Mediterranean Foods Boost Heart Health

A number of previous studies have shown the ability of a Mediterranean-style diet – rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil and nuts – to promote heart health. Miguel-Angel Martinez-Gonzalez, from the University of Navarra (Spain), and colleagues completed a three month long study involving 7,500 men and women with early heart disease risk.   Each subject was assigned to one of three groups: a Mediterranean-style diet with virgin olive oil (15 L per three months); a nut group (30 g a day of walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts); a group given educational material about a low-fat diet.  As a marker of atherosclerosis s, the team measured changes in apolipoprotein (Apo)B, ApoA-I, and their ratio. The researchers report significant improvements in these markers, among those subjects who followed the Mediterranean pattern, that is who consumed a diet that included either virgin olive oil or nuts.  Specifically, the apolipoprotein ratio among men dropped 5%, and fell 16.6% among women – both declines suggesting a reduction of cardiometabolic risk.