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What foods do you associate with the Mediterranean? A seafood dish served with salad and wholegrain bread? Fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, pulses, nuts and seafood are a key part the Mediterranean diet, while meat, dairy produce and processed foods take a back seat.

Following a Mediterranean diet is linked to a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, dementia and depression. However, choosing foods typically eaten in the Mediterranean may also benefit your digestive health. A recently reported study found eating a Mediterranean diet may improve the diversity of beneficial gut bacteria.

It is well-known that a healthy digestive system is supported by a wide range of beneficial bacteria. And various elements of a Mediterranean diet have the potential to enhance your gut flora. For instance, eating a wide range of plant-based foods – aiming for 30 each week – is encouraged. Eating plenty of wholegrains, nuts, seeds and fruits and vegetables in all the colours in the rainbow can help you achieve this target.

Plant-based foods are encouraged, as they are rich in fibre and polyphenols. Pulses, oats, barley, rye, garlic, onions, chicory, Jerusalem artichokes, nectarines and pomegranate seeds are among the foods rich in prebiotic fibres that promote growth of beneficial gut microbes. Nuts, seeds and oily fish are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked to more diverse gut flora.

A Mediterranean diet is also lower in processed foods and sugary foods, both of which reduce beneficial gut bacteria and increase the growth of harmful bacteria.

So how can you include foods from the Mediterranean diet for gut health?

Try these 15 tips to follow a Mediterranean diet:

• Start the day with porridge – add fruit, nuts and seeds. Alternatively, try overnight oats or a no-added sugar muesli.
• Make a fruit salad and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
• Try baked eggs, scrambled eggs or omelette with added vegetables.
• Make vegetable soups – a great way to use up leftover vegetables too!
• Replace some of the meat in dishes such as stews, casseroles, curries, chilli and pasta dishes with peas, beans and lentils.
• If you eat meat, include oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, fresh tuna, trout and herring, each week. Try new recipes to help you include oily fish in your diet.
• Dice or blend vegetables into tomato-based sauces.
• Add diced vegetables, peas or sweetcorn to rice, couscous or other grains as a side dish.
• Ensure all meals are served with vegetables or salad on the side.
• Experiment with different grains: try amaranth, freekeh, quinoa, spelt, teff and wild rice are just a few you can try.
• Add cashews to stir fries, use chopped nuts as a coating in place of breadcrumbs or try almond or cashew nut butter with wholegrain toast or apple slices as a snack.
• Sprinkle seeds over cereal, salads, soups and stir fries.
• Choose baking recipes that include oats, fruit, nuts and seeds.
• Have fruit, veg sticks, unsalted nuts or seeds on hand for when hunger strikes between meals.
• Make energy-dense no-bake snacks that contain chopped nuts and dried fruit.