**Abstract**

This chapter highlights the traditional use of Mediterranean edible plants, frequently used as herbs and spices in Mediterranean cuisine, and medicinal plants, used as natural therapeutics among the people in the Mediterranean region. The high phytonutrient content and diversity of these edible and nonedible wild plants in the Mediterranean are emphasized and their folk use is reviewed. The herbs, spices, and medicinal plants are vital constituents of the Mediterranean dietary pattern and lifestyle, known as the Mediterranean diet (MD). They significantly contribute to high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory character of the diet and its health and well-being benefits.

**Keywords:** herbs, spices, medicinal plants, bioactive compounds, Mediterranean diet
