Gluten Free Mediterranean Diet: Benefits & Meal Plan In 2023

Are you interested in following a gluten free Mediterranean diet? If you need to follow this diet, then it is still possible to also follow a Mediterranean diet. 

The Mediterranean diet isn’t inherently devoid of gluten, but it can be adjusted to eliminate gluten-containing elements. Both the Mediterranean and gluten-free diets offer valuable advantages.

If you follow both diets, then you can enjoy the benefits of both. Keep reading to learn more about the benefits and limits of the gluten free Mediterranean diet.

Health Benefits Of Gluten Free Mediterranean Diet

There are many potential health benefits of following a gluten free Mediterranean diet. For example, researchers^[1] found that following a Mediterranean diet decreased the risk of heart disease significantly more than following a low-fat diet.

The American Heart Association^[2] even recommends this diet for its heart health benefits.

Another benefit could be reduced risk of hypertension. One study^[3] determined that adopting the Mediterranean diet for at least one full year reduced blood pressure levels in people with hypertension and in people with healthy blood pressure levels.

Furthermore, research suggests lower type 2 diabetes risk^[4] in Mediterranean diet followers. The reason for this is not entirely clear, but the effect may be related to the high amount of antioxidants in the diet.

Following a Mediterranean diet without gluten also seems to have benefits for the brain. Research indicates that individuals who follow a Mediterranean diet have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s^[5] disease and overall better cognitive functioning.^[6]

There are many benefits to the Mediterranean diet; however, if you have an autoimmune disorder like celiac disease, then following a free gluten diet is critical for your health. If you do not have celiac disease, following this diet may or may not benefit you. 

You may have non-celiac gluten sensitivity, where removing gluten ameliorates your digestive symptoms.

Gluten Free Mediterranean Food

Since the Mediterranean diet is focused on eating fresh, whole foods, you will likely make many of your meals yourself. Making your own meals is a great way to ensure your food is gluten-safe. 

Here is a list of foods commonly eaten on the Mediterranean diet that are without gluten:

• Vegetables. The Mediterranean diet typically includes three to five servings of vegetables daily. Common vegetables in the Mediterranean diet include arugula, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, spinach, carrots, onions, broccoli, eggplant, and kale.
• Healthy Fats. The Mediterranean diet heavily emphasizes healthy fats from foods like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados over butter or margarine. Healthy fats typically make up 30-40% of the Mediterranean diet.
• Proteins. The Mediterranean diet focuses on plant-based and low-fat animal-based protein sources such as poultry, fish, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Avoid heavily processed proteins like cured meats and protein powders that contain gluten, which must be on the label.
• Whole grains. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes whole grains over processed grains. Grains commonly found in the Mediterranean diet include oats, brown rice, corn, and buckwheat, which are naturally devoid of gluten. And there is free gluten pasta to choose from.
• Fruits. The Mediterranean diet typically utilizes fruits as a dessert. Common fruits in the Mediterranean diet include figs, dates, apricots, olives, peaches, pomegranates, apples, cherries, and pears.

As you can see, many foods included in the Mediterranean diet have no gluten. The only foods you may need to avoid are wheat flour, rye, or barley. However, many foods in a gluten free diet do not fit into the Mediterranean diet. 

You would need to avoid heavily processed and high-sugar no-gluten foods.

How To Combine Gluten Free And Mediterranean Diet

If you want to combine a gluten free and Mediterranean diet, you will see that they already have many overlapping foods. You may need to make a few swaps, but you should not have too much difficulty following both. 

The Mediterranean diet is not a clearly defined group of foods. The diet is based on the foods commonly consumed in the Mediterranean region. However, the Mediterranean region consists of 18 countries.  All of these countries have slightly different diets.

Thus, the Mediterranean diet typically refers to the common patterns in all these countries. The majority of gluten free Mediterranean food is naturally gluten free. Therefore, if you’re already following a Mediterranean diet, integrating a diet without gluten will require only slight adjustments.

However, if you follow a no-gluten diet where you consume many processed foods, combining the two diets may involve significant changes to your current eating.

The Mediterranean diet mainly focuses on eating fresh foods and limiting heavily processed foods. More specifically, the Mediterranean diet promotes:

• Eating mostly plant-based foods.
• Eating high-quality, healthy fats (particularly olive oil).
• Limiting consumption of dairy products.
• Limiting alcohol to red wine in moderation.
• Avoiding red meat and eggs.
• Avoiding added sugars.

Gluten Free Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan

Finding a Mediterranean diet with gluten free recipes can be difficult. Here is a sample gluten free Mediterranean diet meal plan. You can swap foods that you do not like for other foods that are gluten intolerant friendly and adhere to the Mediterranean diet. 

If you do not want to cook, another option could be ordering gluten free meal delivery services that adhere to the Mediterranean diet.

Monday

• Breakfast: 1 Frittata with ¼ cup basil, ¼ cup spinach, and ¼ cup tomatoes. 8 ounces of fortified almond milk.
• Lunch: 8-ounce Mediterranean bowl with ½ cup quinoa, ¼ cup roasted sweet potato, ¼ cup red pepper, ¼ cup cucumber, and 1 cup lettuce. A 6-ounce cup of herbal tea.
• Dinner: 3 ounces grilled salmon with capers, ½  cup grilled zucchini, ½ cup corn, and red onion. An 8-ounce glass of skim milk.

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Smoothie with ½ cup Greek yogurt, 2 dates, 2 tbsp almond butter, ½ cup skim milk, and 1 tbsp flaxseed. 8 ounces of fortified almond milk.
• Lunch: Salad with ½ cup quinoa, ¼ cup cucumbers, ¼ cup olives, ¼ cup feta, and 4 ounces grilled chicken. A 6-ounce cup of herbal tea.
• Dinner: 1 ½ cups lentil soup with ¼ cup tomatoes, ¼ cup kale, and topped with dill. An 8-ounce glass of skim milk.

Wednesday

• Breakfast: 2 slices of no-gluten toast with ¼ cup ricotta cheese, ¼ cup sauteed mushrooms, and topped with dill. 8 ounces of fortified almond milk.
• Lunch: 1 buckwheat without gluten pita stuffed with ½ cup roasted sweet potato, ¼ cup red pepper, lettuce, and ½ cup cucumber. A 6-ounce cup of herbal tea.
• Dinner: ½ cup quinoa and ¼ cup chickpea stuffed bell peppers topped with 1-ounce feta and parsley. An 8-ounce glass of skim milk.

Thursday

• Breakfast: ½ cup Greek yogurt parfait with 1 tbsp honey drizzle, 2 ounces nuts, and topped with fresh mint. 8 ounces of fortified almond milk.
• Lunch: Salad with ½ cup quinoa, ¼ cup cucumbers, ¼ cup olives, 1-ounce feta, and 3 ounces of grilled chicken. A 6-ounce cup of herbal tea.
• Dinner: 1 ½ cup Tuscan white bean soup with ½ cup spinach, ¼ cup tomatoes, and topped with fennel. An 8-ounce glass of skim milk.

Friday

• Breakfast: ½ cup overnight oats with 2 tbsp natural peanut butter, 1 tbsp chia seeds, and ½ cup almond milk. 8 ounces of fortified almond milk.
• Lunch: Gluten free tabbouleh made with ½ cup quinoa, ¼ cup tomatoes, ¼ cup cucumbers, and topped with parsley. A 6-ounce cup of herbal tea.
• Dinner: 3 ounces grilled shrimp with ¼ cup cucumber, ¼ cup feta, and ¼ cup olive Greek salad. 5-6 ounces red wine.

Tips To Make The Mediterranean Diet Gluten Free

Eating out is an important social activity for many people. Still, sometimes it is hard to find healthy meals when eating out. When dining out, you can ensure your meal aligns with your gluten-free Mediterranean food preferences by inquiring with your server about the preparation methods.

You may need to ask for accommodations, but many restaurants will be happy to help you.

Additionally, getting a personalized vitamin mix could be a good way to ensure you get all the nutrients you need daily. Personalized multivitamins allow you to fill in any nutritional gaps that you may have from following a specific diet.

The Bottom Line

When you clicked on this article, you may have wondered:” Is the Mediterranean diet gluten free?” Now you know that the Mediterranean diet is not inherently without gluten but can be easily adapted to work for someone following a gluten-safe diet. That way, people who follow a gluten free diet can still experience all the benefits of a Mediterranean diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

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