogurts
  • Cheeses e.g. blue cheese, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese, goat cheese, feta cheese, Gruyère, mozzarella, Parmesan, ricotta cheese
  • Yogurts e.g. Greek yogurt
  • Also milk, cream
• Poultry and eggs
  • Allowed in moderate portions, every 2 days or weekly
  • Poultry e.g. chicken, Cornish game hen, duck, turkey, turkey bacon
  • Eggs
• Sweeteners
  • Honey
• Wine
  • Especially red wine
  • Drink in moderation

Foods to avoid with The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook

• Meat
  • Eat rarely (although there are a number of recipes in the book)
  • Meats e.g. beef, lamb, pork
• Sweet foods
  • Eat rarely
• Soft drinks
  • Soda etc.
  • Avoid/eat rarely
• Processed food
  • Avoid/eat rarely
• Fast food
  • Avoid/eat rarely

If you want to lose weight, limit calories and unhealthful saturated fat

Health benefits claimed in The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook

The diet in this book claims to reduce the risks for: signs of aging, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes, eye disease, heart disease/cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, overweight/obesity, wrinkles. This is a diet not specifically for weight loss but for overall health

As always, this is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical diagnosis or treatment for a medical condition. Consult your doctor before starting a new diet. This page describes what the authors of the diet recommend – Chewfo is describing the diet only, not endorsing it.

Get a copy of The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for recipes.

How has this diet helped you? Please add a comment or question below.