| |
A study completed in 2008 revealed that Americans who followed the Mediterranean diet, or stuck as close to it as possible, had their risk of death overall reduced by 20%. The study compared 380,000 people who were following the diet to those who were not. This statistic is pretty astounding.
One of the main reasons behind this is because the Mediterranean diet is high fat. Now, this may make you feel like running for the hills and throwing this book to the side, but there are good fats that our bodies need to function and thrive, and those are the fats this diet is high in. Mono and polyunsaturated fats that can be found in olive oil, fish, nuts, legumes, vegetables, and whole grains that the Mediterranean diet is abundant in to promote heart and cognitive health, prevent blood clots in arteries, and lower cholesterol levels significantly.
Being a plant-based diet as well, the Mediterranean diet is high in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that our bodies need to grow and develop. People that have followed a mostly plant-based diet often report higher levels of happiness, lower levels of stress, mood stability, and other positive emotional aspects of their lives. This diet is beneficial for overall health and wellness in every way possible.
Throughout the Mediterranean region, we have seen lower cases of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, less risk of heart disease and stroke, and better calcium retention in bones. Combine this with the mental and emotional benefits of the Mediterranean diet and you could definitely agree that the quality of life is also significantly better for those who follow this diet.
