The Mediterranean diet is a modern nutritional recommendation based on the typical food patterns of Crete, much of the rest of Greece and Southern Italy in the early 1960s. The principal aspects of this diet include proportionally high consumption of olive oil, unrefined cereals, fruits, and vegetables, moderate to high consumption of fish, moderate consumption of dairy products (mostly as cheese and yogurt), and low consumption of meat and meat products. Despite its name, this diet is not typical of all Mediterranean cuisine. In Northern Italy, for instance, lard and butter are commonly used in cooking, and olive oil is reserved for dressing salads and cooked vegetables. Olive oil is particularly characteristic of the Mediterranean diet. It contains a very high level of monounsaturated fats, most notably oleic acid, which epidemiological studies proved to be linked to a reduction in coronary heart disease risk. There is also evidence that the antioxidants in olive oil improve cholesterol regulation, LDL-cholesterol reduction and has other anti-inflammatory and anti-hypertensive effects. 
There is a great number of scientific studies that have proved that Mediterranean diet as a way of eating habits provides better health and longer life expectancy than any other model of diet. Combining the Mediterranean Diet with a moderate physical activity is the best choice for your health and your family's health.