What is the Mediterranean diet and why is it good for you? 5 celebrities who follow it, from Selena Gomez drinking olive oil before concerts, to Cameron Diaz and Penélope Cruz – but who lost 90kg?

According to US News & World Report's annual rankings, the Mediterranean diet has been named the healthiest in the world for the seventh year in a row.

This is not exactly a diet, but rather a nutritional principle with typical foods from Greece, Italy and Spain. There are no strict rules about what, when and how much exactly you should eat – instead, you focus on general cuisine.

A grilled salmon fillet and fresh vegetable salad. Photo: Shutterstock

A typical Mediterranean diet is:

• Rich in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes

• A moderate amount of lean protein from fish and, to a lesser extent, poultry and eggs

• A moderate amount of wine

• Low in saturated fats from red meat and dairy products

• Low in processed carbohydrates and sugar

Research suggests that the Mediterranean diet is linked to a longer, healthier life. It also means that eating the foods of the Mediterranean diet can benefit your heart and brain, reduce the risk of diabetes and, depending on your eating plan, contribute to weight loss.

Foods that represent the Mediterranean diet and can improve overall health. Photo: Shutterstock

Here are five celebrities who have spoken out about following the diet, including John Goodman, Selena Gomez and Cameron Diaz.

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1. John Goodman

Actor John Goodman from the TV show “Normal, Ohio” accepts his People's Choice Award for Best Male Actor in a New Television Series during the 27th Annual People's Choice Awards 2001 in Pasadena, California. Photo: AFP

John Goodman lost 90 kg (200 pounds) while following the Mediterranean diet.

The Roseanne star worked with fitness guru Mackie Shilstone to help him lose weight after gaining 180kg over a decade ago.

Shilstone told the New York Post that she put Goodman on a “Mediterranean diet plan” in 2015 when he lost 100 pounds.

“I used to take a break for three months, lose 30 or 30 kilos and then reward myself with a six pack or whatever and just go back to my old habits,” Goodman told ABC in 2017. “This time I wanted to take it slow. Move, exercise. I’m getting to an age where I can no longer afford to sit still.”

He no longer drinks and tries to walk between 10,000 and 12,000 steps a day.

2. Selena Gomez

US actress Selena Gomez arrives at the 81st Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, USA on January 7. Photo: EPA-EFE

In 2021, Selena Gomez's trainer, Amy Rosoff Davis, shared with Byrdie what she recommended to Gomez during the tour.

“Last year on Selena's revival tour, I made sure there were always vegetables and protein and brown rice or whole grains in the dressing room,” Davis said.

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“I made a lot of rice bowls for Selena with vegetables, egg whites and avocado. It helped her gain the energy and stamina she needed to get through her shows. I also made healthy chicken salad with grapes and celery – it quenched her thirst and the protein kept her full.”

In 2010, the “Lose You to Love Me” singer told Ellen DeGeneres that she drinks olive oil to moisturize her throat before performing. Olive oil is another staple of the Mediterranean diet.

3. Penelope Cruz

Spanish actress Penelope Cruz arrives at the screening of the film En Los Margenes (On the Edge) shown as part of the 79th Venice International Film Festival at the Lido di Venezia in Venice, Italy, in September 2022. Photo: AFP

Penélope Cruz eats a Mediterranean diet because she is close to the cuisine of her home country, Spain.

“My family and friends are all there, so this is my place. I love Spanish food. My diet is the Mediterranean diet, so good food. I eat well, but I try to eat healthy,” Cruz said in a 2011 interview.

She explained this in an interview with Hello! magazine and said: “I try to avoid dairy and sugar and I can’t eat gluten because I have a major intolerance. I eat lots of fruit, vegetables and high-quality protein from free-range animals. I also now drink gallons of water, which I didn't do [before]. I hardly drink alcohol and stopped smoking years ago. I don’t miss that in my life.”

4. Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz is also a fan of the Mediterranean diet. Photo: Tag Heuer

Cameron Diaz wrote about her diet in her books The Body Book and The Longevity Book.

In The Longevity Book she wrote: “Good nutrition can prolong life. What we eat affects how long we live and how we feel every day of our lives.”

The site reported that Diaz uses “protein + carbs + good fats + leafy greens” to formulate her meals and that she enjoys “a Mediterranean diet” that emphasizes “produce, whole grains, good fats and healthy proteins.”

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5. Catherine Zeta Jones

Catherine Zeta-Jones has spoken about her love for salads and eats them with almost every meal. Photo: Chopard

Catherine Zeta-Jones loves a Mediterranean salad.

Zeta-Jones shared her daily diet with Harper's Bazaar in 2021.

“I eat a salad with every meal except breakfast because I just love it,” she said.

Her favorite consists of a mix of spinach, arugula, pine nuts, tomatoes, blue cheese, dried cranberries and a dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and mustard.

In a classic Mediterranean diet, she also adds a light protein like chicken or “something light that won’t weigh me down too much.”