Mediterranean Diet Has Huge Health Benefits, New Study Finds | The New York Times

TimesCast: The Times's Gina Kolata talks about a new study, published on The New England Journal of Medicine's Web site, focusing on the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Want more from The New York Times?

Whether it's reporting on conflicts abroad and political divisions at home, or covering the latest style trends and scientific developments, New York Times video journalists provide a revealing and unforgettable view of the world. It's all the news that's fit to watch. On YouTube.

Mediterranean Diet Has Huge Health Benefits, New Study Finds

[lizmuthoni]

Don't forget the Mediterranean culture.. Community, walking, eating together.. It's not just about the food.

[danmiau]

Great segment. One thing I haven’t heard mentioned and I only realised this after spending a few weeks in Greece with a Greek friend is that there is almost no dairy in the Mediterranean diet. When they eat cheese it’s most often from goats milk I understand. Their oil is from olives. So part of the equation is removing butter and other dairy products. Traditional Greek yogurt is also made from goats milk. Also their produce tends to be fresh. When you buy a meal in Greece it most often is not made by a franchise. It’s generally a small family business that uses fresh ingredients. To me this points to food farmed in a more traditional way rather than massive industrial style farms using machinery and chemicals etc.

[anastasia]

yes the tomato sauce is important. they have found that tomatoes have some v. important nutrients. High in vitamins A and C, lycopene and also many anti oxidants which help prevent cancer. also proven very good for your skin and maintaining collagen/elastin.

[JFP]

Mediterranean diet isn't eat loads of pasta and bread, and loads of olive oil, wine etc. My grandma is Italian but doesn't follow a strictly Mediterranean diet anymore, she has lived in the UK which has rubbed off on her sadly. She is still alive and mostly health (in her 90s) but she has been struggling with high cholesterol for years and her sister had high cholesterol and developed vascular dementia (she wasn't taking her statins like my grandma, also lived in the UK). If you do Mediterranean remember a plate is smaller, eat lots of oily fish without mercury (ie non predatory fish mostly), 1/2 of your plate should be vegetables, 1/4 should be whole grains and 1/4 lean meat or healthy fish. Nuts, less sugar, basically whole unrefined foods is the way to go and lots of veggies and fruit.

[daddytomandfriends]

I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis yesterday and my Neurologist recommended the Mediterranean diet.

[LaurenSClark]

The Greeks now how to eat. I should know I was fed at a couple great restaurants. Go Greeks!

[Holisticbrit]

I love her name! Gina Colada! Sounds like pina colada! Good video, Mediterranean diet is so worth the time consuming cooking.

[jerryv]

The same thing can be said about a Japanese diet. Basically, anything is better than the American diet. Not profound at all.

[brittnyking]

I feel that the Mediterranean diet is just like any other diet. It involves healthy foods such as nuts, fish, and vegetables and simply focuses on those food groups. I wouldn't think it to be healthier than most health diets that have you consuming healthy food. Does olive oil really play a part in the healthy factor of this diet though? or is it just accompanied with the types of dishes? It was said that this diet can reduce health problems such as heart disease, but any diet that is cutting out food such as fast food, processed foods, and junk food would do the same, right?

[waynefoolx]

I started munching on almonds recently, and I've really acquired a taste for them. All I can eat? I'm in!

[vanmars]

I love Mediterranean diet, maybe cause i live on the Mediterranean. Truly is a great way to live, and of course to eat. Maybe is more appropriate for areas close to the sea, although i don't believe that is so difficult or expensive to find the basics...and is better than chinese or burgers

[inthemix]

That is well known in Europe and US need some food cultur !

[amandab]

I have heard how a Mediterranean diet is supposed to be so good for you. I had no idea what a Mediterranean diet even was and what benefits is has. This video explained that people who are on a Mediterranean diet mostly eat fish, red wine, fruit, nuts, natural oils like olive oil, and vegetables. People on this diet also do not eat any unhealthy fats. And limit the red meats to at once a month. Being on this diet significantly decreases the chance of having a heart attack, stroke, and heart disease. This diet is extremely healthy for your heart. I am always looking for different and healthy, new foods to incorporate in my diet. This video makes me want to give a Mediterranean diet a try. I know that this all can’t happen at once because it will be hard for me to completely cut out other foods that do not go along with this diet. Over time, hopefully I will be able to do this and encourage my family to do this diet as well because my dad and his side of the family are already at a high risk for heart problems.

[IIIIIbarcodeIIIII]

Well, with peer-reviewed science, this has nothing to do with fad. THANKS.

[Corinthiansfive]

Sounds alot like Daniel's Diet (Bible) The Daniel diet is known for people losing 10kg in 10 days. The Bible says, “ … their fruit will be for food and their leaves for medicine.” Ezekiel 47:12 Hippocrates, the recognized founder of modern medicine, echoed this when he said, “Let food be your medicine and medicine your food.”

[LaurenSClark]

I love the chicken gyros; however, their diet is a plethora of healthy foods not just gyros.

[thomasred]

I would suggest everyone to go on a Mediterranean diet if it reduces the chances of you having heart disease, a stroke, or heart attack by thirty percent. People should start this type of diet more often.

[ultragamer]

I'm going to switch to the Mediterranean and it's funny because I'm part Spanish and a huge chunk "Southern European" xD

[PaparoniFilms]

You're right! How could I be so blind!?

[g]

it doesn't matter if this diet has been around for hundreds of years. it doesn't matter if yoga has been around for thousands of years. but when its becomes front page on the new york times, people take notice. and all of a sudden it becomes some sort of new fashion trend.