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Written by Mita
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Monday, 23 June 2008
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The Mediterranean diet consists of the traditional food consumed in Greece, Spain, southern Italy, southern France, Turkey, and other Mediterranean regions. The diet mainly includes high amount of fruits, fresh and seasonal vegetables, and grains; a moderate consumption of fish, white meat, milk and milk products, and olive oil; and low intake of red meat and saturated fats. Moderate consumption of red wine is also part of the diet since it contains polyphenols (anti-oxidants) which offer protection against cardiovascular diseases. Mediterranean diets are associated with longevity. Its health benefits also include lower incidence of hypertension and some cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes.
According to a research study published in the British Medical Journal, participants who adhered closely to a Mediterranean diet had a lower risk of diabetes. Dietary habits of 13,380 Spanish university graduates without diabetes were tracked for 4.4 years. Dietary habits were assessed with a 136 item food frequency questionnaire and scored on a nine point index. The results indicated that those with the highest scores reduced their relative risk of diabetes by 83 per cent as compared to those with the lowest score.
References
1. M Á Martínez-González, C de la Fuente-Arrillaga, J M Nunez-Cordoba, F J Basterra-Gortari, J J Beunza, Z Vazquez, S Benito, A Tortosa, M Bes-Rastrollo.: Adherence to Mediterranean diet and risk of developing diabetes: prospective cohort study. BMJ 2008;336:1348-1351
2. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/bmj.39561.501007.BE
3. http://www.dietaryfiberfood.com/Mediterraneandiet.php
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