<p class="ingestion featured-caption">Dr. Simon Poole has written many books on the Mediterranean diet.Dr. Simon Poole</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>The Mediterranean diet is widely considered the healthiest way to eat.</li><li>Dr. Simon Poole, an expert in the diet, shared his favorite snack ideas with Insider.</li></ul><p>The <a href="https://www.insider.com/mediterranean-diet-ranked-as-best-diet-of-year-6th-time-2023-01" rel>Mediterranean diet</a> is widely considered the healthiest way to eat.</p><p>It prioritizes vegetables, legumes, seafood, and <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/diet-nutrition/olive-oil-benefits">olive oil</a>, and minimal amounts of <a href="https://www.insider.com/eating-ultra-processed-foods-ovarian-brain-cancer-risk-2022-2">processed and fried foods</a>, red meat, refined grains, sugar, and saturated fat.</p><p>Dr. Simon Poole, an expert on the diet based in the UK, told Insider that there has been a "very <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/diet-nutrition/mediterranean-diet" rel>considerable amount of really good, high quality scientific research</a> to show that it reduces the risks of really so many chronic diseases, from <a href="https://www.insider.com/mediterranean-diet-lower-heart-disease-risk-women-study-2023-3#:~:text=It%20encourages%20minimal%20consumption%20of,fiber%2C%20and%20limits%20refined%20carbs.">heart disease</a> and stroke through to many cancers and even Alzheimer's disease."</p><p>It's also associated with <a href="https://www.insider.com/longevity-researcher-harvard-david-sinclair-53-biological-age-decade-younger-2023-3" rel>longevity</a>, better mental health, and maintaining a healthy weight, so can improve quality of life in many areas as well, Poole said.</p><p>He shared four of his favorite Mediterranean diet snack ideas with Insider, following on from his favorite <a href="https://www.insider.com/mediterranean-diet-breakfast-recipes-2023-6">breakfasts</a>, <a href="https://www.insider.com/mediterranean-diet-lunch-recipes-2023-6">lunches</a>, and <a href="https://www.insider.com/mediterranean-diet-dinner-recipes-2023-7">dinners</a>.</p>