Table 1.
Dietary variables used from food frequency questionnaire to create the Mediterranean diet score (ranging from 0–9 points possible)
| Vegetablesa | Dark green lettuce | Onions |
| Iceberg lettuce | Avocados | |
| Tomatoes | Broccoli | |
| Peppers | Cauliflower | |
| Cabbage | Spinach | |
| Kale, collards, mustard greens | Peas | |
| Brussels sprouts | Carrots | |
| Fruita | Grapes | Persimmons |
| Plums | Apples | |
| Apricots | Oranges | |
| Cantaloupe | Grapefruits | |
| Strawberries | Bananas | |
| Blueberries Cherries |
Fresh fruit salad | |
| Olive oila | Added to breads, foods (aside from salads) | Salad dressing |
| Nuts and seedsa | Seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame) | Walnuts |
| Mixed nuts | Almonds | |
| Peanuts | Cashews | |
| Fish (non-breaded/fried)a | White fish (cod, salt-fish, sole, haddock or halibut, snapper, catfish) | |
| Salmon | Tuna salad | |
| Canned tuna | Tuna casserole | |
| Legumes/beansa | Navy, red kidney, other red beans | Pinto, black |
| Lentils, split peas Chick peas (garbanzos), black-eyed |
Lima, white | |
| Red meat and lambb | Hamburger, ground beef (in casserole, meatballs) Beef or lamb as main dish (steak, roast, stew, pot pies) |
|
| Processed meatsb | Processed beef, lamb (sausage, salami, bologna) Processed chicken or turkey (turkey bologna, turkey, ham) Pork (bacon, sausage, ham, chops, ribs, lunch-meat) |
|
| Dairyb | Low fat yogurt | Cottage cheese |
| Regular yogurt | Low fat milk, 1%, skim |
a
Participants given one point for intakes above the median. Zero points given for intakes equal to or below the median.
b
Participants given one point for intakes below the median. Zero points given for intakes equal to or above the median.