The Mediterranean diet was introduced as a health protecting diet almost thirty years ago! Since then much research has linked this diet with a number of specific positive health outcomes, including overall mortality.
A new study just published in the British Medical Journal has reported on the relative effectiveness of the individual components of this diet. Researchers followed 23,000 healthy Greek adults for 8.5 years and found the following elements of the Mediterranean diet contributed most the reducing risk of mortality:
- low intake of meat;
- high consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts, monounsaturated fats, and legumes;
- moderate use of alcohol.
It is important to note that this study compared moderate use of alcohol to high or low use, not the abstinence from any use of alcohol. A study with a larger number of abstainers would be useful in reaching an unequivocal conclusion regarding alcohol’s purported benefits.
PositiveTips: Eat freely of fruits and vegetables, use moderate amounts of nuts and good fats and legumes to minimize your mortality risk.