After looking at 12 studies that followed more than 1,500,000 people over a span of 18 years, researchers at the University of Florence have determined that people who followed the Mediterranean Diet were:

• 9% less likely to die from heart disease or other cardiovascular ailments
• 6% less likely to develop or die from cancer
• 13% less likely to contract Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease

According to WHO and CDC statistics, adherence to a Mediterranean diet would result in:

• 1,500,000 fewer deaths per year from cardiovascular disease
• Cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of death worldwide
• 474,000 fewer deaths from cancer
• Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide
• 9307 fewer deaths from Alzheimer’s in the United States alone
  
• Alzheimer’s is the #6 leading cause of death in the U.S.A.
• 2541 fewer deaths from Parkinson’s in the United States alone
  
• Parkinson’s in the 14th leading cause of death in the U.S.A.

So What Is The Mediterranean Diet?

While it varies slightly from region to region, the Mediterranean Diet is based primarily on:

Fresh, healthy food: The staples of the Mediterranean diet include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes, seafood, yogurt, olive oil, and small amounts of wine. Food should be eaten in season and locally grown, and Mediterranean dieters avoid processed food.

Portion control: The Mediterranean diet focuses on small portions of high-quality food. “When food tastes delicious, a little is enough because your senses have been satisfied,” And healthy fats like olive oil and nuts, which are staples of the Mediterranean diet, keep you feeling fuller longer than diets that restrict fat or forbid it altogether.

Healthy fats: Unlike most diets, the Mediterranean diet doesn’t cut fat consumption across the board.  Rather than limiting total fat intake, the Mediterranean diet makes wise choices about the type of fats that are used. On the menu are the monounsaturated fat found in olive oil, nuts, and avocados; and polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, and trout); and fat from plant sources, like flaxseed. Limiting processed and packaged foods keeps the diet extremely low in unhealthy trans fats, which have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease and strokes.

Olive oil: The Mediterranean people use olive oil in almost everything they eat, including pastas, breads, vegetables, salads, fish, and even cakes and pastries. It’s the principal fat in the Mediterranean diet, replacing other fats and oils, including butter and margarine. What’s so healthy about olive oil? Researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia found that oleocanthal, a compound in olive oil, may reduce inflammation, which could help prevent conditions like heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, and autoimmune diseases, as well as certain cancers.

Omega-3 fatty acids: Found in abundance in the Mediterranean diet, omega-3 fatty acids are bursting with health benefits. Fatty acids have been shown to reduce the incidence of heart attacks, blood clots, hypertension, and strokes; and may prevent certain forms of cancer and lower the risk of neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.

More vegetables, less meat: “A diet higher in plant foods and lower in animal products has been linked to decreased incidence of heart disease, diabetes, and many cancers.”  The traditional Mediterranean diet is practically vegetarian, with lots of fish and very little meat. As for vegetables, Mediterranean people feast on tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, capers, spinach, eggplant, mushrooms, white beans, lentils, and chick peas.

Wine: Many Mediterranean people drink a glass or two of wine each night with dinner. But portions are small, generally about three ounces (a third of a small wine glass or two shot glasses). When taken in small amounts, wine has been linked to lower rates of heart disease, likely due to the presence of antioxidants like transresveratrol and oligomeric proanthocyanidin (OPC), which keep blood circulation healthy and prevent blood clots from forming.

Whole grains: Whole grain foods like bread, pasta, potatoes, polenta, rice, and couscous are a key part of the Mediterranean diet. In their natural state, grains are full of cancer and heart disease-fighting fiber, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. But stripping the grain’s outer layers to make white flour and white rice eliminates these benefits, reducing the healthy whole grain to little more than empty calories. Whole grains provide energy and calories with little fat, and because they’re slow to digest (thanks to their high-fiber content), they help you feel fuller longer.

Fruit for dessert: Forget pie a la mode and chocolate cake. For Mediterranean people, fresh fruit is the typical daily dessert. Taking advantage of fruit’s natural sweetness has double benefits. First, what you gain: the fiber and nutrients in fruits like apples, grapes, and oranges. What you lose: the added sugar, calories, chemicals, and unhealthy fats in sweet, processed desserts.

And we can only imagine what would happen to those health statistics if Mediterranean dieters were to increase their physical activity.

.

If you like what you see here, click here for updates or Share this Post with the rest of the world.

Thanks.

Related Posts

• Why Are Omega-3s Better than Statins?
• Emotional Eating: When Diets Won’t Work
  
• I’m Fat and I’m Not Going to Take It Anymore
• Exercise: How Much Is Enough?

Popularity: 2% [?]