If you look at the food of countries within the Mediterranean, you’ll notice that more than half of the fats are monounsaturated (mainly due to the use of olive oil). Monounsaturated fats don’t raise blood cholesterol levels, which may explain why heart disease is much lower than anywhere else in the world.

Given this premise, some people have tried to mimic the diet of the region, mainly in its high consumption of fruits, vegetables, bread, potatoes, nuts and seeds; low intake of red meat and eggs, and moderate intake of fish and poultry. At a glance, there’s a lot of plant proteins, and generally has a low amount of fat while giving a lot of energy.

Unfortunately, olive oil is high in calories even if it’s low in cholesterol, and this is one diet where you can actually gain more weight in the long-run. Plus, there are several lifestyle factors that could account for the lower incidence of heart rate in the Mediterranean: an active lifestyle, close family ties, and a slower pace than that in most urban centers.