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I have never heard of needing dairy products daily as part of the main meal in a Mediterranean diet. Here's what I found on another site:

Frequency
People in the Mediterranean region generally consume less dairy than people living in North America. MayoClinic.com reports that plant-based lipids, such as nuts and olive oil, act as a primary source of dietary fat within Mediterranean cuisine. Some people eating a Mediterranean diet may eat one serving of dairy each day, while others consume milk products roughly once per week. Eggs are also consumed sparingly in a Mediterranean diet; the American Heart Association recommends eating eggs no more than four times weekly.
Misconceptions
Americanized Mediterranean foods generally contain significantly larger quantities of dairy than their traditional counterparts. For example, American pizzas generally contain very large amounts of cheese, while classic Italian pizzas include considerably less cheese -- or none at all. MayoClinic.com notes that Mediterranean dieters use olive oil instead of butter, and eat full-fat dairy products only sparingly. Understand that Americanized Mediterranean restaurants may not serve foods that truly reflect that region's culinary traditions.


Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/28...#ixzz1wO6QN4eV

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May 30, 2012

For years the Mediterranean diet has been associated with a lesser chance of illness and increased well-being. A new study has now linked it to mental and physical health too.

The Mediterranean diet, which is characterized by the consumption of fruit, vegetables, pulses, fish, olive oil and nuts, has been proven to be beneficial to the health in terms of a lesser chance of chronic illness and a lower mortality rate.

A new study headed by the Univ. of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the Univ. of Navarra took the next step and analyzed the influence of the Mediterranean diet on the quality of life of a sample of more than 11,000 university students over a period of four years.

"The progressive aging of the population in developed countries makes it even more interesting to find out those factors that can increase quality of life and the health of the population," Patricia Henríquez Sánchez, researcher at the centre in the Canary Islands and lead author of the study, explains to Servicio de Información y Noticias Científicas (SINC).

Dietary intake data was taken at the beginning of the study and self-perceived quality of life was measured after the four year monitoring period. In order to ascertain whether the Mediterranean diet was followed, consumption of vegetables, pulses, fruit, nuts, cereals and fish was positively valued whereas consumption of meat, diary products and alcohol was negatively valued.

Published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the results reveal that those who stick more to the Mediterranean diet score higher on the quality of life questionnaire in terms of physical and mental well-being. This link is even stronger in terms of physical quality of life.

The Mediterranean Pyramid

Henríquez states that, "the Mediterranean diet is an important factor associated with better quality of life and can be considered as a healthy food model." Its food pyramid combines food to be eaten daily, weekly and occasionally.

Main meals should never lack four basic elements: cereals, fruit, vegetables and dairy products. Furthermore, it must include a daily intake of 1.5 and 2 liters of water. Olive oil constitutes the main source of fat for its nutritional quality and moderate consumption of wine and other fermented beverages is recommended.

Furthermore, fish, lean meat and eggs are sources of high quality animal protein. Fish and seafood are also sources of healthy fats.

At the top of the pyramid are sugar, sweets, cakes, pastries and sweetened beverages that should be consumed occasionally and in small amounts.

Source: SINC