Green Mediterranean Diet: Is It as Healthy as It Seems?

Dr. Eric Berg 01/07/2025

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The green Mediterranean diet is a variation of the traditional Mediterranean diet, which integrates polyphenol-rich foods while reducing the intake of red and processed meats.

Research suggests this eating plan can promote weight loss, but is it a healthy diet that supports long-term well-being?

Discover why its high-carb approach outweighs the benefits of the green Mediterranean diet, and discover how a nutritious low-carb diet may be a better choice to promote a healthy body.

Green Mediterranean-approved foods

What is the green Mediterranean diet?

The traditional Mediterranean diet is an eating pattern that emphasizes fresh, seasonal foods, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, olive oil, nuts, and animal proteins.

The green Mediterranean diet builds on this traditional framework by focusing on specific polyphenol-rich, plant-based foods and reducing meat consumption, especially red meat.

This approach aims to reduce inflammation and promote weight loss by prioritizing dietary fiber, plant-based proteins, and nutritious produce.

Key components of the green Mediterranean diet include:

Plant-based proteins
Leafy green vegetables
3 to 4 cups of green tea daily
Walnuts and other nuts
Duckweed, also called Mankai
Minimal red meat
Whole grains
Extra virgin olive oil

According to research published in Heart, the green Mediterranean diet demonstrated a greater reduction in inflammatory markers than the traditional Mediterranean diet.

Participants also experienced more significant decreases in waist circumference, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, blood pressure, and insulin resistance.

In addition, some proponents of the green Mediterranean diet claim this dietary pattern helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions due to lower intake of animal-based products.

However, critics argue that its reliance on certain imported products, such as Mankai duckweed, offsets these environmental benefits.

Watch the video below to learn how whole grains can impact brain health.

Is the green Mediterranean diet healthy?

Studies suggest that the green Mediterranean diet may be a healthier alternative to the traditional Mediterranean diet.

Research published in Genome Medicine highlights its benefits in improving gut microbiome composition and enhancing cardiovascular health markers compared to a standard Mediterranean diet.

Another study published in BMC Medicine suggests the green Mediterranean diet may also be more effective at supporting cognitive function in older adults.

The authors note, “A Green-MED (high-polyphenol) diet, rich in Mankai, green tea, and walnuts and low in red/processed meat, is potentially neuroprotective for age-related brain atrophy.”

However, while the green Mediterranean diet may be more advantageous than the traditional Mediterranean diet, there might be better choices for promoting weight loss and overall health.

Components of the green Mediterranean diet, particularly the inclusion of whole grains, fruit, and legumes, can contribute to blood sugar imbalances and negatively impact metabolic balance.

As Dr. Berg explains, “High-carb diets, even those including seemingly healthy food options, such as whole grains and fresh fruit, can still lead to insulin resistance and weight gain.”

Additionally, the diet's dependence on grains and legumes exposes individuals to excessive amounts of antinutrients such as lectins, phytates, and gliadin.

These plant-derived compounds can prevent the absorption of essential nutrients and damage the gut lining, leading to conditions such as leaky gut, impaired digestive functions, and nutrient deficiencies.

Keto-friendly foods

Keto: a better diet option for health and weight loss

When comparing the green Mediterranean diet and the ketogenic diet for weight loss and overall health, Healthy Keto® may be a better approach.

The green Mediterranean diet features many healthy foods, including fresh leafy greens and healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil.

However, its focus on carbohydrate-rich foods such as brown rice, wheat, legumes, and fruits may hinder weight loss and adversely affect metabolic health.

In contrast, Healthy Keto not only incorporates a substantial amount of nutritious vegetables but also promotes a consistent low-carbohydrate intake, significant amounts of healthy fats, and high-quality proteins.

This dietary strategy helps stabilize blood sugar levels, reduces insulin spikes, and encourages the body to adapt to burning fat as a primary fuel source.

Here are five benefits of keto for overall health and weight loss.

1. Enhanced fat-burning

By reducing carbohydrates, the Healthy Keto diet depletes the body’s glycogen stores, prompting the liver to enter a state of ketosis.

During ketosis, the body produces ketones from fatty acids, which serve as a highly efficient alternative energy source when glucose intake is low.

Over time, this eating pattern enables your body to become fat-adapted, enhancing its ability to consistently and efficiently burn stored body fat for energy, promoting sustained weight loss.

Young woman checking blood sugar

2. Improved metabolic health

Healthy Keto limits carbohydrates to 5 to 10 percent of daily caloric intake. This helps maintain steady blood sugar levels as dietary carbohydrates are rapidly converted into glucose and absorbed into the bloodstream.

In contrast, the green Mediterranean diet includes a significantly higher carbohydrate intake, which can lead to fluctuations in blood sugar levels associated with weight gain.

By promoting stable blood sugar levels, the ketogenic diet decreases the pancreas's need to produce large amounts of insulin. While insulin is a crucial hormone for blood sugar regulation, it also facilitates fat storage.

Excessive insulin production can also result in insulin resistance, a condition in which cells become less responsive to insulin, increasing the risk of metabolic disorders.

Additionally, by minimizing blood sugar fluctuations, Healthy Keto not only supports metabolic health but also helps prevent sudden energy crashes associated with high-carb diets.

3. Reduced food cravings

Healthy Keto emphasizes a wide variety of organic vegetables, healthy fats, and high-quality proteins, such as grass-fed beef, wild-caught fatty fish, and pasture-raised eggs.

These nutrient-rich foods help promote satiety by stimulating the release of leptin, which signals fullness, while at the same time suppressing the hunger-stimulating hormone ghrelin.

As a result, those following Healthy Keto feel fuller for longer, making it easier to adhere to a low-carb diet, thereby supporting weight loss efforts and promoting overall health and well-being.

Reducing carbohydrate intake also plays a significant role in curbing food cravings. High-carb foods cause blood sugar fluctuations, leading to cravings for more sugary and starchy foods.

By promoting stable blood sugar levels, Healthy Keto can help break the cycle of constant hunger and cravings, ultimately leading to improved energy levels, better appetite control, and sustainable weight loss.

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4. Improved energy levels and mental clarity

Ketones are a more efficient fuel for the brain and muscles than glucose, providing consistent energy without the peaks and troughs associated with carbohydrate metabolism.

This can result in improved mental clarity and focus and steady energy production, making the ketogenic diet an excellent option for those seeking to promote cognitive health and sustained energy.

A study published in Metabolism found that athletes following a 12-week low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet demonstrated significant improvements in fat oxidation and peak power during exercise while maintaining endurance compared to those on a high-carbohydrate diet.

5. Helps lower inflammation

By eliminating inflammatory foods such as refined grains and sugar, Healthy Keto helps reduce systemic inflammation, which can reduce the risk of various chronic health issues.

In addition, research published in BMC Medicine highlights that ketones can initiate protective cellular responses, leading to the “upregulation of anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activities, improved mitochondrial function and growth, DNA repair, and autophagy.”

These mechanisms enhance cellular resilience and repair, reduce inflammation, and support long-term health by protecting cells from oxidative stress.

Fresh Mediterranean salad with herbs

Key takeaways

While the green Mediterranean diet may be a healthier alternative to the traditional Mediterranean diet, its focus on high-carb foods and the inclusion of grains and sugars may pose health risks that could outweigh any potential health benefits.

In contrast, Healthy Keto prioritizes low-carb, nutrient-dense foods while eliminating grains and added sugars. This approach helps stabilize blood sugar levels, promotes fat-burning, and supports metabolic and cellular health.

FAQ

1. What is the green Mediterranean diet?

The green Mediterranean diet is a plant-based variation of the traditional Mediterranean diet.

It emphasizes plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and polyphenol-rich foods, while limiting the consumption of red and processed meats.

2. What foods can you eat on the green Mediterranean diet?

The green Mediterranean diet includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, as well as healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil.

The diet also includes polyphenol-rich foods such as green tea, walnuts, and Mankai duckweed. It allows moderate amounts of fish and poultry while minimizing red and processed meats.

3. Will the green Mediterranean diet help with weight loss?

The green Mediterranean diet may aid in weight loss compared to the traditional version due to its emphasis on polyphenol-rich ingredients and reduced intake of certain processed foods.

However, this diet plan includes high-carbohydrate foods such as whole grains and fruit, which may hinder weight loss and contribute to metabolic issues due to their detrimental effects on blood sugar and insulin balance.

4. Keto vs. the green Mediterranean diet: which is healthier?

The Healthy Keto® diet may be a healthier option than the green Mediterranean diet, especially for those seeking weight loss and improved overall health.

Reducing carbohydrate intake promotes fat-adaptation and ketosis, which can improve energy levels, accelerate fat burning, and reduce exposure to antinutrients found in whole grain products and legumes.

5. Can I combine keto and the Mediterranean diet?

Yes, you can combine elements of both diets by focusing on low-carb Mediterranean foods. This includes consuming non-starchy vegetables, healthy fats like olive oil and nuts, and moderate amounts of oily fish and organic poultry while eliminating high-carb foods such as grains and legumes.

This hybrid approach allows you to enjoy Mediterranean flavors while maintaining ketosis.