The Mediterranean Diet Keeps Winning “Best Diet” Awards

What is the Mediterranean diet?

Despite the name, the Mediterranean diet isn’t really a “diet.” There are no strict rules to follow or lists of forbidden foods, and it’s not even intended to help you lose weight. Instead, it’s all about eating foods that feature heavily in traditional Mediterranean cuisines, which are associated with lower rates of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes. 

The building blocks of the Mediterranean diet are plants, fish, and regular physical exercise. Veggies, fruits, nuts, beans, whole grains, and olive oil should be the basis of most meals, with eggs and fish acting as the main sources of animal protein. (Red meat, dairy, and sweets aren’t off-limits, but they’re more like treats than daily staples.) As for exercise, you don’t have to train for a marathon or join a gym—yoga, cycling, or even taking a daily walk around your neighborhood is plenty. 

This sensible, well-rounded, health-first approach is why the U.S. News and World Report consistently ranks the Mediterranean diet as the best overall. In fact, 2021 was its fourth consecutive year in the top spot. 

How fish fits in

A major part of the Mediterranean diet is eating fish or seafood about twice a week. As one of the few sources of animal protein in a largely plant-based diet, seafood provides plenty of complete protein, healthy fats, and certain vitamins (especially B-12) that you can’t necessarily get from vegetables and grains. 

Chicken of the Sea’s wide selection of seafood and fish are the ideal addition to any Mediterranean diet. With everything from solid albacore tuna to sardines in extra-virgin olive oil, our products make it easy—and delicious—to get your two servings a week.