BACKGROUND: Dietary habits influenced by lifestyle and cultural factors play a critical role in health by modulating oxidative stress and inflammation. While diets offer significant benefits, they may also pose risks, such as nutrient deficiencies, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach. Exploring Mediterranean and plant-based diet effects on oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers may help improve health outcomes and disease prevention strategies. METHODS: This study analyzed 65 studies following PRISMA guidelines to evaluate the effects of Mediterranean and plant-based diets on biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation in healthy individuals. RESULTS: The Mediterranean diet was weakly associated with reductions in oxidative stress markers, including MDA (ROM: 0.80
95% CI: 0.57-1.13
CONCLUSIONS: Although all three diets demonstrate potential in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, the antioxidant effects-especially for the Mediterranean diet-are lower than anticipated, indicating alternative mechanisms. Further research is essential to confirm these findings and clarify the underlying mechanisms to enhance preventive health strategies.