Mediterranean Diet Helps Women Live Longer: New Discovery

The Mediterranean diet has long been celebrated as a exceptional food model; supported by a solid scientific basis that highlights its multiple benefits: from reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer, to preventing obesity.

Now, a new study reveals that this diet could be the key to a longer, healthier life for women.

There researchpublished on JAMANetworkOpenfollowed 25,315 women for up to 25 years, analyzing their diet and 33 different biomarkers; including those linked to insulin resistance and cholesterol levels.

The results are surprising: women who faithfully followed the Mediterranean diet had a 23% lower risk of death from any cause. In addition, the risk of death from heart disease was reduced by 20%, while that from cancer was reduced by 17%.

“Our research makes a significant contribution to public health: even modest changes in established risk factors for metabolic diseases (…) can produce substantial long-term benefits from following a Mediterranean diet,” he declared. The Harvard Gazette lead author of the study, Shafqat Ahmad, associate professor of epidemiology at Uppsala University in Sweden and a researcher at the Center for Lipid Metabolomics and the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

It is important to note, however, that the study noted that “most of the potential benefit of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and mortality remains unexplained, and future research should examine other pathways that may mediate the lower mortality associated with the Mediterranean diet, as well as examine cause-specific mortality.”

However, while the study did not prove that following this eating plan will make you live longer, experts say it is certainly possible.

READ ALSO: Four foods that, according to science, help extend life expectancy by 10 years

Why might the Mediterranean diet promote greater longevity for women?

The Mediterranean diet includes simple and mainly plant-based cuisine. Each meal is in fact composed of aplenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grainsand extra virgin olive oil, rich in antioxidants, as the main source of fat.

Protein comes from lean sources such as legumes, nuts, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy products low in fat, while red and processed meats are consumed sparingly. Fats other than olive oil, such as butter, are consumed rarely, if at all. Sugar and refined foods are often avoided.

Furthermore, in the Mediterranean diet, Much smaller portions are consumed than in other traditional Western diets.

There are many scientific studies that have repeatedly demonstrated the numerous health benefits of the Mediterranean diet.

First of all, this type of power supply promotes the maintenance of a healthy body weightthanks to the richness of fibers that promote satiety and reduce the overall calorie intake. Furthermore, it helps to reduce cholesterol it’s at check blood pressureboth critical factors in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases which significantly affect women.

The Mediterranean diet is also known for its positive effect on glucose metabolismhelping to manage blood sugar and prevent type 2 diabetesan increasingly common condition among women.

Another health benefit is the abundance of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds present in the diet, such as polyphenols in olive oil and fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients help to fight oxidative stressprotecting cells and DNA from damage that can lead to diseases like cancer.

Finally, the Mediterranean diet also has a positive impact on thehumor and even on the sleepall factors that can help reduce stress levels and improve overall quality of life.

In conclusion, the Mediterranean diet, in addition to being appreciated throughout the world for its goodness, also represents a Scientifically proven nutritional approach to improve quality of life and increase longevity. Women who adopt this eating style not only benefit from a reduced risk of chronic disease, but can also enjoy greater vitality and well-being in the long term.

SCIENTIFIC SOURCES CITED IN THIS ARTICLE

• Study Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Risk of All-Cause Mortality in WomenPublished on JAMANetworkOpen
• Study Mediterranean diet and weight loss: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsPublished on Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders
• Study Meta-analysis comparing Mediterranean to low-fat diets for modification of cardiovascular risk factorsPublished on American Journal of Medicine
• Dietary Patterns and Blood Pressure in Adults Study: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled TrialsPublished on Advances in Nutrition
• Study Mediterranean Diet Effects on Type 2 Diabetes Prevention, Disease Progression, and Related Mechanisms. A ReviewPublished on Nutrients
• Study Dietary Antioxidants in the Mediterranean DietPublished on Antioxidants
• Study Food and mood: how do diet and nutrition affect mental well-being?Published on British Medical Journal
• Study Mediterranean Diet and Sleep Features: A Systematic Review of Current EvidencePublished on Nutrients