Effect of Mediterranean Diet on Various Diseases

Mediterranean diets have an effect on various diseases. Their effects are as follows:

Hypertension
A direct relationship between dietary fat intake and hypertension has not been proved but evidence indicates that the balance offered by the Mediterranean diet (low SFAs, high MUFAs, carbohydrate, fiber, vitamin and mineral content) has a favorable effect on blood pressure.

Diabetes
The Mediterranean diet contains a lot of vegetables and cereals, and meets the demands of an adequate diabetic diet. Carbohydrates are usually taken as fiber-rich foods and fats as MUFAs not SFAs; the total fat content being variable depending on individual needs for weight loss.

Obesity
The fiber-rich carbohydrates of the Mediterranean diet help protect against and reduce obesity. The reduction in animal fats also offers the opportunity for achieving a more sensible balance of energy intake.

Thrombosis
A low-fat diet or a vegetable fat diet is preferable to a high SFA diet for protection against thrombosis, therefore the Mediterranean diet is recommended for the prevention of thrombosis.

Lipid levels
There is a direct correlation between plasma cholesterol levels and CHD. Lowering cholesterol levels reduces the risk of heart attacks. A 1 per cent reduction in cholesterol produces a 2-3 per cent reduction in CHD risk.

There are two types of cholesterol - LDL and HDL. High levels of the latter reduce the CHD risk, while high levels of LDL cholesterol increase the risk. High levels of triglyceride fats, especially with high levels of LDL and low levels of HDL also increase the risk of CHD.

Three saturated fatty acids (SFA) - lauric, myristic and palmitic acids - comprise 60-70 per cent of all SFA. Replacing SFA in the diet with monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) or polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) helps to maintain a good energy balance.

The primary dietary PUFA is linoleic acid contained in vegetable oils, such as sunflower oil. This markedly lowers cholesterol when substituted for SFA. Alpha-linoleic acid (in soybean and rapeseed oils), and eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (in oily fish such as herring and mackerel) lower triglyceride levels with little effect on cholesterol levels.

The major dietary MUFA is oleic acid, the predominant fat in olive oil. MUFAs and PUFAs both significantly reduce LDL when substituted for SFA. A high MUFA intake does not significantly alter HDL levels. LDL cholesterol in people on high MUFA diets is more resistant to oxidation, a process which causes free radical production detrimental to cells.

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