People who follow the Mediterranean diet more closely—like eating more veggies, fish, and olive oil—tend to have a lower chance of dying from heart disease, and every little step up in following the diet cuts their risk by about 9%.

People who eat like Mediterraneans—lots of veggies, olive oil, fish, and nuts—tend to have fewer heart problems, no matter where they live or how much money they make, so this way of eating might help heart patients everywhere.

People who eat healthy diets like the Mediterranean, DASH, or AHEI style tend to have a 20–30% lower chance of dying from heart problems, because these diets include good foods and avoid bad ones.

If people with heart disease eat more like a Mediterranean diet—lots of fruits, veggies, fish, whole grains, and a little alcohol—they’re slightly less likely to have serious heart problems like heart attacks or strokes.

If you're overweight and over 55 with a high risk of heart disease, you're about a quarter less likely to stick with the Mediterranean diet for three years than someone your age who isn't overweight.

People with heart disease who eat more fruits, veggies, fish, and a little alcohol each week tend to have fewer serious heart problems — and even small improvements in these habits might help.