Mediterranean diet reduces heart risk

The so-called Mediterranean diet can reduce heart disease in pretty much anyone according to new research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition — and you don't need to live on the Mediterranean to get the benefit.

The value of a diet rich in fish, cooked tomatoes and olive oil has been well-known for some time but this is one of the first studies to look at the effect of putting ordinary healthy people on this sort of diet.

In the study, eating a Mediterranean-style diet for three months reduced the risk of heart disease by 15% and was more effective than a simple low-fat diet. (In the same study a more conventioanl low-fat diet reduced risk by 9%.)

Study participants took in fewer calories and consumed more proteins and carbohydrates and less total fat and saturated fat. Both groups showed a 'small but significant drop in body mass index' which is round about way of saying most of them lost a bit of weight.

Among people on the Mediterranean diet, total cholesterol dropped by 7.5%. (It fell by 4.5% in the low-fat diet group.)

What is the Mediterranean diet?

• The Mediterranean diet is rich in whole grains (in pasta and bread), fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish and (virgin) olive oil and light on red meat.
• In the research, participants on the Mediterranean diet were instructed to eat fish four times a week and red meat only once a week.
• Men were allowed two glasses of red wine daily, while women were limited to one. (Red wine not white wine or beer)