As the base of the pyramid visually depicts, foods at the bottom of the pyramid should be consumed in greatest quantity and then in decreasing quantities as you work your way up the pyramid. The Mediterranean Food Guide Pyramid also provides you with guidelines on how frequently the different food groups should be consumed. The bread, pasta, rice group; the vegetable group; the bean group; the fruit group; the olive oil group; and the cheese and yogurt group should all be consumed on a daily basis. Fish, poultry, eggs, and sweets should each be consumed weekly, and red meat should be consumed only on a monthly basis.

The calorie breakdown for the dietary component of the Mediterranean lifestyle is a set of loose guidelines. They are as follows:

• Approximately 60 percent of the calories are from carbohydrates, including the bread, rice, and cereal group; the vegetable group; and the fruit group.

• Approximately 30 percent of the calories are from fats, almost all from olive oil, nuts, and other vegetable sources.

• Approximately 10 percent of the calories are from protein sources.

FIGURE 1-1

The Traditional Healthy Mediterranean Diet Pyramid