Can a Mediterranean diet keep heart disease, cancer and dementia away?

Researchers have been touting a Mediterranean diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains and fish for the longest time as a way to lower heart disease and increase life expectancy.

According to Medical News Today this type of diet is linked to reduced rates of cardiovascular disease, dementia and cancers.

A Mediterranean Diet

This diet benefits cognition, decreases diabetes risk, reduces the risk of cancers and alleviates symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

It’s key features are as follows

High amount of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans and legumes
Low fat or fat free dairy products, fish, poultry and non-tropical vegetable oils and nuts
Limited added sugar, sugary beverages, sodium, highly processed foods, refined carbohydrates, saturated fats and fatty or processed meats.

Red wine is allowed moderately but water should be the main drink and red meat should be eaten only occasionally. It should also be paired up with some form of enjoyable physical activity each day.

Geriatrician and director of Geriatric Cognitive Health for the Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica said,

“Research supports the benefits of adopting healthy lifestyle habits and indicates the critical importance this can play in shaping our future individual and collective health. Start with including lots of fresh vegetables – especially green leafy vegetables – and then enjoy fresh fruits – like berries and other antioxidant-rich foods, along with fish, olive oil and other foods rich in brain-healthy omega 3s.”

Why is it so healthy exactly?

Dr Eamon Laird, visiting research fellow at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland says, “The Mediterranean diet is characterized by high fruit and vegetables, high fiber, high levels of ‘good fats,’ moderate intakes of fish and meat, low amounts of high processed foods and sugary treat foods.

“These food components give high amounts of fiber, good fats, antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamins and minerals – choline, vitamin C, potassium, B-vitamins, vitamin D from fish – and proteins which give health benefits throughout a large number of organ and tissue systems,” he said.

“Women are also much more likely to stick with the diet compared to men, which could explain why we see more of the health benefits in women.”

Dementia

Another study in 2023 showered that those who followed a Mediterranean diet had a 23% lower risk of dementia. The study was done among 60,000 people.

Cancer

When it comes to cancer, research shows that eating a diet high in colourful fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of developing prostate cancer and speeds recovery in those going through radiation therapy.

Tomatoes, melons, papayas, grapes, peaches, watermelons and cranberries are rich in lycopene, and white meat, fish, shellfish, eggs and nuts contain high concentrations of selenium which are all highly recommended as part of the eating plan.