Heart-Healthy Mediterranean Diet Wiki

A curated knowledge base on Mediterranean diet nutrition for post-heart-attack recovery and secondary cardiovascular prevention. Last updated: 2026-05-18 · 50 pages

Start Here

If you're new to this wiki, begin with these three foundational pages:

mediterranean-diet — The complete overview: core principles, cardiovascular benefits, and clinical evidence
secondary-cardiovascular-prevention — How dietary intervention fits into post-MI care and long-term heart health
lyon-diet-heart-study — The landmark 1999 trial that showed a 50–70% reduction in recurrent cardiac events on a Mediterranean-style diet

The Mediterranean Pattern

The traditional Mediterranean dietary pattern is the most extensively studied eating style for cardiovascular protection. Rooted in the food traditions of Greece, Italy, Southern France, Spain, and the Levant during the 1950s–1960s, it emphasizes whole plant foods, healthy fats, and minimal processed foods.

Core pillars:

extra-virgin-olive-oil — The primary fat source; rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols that support endothelial function
Vegetables and Fruits — Daily staples, consumed in large quantities; provide potassium, fiber, and antioxidants
legumes — Beans, lentils, and chickpeas; eaten daily or several times per week as a plant-based protein source
whole-grains — Unprocessed cereals including wheat, barley, bulgur, and oats; the daily carbohydrate foundation
fish — Especially fatty fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel); the primary animal protein, rich in omega-3 fatty acids
Moderate cheese and wine — Cheese and yogurt as regular condiments; wine in low-to-moderate amounts with meals
Limited red-meat — Red meat is a few-times-per-month food, not a daily staple

Key foods not yet covered: mediterranean-herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary), poultry, eggs, cheese, yogurt, eggplant, tahini, canola-oil

Key Clinical Evidence

Trial / Study	Key Finding	Relevance
lyon-diet-heart-study	50–70% reduction in recurrent cardiac events vs. Western diet	Foundational Med diet evidence
cordioprev-trial	28.1% lower risk of recurrent MACE vs. low-fat diet	Modern RCT confirming Med superiority
ornish-lifestyle-heart-trial	Lifestyle program (including very-low-fat vegetarian diet) promoted selective plaque regression	Adjunctive evidence for intensive dietary change
2026-acc-aha-dyslipidemia-guidelines	Guidelines now prioritize whole dietary patterns over isolated nutrient targets	Current standard of care

Core Concepts

Understanding the biological mechanisms that drive Mediterranean diet benefits:

systemic-inflammation — Chronic low-grade inflammation drives atherosclerosis; the Med diet reduces inflammatory markers through polyphenols and omega-3 fatty acids
anti-inflammatory-environment — The physiological state promoted by Med diet fats (ALA, polyphenols) and food choices; counteracts inflammatory pathways
anti-thrombotic-environment — Med diet components (olive oil polyphenols, ALA, fish omega-3s) reduce platelet aggregation and thrombotic risk
blood-pressure-reduction — Achieved through increased potassium, magnesium, and fiber from vegetables and legumes; sodium reduction through herb-based seasoning
dyslipidemia-management — Mediterranean pattern improves the lipid profile: lowers triglycerides, raises HDL-C, and reduces atherogenic lipoprotein particles
plaque-regression — Evidence from Ornish trial shows intensive lifestyle change can reduce non-calcified plaque volume

Supporting Nutrients and Biomarkers

omega-3-fatty-acids — EPA and DHA from fish; ALA from canola oil and walnuts
alpha-linolenic-acid — Plant-based omega-3; the key cardioprotective nutrient in the Lyon study
lipoprotein-a — Lp(a), an independent ASCVD risk marker elevated in many post-MI patients
apolipoprotein-b — ApoB, the primary structural protein of atherogenic lipoprotein particles
sodium — Key target for reduction; Mediterranean cooking replaces salt with herbs, garlic, and lemon
potassium, magnesium, calcium — Electrolytes that support blood pressure regulation through vascular tone

Recipes

Five curated Mediterranean diet recipes, each verified with ≥20 aggregate user ratings:

Recipe	Rating	Cuisine	Time
Shakshuka (Poached Eggs in Tomato Pepper Sauce)	★★★★★ 4.98 · 215 reviews	Mediterranean/Middle Eastern	40 min
Greek Green Beans (Fasolakia Lathera)	★★★★★ 5.0 · 73 reviews	Greek	60 min
Mediterranean White Bean Soup	★★★★½ 4.93 · 103 reviews	Italian	45 min
Baba Ganoush	★★★★★ 4.96 · 42 reviews	Middle Eastern	35 min
Greek Chicken Salad	★★★★★ 5.0 · 20 reviews	Greek	35 min
Everyday Mediterranean Salad	★★★★½ 4.87 · 29 reviews	Mediterranean	10 min
Air Fryer Salmon with Capers	★★★★★ 5.0 · 135 reviews	Mediterranean	20 min
Air Fryer Falafel with Tahini Sauce	★★★★★ 4.94 · 508 reviews	Middle Eastern	75 min*
Air Fryer Chicken Wings (Lemon Pepper)	★★★★★ 5.0 · 26 reviews	Mediterranean-inspired	30 min

→ See the full recipe index with selection criteria and culinary categories

All Pages

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Heart-Healthy Mediterranean Diet Wiki

Start Here

The Mediterranean Pattern

Key Clinical Evidence

Core Concepts

Supporting Nutrients and Biomarkers

Recipes

All Pages

Entities (33 entries)

Concepts (15 entries)

Comparisons (4 entries)

Recipes (10 entries)