Online Classifieds Directories Ecards Homeloans Lastminute. Com Mobile Magic Myiafrica. The mediterranean diet and heart disease Mediterranean cuisine is renowned. Many think it one of the best in the world. People in these countries revel in their food and wine, spending long hours preparing and eating a variety of delicious dishes.
Food is an integral part of their culture.
Yet, they have one of the lowest rates of heart disease, and certain cancers, of any population in the world. As a result, it has been proposed that this type of diet actually protects against heart disease, but, until recently, there was no clear demonstration of this. The Lyon Diet Heart Study has changed this, at last demonstrating that there is in fact, a strong protective effect to be gained from the so-called Mediterranean diet. There are many Mediterranean countries with wide variations in eating patterns, but essentially the cuisines are similar. In most cases, people in these countries follow a diet low in total fat, cholesterol, and saturated and omega-6 fatty acids.