Nowadays, hardly a day goes by without the publication of new and sometimes rather dubious studies on nutrition. They all claim to have found the panacea for staying slim and health for as long as possible. Unfortunately they are often singing from quite different hymn sheets: one day it may be animal fats that we should consistently avoid and the next day it is carbohydrates that seem to be the cause of all evil. In this jungle of studies it is difficult to get a clear perspective – but not impossible:
If you ask doctors and nutrition experts about the links between health and nutrition, many will refer to the PREDIMED trial (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea). In 2013, Spanish investigators in this trial found that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil or nuts has extremely positive effects on health and lowers the risk for cardiovascular disease. For example, the incidence of myocardial infarction and stroke was reduced by up to 30 percent among participants in the trial who received a Mediterranean diet compared with the control group, who kept to a simply, low-fat diet.
This Mediterranean diet is characterized above all by large quantities of fruit and vegetables, unsaturated fats from fish and cold-pressed vegetable oils as well as little red meat. Anyone who wants to change to a Mediterranean diet should observe the following dietary recommendations: