In the 1984 comedy "Splash," Madison, a mermaid played by Daryl Hannah, finds herself at a fancy restaurant on a date.

She's literally a half-fish out of water. But when a steamed lobster arrives on her plate, she gleefully picks it up and takes a bite out of the crustacean.

Mermaids shouldn't be the only females excited about dining on staples of the Mediterranean diet, which also consists of omega-3 rich fish like anchovies and sardines, along with fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and olive oil.

A new study published in JAMA Network Open looked at more than 25,000 women who were followed for more than 20 years, all the while tracking their cholesterol and lipoprotein levels, as well as signs of insulin resistance.

The researchers found that women on a Mediterranean-style diet had lower levels of inflammation, were less likely to be insulin-resistant, and had a 30% lower risk of Type 2 diabetes.

A study published in the journal Diabetes Care found adding more olive oil along with walnuts and Brazil nuts to a Mediterranean diet could reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes over four years by 52%.

The Mediterranean diet is also associated with a lower risk of other chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, and obesity.

So next time you head to the grocery store, make up a shopping list without red and processed meats, eggs, full-fat dairy, or highly processed foods.