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Olive Oil, Fish, Veggies ... What Is It?

When the researchers looked at the individual components of the Mediterranean diet, they found no significant decrease in death with any one type of food.


"God knows what sorts of interactions take place within the foods, and we need further research to pinpoint them exactly," Trichopoulos tells WebMD.

"But typically, people in Greece eat twice as many vegetables as Americans -- nearly a pound a day. And you really can't eat a pound of vegetables a day unless you have olive oil to make them appetizing. My advice is to try to double the amount of vegetables and fruits you currently have, and eat more fish, legumes, and non-refined cereals."

While olive oil itself showed little benefit, the researchers note a significant reduction in death rates from a higher overall ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats. Olive oil is among the best sources of monounsaturated fats -- and happens to be the main cooking oil in most Mediterranean countries -- but other oils frequently consumed by Greeks and others surrounding the Mediterranean Sea also contain these healthy fats.

Calories Versus Healthy Oils




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