Mediterranean Diet and Diabetes
The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid and Diabetes
People with diabetes can create a very healthy menu with the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid. This pyramid is characterized by the relatively low presence of fat. All fats included in the diet are mono-unsaturated or poly-unsaturated fats, such as olive oil. You’ll notice that the Mediterranean pyramid also includes generous portions of fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and poultry. Surprising to some, the pyramid recommends at least one glass of wine a day along with a satisfying meal!
Note that the base of all of these pyramids show physical activity as the foundation, the core. For all of us who can recall those times, people walked a lot, bicycled a lot and were always tending to the garden, for food or for pleasure. The Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables and fruit and low in saturated fats. We can all be better off embracing more of this traditional life philosophy/reality; diabetic or not.
Additionally, it is important to note that while serving sizes are not reflected in these pyramids, it is safe to assume that the servings were quite small. Plates, bowls and teacups were all smaller than what we typically use today in North America certainly. Food was also not in the very great abundance we “enjoy” in most well-to-do countries. The principle we get to embrace here is one of balance and some scarcity. Our serving sizes have gotten ahead of us and affect all of the nutritional balance we aim for.
For more on nutrition guidelines for diabetes, please visit our Diabetes Meal Plans or Diabetes Nutrition Information.
More tradtional food pyramids can also be found:
We do not currently have a pyramid for a traditional African diet. The closest would be either the Vegetarian Pyramid or the Latin American Pyramid.
