Adherence to an unrestricted Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and dried fruit - as opposed to a low-fat diet - is the key factor in reducing cardiovascular events including heart attack and stroke.
The researchers ofHealth Institute Carlos III in Madrid they examined 7.447 individuals between the ages of 55 and 80, with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. (1)
The study participants, divided into 3 groups, followed three dietary schemes,
- Mediterranean diet integrated with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO),
- Mediterranean diet also integrated with walnuts,
- control diet with indications aimed at reducing fat intake.
After almost 5 years the researchers looked at the recurrence of heart attacks, strokes or death from cardiovascular disease. Out of 288 cases, the lowest incidence (83) was found in the group that followed the Mediterranean diet with EVOO and walnuts. In second place (96) the 'MedDiet'with extra virgin olive oil, and finally (109) the control group. To which the generic reduction of fats, evidently, did not help much.
Mediterranean diet and lifestyle, a Unesco heritage for good health
The Mediterranean diet was registered by UNESCO in 2013 among the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. A food model based on cereals, extra virgin olive oil, seasonal fruit and vegetables, seeds and dried fruit. A balanced intake of fish, dairy products and meat, moderate intake of wine.
Unesco attributes value to the Mediterranean model not only as regards the foods included in the diet but also for socialization, conviviality and an active lifestyle.
'In conclusion' - according to the researchers - 'In this primary prevention study involving people at high risk of cardiovascular events, those assigned to an unrestricted Mediterranean diet supplemented with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as extra virgin olive oil and nuts had a lower rate of cardiovascular events than did those assigned to a reduced-fat diet. Our results support a beneficial effect of the Mediterranean diet for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease'.
'These results support previously reported benefits of the Mediterranean diet for cardiovascular risk reduction from a randomized study. Our results are also consistent with those of previous observational studies'Ramón Estruch and colleagues say.
Previous studies after all, they showed how the Mediterranean diet combined with a healthy lifestyle was associated with:
- 50% reduction in premature mortality, 'all causes' and 'cause-specific'(Kim TB et al., 292: 1433-1439, Jama, 2004),
- decrease of atherogenic LDLs and reduction of their cytotoxicity against macrophages (Hernaez A et al., 61 (9), Mol Nutr Food Res, 2017).
Extra virgin olive oil and walnuts, the allies of cardiovascular health
Extra virgin olive oil and walnuts are confirmed to be valuable sources of 'good fats'. As already illustrated in a study published in Am J Clin Nutr (2017), the phenolic compound Homovanillyl alcohol (HVAL) present in extra virgin olive oil appears to be the key factor responsible for protecting cardiovascular health.
The author of the aforementioned study Haley Hughes, in an interview with Olive Oil Times, explained the value of EVOO and the nutritional factors behind the results: 'We need to increase polyunsaturated fats including extra virgin olive oil, nuts and fish in our diet because they provide so many health benefits.
Numerous studies show how these fats from dense nutrient sources support the heart, reduce blood pressure, improve brain health, encourage cell growth and promote satiety. These fats also provide antioxidants and vitamin E, so they should be consumed in the recommended amounts every day', based on the needs of each one.
Carlotta Suardi and Dario Dongo
Footnotes
(1) See https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa1800389
Nutritionist biologist, ADA II level master at the University of Milan Bicocca. External lecturer at LUNEX University, Luxembourg.
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
