Mediterranean diet

Posted on Cardiovascular disease, Diabetes, Diet, Obesity

Going vegan will save more than $650 a year in grocery costs.

According to new research, a low-fat vegan diet cuts food costs by 19%, or $1.80 per day, compared with a standard American diet that includes meat, dairy, and other animal products. The study also found that a Mediterranean diet costs 60 cents more per day. Total food costs on a vegan diet were 25% lower, $2.40 per day, compared with the Mediterranean diet.

“As grocery prices remain quite high, consumers might consider replacing meat and dairy products with a low-fat vegan diet of fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans. This change could potentially save more than $650 a year on grocery expenses compared to a standard American diet and over $870 compared to the Mediterranean diet,” says Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, the lead author of the study and director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. “Adopting a vegan diet can not only lead to financial savings but also improve health by reducing the risk or severity of conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.”

The decrease in costs on the vegan diet was mainly attributable to savings of $2.90 per day on meat, 50 cents per day on dairy products, and 50 cents per day on added fats. These savings outweighed the increased spending of 50 cents per day on vegetables, 30 cents per day on grains, and 50 cents on meat alternatives on the vegan diet.

The new research is a secondary analysis of a previous study by the Physicians Committee, which compared a low-fat vegan diet to a Mediterranean diet. In this study, participants were randomly assigned to follow either a low-fat vegan diet—which included fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans—or a Mediterranean diet, which emphasized fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, low-fat dairy, and extra-virgin olive oil, for 16 weeks. There were no calorie restrictions for either group. After this phase, participants returned to their baseline diets for a four-week washout before switching to another diet for 16 weeks. The findings showed that the low-fat vegan diet resulted in better outcomes for weight, body composition, insulin sensitivity, and cholesterol levels compared to the Mediterranean diet.

For the food cost assessment, intakes from the study participants’ dietary records were linked to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Thrifty Food Plan, 2021, a database of national food prices, which are calculated from data collected for the consumer price index. The reduction in costs associated with a vegan diet primarily resulted from savings of $2.90 per day on meat, $0.50 per day on dairy products, and $0.50 per day on added fats. These savings exceeded the additional expenses of $0.50 per day on vegetables, $0.30 per day on grains, and $0.50 per day on meat alternatives. Overall, the vegan diet proved to be more economical.

Posted on Cognitive dysfunction, Diabetes, Diet

Blood sugar control is a big factor in slowing brain aging! What about the Mediterranean diet?

The Green Mediterranean Diet Shows Promise
The Green Mediterranean Diet Shows Promise

Age-related brain atrophy refers to the gradual loss of neurons and shrinkage of brain tissue, which is a natural part of the ageing process. This condition can contribute to cognitive decline and various neurological issues. While ageing itself cannot be prevented, recent research from an 18-month dietary intervention provides hope that lifestyle and dietary changes may help slow down brain ageing.

Brain age, determined through MRI measurements of the hippocampus and lateral ventricles, reflects the biological aging of the brain, which may differ from a person’s chronological age. Chronological age is simply the number of years a person has lived, while brain age indicates the actual health of the brain. Generally, as we age, the hippocampus tends to shrink, and the lateral ventricles tend to expand, which serve as indicators of brain ageing. Some individuals may have a brain age that is younger or older than their chronological age. A younger brain age suggests better cognitive health, whereas an older brain age may indicate accelerated ageing and an increased risk of cognitive decline.

The study found that a decline in HbA1c and key markers of long-term blood sugar levels is associated with significant positive changes in specific brain regions commonly affected by age-related atrophy. It suggests that improved blood sugar control could be one of the most important factors in slowing down age-related brain changes.

Previous research has shown the benefits of the Green Mediterranean (Green-Med) diet, particularly its positive effects on blood sugar control. This diet is rich in polyphenols from plant-based sources such as Mankai—a high-protein aquatic plant—and green tea, while being low in red and processed meats. The current study reinforces these findings, suggesting that the Green-Med diet not only supports metabolic health but may also have protective effects on brain structure and function.

Posted on Diet

“Want to feel less stressed? Give the Mediterranean diet a try!”

Mediterranean diet

Consuming components of the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower levels of perceived stress and mental distress, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York. Credit Alachua County

Following the Mediterranean diet rather than the traditional Western diet might reduce stress, according to new research conducted by a team from Binghamton University, State University of New York.

Lina Begdache, associate professor of health and wellness studies, said the findings suggest that people can lower their perception of how much stress they can tolerate by following a Mediterranean diet.

“Stress is recognized to be a precursor to mental distress, and research, including our own, has demonstrated that the Mediterranean diet lowers mental distress,” she said. “Thus, one element of the puzzle may be explained by the fact that the Mediterranean diet may be associated with a decrease in the negative components of perceived stress and an improvement in its positive attributes.”  

The Mediterranean diet is plant-based, with healthy fats, and mainly includes wholesome food and a spectrum of natural colours. It stands in sharp contrast to the Western diet, which is known for its high concentration of high-glycemic and low-quality processed foods.

While the Mediterranean diet is known for its benefits to both mental and physical health, little is known about its effect on perceived stress, which is how much stress you are under at any particular time.

To assess this, Begdache and her students surveyed over 1,500 people, asking them what foods they ate and evaluating their perceived stress levelsss. Using a machine learning model, the results show that consuming components of the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower levels of perceived stress and mental distres,s while consuming Western dietary components is correlated with perceived stress and mental anguish.

Begdache said these results close a gap in the literature because most studies on diet and stress focused on how stress affects dietary choices and quality. She and her team are looking at different aspects of brain function and behaviours about dietary patterns.

Posted on Diet

The Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of having another heart attack

Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC)

Heart disease is the main cause of death in developed countries. There is evidence that shows that factors related to lifestyle, such as diet, have an influence on developing these kinds of diseases. But, do they have any effect on patients who are already ill?

A team from the University of Córdoba, Queen Sofia University Hospital and the Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba (IMIBIC) has published a study in PLOS Medicine. This study compares the effects of two different healthy diets on the endotheliem, the walls that cover the arteries. 1002 patients who had previously had an acute myocardial infarction took part in the study and were monitored over the course of a year.

The research group had previously worked on a similar study with healthy patients, however, this is the first time it has been done with ill patients, who are more likely to have other heart attacks. “The degree of endothelial damage predicts the occurrence of future cardiovascular events, as in acute myocardial infarctions. If we can take action at the inital stages, prompting endothelium regeneration and better endothelial function, we can help to prevent heart attacks and heart disease from reoccurring”, explains José López Miranda, researcher on the study and coordinator of the “Nutritional Genomics and Metabolic Syndrome” research group at the Maimonides Biomedical Research Institute of Cordoba, made up of researchers belonging to the Internal Medicine Clinical Management Unit at Queen Sofia University Hospital, to the University of Córdoba (UCO) and to CIBERobn, the Online Biomedical Research Centre for Obesity and Nutrition.

During the study, half of the patients were told to follow a Mediterranean diet, based on using plenty of virgin olive oil, eating fruit and vegetables every day, and having three servings of legumes, three of fish and three of nuts a week. In addition, they were told to cut down on eating meat, especially red meat, and to avoid additional fats such as margarine and butter as well as food that is high in sugar.

In contrast, the other group was told to follow a low-fat diet, based on limiting all kinds of fat, both animal and plant, and increasing their intake of complex carbohydrates. They were told to cut down on red meat, to choose low-fat dairy products, to avoid eating nuts and to reduce their intake of sweets and pastries.

In the first place, the vasodilation capacity that the patients’ arteries had was analyzed, which is very important in order to adapt to different circumstances, like exercise or stressful situations. Secondly, the degree of permanent endothelium damage was assessed. Lastly, the reparation ability of the arteries by means of endothelial progenitor cells, or stem cells, was measured.

“We observed that the Mediterranean diet model induced better endothelial function, meaning that the arteries were more flexible in adapting to different situations in which greater blood flow is required. Besides, the endothelium’s ability to regenerate was better and we detected a drastic reduction in damage to the endothelium, even in patients at severe risk”, explains José López Miranda.

Though the Mediterranean diet, rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, had already been proven to be a good strategy in order to improve endothelial function in overweight patients as well as patients with high cholesterol, this is the first time that the benefits of following a Mediterranean diet have been shown among patients with heart disease, helping them to reduce the likelihood of having another heart attack.