“You are what you eat” is a common cliché, with plenty of truth supporting it. But there’s a variation that’s just as relevant: You are where you eat.

We’ve all become accustomed to hearing about population clusters that have physiological advantages by ingesting the foods that are common to certain geographical regions. (Remember “French Women Don’t Get Fat”?) One of the most famous regional diets is the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains and various nuts. This style of eating has always been associated with heart-healthy, low-calorie lifestyles, but now the Mediterranean diet is making waves in the area of mental health and cognition.

DEFINING THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

With as many as 16 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, it can be difficult to identify precisely where the true Mediterranean diet originates. Lunch on the island of Crete differs quite a bit from a three-course dinner in southern Italy.

We’ll leave it to the American Heart Association, which characterizes the Mediterranean diet as:

• eating a high consumption of fruits, vegetables, bread and other cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds;
• using olive oil as an important monounsaturated fat source;
• eating low to moderate amounts of dairy products, fish and poultry;
• eating small amounts of red meat;
• consuming eggs from zero to four times a week;
• drinking wine in low to moderate amounts.
  

While dining this way can be a little more costly than fast-food takeout, it’s well worth it. According to a 2008 study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Mediterranean diet beat both low-fat and low-carb diets in weight-loss efforts for men and women. Now, new research has gone further in identifying the benefits of Mediterranean-style eating: It can significantly reduce depression by as much as 42 percent to 51 percent. The study, reported in the Archives of General Psychiatry, joins separate research in the Journal of the American Medical Association that showed that the Mediterranean diet can also lead to enhanced cognition.

Reseachers credit several factors for these beneficial effects. The nutrients in the Mediterranean diet aid in the function of endothelium, the inner lining of blood vessels, which is important for nerve health. Olive oil can improve the binding of serotonin, an important neurotransmitter, to its receptors. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are abundant in fish, can also aid the nervous system and brain function.

Of course, the Mediterranean diet is no replacement for the medical treatment of depression, but it’s yet another bonus for a way of eating that can help you lose weight while reducing your risk of heart disease.

SERVING UP A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

To give you an idea how tasty and varied the Mediterranean diet can be, we’ve listed a couple of recipes, courtesy of EatingWell.com. Give these a try.

Herbed Lamb Chops with Greek Couscous Salad

Lamb loin chops are a healthy alternative to the more popular and more fatty lamb shoulder chops. The loin chops have quite enough flavor to stand up to this herbaceous couscous.

4 servings | Active Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 pounds lamb loin chops, (about 8), trimmed of fat
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat couscous
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
  

Preparation

1. Put water on to boil in a medium saucepan.
2. Combine garlic, parsley and salt in a small bowl. Press the garlic mixture into both sides of lamb chops. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lamb chops and cook to desired doneness, 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium. Keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, stir couscous into the boiling water. Return to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes; fluff with a fork. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add tomatoes, cucumber, feta, lemon juice and dill. Stir to combine. Serve the couscous with the lamb chops.
   

Nutrition

Per serving: 333 Calories; 14 g Fat; 6 g Sat; 5 g Mono; 121 mg Cholesterol; 18 g Carbohydrates; 36 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 386 mg Sodium; 442 mg Potassium

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 2 vegetable, 4 lean meat

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the salad (Step 3) for 1 day.

Roasted Eggplant & Feta Dip

From EatingWell: September/October 2008

This roasted eggplant and feta dip gets a kick from a fresh chile pepper and cayenne pepper. There are countless variations on this classic meze (appetizer) in Greece. Out-of-season eggplant or eggplant that has been heavily watered often has an abundance of seeds, which make the vegetable bitter. Be sure to taste the dip before you serve it; if it's a touch bitter, you can remedy that with a little sugar. Serve with toasted pita crisps or as a sandwich spread.

12 servings, about 1/4 cup each | Active Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant, (about 1 pound)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, preferably Greek
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 small chile pepper, such as jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of sugar, (optional)
  

Preparation

1. Position oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source; preheat broiler.
2. Line a baking pan with foil. Place eggplant in the pan and poke a few holes all over it to vent steam. Broil the eggplant, turning with tongs every 5 minutes, until the skin is charred and a knife inserted into the dense flesh near the stem goes in easily, 14 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board until cool enough to handle.
3. Put lemon juice in a medium bowl. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and scrape the flesh into the bowl, tossing with the lemon juice to help prevent discoloring. Add oil and stir with a fork until the oil is absorbed. (It should be a little chunky.) Stir in feta, onion, bell pepper, chile pepper (if using), basil, parsley, cayenne and salt. Taste and add sugar if needed.
   

Nutrition

Per serving: 75 Calories; 6 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 4 g Mono; 6 mg Cholesterol; 4 g Carbohydrates; 2 g Protein; 2 g Fiber; 129 mg Sodium; 121 mg Potassium

Exchanges: 1/2 vegetable, 1 fat

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Recipes and photos: Copyright 2009 Eating Well, Inc. (eatingwell.com); photography by Ken Burris / Eating Well Inc.

From EatingWell: April/May 2005, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006)