This plan is designed for people who want to take a proactive approach to their long-term health through food, no specific diagnosis required. Decades of research show that what we eat is a significant factor that influences healthy aging, disease prevention, and quality of life over time. This plan is built around those evidence-based principles.
If you have a specific health condition or are unsure whether this plan is right for you, please refer to our eligibility guide or speak with your healthcare provider.
The Research: Macros & Guiding Principless
Macronutrient Framework
A balanced macronutrient distribution can make meals easier to build and stick with. We use a practical macro range that supports satiety, muscle maintenance, and steady energy: 20–30% protein, 40–50% carbohydrates, and 25–35% fat.
Protein: Adequate protein intake supports muscle maintenance, satiety, and metabolic health. Prioritising a variety of protein sources, including both animal and plant-based options, is associated with better overall health outcomes.
Carbohydrates: The plan prioritises complex, fibre-rich carbohydrate sources (like whole grains, legumes, and plenty of fruits and vegetables) over refined alternatives. Carbohydrate quality is a key driver of sustained energy, gut health, and long-term metabolic function.
Fat: The plan emphasises unsaturated fats, especially monounsaturated fats from extra virgin olive oil and omega-3 fats from oily fish. These patterns are strongly linked with better cardiometabolic health, and may support inflammation-related markers.
Guiding Principles
Mediterranean dietary pattern: The overall structure of this plan follows a Mediterranean eating pattern, prioritizing high intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. The Mediterranean-style pattern has one of the strongest and most consistent evidence bases for supporting cardiometabolic health and lowering chronic disease risk.
Whole grains: The plan prioritises whole grain sources over refined starches. Whole grains provide sustained energy, fibre, and a range of micronutrients that are stripped away in the refining process.
Minimally processed foods: Diets built around whole, minimally processed foods are consistently associated with better long-term health outcomes across virtually every marker of wellbeing.
Plant-forward, varied diet: A diverse diet with a high quantity of fruits and vegetables supports gut microbiome health, provides a broad range of micronutrients, and is associated with reduced risk of chronic disease. Variety across vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds is a core principle of this plan.
Omega-3 rich foods: Omega-3 fatty acids, primarily from oily fish, have strong evidence for supporting cardiovascular and inflammatory health.
Limitations & Safety
This plan is a guide, not a prescription. It is built around the best available evidence for general healthy eating and is designed to be accessible and sustainable for most people. However, individual needs vary, and speaking with your health care provider is always worthwhile if you want advice tailored specifically to you.
Medications and health conditions. If you are managing any health conditions or taking medications, speak with your healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes.
This plan is evidence-informed, not individually prescribed. While the plan is built around your inputs and the best available evidence, it is not a substitute for one-on-one advice from a registered dietitian who can assess your full picture.
This plan is not a substitute for medical advice, and individual results will vary.
Who This Plan Is Not For
This plan is intended for generally healthy adults looking to support their overall wellbeing through nutrition. If you have a specific health condition, please refer to our eligibility guide to find the plan that best suits your needs.
References
- Dinu, M., et al. (2018). Mediterranean diet and multiple health outcomes: an umbrella review of meta-analyses of observational studies and randomised trials. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 72(1), 30–43.
- GBD 2017 Diet Collaborators. (2019). Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries. The Lancet, 393(10184), 1958–1972.
- Mente, A., et al. (2009). A systematic review of the evidence supporting a causal link between dietary factors and coronary heart disease. Archives of Internal Medicine, 169(7), 659–669.
- Monteiro, C.A., et al. (2019). Ultra-processed foods, diet quality, and health using the NOVA classification system. Rome, FAO.
- Slavin, J. (2013). Fiber and prebiotics: mechanisms and health benefits. Nutrients, 5(4), 1417–1435.
- Trichopoulou, A., et al. (2014). Definitions and potential health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. BMC Medicine, 12, 112.