The importance of the Mediterranean diet in cardiovascular disease

The Mediterranean diet is characterized by abundance of plant foods, such as vegetables, fruit, bread and cereal products, legumes, nuts and seeds, as well as olive oil, herbs and spices. Moreover, moderate intakes of dairy products, fish, poultry and wine, and low consumption of red meat are recommended. This diet is low in saturated fat (<7% of energy) with total fat within the range of 25-35% of energy. To assess dietary compliance cardiovascular diseases with the recommendations of the Mediterranean diet a variety of indicators are used, of which the most common are: 9-point scale of alternate Mediterranean Diet Score (aMED) and 14-item Questionnaire of Mediterranean diet adherence (MDA). The results of the epidemiological research indicate that the nutrition model based on the assumptions of the Mediterranean diet is a crucial component of primary and secondary prevention of 25-35% of energy.