Eating a Mediterranean diet to battle obesity may be better than calorie counting. A team of UK doctors writing in the Postgraduate Medical Journal (PMJ) said a Mediterranean diet quickly reduced the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
The lead author, cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra, says the scientific evidence is overwhelming. In their article the doctors say adopting a Mediterranean diet after a heart attack is almost three times as effective at reducing deaths as taking cholesterol-lowering statin medication. And they make the case for a diet including fruit and vegetables, nuts and olive oil, citing research suggesting it quickly reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and may be better than low-fat diets for sustained weight loss.
So, what’s the message to Professional Secrets foodies?
It’s simple: Stay true to our ethos of better understanding how to produce, transport, handle and prepare good food. Healthier food doesn’t just come from the Med; sensible food-lore in tune with our local environments and habitats always pays dividends wherever we live!