The Mediterranean diet is an example of healthy eating around the world, but lately it has had competition. And it is that in the rankings prepared by renowned organizations such as the American Heart Association (American Heart Association, in Spanish) or publications such as the U.S. News
This nutritional plan, which was created in the 1990s by the US National Institutes of Health, is specifically aimed at stopping and reducing high blood pressure, and has recently gained many followers in the health field. So much so that it is also being recommended to people who do not suffer from this pathology. The DASH diet proposes a diet low in salt, full-fat dairy, poor-quality vegetable oils, processed foods, and alcohol, prioritizing above all non-starchy vegetables and fruits, whole grains, lean meats, and nuts.
The truth is that it coincides with the Mediterranean diet on several points, for example, in the fact that it gives importance to the fact that foods of plant origin predominate on the plate. Although the DASH diet is more specific in this recommendation, says dietitian-nutritionist Esther Vives, who is also a spokesperson for the College of Dietitians and Nutritionists of Catalonia (CoDiNuCat). "This plan requires that 50% of the plate be fruits and vegetables. The Mediterranean diet does not speak of percentages," says the expert.
Other similarities are that both recommend consuming whole grains, legumes, nuts, and fresh, little-processed foods. But how is each one different and which one would be the most suitable? As already noted, the salt content of the diet is one of the main discrepancies between the two. The doctor and nutritionist Magda Carlas considers that in a context in which we eat a lot of salt —according to the World Health Organization (WHO), we consume an average of 10.8 grams per day, when the daily recommendation is 5 grams—, it is not it is wrong to reduce intake. But she remembers that if we respect the Mediterranean diet, that is, we do not base our diet on ultra-processed foods, that excess should not exist. "If you eat fresh produce, there is no need to remove salt from the menu, because the amount added to food during cooking is usually low," adds dietitian-nutritionist Júlia Farré, from the center of the same name.
Vives agrees and insists that recommending everyone to eliminate salt is not the way, but giving personalized advice adapted to our diet. "It is not only present in ultra-processed foods, but also in preserves and all kinds of packaged foods, since it is used as a preservative and flavor enhancer," says the nutritionist. Sausages and cheeses are other products that have a lot of sodium, and if we had a problem that forced us to limit it, reducing the intake of these processed products would be something that should be evaluated.
Another guideline of the DASH diet that does not convince the experts is to avoid whole dairy products and prioritize skimmed ones. "It's not worth it, because the fat content of one and the other is not that different. The whole ones only have 3% more fat," says Carlas. In addition, full-fat dairy products have advantages, such as that their vitamin content is higher, and that "fats act as vehicles for these nutrients," explains Vives. On the other hand, more and more studies defend that more than reducing the fat content, the priority should be to look at the whole diet.
More differences. While the DASH-style diet recommends eating lean meats, the Mediterranean diet focuses on fish. The latter also has olive oil as the fat of choice. "The Mediterranean diet is more adapted to where we live and prioritizes local foods, for this reason and for the lifestyle it defends, I would recommend it before the DASH diet," says Carlas, who, despite staying with the Mediterranean diet, insists on that DASH can be a healthy choice.
Farré also prefers the Mediterranean, since it is a diet that adapts to all ages, but he does not agree with having a glass of red wine a day. "There is no amount of alcohol that is safe, because it is toxic. The fact that a glass of red wine is included in some studies on the Mediterranean diet does not mean that we should drink it, nor that it is healthy," insists the expert. Carlas agrees with her and points out that if we decide to take it for pleasure, we should do it in moderation.
The same thing happens with bread. "In Spain, wheat is part of the Mediterranean diet, but that does not mean that we can swell up with bread from the gas station," warns Farré, adding that, in fact, in other countries bordering the Mediterranean it is not a food that is valued in the diet. And the sausage is another controversial issue. "It falls within our way of eating because before there was not the frequency of consumption that there is now. But the intake of these processed meats should be monthly."
In conclusion, both nutritional plans are recommended, but the experts remember that the Mediterranean diet prioritizes local foods, which is always a positive thing. "In any case, assessing which one is best for us with a health professional would be advisable," concludes Vives.
