Heralded for slashing weight and lowering cancer risk, the Mediterranean diet receives plenty of buzz. It's for good reason. Many doctors and dietitians agree that it's one of the healthiest ways to eat.

The diet focuses on consuming more vegetables, fruit, olive oil, fish, and nuts, while cutting back on red meat and added sugar.

New to the diet? Skip the complicated recipes and follow these suggestions from Julene Stassou, R.D., and author of .



Breakfast

Try this: A power smoothie. Stassou throws some almond milk, almond butter, a banana, and handful of berries into the blender. Pulverize. Drink. Another go-to for busy mornings: hard-boiled eggs, whole-wheat toast, and fruit.

Lunch

Try this: Make a salad using leftover meat from the night before. Top the salad greens with cold chicken, shrimp, steak, or whatever, and then toss in vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, dark leafy greens). Whip up a dressing with olive oil, vinegar, and lemon. Serve with whole-wheat pita on the side.

Dinner

Try this: Build a meal around one protein (preferably fish), a vegetable, and starch. Grill the protein using olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano. Serve alongside steamed vegetables (spinach, broccoli, zucchini). Make sure your starch offers complex carbohydrates. Sweet potatoes, quinoa, or brown rice are all great options.

Looking for more? Try these simple Mediterranean Diet recipes Mediterranean Diet Pomegranate Cherry Smoothie Bowl The perfect mix of healthy fat, protein, and fiber. Try it now. Roasted Red Pepper Chicken and Hummus Cook a batch of chicken on Sunday and pair with this hummus for easy weekday lunches. Try it now. Green and White Pizza Skip the delivery and make this vegetable-loaded pizza instead. Try it now.

Melissa Matthews Health Writer Melissa Matthews is the Health Writer at Men's Health, covering the latest in food, nutrition, and health.

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