02 Follow the Mediterranean diet and you’ll live to 100
THE STORY
Scientists have been fascinated by
the link between a Mediterranean diet and longevity since the 1990s. Despite poorer access to medical care than you’d find in much of western Europe at the time, people living in Greece and southern Italy had lower rates of chronic disease and an above-average life expectancy, with more citizens reaching their 100th birthday than the European average. The difference seemed to be what they were eating: olive oil, fresh fruit and veg, lots of fish, not too much meat and plenty of whole grains. In the years since, the idea that a Mediterranean diet is good for you has become so embedded in western culture, you probably wouldn’t even think to question it.
THE SCIENCE
Good news: you really shouldn’t. The authors of one review, published in the Journal Of Clinical Nutrition And Metabolic Care, named the diet ‘the gold standard’ when it comes to evidence-based preventative nutrition. After poring over the 20 years’ worth of science, they found – ‘with near perfect consistency’ – that following a Mediterranean diet reduces your risk of heart attack, stroke, disability and early death. Further evidence shows it can cut your risk of a heart attack by as much as 25% and your chances of having a stroke by 30%.
The beauty of this way of eating is that it doesn’t zero in on one type of food, explains Olga Hamilton, a leading nutritional scientist and specialist in anti-ageing. ‘It’s one of the best illustrations of food synergy,’ she says, referring to the way it combines many evidence-backed eating habits, such as consuming lots of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients. ‘The whole is more important than the sum of its parts.’
THE VERDICT
Swap red meat for a mix of oily and white fish three times a week, use extra virgin olive oil in salad dressings and sauces and pile your plate with two servings of fresh veggies at lunch and dinner. An occasional glass of Chianti won’t hurt, either.