The Mediterranean diet in hypercoagulable states and cancer.

MM The traditional Mediterranean diet refers to the dietary pattern that was typical until the mid-1960s of people living in the areas of the Mediterranean basin where olive trees grow, such as Greece, Southern Italy, and Spain. It is characterized by the use of olive oil as the main culinary fat; high consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and unprocessed cereals; moderate consumption of poultry, eggs, and dairy products—which include yogurt and cheese but not whole milk, butter, or cream—and low consumption of sweet desserts, red meat, and processed meat. It is traditional to consume a moderate amount of alcohol during meals, especially wine. The total intake of lipids can be moderate or high. The traditional Italian diet has a moderate lipid content— approximately 30% of calories come from fat. In Greece, calories from fat may account for more than 40% of total energy intake. In all instances, the ratio of monounsaturated to saturated lipids is high because of the use of olive oil, which is rich in monounsaturated fat. As for fish consumption, this used to correlate with distance from the sea but tends to be moderate overall.