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Eating a Mediterranean-style diet has already been shown to protect against heart disease. New evidence suggests it may also thwart type 2 diabetes. A study of more than 13,000 adults from Spain found that those who stuck very closely to a Mediterranean diet reduced their risk of diabetes by 83 percent.
Researchers asked study subjects, who had no history of diabetes, to fill out a detailed food questionnaire that measured their diets, cooking methods, and use of dietary supplements. After following them for an average of about four years, they concluded that, “substantial protection against diabetes can be obtained with the traditional Mediterranean diet.” The results of the study were published in the British Medical Journal.
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals, and legumes. It encourages eating more fish and less red meat and dairy products. It also stresses the importance of using healthy fats such as olive oil. In fact, the researchers think that this emphasis on olive oil for cooking, frying, and using in salad dressings and spreads may be a key factor in the diet’s protective benefits.
If you’d like to learn more about the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, talk to your doctor or a nutrition expert.
SOURCES: British Medical Journal; National Library of Medicine
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07/24/08
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