Unlike other diet piramide alimentare mediterranea that may put you on a restrictive eating plan or restrict certain foods, the Mediterranean food pyramid emphasizes an overall way of eating. The base of the pyramid consists of a variety of plant foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds and a healthy amount of olive oil. The next level includes lean protein sources like fish and poultry as well as dairy (like yogurt and traditional cheeses) in moderate portions. The top of the pyramid consists of sweets and red meat in limited amounts.

The Mediterranean food pyramid is based on the dietary traditions of Crete, Greece and southern Italy circa 1960 at a time when they had the lowest rates of chronic disease and the highest adult life expectancy in the world despite having very limited access to healthcare. The pyramid was designed to highlight the importance of these dietary patterns in light of current nutrition research, and its main frame establishes daily, weekly and occasional guidelines for following a healthy Mediterranean diet.

La Piramide Alimentare Mediterranea: Guida alla Nutrizione Salutare e Gustosa

To determine how the Mediterranean diet is being followed in practice, researchers surveyed over 15,000 Italian adults aged 20 and older using a questionnaire designed on the basis of the updated version of the Mediterranean food pyramid. Responders were asked to report their frequency of consumption for each of the foods and beverages included in the pyramid, and at test completion they were provided with a personalized pyramid that displayed possible food excesses and deficiencies.