Nutritional adequacy of the Mediterranean diet

In recent years, there has been an increased interest in finding a dietary pattern that satisfies a population’s nutritional requirements. The Mediterranean dietary pattern encloses a beneficial fatty acid profile with high monounsaturated fatty acid content, low glycemic index carbohydrates, high dietary fiber intake, and antioxidant compounds that may act together to produce beneficial effects on health. Nutritional adequacy emerges from the comparison between the nutrient requirements and the intake of a particular individual or population. Prevalence of nutrient inadequacy can be assessed by the probability approach or using the EAR cut-point method. However, indices or dietary patterns can also be used since they relate well to nutritional adequate intakes. Evidence supports that a high adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern increases the probability of fulfilling the nutrient recommendations. Therefore preservation of the Mediterranean diet should be encouraged in health promotion strategies instead of alternatives such as fortification or supplementation.