Understanding the Mediterranean diet. Could this be the new "gold standard" for heart disease prevention?

The traditional Mediterranean diet as outlined in this article is an ideal eating pattern for prevention of cardiovascular disease. The essence of this diet is the use of natural, whole foods and the avoidance of highly processed ones. We believe that current understanding and scientific evidence are adequate to recommend this diet widely as a practical, effective, and enjoyable strategy--the new "gold standard"--in heart disease prevention.