Written By: Kriti Saraswat | Published : June 20, 2014 3:22 PM IST
According to a new study, children consuming a Mediterranean diet are 15 per cent less likely to be overweight or obese than those children who do not. The research, presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO)in Sofia, Bulgaria, is by Dr Gianluca Tognon, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden, and colleagues across the 8 countries: Sweden, Germany, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Belgium, Estonia and Hungary.
Mediterranean diet refers to a diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, olive oil, legumes, fish, dairy products, etc. Based on the dietary patterns of people living in Spain, Greece and Italy, this diet is highly nutritious and has many health benefits. Here are some of them.
It reduces the risk of diabetes. According to studies, a Mediterranean diet includes extra virgin olive oil and mixed nuts which help reduce the risk of getting diabetes at a later stage.
This diet also helps one live longer. A study found that women who stick to Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes the consumption of healthy fats, are 40 per cent more likely to live past age 70.
Since fruits form a major chunk of this diet, it also helps increase children's immunity. Most fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C which helps improve your immunity. Increased immunity will make sure that you do not catch infections easily and prevent you from falling sick. Oranges and guavas are very good options as they have a high percentage of Vitamin C.
Here are a few Mediterranean recipes you can make for your kids:
With inputs from ANI
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