The Mediterranean Diet is a nutritional model that was created after the way that people in countries like Greece and Italy eat. Studies have shown that people in these countries have a far lower rate of disease and cancer than in any other part of the world. So now, people are taking notice.

First developed by an American doctor in the 40s, this way of eating has just only recently become noticed by Americans in the late 1990s. Better late than never. There are key differences between the traditional American diet and the Mediterranean diet that are worth noting.

The US Food Pyramid is markedly different from the Mediterranean Diet food pyramid. In the first place, you won't find a lot of red meat in a Mediterranean Diet. Red meat is used in their cooking, but not often and in very small portions. Fish also takes up a large portion of the Mediterranean Diet food pyramid, whereas the US Food Pyramid groups all types of meat together into one category.

What make up the main staple of Mediterranean fare are whole grain foods, like bread and rice, couscous, potatoes, and other such things. Another important part of the Mediterranean diet are fruits and vegetables. So are beans and nuts. That is one thing the two different food pyramids have in common. However, the recommended quantities are a bit different.

When you look at the traditional US food pyramid and how it lumps protein altogether as one, you'll find that it's difficult to tell what specific parts each kind of food needs to play in your diet. The Mediterranean Diet food pyramid makes them more distinct from each other.

The reason why people have finally begun to pay attention to this Mediterranean way of thinking and eating is that they have been discovered to have shockingly low rates of cancer and other such diseases.

Red wine has been known to have some powerful antioxidants and the Mediterranean Diet includes a lot of red wine, in just about every meal and as often as possible. You will also find a lot of olive oil in Mediterranean cooking. Like red wine, it also has some of its own antioxidant properties. If you want to look better and feel better too, it's worth looking into the Mediterranean Diet food pyramid. It can show you how to live a healthier life.