International Mediterranean Diet Month: Health benefits of this food regimen

As the International Mediterranean Diet Month starts from today, here is all you need to know about how this eating regimen keeps you in fine fettle.

Editorial Team | Updated: May 1, 2019 8:29 pm

Mediterranean diet is rich in unsaturated fats drawn from nuts, fish and olive oils. ©Shutterstock

Every year, the International Mediterranean Diet Month is celebrated in May to make people aware about the plethora of health benefits linked to this eating regimen. This month-long promotional campaign was started by Oldways Mediterranean Foods Alliance in the year 2009. This institute in fact created a Mediterranean diet pyramid with the help of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Harvard School of Public Health. This Mediterranean Diet pyramid includes fruits and vegetables, healthy grains, beans and nuts, fish, olive oil, small and red wine.

The Mediterranean pattern of foods was identified and introduced in the 1950s and 60s by a University of Minnesota study that spanned for 10 years and tracked the influence of diet on heart ailments in the male population of seven countries: Finland, southern Italy, the Greek islands of Corfu and Crete, Japan, Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, and the United States. In the research it was found that men from Greece and Italy, whose meals were rich in unsaturated fats drawn chiefly from fish and olive oil, had the lowest rates of cardiac ailments. The maximum rate of heart conditions was found in participants from the US and Finland, who had a high quantity of saturated fats in their diets. Though Mediterranean dietary pattern, based on the food habits of Greece’s Cretan population, was introduced in 1950s and 60s, the term Mediterranean diet was formalised in 1993.

As we start celebrating the International Mediterranean Diet Month from today, here is a low-down on the health benefits of this traditional eating plan.

Improves bone strength

According to a research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, eating Mediterranean foods can reduce the rate of bone loss in individuals with osteoporosis. Experts are also of the opinion that the proteins and antioxidants present in this diet actually help increase muscle mass. Protein roughly makes for 50 per cent of bone volume one third of its mass. That is why, daily supply of dietary protein is required for bone maintenance. Also, omega 3 fatty acids present in these foods boost the amount of calcium in your bones. Another study published in JAMA Internal Medicine has revealed that women on Mediterranean diet are slightly less likely to suffer from hip fractures.

Lowers risk of heart attack

The WHO states that heart attack is the world’s leading cause of death. Omega 3 fatty acids present in Mediterranean foods like fish, nuts, and seeds, reduce blood pressure levels, raise good cholesterol levels, and keep blood platelets from clumping together. This helps in lowering heart attack risk. This theory is also backed by a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study authors explain that Mediterranean foods containing olive oil or nuts reduce risk of heart attack, stroke, and death by 30 per cent compared to a low-fat diet.

Boosts cognitive function

Eating Mediterranean foods is associated with a lower risk of memory issues in older age, finds a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Healthy foods actually protect your brain and decrease the rate of cognitive decline and impairment. The foods included in Mediterranean diet are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which are endowed with anti-inflammatory properties. They help in the healthy ageing of your brain cells and ensure normal cognitive function. Lower levels of DHA fatty acid, a type of Omega-3 fatty acid in the blood, is linked to smaller brain size, a sign of accelerated brain ageing, says another study published in the journal Neurology.

Adds years to your life

According to a study conducted in Harvard University, Mediterranean diet is linked to longevity. The length of your telomere, the cap at the end of your chromosome strands, is a significant biomarker of ageing. Longer telomeres are associated with higher life expectancy and shorter ones are linked to lower life expectancy. Scientists at the Harvard University have found a link between Mediterranean foods and longer telomeres. Another study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine states that the healthy grains included in a Mediterranean diet are rich in fibres, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties. All these lower your mortality risk.

Helps in better weight management

Being on a Mediterranean diet containing foods like fruits and vegetables can help lose weight effectively compared to a low-fat diet, finds a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Plant-based proteins present in the foods of this part of the world keep your blood sugar levels stable which prevents fat accumulation. Moreover, they help you feel full for long and make sure that you don’t overeat. All these contribute to help you maintain a healthy body weight.

Reduces your breast cancer risk

Your breast glands contain microbiomes (bacteria and fungi) essential for good health. Many of these bacteria and fungi are influenced by your diet. Being on a Mediterranean diet increases the number of Lactobacillus bacterium in your mammary glands. This bacterium is known to slow the growth of breast tumours. Mediterranean diet also metabolises your bile acid reduces the breast cancer risk.

Minimizes the risk of several cancers

A combination of foods rich in antioxidants, fibres, unsaturated fatty acids and phytochemicals can help reduce the risk of endometrial cancer and a Mediterranean has all these components. According to a study published in the British Journal of Cancer, women followed at least seven of the nine principles of Mediterranean diet (regular intake of vegetables, fruits, nuts, cereals, potatoes, fish and monounsaturated fats, moderate alcohol, meat and dairy product consumption) have a 57 per cent reduced risk of uterine cancer. Following any 6 principles reduces this risk by 46 per cent while sticking to five of them decreases the chance of this cancer by 34 per cent.

Enhances your fertility quotient

A Mediterranean diet includes foods like almonds, avocadoes and seeds, among others. They are rich in fat-soluble vitamin E, which protects you against cell damage with its anti-inflammatory properties. Endometriosis, which is one of the causes behind infertility, can be managed by vitamin E. It improves endometrial thickness in patients either with a thin endometrium or with implantation failure. Moreover, omega 3 fatty acids present in some foods like fish and nuts, amp up egg quality. The abundance of vitamin E also helps in boosting the fertility of men by improving sperm motility and morphology.

Published: May 1, 2019 8:23 pm | Updated:May 1, 2019 8:29 pm

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