The Mediterranean Diet
- 1999hcrawford
- Jul 18
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 31
About This Episode:
In this episode, Dr. Drew Crawford explores the foundational principles of the Mediterranean diet through a combination of scientific research and personal observations from his travels in Spain. He highlights the diet’s core components, like olive oil, whole grains, fresh vegetables, lean proteins, and moderate wine, and explains how this lifestyle supports heart health, weight management, and longevity.
Show Notes:
(0:00) - Introducing The Mediterranean Diet
(1:46) - Observations & Data From Spain
(4:52) - What Is The Mediterranean Diet?
(7:28) - Is It A Weight Loss Diet?
(8:34) - Dietary Components Of The Diet
(13:00) - The PREDIMED Trial
(14:36) - The 14-Item Mediterranean Diet Assessment Tool & It's Results
(24:25) - Where Do We Go From Here?
Resources & Articles Mentioned:
Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet Supplemented with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or Nuts (The New England Journal of Medicine)
A 14-Item Mediterranean Diet Assessment Tool and Obesity Indexes among High-Risk Subjects: The PREDIMED Trial (NIH National Library of Medicine: National Center for Biotechnology Information)
Questions | Criteria for 1 point |
1. Do you use olive oil as main culinary fat? | Yes |
2. How much olive oil do you consume in a given day (including oil used for frying, salads, out-of-house meals, etc.)? | ≥4 tbsp |
3. How many vegetable servings do you consume per day? (1 serving : 200 g [consider side dishes as half a serving]) | ≥2 (≥1 portion raw or as a salad) |
4. How many fruit units (including natural fruit juices) do you consume per day? | ≥3 |
5. How many servings of red meat, hamburger, or meat products (ham, sausage, etc.) do you consume per day? (1 serving: 100–150 g) | <1 |
6. How many servings of butter, margarine, or cream do you consume per day? (1 serving: 12 g) | <1 |
7. How many sweet or carbonated beverages do you drink per day? | <1 |
8. How much wine do you drink per week? | ≥7 glasses |
9. How many servings of legumes do you consume per week? (1 serving : 150 g) | ≥3 |
10. How many servings of fish or shellfish do you consume per week? (1 serving 100–150 g of fish or 4–5 units or 200 g of shellfish) | ≥3 |
11. How many times per week do you consume commercial sweets or pastries (not homemade), such as cakes, cookies, biscuits, orcustard? | <3 |
12. How many servings of nuts (including peanuts) do you consume per week? (1 serving 30 g) | ≥3 |
13. Do you preferentially consume chicken, turkey, or rabbit meat instead of veal, pork, hamburger, or sausage? | Yes |
14. How many times per week do you consume vegetables, pasta, rice, or other dishes seasoned with sofrito (sauce made with tomatoand onion, leek, or garlic and simmered with olive oil)? | ≥2 |
About Your Host:
Dr. Drew Crawford is a board-certified gastroenterologist with an active practice in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He also serves as the Program Director for the Gastroenterology Fellowship at Oklahoma State University. Additionally, and more relevant to this podcast, Dr. Drew Crawford is board-certified in obesity medicine. In the BMI Podcast, we will go Beyond Measurements & Image to build healthier lifestyles, elevate your well-being, and transform lives!
The BMI Podcast Resources:
The BMI Podcast Disclaimer:
The BMI Podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services.
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