This is one of the most studied anti-inflammatory diets and it is easy to adapt to a vegetarian lifestyle.

 Key features:

• Olive oil as the main fat
• Loads of fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens, tomatoes, and cruciferous veggies
• Legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans)
• Whole grains (farro, bulgur, quinoa)
• Nuts and seeds, especially walnuts, flaxseeds, chia seeds.
• Optional: Dairy (like plain yogurt or kefir) for those who include it

Foods to avoid in mediterranean vegetarian diet (or minimize):

• Highly processed foods: packaged snacks (chips, crackers, cookies) fast food, frozen ready meals (unless they are super clean),
• Refined grains: white bread, regular pasta (opt for whole grain or ancient grains instead) white rice (swap for brown rice, farro, quinoa, etc.)
• Added sugars: sugary cereals, candy, soda and sweetened beverages, sweetened yogurts (go for plain and add fruit yourself)
• Unhealthy fats: margarine, vegetable oils high in omega-6 (like corn oil, soybean oil), fried foods (deep-fried stuff)
• Heavy/processed dairy: highly processed cheeses (like American cheese slices), cream-heavy dishes (moderate dairy is ok, but avoid overloading)
• Artificial ingredients: additives, preservatives, food colorings, “fake meats” that are heavily processed (some plant-based meats are okay if they are clean, but many are super processed)

Image credit: Image by Rani Shoket from Pixabay (Free under Pixabay content license)