The Mediterranean Diet Still Considered Gold Standard

May 8, 2025

The Mediterranean Diet Is Still The Gold Standard. Here’s Why!

by Janis at Simple Raw and Natural

The Mediterranean diet is still considered the gold standard by most of the medical and scientific community for maintaining health and helping prevent (and sometimes reverse early) diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and even cognitive decline.

It holds that status based on the large, long-term, peer -reviewed studies like the Predimed trial in Spain where major cardiovascular events were reduced by 30% on the Mediterranean diet, the Lyon Heart Study which after a heart attack, Mediterranean diet cut recurrence risk by 72%, as well as numerous combined smaller studies of pooled data of thousands of people.

Other diets, such as low-fat vegan diets, whole food plant-based diets, Dr. Brooke Goldner's hyper-nourishment protocol and raw food diet have also shown excellent result - sometimes even reversing disease - but the case studies have been smaller and more targeted. They show promise, though, especially for autoimmune diseases, severe heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes.

Nevertheless, these diets have not been tested in the same massive, decades-long randomized trials that the Mediterranean diet has been through. Therefore, the Mediterranean Diet has the best overall evidence across many diseases, is very sustainable and socially acceptable. The Low-Fat Vegan/Whole Food Plant-Based diet is excellent for heart disease, diabetes, and weight loss, but has less long-term trial data although the smaller studies have been strong. Dr. Goldner's Hyper-Nourishment Protocol was specialized for autoimmune reversal and has amazing case reports in small studies. Raw Food Diets can be extremely healing short-term but they are harder to sustain long-term and they have not been broadly tested in large trials.

Summary:

If someone is facing serious disease and needs reversal, a low-fat plant-based diet can sometimes do even better than the Mediterranean diet, especially for heart disease and autoimmune issues.

If someone is trying to prevent disease and live long-term with flexibility and enjoyment, the Mediterranean diet still has the most solid evidence.

Still curious. Still growing. Still grateful.

.Janis

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