Researchers from the Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Kiel in Germany have come up with a novel theory for heart health – combining elements from both the Mediterranean and Asian diets. Noting that the incidence of cardiovascular disease is low in many Asian countries (such as Japan) as well as in the Mediterranean area (in countries such as Italy, Spain, Greece and Turkey), they looked at what the typical diets had in common.
They found that both diets are rich in fruits, vegetables and oily fish (high in omega-3 fatty acids), and provide high amounts of plant chemicals such as polyphenols and antioxidants. Scientists suspect that the plant bioactives found in both diets turn on the same longevity genes and may be responsible for the disease-fighting character of the diets. The findings suggest that a combination “MediterrAsian” diet may be a promising dietary strategy in preventing chronic disease. Green tea and red wine, anyone?
