Salubrious Components of Mediterranean Diet Identified

A population-based cohort study in BMJ highlights the individual components of the Mediterranean diet that appear to have the greatest effect on mortality.

29 june 2009--Researchers interviewed some 23,000 healthy Greek adults about their dietary habits and followed them for 8.5 years. They found that the following elements of the Mediterranean diet contributed the most to a mortality risk reduction:

• moderate consumption of alcohol;
  
• low intake of meat;
  
• high consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts, monounsaturated fats, and legumes.
  

In contrast, high intake of cereals, fish, and seafood — and low consumption of dairy products — showed little effect on mortality.

LINK(S):

BMJ article (Free)

Previous Physician's First Watch coverage of link between Mediterranean diet and reduced mortality (Free)