The Mediterranean Diet, a Tasty Way to Lower Heart Disease Risk

08/30/07 Nutrition & Exercise, Living Well, Treatment Options, Prevention, Research, General

One way to easily include those heart-healthy elements is by following a Mediterranean style diet. While there is no rigid or formal diet plan, countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea (there are about 16 of them) tend to include:

• High consumption of fruits, vegetables, bread and other cereals, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds
• Olive oil as an important monounsaturated fat source
• Dairy products, fish, and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts
• Little red meat 
• Egg consumption of zero to four times a week
• Wine consumption in low to moderate amounts

Typically, heart disease and death rates are lower in Mediterranean countries than they are in the United States. And while the diet those countries follow may play a role in that, other factors such as increased physical activity, may also improve heart health.

Researchers are working to better define the benefits of a Mediterranean style diet. A study reported in Cardiology earlier this year found that a traditional Mediterranean diet reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the bad kind of cholesterol. After an average follow-up of 46 months (almost four years), patients following the Mediterranean-style diet had a 50–70 percent lower risk of recurrent heart disease.

Before altering your diet, check with your physician.