Mediterranean-style diets found to cut heart risks

Pour the olive oil, and preferably more than fish and vegetables: one of the longest scientific experiments and most of the Mediterranean diet suggests this pattern of eating can reduce the chance of problems associated with heart suffering, and strokes, especially in the elderly prone to study lasted them.The five years and involved about 7,500 people in Spain. Those who eat a Mediterranean-style with lots of olive oil or nuts risk of 30 percent less than the major cardiovascular problems compared with those who were told to follow a low-fat diet, but who in fact, did not cut much fat. Means Mediterranean plenty of fruits, fish and chicken, beans, tomato sauce and salads, wine, baked goods, meals few pastries.Mediterranean long touted as heart healthy, but this depends on the observational studies that can not prove this point. The new research is much stronger because people devoted to follow diets for a long time and carefully monitored. Said one leader even doctors did not study laboratory tests to verify that the Mediterranean diet and threads consume more oil olive or nuts like recommended.Most of these people were taking medications for high cholesterol and blood pressure, the researchers did not change those treatments installed, Dr. Ramon Estruch Clinic Hospital in Barcelona.But as a first step to prevent heart problems, `` We believe diet is the best medicine'' because it has found some of the side effects, said Estruch. `` Published online works.Results diet Monday in the New England Journal of Medicine and discussed at a nutrition conference in Loma Linda, did not give the people of California study lists rigid or calorie goals for weight loss is not the goal. Can be the reason why they found the diets ``'' easy to stick percent only about 7 _ dropped out within two years. There was twice as many dropouts from low-fat group among those eating the Mediterranean style.Researchers also provided nuts and olive oil, because it did not cost anything participants to use these relatively expensive components. Maybe matter what kind of oil _ were from outside virgin olive oil, which is processed minimum and richer than olive oil or regular light in chemicals and nutrients that had suggested earlier studies and study beneficial.The people involved, aged 55 to 80, only More than half of them women. All were free of heart disease at the beginning but were at high risk for it because of health problems _ half had diabetes and most of them were overweight, and had been appointed as high cholesterol in the blood and pressure.They to one of three groups: two diet sea Mediterranean supplemented with either virgin olive oil (4 tablespoons per day) or with hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds (a handful per day). Stop potatoes, pasta, rice, fruits and vegetables, fish and light on baked nuts, oils and observers meat.Independent Red and urged the third group to eat a low-fat, heavy on the bread, and study after nearly five years when they saw fewer problems in the two groups on the Mediterranean diets.Doctors tracking a composite of heart attacks, strokes or heart-related deaths. There were 96 of this group in the Mediterranean olive oil, 83 in the Mediterranean nuts group and 109 in the low in fat individual group.Looked and stroke is the only problem that kind of diet, which makes a big difference. The diet has an impact on mortality rates in general.Proved the Mediterranean diet better in spite of his followers ate about 200 calories more per day than the low-fat group. Study leaders now and analyze how to provide all of the meals affected weight gain or loss and comprehensive agency government body Spanish index.The in health research and paid for the study began, and foods of olive oil and nut producers in Spain and California walnut Committee. Many authors have financial ties and extensive wine and food, and other industry groups, but said the sponsors had no role in the study design or analysis and reporting on the results.Said Rachel Johnson, a professor at the University of Vermont, who heads the Committee American Heart Association in nutrition, and the study is very strong because of laboratory tests to check the oil and nut consumption and because researchers tracked heart attacks actual, strokes and deaths _ and not just changes in risk factors such as high cholesterol.At Ultimately, what you care about is whether or not the progression of the disease,'' he said. `` It pointed wing important study.Rena, an expert in weight loss at Brown University, the researchers provide oil and nuts, and said `` it is not clear if people can get the same results from the self-designed meals Mediterranean'' _ or if Americans will stick to it more than the Europeans who are used to such foods.Dr. Said George Bray Center Biomedical Research Pennington in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and said he would give the study `` positive _ glowing even _ comments'' and called it `` the best and certainly one of the biggest trials food potential to do than ever before data is strong enough to convince me to move my style food closer to the Mediterranean diet they planned,'' he added.Another independent expert also praised the study diet can cut the risk of heart evidence.Said Dr. Robert Eckel, and diet expert in heart disease at the University of Colorado.But not conducted this study aimed at comparing or diet to statins or blood reduce risk in the vicinity of medicines that have achieved with statin cholesterol-lowering, pressure medicines, and warned. `` I do not think people should think now that they can take ending their medication.''