Mediterranean-style eating keeps proving its worth for far more than heart health
Visioli F, Martínez-Urbistondo D, Martínez-González MA
Ethnobotany
The olive trees, herbs, beans and leafy greens that anchor a Mediterranean plate are all things you can grow in a sunny backyard bed or container, so the diet's benefits are within reach of your own garden.
The Mediterranean diet is built on vegetables, fruit, beans, whole grains, nuts and olive oil. Decades of research, including big long-running trials, link it to lower rates of heart disease, diabetes and memory decline, and newer work suggests it helps the liver, kidneys and mood as well. Plant compounds called polyphenols and fiber seem to do much of the work by calming inflammation and feeding healthy gut bacteria.
Key Findings
Large randomized trials such as PREDIMED and CORDIOPREV support the diet's protection against cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and cognitive decline.
Emerging evidence extends benefits to metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease, chronic kidney disease and mental health.
Mechanistic studies point to polyphenols, micronutrients and fiber that regulate inflammation, oxidative stress, metabolism and the gut microbiota, while cultural appeal aids long-term adherence.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Thirty years after the Mediterranean diet pyramid was published, a review finds the plant-heavy eating pattern still protects against heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and cognitive decline. Newer evidence points to benefits for liver health, kidney disease and mental health too.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
The Mediterranean pyramid: 30 years later, still relevant.
The Mediterranean diet, which has its roots in the traditional eating habits of olive-growing regions, is widely recognized for its health benefits. Originally described by Ancel Keys and formalize...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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The olive is a species of subtropical evergreen tree in the family Oleaceae. Originating in Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean Basin, with wild subspecies in Africa and western Asia; modern cultivars are traced primarily to the Near East, Aegean Sea, and Strait of Gibraltar. ...