We are certainly hearing a lot these days about the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, and with good reason. There is so much being written how effective this diet is in terms of being associated with reduced risk for a vast panorama of diseases. From diabetes to obesity to coronary artery disease, the foods that constitute this diet are really gaining the attention of scientists and consumers around the world.
When you analyze the Mediterranean diet you learn that it fundamentally supplies higher levels of good, healthy fat. The sort of fat that’s good for the body and critical for the brain.
In fact, in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association – Internal Medicine, Spanish researchers studied 334 subjects over a 4 year period and compared the rates of brain function decline in participants who were either placed on the Mediterranean diet or on the Mediterranean diet with added fat from either nuts or olive oil.
The results were astounding. Those consuming the diet enriched with even more fat showed remarkably less decline in brain function with the group getting the olive oil having the best results overall. These folks consumed a lot of olive oil – a full liter each week! I’m certain the notion of adding so much fat to the diet may seem perplexing, but the results really speak for themselves and help hammer home the point that we need to reframe our feelings about dietary fat and health.
In addition, the diet includes plenty of vegetables and fresh seafood.
But, is this diet a panacea? No! If we look at obesity rates throughout the world, we see that the countries eating in line with Mediterranean diets have higher obesity rates than countries in Asia where the diet is based on rice and vegetables.
In 2003, the Philippines had a 4% obesity rate compared to 23% in Greece. That’s a huge difference. Across the board, we see that the Mediterranean countries have much higher obesity rates than Asian countries. Now 60% of the population of Crete is overweight.
The truth is that the Mediterranean diet is heavy on bread, pasta, grains in general. And we know by now that excess carbohydrates, especially the refined variety (which is what most bread and pasta is made from!) leads to obesity.
A hormone balancing, weight optimising, healthful diet is outlined in the post, ‘What should I eat?’ and is the current recommendation.
My husband and I have been following it, in September 15, we have lost 16 and 7 kg respectively, with very significant loss of belly fat – I lost 7″, he didn’t measure. So the results are visible, and I’m not even talking about the results my patients are seeing. Update: as of Jan 16, it’s 20 and 12 kg respectively.
The diet is simple and easy to follow. Try it and let us know how you fare, we will be happy to hear from you!
Be Healthy.