Consumer

Mediterranean diet with EVOO and walnuts, cardiovascular health

July 30, 2018

105

Adherence to an unrestricted Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) and nuts–compared with a low-fat diet–is the key factor in reducing cardiovascular events including heart attack and stroke.

Researchers from the
Instituto de Salud
Carlos III in Madrid examined 7,447 individuals between the ages of 55 and 80 with high risk of cardiovascular disease. (1)

The study participants, divided into 3 groups, followed three dietary patterns,

– Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO),

– Mediterranean diet also supplemented with nuts,

– Control diet with directions to reduce fat intake.

After nearly 5 years, researchers examined 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) was the ‘MedDiet‘ with extra virgin olive oil, and finally (109) was the control group. To which the generic fat reduction evidently did not do much good.

Table of Contents

Mediterranean diet and lifestyle, a UNESCO heritage for good health

The Mediterranean diet was inscribed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013. A dietary pattern based on grains, extra virgin olive oil, seasonal fruits and vegetables, seeds and nuts. Balanced intake of fish, dairy and meat, moderate intake of wine.

UNESCO values the Mediterranean model not only in terms of 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 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 the previously reported benefits of the Mediterranean diet for cardiovascular risk reduction from a randomized trial. Our results are also consistent with those of previous observational studies’, say Ramón Estruch and colleagues.

Previous studies of the rest showed that 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),

– Decreased atherogenic LDL and reduced its 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 nuts are confirmed to be valuable sources of ‘good fats’. As previously illustrated in a study published in Am J Clin Nutr (2017), the phenolic compound Homovanillyl alcohol (HVAL) found 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 findings: ‘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 nutrient-dense 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 daily in the suggested amounts‘, based on the needs of each.

Carlotta Suardi and Dario Dongo

Notes

(1) V.

https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa1800389