High cholesterol and associated heart problems are exceptionally common; as a result, there's no shortage of diet programs and books designed to improve heart health. The Mediterranean diet may sound like the latest fad, but rather than a stringent prescription diet, it's a distinct approach to eating and cooking based on thousands of years of cultural traditions.
Practices
With at least 16 countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, it's impossible to identify one single Mediterranean diet, but the culinary traditions of these various countries have much in common. This includes a high consumption of plant-based foods like vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains and nuts; olive oil as a source of monounsaturated fat; low to moderate consumption of dairy, poultry and fish; eggs eaten zero to four times per week; little red meat; and low to moderate intake of wine, according to the American Heart Association.
Role of Fats
The typical Mediterranean diet is low in saturated and trans fats, the two types of fat that can raise your levels of "bad" low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and contribute to heart disease. Instead, the primary source of fat in Mediterranean cuisine is olive oil, a monounsaturated fat that can lower LDL cholesterol when eaten in place of saturated and trans fats, according to MayoClinic.com. Many of the Mediterranean diet's unsaturated fat sources also contain omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower triglycerides.
Benefits
The Mediterranean diet is associated with lower LDL cholesterol, the "bad" type of cholesterol that can build up in your arteries and lead to heart disease. People who follow this diet also tend to have higher levels of "good" high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. The Mediterranean diet is appropriate for people who want to prevent high cholesterol as well as those who already have it; according to Consumer Reports, those with heart disease who switch to the Mediterranean diet are 70 percent less likely to die from heart disease.
Recommendations
For the biggest heart-health benefits, follow these key principles of the Mediterranean diet: replace butter and margarine with unsaturated fats like olive or canola oil; eat poultry and fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and anchovies at least twice a week; limit red meat to no more than a few times a month; eat mostly plant-based foods like produce, whole grains, nuts and legumes; choose spices and herbs instead of salt to add flavor to foods; and drink red wine in moderation, if it appeals to you.
Considerations
While the traditional foods associated with Mediterranean cuisine can lower cholesterol and promote overall heart health, it's still important to exercise portion control to reap these benefits. Eating too much of any food, even healthy food, can lead to weight gain; being overweight contributes to high cholesterol, says MayoClinic.com. Another notable aspect of the Mediterranean lifestyle is that it includes a high level of activity, so make regular exercise part of your cholesterol-lowering plan.
References
- American Heart Association: Mediterranean Diet
- MayoClinic.com: Mediterranean diet: Choose this heart-healthy diet option
- Women's Heart Foundation: The Mediterranean Diet
- University of Wisconsin: Non-Drug Ways to Promote Health by Lowering Cholesterol
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Consumer Reports: The Mediterranean Diet
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