June 27, 2003 – It has been known for a while that people who adopt a so-called “Mediterranean” diet tend to live longer and suffer less from diseases such as cancer or cardiovascular disorders. Scientists now believe they have unlocked the secret.
The Mediterranean diet, so named since it is widespread in the 16 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, is rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, fish, nuts and cereals, but rather low in meat and dairy products, when compared to the North American diet. The health benefits of this diet have long been attributed to olive oil as it is high in monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that protects the heart and may also fight cancer.
However, Greek researchers believe that this is not the case. After studying1 every food, including olive oil, they claim that every ingredient in that diet plays an important role. The combined protective effect of these foods would therefore be greater than the mere sum of their individual benefits. One of the researchers admitted that the interactions between the various foods are still poorly understood and need further research.
Anyway, this study confirms that a Mediterranean diet seems to have an undeniable beneficial impact on health. After studying more than 22,000 adult Greeks for four years, the researchers found that those who followed this diet the most carefully were 33% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease and 24% less likely to die from cancer. .
The only recommendation that can be drawn from this study for the moment is already well known: consume more fruits and vegetables and less saturated fat.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
According to Reuters Health and WebMD; June 25, 2003.
1. Link to the study on the New England Journal of Medicine website: content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/348/26/2599.
