It wins awards almost every year. Nobody Does It Better. Also in 2023, the Mediterranean diet was named the world’s best – for the sixth time in a row. And in just a few months, new research has shown the health benefits it can have: Researchers have found that the diet can to a certain extent help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease. In addition, it should also be good for the brain health of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). What is it about this food that is so good? And is there a reason why we Norwegians should not jump on the bandwagon? Characteristics The Mediterranean diet is known to be heart-friendly. It is food that prolongs life. But what exactly characterizes this diet? Yes, in this region of the world you eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, seeds and fish. The diet contains little fat from dairy products and red meat, but rather monounsaturated fat from olive oil and unsalted nuts. Another characteristic is a moderate intake of alcohol. – In general, I would say that this diet contains what we believe to be a healthy diet. There is no reason why Norwegians should not follow this diet, says Per Ole Iversen to news. This is the Mediterranean diet. Not a low-fat diet, but the fat comes to a small extent from saturated sources such as butter, fatty meat, pastries or dairy fat. Rich in monounsaturated fats – which are heart-healthy (olive oil and nuts). A good source of omega 3 fatty acids (seafood, especially oily fish). Rich in potassium (whole grain cereals, fruit, vegetables and nuts). Rich in fiber (whole grains, vegetables, fruit, beans, peas). Rich in antioxidants including vitamins E and C, carotenoids and flavonoids. Rich in B vitamins, including folic acid. Source: NHI.no – This is what we recommend Iversen is a professor of clinical nutrition and works at the department of nutritional science at the University of Oslo. He is also a senior physician at Oslo University Hospital. In 2011, he was one of those who helped shape the national dietary guidelines in Norway. – Even then, we based the advice on this diet. It is actually this diet that we recommend. You should eat little saturated fat, and be careful with red meat and butter. The professor says that there has been a lot of good research into this diet after the Second World War, and that the results often show the same thing: This food is good for our health. And perhaps especially with regard to heart health. Per Ole Iversen says there is little doubt that food from the area around the Mediterranean is good for our health. A number of studies over time have shown that. Photo: Privat The new studies Since the new year, several studies on the Mediterranean diet have been published. Here, Australian researchers have found that the diet should be the best for preventing prostate cancer. “Men who eat colorful fruit and vegetables regularly are less likely to get the diagnosis,” says the press release. The findings are presented in the journal Cancers. The same diet should also be good for preventing Alzheimer’s disease. People who eat plenty of green leafy vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fish, olive oil and beans have fewer brain signs of this disease compared to others, the researchers write. It is also believed that people with MS can benefit from eating food from the area around the Mediterranean. MS is a diagnosis that can often lead to cognitive problems. The diet should reduce the risk of problems with memory and the ability to think clearly, says the new study. And in a collective study, which was published in March this year, researchers have concluded that the Mediterranean diet should reduce the risk of heart problems by up to 25 percent. In one of the new studies, researchers believe that men should eat colorful fruits and vegetables. It should be good for preventing prostate cancer. Photo: Keilen, Berit / SCANPIX Is this a diet you can have in Norway? Norwegians have the highest obesity rates in Europe. Only three countries in Western Europe now have a greater proportion of citizens with obesity than us. The diseases that accompany obesity are serious, and they cost society a lot of money. Nutrition expert Per Ole Iversen believes it is unproblematic for Norwegians to adopt a diet that comes from the Mediterranean region. – Even though we don’t live in the area, this is food we have access to all year round. And when it comes to price, all food in Norway is really expensive, so in that sense it doesn’t matter much. The professor is clear that weight and health do not only depend on what you eat, but also how much. – Our main problem now is malnutrition. The compositions we eat are wrong, and we take in too much of things we shouldn’t have. We have a lot to go on Erik Kristoffer Arnesen is a research fellow at the University of Oslo and a member of the National Council for Nutrition. He has written a series of articles on the Mediterranean diet. Arnesen says today there are some discrepancies between the typical Norwegian diet and what they eat in the Mediterranean. This mainly concerns the consumption of red meat and fatty dairy products. The scholarship holder does not believe that it is simply easy to switch to a “new” diet. Erik Arnesen believes it is challenging to get a population to change their diet. Photo: The National Association for Heart and Lung Disease – Most of us eat as we have always done, and as those around us do. Although most people can certainly agree that their diet can become healthier, and many people are keen to eat healthy, it is difficult to change habits when you do not see an immediate reason for it. According to Arnesen, the diet from the Mediterranean has an exciting history. There are many countries around this ocean of the world, and all have their own variation of the diet. – Although one can discuss and speculate a lot about what kind of Mediterranean diet is most optimal, is the secret perhaps no more mysterious than that the food is generally plant-based and healthy? Even though it is known that five a day is good for health, it is still difficult to get people to eat enough fruit and vegetables, says Per Ole Iversen. Photo: Pixabay
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Is the Mediterranean diet the answer to everything? Should be good for preventing dementia, cancer, MS and heart disease – news Trøndelag
