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The Mediterranean diet has been studied for decades, from its relationship with heart health and inflammation to the way it may support healthy ageing.
But what does the evidence actually tell us?
Can the Mediterranean diet support longevity?
Research consistently finds an association between greater adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet and markers of healthy ageing across large population studies. Similar associations have been observed across different populations and continue to be explored in more recent research.
Large observational studies have also found that people who consume more olive oil tend to have better long-term health outcomes associated with healthy ageing. Meta-analyses of prospective studies have reported similar associations.
There's an important distinction worth holding onto here.
These studies show associations. That's a valuable starting point, although on their own they can't show that a particular food or diet makes someone live longer.
So the evidence supports a measured conclusion: following a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern is associated with a range of health outcomes linked to healthy ageing.
Which Mediterranean food is particularly associated with health benefits?
The strength of the Mediterranean diet lies in the pattern as a whole, rather than in one "healthiest" food.
Extra virgin olive oil, however, is one of its most extensively studied ingredients. It provides predominantly monounsaturated fat alongside naturally occurring phenolic compounds, including polyphenols.
Research into olive oil consumption has found associations with cardiovascular health and lower all-cause mortality, within the context of a broader dietary pattern rather than from olive oil alone.
The context matters: olive oil is one part of that bigger picture.
Does olive oil help you live longer?
This is one of the most interesting questions, and the evidence is encouraging and worth interpreting carefully.
Large observational studies have found that people who consume more olive oil tend to have a lower risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease. Meta-analyses of prospective studies have reported similar associations.
Association is a great place to start, but it isn't the same as cause and effect.
People who consume more olive oil may also differ in other aspects of their diet, physical activity and lifestyle, which makes it harder to separate the effect of olive oil itself from the wider pattern.
So the most accurate conclusion is that regular olive oil consumption is associated with health outcomes linked to healthy ageing.
Why is the Greek island of Ikaria associated with longevity?
Ikaria has attracted particular interest from researchers because of the number of people who live to exceptionally old ages.
Its traditional way of life reflects many features of Mediterranean living: a plant-rich diet, extra virgin olive oil, regular everyday movement, strong social connections and a slower, community-oriented rhythm of life.
Rather than one ingredient or a single explanation, it is the combination of food, movement, environment, relationships and everyday habits that makes the island so interesting to researchers studying healthy ageing.
Can the Mediterranean diet reduce inflammation?
Inflammation is a normal part of the body's defence system. The question is what happens when inflammatory processes remain elevated over time.
Research suggests that a Mediterranean-style diet, particularly one enriched with extra virgin olive oil, can influence some markers associated with inflammation.
Systematic reviews of clinical trials have reported reductions in some inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, although results vary between studies.
The likely explanation is the combination of unsaturated fats, vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts and other polyphenol-rich foods that make up the Mediterranean pattern, rather than one "anti-inflammatory" food.
Is the Mediterranean diet good for gut health?
Increasingly, research is looking at the relationship between the Mediterranean diet and the trillions of microorganisms living in our gut.
Its emphasis on vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and other plant foods provides a wide variety of fibres and plant compounds that can interact with the gut microbiome.
Research suggests that following a Mediterranean-style diet is associated with changes in gut microbiome diversity, composition and function. It's an exciting, active area of research, and scientists are continuing to explore how these changes translate into individual health outcomes.
Why is the Mediterranean lifestyle considered healthy?
The Mediterranean lifestyle is about much more than what's on the plate.
Food is at its heart, but so are regular movement, time outdoors, social connection and the simple rituals of everyday life.
It is a way of eating and living that has been associated with healthier ageing and a lower risk of premature death across large population studies.
Perhaps that's what makes the Mediterranean way of life so compelling.
It's built around the bigger picture, and how small, everyday choices come together over time, rather than one miracle ingredient or one perfect habit.
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