'Mediterranean diet' of olive oil, fish, veggies may cut heart risks like stroke

A woman pours some olive oil onto a plate in this undated photo. (KABC Photo)

Pour on the olive oil, preferably over fish and vegetables: One of the longest and most scientific tests of a Mediterranean diet suggests this style of eating can cut the chance of suffering heart-related problems, especially strokes, in older people at high risk of them.

The study lasted five years and involved about 7,500 people in Spain. Those who ate Mediterranean-style with lots of olive oil or nuts had a 30 percent lower risk of major cardiovascular problems compared to others who were told to follow a low-fat diet. Mediterranean meant lots of fruit, fish, chicken, beans, tomato sauce, salads, and wine and little baked goods and pastries.

Mediterranean diets have long been touted as heart-healthy, but that's based on observational studies that can't prove the point. The new research is much stronger because people were assigned diets to follow for a long time and carefully monitored. Doctors even did lab tests to verify that the Mediterranean diet folks were consuming more olive oil or nuts as recommended.

Most of these people were taking medicines for high cholesterol and blood pressure, and researchers did not alter those proven treatments, said the study's leader, Dr. Ramon Estruch of Hospital Clinic in Barcelona.

But as a first step to prevent heart problems, "we think diet is better than a drug" because it has few if any side effects, Estruch said. "Diet works."

Results were published online Monday by the New England Journal of Medicine and were to be discussed at a nutrition conference in Loma Linda, Calif.

People in the study were not given rigid menus or calorie goals because weight loss was not the aim. That could be why they found the "diets" easy to stick with - only about 7 percent dropped out within two years. There were twice as many dropouts in the low-fat group than among those eating Mediterranean-style.

Researchers also provided the nuts and olive oil, so it didn't cost participants anything to use these relatively pricey ingredients. The type of oil may have mattered - they used extra-virgin olive oil, which is richer than regular or light olive oil in the chemicals and nutrients that earlier studies have suggested are beneficial.

The study involved people ages 55 to 80, just over half of them women. All were free of heart disease at the start but were at high risk for it because of health problems - half had diabetes and most were overweight and had high cholesterol and blood pressure.

They were assigned to one of three groups: Two followed a Mediterranean diet supplemented with either extra-virgin olive oil (4 tablespoons a day) or with walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds (a fistful a day). The third group was urged to eat a low-fat diet heavy on bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, fruits, vegetables and fish and light on baked goods, nuts, oils and red meat.

Independent monitors stopped the study after nearly five years when they saw fewer problems in the two groups on Mediterranean diets.

Doctors tracked a composite of heart attacks, strokes or heart-related deaths. There were 96 of these in the Mediterranean-olive oil group, 83 in the Mediterranean-nut group and 109 in the low-fat group.

Looked at individually, stroke was the only problem where type of diet made a big difference. Diet had no effect on death rates overall.

The Spanish government's health research agency initiated and paid for the study, and foods were supplied by olive oil and nut producers in Spain and the California Walnut Commission. Many of the authors have extensive financial ties to food, wine and other industry groups but said the sponsors had no role in designing the study or analyzing and reporting its results.

Rachel Johnson, a University of Vermont professor who heads the American Heart Association's nutrition committee, said the study is very strong because of the lab tests to verify oil and nut consumption and because researchers tracked actual heart attacks, strokes and deaths - not just changes in risk factors such as high cholesterol.

"At the end of the day, what we care about is whether or not disease develops," she said. "It's an important study."

Rena Wing, a weight-loss expert at Brown University, noted that researchers provided the oil and nuts, and said "it's not clear if people could get the same results from self-designed Mediterranean diets" - or if Americans would stick to them more than Europeans used to such foods.

A third independent expert also praised the study as evidence diet can lower heart risks.

"The risk reduction is close to that achieved with statins" - widely used cholesterol drugs, said Dr. Robert Eckel, a diet and heart disease expert at the University of Colorado.

"But this study was not carried out or intended to compare diet to statins or blood pressure medicines," he warned. "I don't think people should think now they can quit taking their medicines."

(Copyright ©2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Healthbeat »

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New Research Demonstrates a Diet Rich in Healthy Fats Is Good for Your Heart, Beating Out Low Fat Diets

A new study showcases that low-fat diets might not be the best diets for reducing the incidence of major cardiovascular events.  A recently published study in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrates that those that followed a Mediterranean diet, one rich in olive oil, nuts, beans, fish, fruits and vegetables, lowered their risk of heart attacks, strokes and deaths by 30 percent versus those that followed a low-fat diet.  Similar to a Mediterranean diet, the Atkins Diet™ advocates a diet rich in vegetables, healthy fats like olive oil and avocado, protein, and after two weeks incorporates nuts and berries. As one approaches goal weight, beans and whole grains are introduced. The key difference for the Atkins Diet is that it controls carbohydrate intake as well, which may contribute to even better weight loss and improvement in heart health.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (2008) showed that a low-carbohydrate diet like Atkins had a more favorable effect on blood lipid levels than both the Mediterranean diet and a low–fat diet.  More recently, a 2013 study showed that low-carb diets are just as effective as Mediterranean diets in improving cardiovascular risk factors in people with diabetes.

"These studies add further confidence that diets high in healthy fats and low in refined carbohydrates can be superior to a low-fat diet," said Colette Heimowitz, vice president of nutrition and education for Atkins Nutritionals, Inc.  "In the past, low-fat diets have been shown to be very hard for patients to maintain, and this was the case in the study from Spain as well, even when the subjects received intense counseling and support on how to do the diet.  In fact, participants on the low-fat diet did not lower their fat intake very much, and wound up resorting to the usual modern diet of red meat, sodas and commercial baked goods."

The Atkins Diet is backed by more than 80 independent, published studies.  The diet is a long-term, well-balanced plan that encourages the consumption of protein, good carbs and a balance of healthy fats. 

About Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. is a leader in the $2.4 billion weight control nutrition category, and offers a powerful lifetime approach to weight loss and management. The Atkins Diet focuses on a healthy diet with reduced levels of refined carbohydrates and added sugars and encourages the consumption of protein, fiber, fruits, vegetables and good fats. Backed by research and consumer success stories, this approach allows the body to burn more fat and work more efficiently while helping individuals feel less hungry, more satisfied and more energetic.

Atkins Nutritionals, Inc., manufactures and sells a variety of frozen meals, nutrition bars and shakes designed around the nutritional principles of the Atkins Diet™. Atkins' four product lines: Advantage®, Day Break™, Endulge™ and Cuisine™ appeal to a broad audience of both men and women who want to achieve their weight management goals and enjoy a healthier lifestyle. Atkins products are available online at atkins.com and in more than 30,000 locations throughout the U.S. and internationally. For more information, visit atkins.com.

SOURCE Atkins Nutritionals, Inc.

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New Mediterranean Diet benefits found, including reducing heart risk

 

Managing a life with heart disease or high blood pressure can be very difficult. Taking pills and cutting out fat and sodium can prove a real inconvenience. For those of you who have a history of heart disease and high blood pressure in your family there is hope, without drastically changing your lifestyle. The Mediterranean Diet has proven to help you manage your health and keep your heart and arteries clean and healthy.

The traditional Mediterranean diet is centered around healthy fats, and lots of fruits and vegetables. A typical meal could be grilled fish, salad tossed in olive oil, and a glass of red wine. Thus foods such as red meat, butter, sugar, and lots of carbohydrates are usually avoided. The rumor that the Mediterranean Diet is good for your heart is not new news, but it had not been significantly proven in medical studies. One research group set out to provide concrete evidence. The study recruited 7,500 people and divided them into three groups, those who followed the Mediterranean diet with an olive-oil basis, another Mediterranean Diet with a nut basis, and a third group who followed a low-fat diet.

After studying the groups for a period of five years researchers counted the number of heart related problems such as stroke, a heart attack, and sudden death due to a heart condition. The were 96 incidents in the Mediterranean-olive oil group, 83 in the Mediterranean-nut group and 109 in the low-fat group. Thus those who followed the Mediterranean Diet had a 30 percent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease. And the most significant difference between the groups was the incidents in stroke. Dr. Ramon Estruch, a study leader from the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, says "we think diet is better than a drug." And he's right. Not only does the Mediterranean diet come without side effects, but it also allows you to enjoy some of your favorite foods, without feeling like you are on a traditional diet.

The Mayo Clinic offers the following key components of the Mediterranean Diet:

Eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nutsNuts, no more than a handful a dayReplacing butter with healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oilUsing herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foodsLimiting red meat to no more than a few times a monthEating fish and poultry at least twice a weekDrinking red wine in moderation (optional)

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Mediterranean Diet Good for the Heart: Study

Score another heart-health win for the Mediterranean diet.

Eating a diet rich in olive oil, nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables, along with red wine, helped those at high risk for cardiovascular problems avoid heart trouble better than those eating a low-fat diet, a new Spanish study has found.

During a follow-up period of about five years, study participants on a Mediterranean diet that emphasized either olive oil or nuts had a 30 percent greater reduction in relative risk of a heart attack, stroke or death from cardiovascular disease, said study lead author Dr. Miguel Angel Martinez-Gonzalez. He is chairman of preventive medicine and public health at the Universidad de Navarra in Spain.

"This is a moderate-to-high benefit," he said. "The low-fat diet also helped, but to a lesser degree."

The new findings are published online Feb. 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine. They will also be presented Monday at the International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition in Loma Linda, Calif.

The findings echo those from previous research.

Martinez-Gonzalez's team evaluated nearly 7,500 men and women. They ranged in age from 55 to 80 when they enrolled in the study, which began in Spain in 2003. Fifty-seven percent of the participants were women.

While the men and women had no history of heart attack or stroke or other cardiovascular problems at enrollment, they did have risk factors such as type 2 diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

The researchers assigned the men and women to one of three groups -- a low-fat diet, a Mediterranean diet that focused on nuts or a Mediterranean diet that focused on olive oil.

On average, the men and women were overweight or obese. In all three groups, the average body-mass index was 30 or close to it, which is defined as obese.

The olive oil group consumed about four tablespoons a day or more. The nuts group ate about three servings a week or more, including walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds. Members of both groups also ate plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as fish, and drank wine with meals. They could have white meat but were told to avoid red and processed meats.

The low-fat group ate low-fat dairy, breads, potatoes, fruits and vegetables, and lean fish. They were told to avoid oils, baked goods, nuts, red and processed meat, and fatty fish.

At the end of the study, 288 cardiovascular events had occurred. While 109 of those events occurred in the low-fat group, 96 were in the group that ate a Mediterranean diet with olive oil, and 83 were in the Mediterranean diet-with-nuts group.

When the researchers looked separately at stroke, heart attack and death, only the link between the Mediterranean diet and stroke was statistically significant. The researchers found a link between the diets and heart protection, but it did not prove cause and effect, they said.

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Mediterranean diet 'as good as statins' at reducing heart attack risk

Following a Mediterranean diet with plenty of olive oil and nuts has been found to be almost as good at reducing the risk of a heart attack as taking statins, according to researchers. They believe a diet of fish, chicken, fruit and vegetables is "better than a drug" because it does not have side effects, while cholesterol-lowering statins can cause problems like muscle cramps, the Telegraph reported.

They conclusions is based on a five-year study in Spain, which compared the effects of three different types of diet on the chance of having a first heart attack or stroke in almost 7,500 people at high risk of cardiovascular disease.

Two of the diets were variations of the Mediterranean diet, one supplemented with nuts and the other with extra-virgin olive oil. The third was a low-fat diet.

The results showed that participants assigned to the Mediterranean-type diets had a 30 per cent lower risk of having a heart attack or stroke over five years, than those randomly selected for the low fat diet.

They were also less likely to drop out - perhaps because they were enjoying their food more.

"Diet works," said Dr. Ramon Estruch of Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, who led the study, which has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Because the Mediterranean regime had no side effects, he concluded: "We think diet is better than a drug."

"Extra virgin olive oil and nuts were probably responsible for most of the observed benefits of the Mediterranean diets," they wrote in the journal. (ANI)

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5 things you may not know about olive oil

Olive oil is high in a type of fat known as monounsaturated fat, which can help lower your cholesterol and control insulin levels.Olive oil contains monounsaturated fats, which may help your heartThe United States does not have strict regulations about labeling a bottle "extra-virgin"Olive oil beauty products are a multibillion dollar business

(CNN) -- Nutritionists have long touted the heart-healthy benefits of extra-virgin olive oil.

Recently, researchers found that consuming a Mediterranean diet heavy in olive oil can help lower some heart risks. Consuming more than four tablespoons a day can significantly lower your risk of having a heart attack, suffering from a stroke or dying of heart disease, according to the recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Olive oil is high in a type of fat known as monounsaturated fat, according to the Mayo Clinic. MUFAs, as they're commonly called, can help lower your cholesterol and control insulin levels in the body. In addition to olive oil, they can be found in avocados, nuts and fatty fish.

Of course, that doesn't mean you can go overboard. Even though it's made of "healthy fats," olive oil is still high in calories and should be used in moderation. Here are five things you might not know about this Mediterranean staple:

Scientists have been exploring the effects these polyphenols may have on bone and digestive health as well as looking into how they could help prevent cancer. Other researchers are looking into olive oil's potential for improving cognitive function and memory.

Fish oil helped save our son

Your oil may not be extra-virgin. In 2011, reporter Tom Mueller released his book "Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil." In it, he revealed a world of deception where low quality oils and artificial coloring were being passed off as extra-virgin olive oils to the American public.

"Virgin means made with physical processes, not with chemistry," Mueller told NPR. "Essentially, you crush an olive and out drops the oil in extreme synthesis."

There are laws in Europe monitoring the use of an "extra-virgin" label, but the United States does not have strict regulations, according to Mueller.

And when companies taint the oil, Mueller said consumers lose "that wonderful cocktail of anti-inflammatories and antioxidants."

How you store it matters. When you're at the grocery store, look for olive oil that comes in a bottle made from dark green glass or another material that protects it from light, says Dr. John La Puma, founder of ChefMD.com.

Heat and light can damage the oil by creating oxidation, which changes the beneficial chemical compounds. Store your olive oil in a room-temperature cupboard or in the refrigerator to keep it cool.

A bottle of oil will last about a year on your shelf, according to the Stillwater Olive Oil Co. "After this time, the taste and health benefits, such as Vitamin E, beta-carotene, and other phenol levels decrease dramatically," the company's website states.

Americans buy a lot of it. Olive oil is one of the fastest-growing global industries, according to a report from Research and Markets, an international market research and data site. While Spain and Italy top the list of both producers and consumers, Americans seem to have jumped on the Mediterranean diet bandwagon in full force.

The United States ranks third on the list of the world's largest olive oil consumers. But the U.S. may not be there for long, according to the report.

"It is expected that in the near future, India and China will be on the list of largest consumers of olive oil, as people have started recognizing the health benefits of olive oil and have accepted it as cooking oil," a release from the site says.

You don't have to eat it. Olive oil beauty products are a multibillion dollar business, according to the industry website Olive Oil Source.

"What many consumers don't realize is something that people living millennia ago in ancient Greece took for granted; that extra virgin olive oil, all by itself, is one of the best beauty secrets," the site says.

The same antioxidants that heal your internal cells may help protect your outer layer from damage. Olive oil can now be found in everything from skin moisturizers to nail care kits.

If you're not ready to spring for the professional products, you can use olive oil at home to create a hair mask or as a cheap eye makeup remover.

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