Who hasn’t dreamed of escaping to the Mediterranean? The sea, the culture, the history and the food! Visions of tomatoes, olive oil and wine likely dance in your head. But is it too good to be true? Yes and no.

The food and eating habits of the Mediterranean region, which encompasses not only Greece and Italy but also Croatia, Turkey, Spain and Morocco, are undoubtedly both delicious and healthful. However, the “Americanized” version of Mediterranean food, deep-fried cheese and falafel, heavy pasta dishes and a lot of beef and pork is anything but healthy.

Though people living in the diverse Mediterranean region eat different types of food, their diet primarily consists of plant-based foods – whole grains, beans, nuts and unsaturated fat from extra-virgin olive oil. A small amount of lean poultry and plenty of seafood is also allowed.

The Mediterranean diet focuses on diet quality rather than a single nutrient or food group. Numerous studies have shown that it reduces the risk of chronic health conditions, including heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, while promoting longevity and improving quality of life.

The nutritional value and health benefits of the Mediterranean diet were first documented in the Seven Countries Study, which investigated the relationship between diet and heart diseases among roughly 13,000 men from 1958 to 1999. The seven countries that the participants hailed from included:

• Greece.
• Italy.
• Japan.
• Finland.
• Croatia and Serbia (Former Yugoslavia).
• The Netherlands.
• U.S.

The study demonstrated that the type of fat – saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated – affects cardiovascular health more than total fat intake does. Although standard nutrition advice calls for a 30% limit on total calories from fat, up to 40% may be heart-friendly, if most of the fats consumed are unsaturated.

• Fill your plate with a wide range of foods.
• Eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, legumes, olive oil, herbs and spices daily.
• Eat seafood and fish at least twice a week.
• Poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt are OK in moderation.
• Red meat and sweets are best reserved as occasional treats.
• The occasional glass of red wine is acceptable.

There isn’t a single Mediterranean diet. Greeks eat differently than Italians, and Turks eat differently from the French and Spanish. There’s even a Costa Rican version of the Mediterranean diet. But they share many of the same principles. Working with the Harvard School of Public Health and the World Health Organization, Oldways, a nonprofit food think tank in Boston, developed a consumer-friendly Mediterranean diet pyramid that offers guidelines on how to fill your plate – and maybe wineglass – the Mediterranean way.

Because the Mediterranean diet focuses on nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and healthy fats, it leaves little room for the saturated fat, added sugars and sodium that inundate the standard American diet. As a result, people who eat a Mediterranean-style diet have longer life spans, report a higher quality of life and are less likely to suffer from chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart disease.

There are a lot of misconceptions about the Mediterranean diet – namely that eating piles of refined pasta covered in cheese sauce and sausage meets the requirements of a Mediterranean diet plan. While you can eat whole-wheat pasta (or even regular pasta) on the Mediterranean eating plan, it would be topped with plenty of fresh vegetables and beans, dressed with olive oil and perhaps sprinkled with a small amount of natural cheese.

Yes, it’s possible to lose weight on the Mediterranean diet, especially if you’re switching from a standard American diet. But you must make wise choices, pay attention to portion sizes and don’t overdo the olive oil, cheese, nuts and other high-calorie foods. For example, overdoing olive oil, cheese and nuts will hinder your weight loss just as ice cream and cookies will.

There are many studies that show a Mediterranean way of eating can be an effective diet for weight loss and weight maintenance, says Elena Paravantes-Hargitt, a registered dietitian nutritionist specializing in the Mediterranean diet and author of “The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners.”

“One of the most important aspects of the Mediterranean diet in regards to weight loss is that it is easy to follow for long periods of time,” says Paravantes-Hargitt, who is also the founder of olivetomato.com, a website dedicated to the Greek-Mediterranean diet. She adds that “a traditional Mediterranean diet is 40% carbohydrates, 40% fat and about 20% protein. This combination has been shown to not only be ideal for long-term weight loss but is associated with lower mortality rates. As the diet is rich in vegetables, beans and olive oil, it provides good satiety.” Satiety is a feeling of fullness and satisfaction after eating.

Short-Term Weight Loss

If your goal is to fit into a 10-year-old pair of jeans in two weeks, the Mediterranean diet isn’t a great fit for you. However, health experts recommend losing no more than one or two pounds a week for a sustained length of time, and it isn’t uncommon to lose faster at the beginning of your diet, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose.

According to some research, your best bet might be to combine a Mediterranean diet with a reduction in carbs. We aren’t talking about the keto or paleo diet here. In one study, 194 overweight individuals with Type 2 diabetes were divided into three diet groups for one year (1). The three groups followed one of three diets. All three groups also cut calorie intake and exercised regularly. After 12 months, the average weight loss was:

• 22 pounds for the low-carbohydrate Mediterranean diet group.
• 17 pounds for the American Diabetes Association diet group.
• 16 pounds for the traditional Mediterranean diet.

People who eat about 40% of their total calories in the form of carbohydrates and emphasize plant-based sources of protein and fat also have the lowest risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to an American Heart Association review of three studies involving nearly 204,000 adults. This is especially impressive given that adults in some studies were monitored for up to 30 years.

If you really want to seal the deal and lose weight, add exercise to your Mediterranean lifestyle. An often-cited study by medical professionals showed that people enrolled in a program combining a low-calorie Mediterranean diet, an exercise program and counseling fared much better than the participants who were told to adhere to a Mediterranean diet but weren’t given any information about exercise or weight loss (2).

Long-Term Weight Loss

Although few studies have been completed to demonstrate effectiveness of the Mediterranean diet for long-term weight loss, the research is promising.

Weight Maintenance and Management

According to a study of 32,119 participants, following the Mediterranean diet can minimize both weight gain and an expanding waistline (3).

• Think of meat as the side dish and whole grains or vegetables as the main dish.
• Learn to enjoy fruit as a sweet finish to your meal – grilling, broiling or baking fruit with a squeeze of citrus juice before serving it with a dollop of vanilla yogurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon is a satisfying and healthful dessert.
• Look at recipes online and explore outside the borders of Greece and Italy. Be creative and have fun with it.
• Plan some meals and snacks in advance so you don’t have to think about what to prepare when you’re tired and hungry.

Besides the cost of food, the Mediterranean diet shouldn’t cost you anything unless you want to purchase a new cookbook.

You can follow a budget-friendly Mediterranean diet. While some ingredients – olive oil, nuts, fish and fresh produce – can be expensive, you can find ways to keep the tab reasonable, especially if you’re replacing red meats and meals with plant-based home cooking.

“The Mediterranean diet recommends many low-cost, whole foods, such as fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes. People may think they can’t afford seafood, but there are a number of budget-friendly options such as canned tuna, salmon and sardines,” says Lindsey Pine, a culinary dietitian in Los Angeles and author of the “Mediterranean Diet Meal Prep Cookbook” and “Quick & Easy Mediterranean Diet for Beginners.”

Because the Mediterranean diet doesn’t ban entire food groups, it’s easy to follow and adopt long term.

The Mediterranean diet can be convenient. You can combine seafood, beans, whole-wheat pasta and whole grains – like farro or quinoa – with an infinite combination of fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices to create easy meals. Purchasing precooked quinoa, brown rice, lentils and beans will make meal prep easy even on the busiest days.

Mediterranean recipes are plentiful. A simple online search will turn up hundreds of healthy Mediterranean meal ideas. Want more inspiration? Oldways, the nonprofit food think tank in Boston that helped develop a Mediterranean food pyramid, recommends the “4-Week Mediterranean Diet Menu Plan.” And America’s Test Kitchen offers many Mediterranean diet recipes – even recipes specifically for an Instant Pot – from their selection of cookbooks, including “The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook: 500 Vibrant, Kitchen-Tested Recipes for Living and Eating Well Every Day.”

If you eat out while following the Mediterranean diet, share an entree with a friend. Start with a house salad or order extra veggies a la carte so that you aren’t as hungry when the main course arrives. Grilled salmon or tuna, grain bowls and pizza made with a cauliflower or whole-grain crust are good choices.

You’ll find lots of free Mediterranean diet resources on the Oldways website, including an easy-to-understand food pyramid; a printable grocery list; gender- and age-specific tips on making the Mediterranean switch; a quick-read brochure; a recipe newsletter; and a glossary of Mediterranean staples, from bruschetta to tapenade.

Hunger shouldn’t be a problem on this diet. Fiber and healthy fats are filling, and you’ll eat lots of fiber-packed produce and whole grains on this diet.