Are you eating a Mediterranean diet?

 Print this page
This quiz is inspired by the PREDIMED study - one of the world's largest and longest dietary intervention studies. Early results indicate that the so-called Mediterranean diet may reduce the risks of heart attack and cardiovascular disease by up to one half. The study was reported in the July 4, 2006 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The higher your score, the more likely you’re eating a Mediterranean-style diet!
Foods & Frequency of Consumption Scoring Criteria Your Score
1. How many servings of nuts (especially walnuts) do you consume per week? (1 serving = 1 ounce or about ¼ cup)
NOTE:Walnuts are unique among nuts because they are the only nut that contains a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Studies indicate that omega-3s lower cholesterol and protect against heart disease and stroke.		 Never: 0 points
1-3 times per week: 1 point
Daily: 3 points
2. When using oil, do you primarily use olive oil? If “yes” : 2 points
If “no” : 0 points
3. How much olive oil do you consume in a given day (including oil used for frying, salads, out-of-house meals, etc.)? None: 0 points
1-4 servings: 3 points
4. How many vegetable servings do you consume per day?(1 serving = 1/2 cup) None: 0 points
1 serving: 1 point
3 or more servings: 3 points
5. How many servings of fruit (including 100% fruit juice) do you consume per day? (1 serving = ½cup fruit or 4 ounces juice) None: 0 points
1 serving: 1 point
3 or more servings: 3 points
6. How many servings of red meat, hamburger, or meat products (ham, sausage, etc.) do you consume per day? (1 serving = 4-5 ounces) None: 3 points
1 serving: 1 point
3 or more servings: 0 points
7. How many servings of butter, margarine or cream do you consume per day? (1 serving =1 tablespoon) 1 serving or less: 1 point
More than 1 serving: 0 points
8. How many sweet or carbonated beverages do you drink per day? (1 servings = 12 fluid ounces) 1 serving or less: 1 point
More than 1 serving: 0 points
9. How many 5-ounce glasses of wine do you drink per week? 3 glasses or less: 1
More than 3 glasses: 0
10. How many ½ cup servings of legumes (e.g. beans, peas or lentils) do you consume per week? More than 3 servings: 1 point
Less than 1 serving: 0 points
11. How many servings of fish or shellfish do you consume per week?
(1 serving = 4 ounces of fish or 6 ounces of shellfish)		 More than 3 servings: 2 points
1-3 servings: 1 point
None: 0 points
12. How many times per week do you consume commercial sweets or pastries (not homemade) such as cakes, cookies, biscuits, doughnuts or fritters? Less than 3 times per week: 1 point
More than three times per week: 0 points
13. Do you preferentially consume chicken or turkey meat instead of veal, pork, hamburger or sausage? Yes: 1 point
No: 0 points
YOUR TOTAL SCORE
(Maximum Score = 25 points)

0-10 points: You have some work cut out for you. Try adding a handful of walnuts to your diet (add a few walnuts to your cereal, yogurt or salad; include walnuts in a heart-healthy trail mix; add walnuts to your cheese platter)
10-20 points: You’re getting there! (hint: a few walnuts make a great afternoon snack!)

20-25 points: Congratulations! Keep up the great work! The Mediterranean diet has been shown to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 50 per cent.

Visit www.walnutinfo.com for great recipes and tips on how to incorporate walnuts into your daily diet.