A healthy meal starts with grains, fruits and vegetables. The principles of the Mediterranean diet also called the Cretan diet are once again finding favor in the eyes of scientists. For the first time, a study associates the Mediterranean diet with benefits for both physical and mental health.
the mediterranean diet is composed of fresh vegetables and fruits for vitamins, whole grains useful in preventing diabetes. This diet also favors fish, seafood, olive oil and oilseeds which provide good fats and protect against cardiovascular disease.
Researchers from the University of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands and the Spanish University of Navarra analyzed the influence of the Cretan diet on the quality of life of a panel of 11,000 students they observed over four years.
To know if the Mediterranean diet was followed by the participants, they noted positive points on a questionnaire assessing their quality of life when they ate foods of the Cretan diet. On the other hand, they scored negative points when they consumed, for example, alcohol, cream-based products or red meat.
As a result, the volunteers who were more faithful to the Mediterranean diet had better results on the questionnaire in terms of physical and mental well-being. “The Mediterranean diet can be seen as a model for healthy eating,” said Patricia Henríquez Sanchez, researcher and lead author of the study.
At the end of this investigation, the scientists imagined a food pyramid. At its base, we find foods beneficial to health (cereals, fruits, vegetables, fish, white meat, eggs) and recommended with each meal. At the top of the pyramid are pastries, sugary drinks and other food products rich in sugars and bad fats. Foods that should be eaten occasionally and in small quantities.
The numbers health benefits of the Cretan diet have been demonstrated repeatedly in recent years. It is also known to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. Other studies have highlighted some more unusual benefits: the Certois diet could thus boost fertility Where reduce the risk of depression.
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>> More info on the principles and recipes of the Cretan diet
