Benefits of the Mediterranean diet – from the Mayo Clinic

Research has shown that the traditional Mediterranean diet significantly reduces the risk of heart disease. In fact, an analysis of more than 1.5 million healthy adults demonstrated that following a Mediterranean diet was associated with a reduced risk of death from heart disease and cancer, as well as a reduced incidence of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes:

• Eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts
• Replacing butter with healthy fats, such as olive oil
• Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods
• Limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month
• Eating fish and poultry at least twice a week
• Drinking red wine in moderation (optional)

Focus on fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains

The Mediterranean diet traditionally includes fruits, vegetables and grains. For example, residents of Greece average six or more servings a day of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.

Grains in the Mediterranean region are typically whole grain and usually contain very few unhealthy trans fats, and bread is an important part of the diet. However, throughout the Mediterranean region, bread is eaten plain or dipped in olive oil — not eaten with butter or margarine, which contains saturated or trans fats. There are significant concerns about the proteins in wheat, barley, rye and I suggest minimizing those. If you are following my low carbohydrate suggestions, I would as much as possible avoid foods made from grains.

Nuts are another part of a healthy Mediterranean diet. Nuts are high in fat, but most of the fat is healthy; avoid candied or honey-roasted and heavily salted nuts. Raw nuts are best. A recent study showed that patients who supplemented a standard Mediterranean diet with a large handful of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts reduced their heart disease risk by 35%.

The focus of the Mediterranean diet isn’t on limiting total fat consumption, but rather on choosing healthier types of fat. It discourages saturated fats and hydrogenated oils (trans fats), both of which contribute to heart disease. Olive oil is the primary source of fat. It is mainly monounsaturated fat — a type of fat that can help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. “Extra-virgin” (preferably organic) olive oils are the highest in healthy fats known as Omega-3 fatty acids. These lower triglycerides, decrease blood clotting, and are associated with decreased incidence of sudden heart attacks. They also improve the health of your blood vessels and help moderate blood pressure. Fatty fish — such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, cod and salmon — are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish is eaten on a regular basis in the Mediterranean diet.

Here are some specific steps to get you started:

• Eat your veggies and fruits. A variety of plant foods should make up the majority of your meals. They should be minimally processed — fresh and whole are best. Include veggies and fruits in every meal and eat them for snacks as well. Switch to whole-grain bread and cereal, and begin to eat more whole-grain rice and pasta products. Keep baby carrots, apples and bananas on hand for quick, satisfying snacks. Fruit salads are a wonderful way to eat a variety of healthy fruit.
• Switch to whole grains (Avoid altogether if you are trying to follow a low carbohydrate diet.) I suggest avoiding wheat grains instead using quinoa, millet, and other non-wheat grains because some studies suggest that the gliadin proteins (gluten) found in wheat may play a role in causing dementia, degenerative joint disease, and autoimmune diseases.
• Go nuts. Nuts and seeds are good sources of fiber, protein and healthy fats. Keep almonds, cashews, pistachios and walnuts on hand for a quick snack. Choose natural peanut butter, rather than the kind with hydrogenated fat or sugar added. Try blended sesame seeds (tahini) as a dip or spread for bread.
• Pass on the butter. Try olive oil as a healthy replacement for butter or margarine. Lightly drizzle it over vegetables. If you do eat wheat pasta, after cooking the pasta, add a touch of olive oil, some garlic and green onions for flavoring. Dip bread in flavored olive oil or lightly spread it on whole-grain bread for a tasty alternative to butter. Try tahini as a dip or spread for bread too.
• Spice it up. Herbs and spices make food tasty and can stand in for salt and fat in recipes.
• Go fish. Eat fish at least twice a week. Fresh or water-packed tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel and herring are healthy choices. Grill, bake or broil fish for great taste and easy cleanup. Avoid breaded and fried fish.
• Rein in the red meat. Limit red meat to no more than a few times a month. But note that grass fed beef has the same healthy fats as fish. Substitute fish and poultry for corn fattened (usual) red meat. When choosing red meat, keep portions small (about the size of a deck of cards). Also avoid sausage, bacon and other high-fat, processed meats.
• Avoid dairy products which contain lactose, such as milk and ice cream. Choose cheeses, cottage cheese, plain Greek yoghurts (with low total carbohydrates)
• I recommend consuming at least an ounce a day of quality extra virgin olive oil. It should be a California organic or USDA certified EVOO. Cheap oils are often mixed with cheaper oils. Kirkland California Organic EVOO is available from amazon for about $10 a liter at Cosco. Other California organic olive oils are available in the supermarkets. Information about the quality of olive oil can be found at oliveoiltimes.com.
• The diet also recognizes the importance of being physically active, and enjoying meals with family and friends.
• Meditation and relaxation periods lower stress hormones. Meditative yoga, Tai Chi are good examples of practices which combine both relaxation and exercise.

A recent study of Mediterranean Diet participants who added 60 grams a day of walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts or an extra ounce daily of Olive oil had a 35 % greater reduction in heart attack and stroke than with following the standard Mediterranean Diet.

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