Mediterranean diet helps women live longer, study finds

“For women who want to live longer, our study says to watch your diet,” said senior author Samia Mora, MD, cardiologist and director of the Center for Lipid Metabolism at Brigham and School of Medicine Professor Medical Harvard statement. “The good news is that a Mediterranean dietary pattern can reduce the risk of death by around a quarter over 25 years.”

Why would this be so and how can you try the Mediterranean diet, if you are interested in it? Experts break it down.

Why could the Mediterranean diet help you live longer?

It’s important to point out that the study only found a link between closely following the Mediterranean diet and living longer – but it didn’t. create this eating plan will help you live longer. Still, experts say it’s definitely possible.

“There are so many well-documented health benefits of eating this type of diet—including eating certain components of this type of diet,” says Deborah Cohen, DCN, associate professor in the department of nutritional sciences. clinical and preventive at Rutgers University. School of Health Professions. “Health benefits include reduced risk of hypertension or high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, certain types of cancer, and lower risk of cardiovascular disease, which contributes to morbidity and mortality in this country.”

The Mediterranean diet is “rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, and fiber, all of which contribute to its protective effects,” says Scott Keatley, RD, co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy. Foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds – encouraged in the Mediterranean diet – are high in antioxidants like vitamins C and E, flavonoids, and carotenoids, he says. “These compounds help neutralize harmful free radicals in the body, which can damage cells and DNA, which can lead to cancer and other diseases,” he explains. “By reducing oxidative stress, antioxidants help protect against chronic disease and cellular aging.”

But the Mediterranean diet also includes foods rich in anti-inflammatory compounds, such as omega-3 fatty acids in fish and polyphenols found in olive oil and red wine. Those compounds help lower chronic inflammation, which may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, Keatley says.

This diet is packed with high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. These help regulate your digestive system, encourage regular bowel movements, and reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, says Keatley. “Fiber also helps maintain a healthy weight by promoting satiety and reducing overall calorie intake,” he says. “In addition, soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol levels by binding to cholesterol in the digestive system and removing it from the body, which supports cardiovascular health.”

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes healthy fats such as monounsaturated fats from olive oil and polyunsaturated fats from fish and nuts. These healthy fats help increase HDL (good) cholesterol and decrease LDL (bad) cholesterol, “thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease,” says Keatley.

Finally, this diet recommends limiting ultra-processed foods. “Reducing or eliminating these types of food from the diet would be beneficial overall,” says Cohen. Karen Ansel, RDN, co-author Healthy in a hurry, agrees. “The power of the Mediterranean diet is not just about what you eat,” she says. “It’s also about what not to eat, especially as the diet is low in red meat which can be a problem for heart health, and low in added sugars which can lead to overweight and obesity, which are hidden risk factors for cancer.”

Mediterranean diet basics

Although the Mediterranean diet is talked about a lot in health circles, you may be confused about what exactly it entails. In general, he emphasizes plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, fatty fish, and olive oil.

The meal plan recommends eating a lot of these foods:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Fish and other types of seafood twice a week or more
• Olive oil
• Nuts and seeds
• Beans and legumes
• Whole grain
• Fresh herbs

The Mediterranean diet also allows these foods in moderation:

• Poultry
• Eggs
• Dairy milk, cheese, and yogurt
• Red wine (up to one glass a day for women and two glasses a day for men)

But the diet recommends limiting your intake of these foods:

• Grains and refined oils
• Red meat or deli meat
• Ultra-processed or packaged foods
• Foods high in added sugar, such as pastries or candies

How to adopt a Mediterranean diet

It can be overwhelming to consider adopting a whole new eating plan. If you are interested in following the Mediterranean diet, dietitians recommend starting slowly. “Start the diet by thinking about foods you should eat more of, not less of,” says Keri Gans, RD, author The Little Change Diet. She recommends doing things like adding a serving of fruit to breakfast, using whole grain bread at lunch, and having plenty of vegetables with your dinner. “Try new seafood recipes and ways to enjoy more legumes,” says Gans.

Ansel says it’s important to keep in mind that the Mediterranean diet is “extremely flexible.”

“You’ll find a wide variety of produce, whole grains, beans, pulses, fish and seafood to choose from as well as small amounts of poultry, eggs, cheese and yoghurt,” she says. Once you’re on the diet, Ansel suggests aiming for at least two servings of produce with each meal and having fresh fruit for snacks and desserts. “If that sounds like enough, start with one serving of produce per meal and slowly increase to two once you’ve mastered that,” she says. “So, slowly swap out whole grains whenever possible and trade meat for beans.”

Try to have fish like salmon twice a week too, says Keatley. “Swap out processed grains for whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, and quinoa,” he continues. “Substitute olive oil for butter and margarine for cooking and dressing. Making these gradual changes can help make the transition smoother and more sustainable in the long term.”

If you want additional guidance, Gans recommends speaking with a registered dietitian, if your budget allows. They can “help tailor the diet to your personal goals,” she says. There are many Mediterranean diet cookbooks that walk you through how to make delicious Mediterranean breakfast recipes and options for lunch and dinner too.