6 foods a dietitian who follows a Mediterranean-style diet always eats

• The Mediterranean diet has long been praised for its wide range of health benefits.
• Dietitian Kirsten Jackson told Insider that she follows the diet to boost her gut health.
• Jackson shares six staples she always has in her kitchen, including olive oil and whole grain carbohydrates.

A registered dietitian who follows the Mediterranean diet, lauded for its wide range of health benefits, shares what she always keeps stocked in her kitchen.

The diet is widely considered one of the healthiest ways to eat because of its link to heart health and lower risk of various diseases. including Parkinson’s and diabetes.

It emphasizes vegetables, legumes, seafood, olive oil, and wine in moderation, and encourages minimal consumption of processed and fried foods, red meat, refined grains, added sugars, and saturated fats.

Registered dietitian Kirsten Jackson follows the Mediterranean diet because research suggests it reduces multiple health risks, such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease and mental health conditions, she told Insider.

“As an IBS sufferer, the Mediterranean diet provides me with the recommended 30 different plant sources per week that I know will help diversify my gut bacteria,” she said.

The Mediterranean diet doesn’t need to be strict, though, and you can still enjoy other foods in moderation, Jackson said.

Jackson shares six dishes she always has in her kitchen to help her eat Mediterranean style.