A closer look at the Mediterranean diet

Doctors and dietitians alike have recommended the Mediterranean diet for a heart-healthy lifestyle, but for some people, it can be confusing to nail down specific parameters. After all, "there's over 20 countries on the Mediterranean Sea," registered dietitian Samantha Heller said Tuesday on CBSN.

"So there's Italian, Israeli, there's Greek, there's Egyptian, North African — lots of different foods. But one of the staples is olive oil," Heller said. "Other common baselines for this diet is lots of fruits and vegetables, legumes like lentils and chickpeas, lots of nuts and seeds, and water, and fresh whole grains. So it's a great more plant-based diet, but they also have fish a few times a week, they only use meat a little bit as a condiment, a little bit of cheese as flavoring. So it's a very balanced and beautiful approach to eating that can encompass many, many kinds of food and cuisines."

According to the American Heart Association, a Mediterranean-style diet can play a "big role" in preventing heart disease and reducing risk factors, including obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes.