The Mediterranean keto diet (or keyto diet) combines aspects of the ketogenic diet and Mediterranean diet to provide you with health benefits, such as weight loss and better blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and brain health.
This article examines Mediterranean and keto separately and then shows how combining Mediterranean and keto food choices, which are very low-carb, can give you the best of both worlds.
What Is the Keto Diet?
The Ketogenic diet, or “keto diet,” is a high-fat, moderate-protein, and very low-carb diet plan best known for fat loss. (1) That being said, research on the keto diet has shown that it also helps with diabetes reversal, inflammation reduction, seizure reduction, cognitive health, and more. (2, 3, 4)
In this diet, you’re mainly restricting your intake of carbohydrates, which helps induce nutritional ketosis. Nutritional ketosis starts when you limit carbohydrate intake to 50 grams or lower. This depletes your glycogen stores and allows you to enter ketosis, a fat-burning state. During this metabolic state, your liver produces ketones, which become your fuel source (instead of glucose).
When your body first enters into ketosis, you may experience some temporary side effects. However, know that ketosis is generally safe and healthy when following a well-planned ketogenic diet of whole foods.
To reach and maintain ketosis, you should avoid all grains, high-sugar fruits (e.g. apples, mangoes, bananas, pineapples, and other tropical fruits), and high-carb, starchy vegetables (e.g. potatoes, corn, carrots, turnips, beets, etc.).
Healthy low-carb and high-fat keto diet staples include meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, full-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, salad greens, cruciferous veggies, avocados, and berries. These will help you reach your macronutrients.
Needing help calculating your carbs, fat, and protein macros for a keto Mediterranean diet? Use our free keto calculator.
What Is the Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean diet, or “med diet,” is a primarily plant-based diet that includes a wide variety of green vegetables, legumes, fruits, red wine, whole grains, and olive oil. Your primary protein sources on this diet include fish and poultry, while red meat (e.g. beef, pork, venison, etc.) and dairy must be consumed in very limited amounts. (5, 6)
This diet was coined in the 1960s when Ancel Keys, an American scientist, noted that people living in the Mediterranean region (e.g. Italy, France, Spain, and Greece) had lower rates of heart disease and mortality rates probably because of what they ate. (7)
The Mediterranean diet is much healthier than a Standard American Diet (SAD) because it forbids processed foods and refined sugar, which contribute to obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and some cancers. (8)
How to Combine These Diets for Optimal Health
Combining the keto and Mediterranean diets means you only eat Mediterranean-friendly foods low in carbs. For example, while whole grains, legumes (e.g., black beans, chickpeas, and lentils), sweet fruits, and starches (e.g., potato, corn, and beets) are normally allowed on a traditional Mediterranean plan, they are to be avoided on a keto Mediterranean diet.
On the other hand, while red meats, dairy products, and some seed oils are typically allowed on keto, these foods are limited on the keyto diet. This just goes to show that the type of keto diet you choose determines what food groups you are able and not able to have.
Benefits of a Mediterranean Keto Diet
Aside from having plenty of food options on a keto Mediterranean plan, this diet has been shown to support better health in a variety of ways. The advantages are backed by studies on the diet itself, as well as separate topics like carb reduction, avoiding processed foods, and healthy fat consumption.
1. Aids in Weight Loss
The Keyto Diet can lead to a significant reduction in body weight safely.
In a 2008 study, researchers placed overweight subjects on a Spanish Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet (SKMD), where they consumed virgin olive oil, green vegetables, and different types of fish as their main protein source. (9)
Although they weren’t asked to limit their calories, they kept their maximum daily carbs to only 30 grams per day. The participants avoided trans fats, such as margarine and processed meats, with added sugar.
The results were surprising. Within 12 weeks, they went from 108.62 kg to 94.48 kg. This led the researchers to conclude that their Spanish Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet intervention can be an effective treatment for obesity.
They believed that the significant weight loss may have happened due to the combination of a higher protein intake (since keto allows for more protein than a Standard American Diet) and healthy fats like MUFAs and PUFAs.
2. Manages Blood Sugar
The keto diet can benefit people with diabetes and those trying to keep their blood glucose under control. (10) A Mediterranean version of keto is also beneficial since it retains the low-carb aspect of the diet, which is essential for blood sugar management.
The 2008 study on a Spanish Ketogenic Mediterranean Diet found that, in addition to significant weight loss, the participants also experienced improvements in their fasting blood glucose levels. Results showed glucose reductions from 109.81 mg/dl to 93.33 mg/dl. (11)
Olive oil – an essential fat source in the Keyto diet – contains high amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which improve blood glucose control and lower inflammation. (12, 13)
Another way that Mediterranean keto improves your blood sugar numbers is through weight loss. In other words, losing weight can control or lower your risk of diabetes. (14)
3. Allows You to Eat Clean
It’s worth noting that a keto Mediterranean diet emphasizes clean eating. All your calories should come from high-quality whole foods like fatty fish, seafood, low-carb vegetables, and olive oil.
Choosing natural foods over highly processed foods helps you avoid sugar and additives (such as carrageenan and carboxymethylcellulose) that cause inflammation, weight gain, obesity, hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes, cancer, and a higher risk of all-cause mortality. (15)
Eating cleaner may sometimes be challenging, but you can start with simple actions. For example, start reading food labels and avoid items with added sugars. You can also begin replacing refined carbs (e.g. bread, pasta) with foods like salad greens.
4. Improves Cholesterol
Optimizing your cholesterol numbers becomes easier with a keto Mediterranean meal plan.
One reason for this is the presence of monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, nuts, and avocados that are consumed in the diet. These fats may help raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL), known as good cholesterol, and reduce triglyceride levels. (16, 17) This combination of HDL cholesterol and low triglycerides helps lower the risk of heart disease.
It’s important to note that some people who follow a standard keto diet may experience increases in their low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is the case with lean mass hyper-responders.
Lean mass hyper-responders refer to lean and athletic individuals who go on carb-restricted diets and see increases in their LDL cholesterol, along with increases in HDL and decreases in triglycerides. (18) Carb-restricted diets particularly increase the size of LDL particles, which aren’t a marker for cardiovascular disease risk. (19)
5. Helps With Brain Health
Studies show that both the keto and Mediterranean diets improve brain function. When combined, they provide an array of brain benefits, thanks to the antioxidant effect of ketones, micronutrients in unprocessed foods, and healthy fats.
Longitudinal studies found that adhering to a Mediterranean diet was linked to better global cognition and verbal ability. (20) As for the keto diet, several human studies have shown that keto can be an effective non-pharmacologic intervention for various stages of dementia and a successful option for treating epilepsy. (21)
While its mechanism isn’t clearly understood yet, keto may help stabilize mood in individuals with anxiety, depression, and autism spectrum disorders. (22, 23)
Mediterranean Keto Diet Food List
Here’s a Mediterranean keto food list with everything you need to maintain ketosis:
- Proteins: Fish, seafood, poultry, and eggs. Red meat should only be had in moderation.
- Fats: Olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, MCT oil, and omega-3s. Dairy should only be had in moderation.
- Non-starchy veggies: Salad greens, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, zucchini
- Low-carb fruits: Avocado, strawberries, blueberries, lemons, cantaloupe
- Herbs and spices: Black pepper, chili powder, paprika, garlic
- Nuts and seeds: Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pistachios
- Sweeteners: Stevia, monk fruit, and other keto-friendly sweeteners
You’ll want to make sure you avoid foods that aren’t keto or Mediterranean diet-friendly, such as heavily processed foods. This includes things like sugary desserts and anything made with vegetable oils (e.g. canola oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, etc.).
Sample Meal Plan
Check out our meal plan below to start experiencing the benefits of a keto Mediterranean lifestyle. Feel free to tweak any of these meals to suit your preference:
Day 1
- Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, cherry tomatoes, and black coffee
- Lunch: Spicy Salmon Keto Poke Bowl
- Dinner: Chicken, cheese, and broccoli casserole
Day 2
- Breakfast: Avocados stuffed with tuna
- Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with cucumbers and tomatoes
- Dinner: Savory Shrimp Keto Stir Fry
Day 3
- Breakfast: Salmon patties made with salmon, almond flour, mayo, and herbs
- Lunch: Brussels sprouts salad with Creamy Green Goddess Avocado Sauce, almonds and parmesan cheese
- Dinner: Shrimp Stacks
Day 4
- Breakfast: almond flour pancakes
- Lunch: garlic butter shrimp and zucchini noodles
- Dinner: Zesty, Healthy Keto Taco Salad Recipe (this recipe has red meat and dairy, which should be eaten only in moderation)
Related: Keto Meal Prep Like a Pro: Pantry Essentials, Recipe Ideas, and Expert Tips and Tricks
Just Getting Started With Keto? We Can Help
If you’re already on a keto diet and curious about experimenting with the Mediterranean way of eating, go ahead and combine both diets. Research shows that it improves overall health through weight loss, blood sugar control, better brain function, and more.
As a rule of thumb, fish and seafood should be your primary source of protein. Eat red meat and dairy in moderation. Get your carbohydrates from non-starchy plants while being careful not to exceed your daily net carb limit of 50 grams.
If you aren’t already on the keto diet and need help starting, try our Keto Kickstart, a step-by-step program with everything you need to start and stay on a keto diet plan.