- A Mediterranean-style diet with added plant foods may help burn fat faster, a new study suggests.
- The nutrient-dense eating plan may help reduce a type of fat linked to increased disease risk.
- Dieters cut back on meat and processed foods in favor of olive oil, tea, nuts, and leafy greens.
A Mediterranean diet with added nutrients could help reduce a risky type of body fat linked to cancer and heart disease, new research suggests.
The eating plan, known as the “green” Mediterranean diet, is based on the cuisines of the regions where people live the longer and healthier livesand adding foods like green tea and protein-rich plants could make it even healthier, according to the study, published September 30 in BMC Medicine.
A team led by researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel analyzed data from 294 adults to compare the health benefits of two types of Mediterranean diet with general healthy eating recommendations to eat less fat and salt, and more vegetables. .
The researchers wanted to see if the diets could help reduce visceral fata type of body fat that accumulates around the organs and increases the risk of dangerous diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Participants on the regular Mediterranean diet cut back on red meat, processed foods and refined carbohydrates (such as white bread and sugary treats) and ate more healthy fats such as olive oil. The group lost 7% of visceral fat, on average, at the end of the 18-month study, compared to a 4.5% fat loss in the overall healthy diet group.
But the modified green Mediterranean diet was twice as effective, helping people lose 14% of their visceral fat. Those dieters drank four cups a day of green tea and a green smoothie made from a protein- and vitamin-rich plant called duckweed, as well as cutting back on red meat and processed foods. The green diet also led to slightly more weight loss overall.
The results are “a spectacular achievement for making simple changes to your diet and lifestyle,” the study’s lead author, Hila Zelicha, a postdoctoral fellow at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, said in a news release.
By helping to reduce visceral fat, the green Mediterranean diet could improve heart health and blood sugar control, and prevent chronic disease, according to the study authors.
Foods like green tea, nuts, and green leafy vegetables are high in beneficial nutrients called polyphenols.
The researchers theorized that the advantage of the green Mediterranean diet is that it is rich in polyphenols, plant-based nutrients that evidence has been linked to a protective effect against chronic diseases
The traditional Mediterranean diet is already rich in foods such as olive oil and green leafy vegetables that contain polyphenols.
Both Mediterranean diets in the recent study also included a handful of nuts a day. Once avoided in diets for being high in calories and fat, walnuts are now considered one of the healthiest foodsPacked with fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, as well as
The green Mediterranean diet included even more polyphenols and other antioxidants in the form of Green Tea, for which evidence suggests it may help lower cholesterol and inflammation, and improve brain and heart health. The green smoothie included in the diet also added protein, as well as a specific type of B vitamin called folate, which may also have helped reduce visceral fat, according to the researchers.
The study findings suggest that what people eat in a diet may be just as important as how much, according to Iris Shai, the study’s lead author and a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the university. Research continues to discover which specific foods may be especially helpful in burning fat and protecting against disease, Shai said in a news release.
“A healthy lifestyle is a solid foundation for any weight loss program. We learned from the results of our experiment that the quality of food is no less important than the number of calories consumed,” he said.
