10/24/2024
Should the Mediterranean diet be adapted to other cultures, or should we focus on finding the healthiest foods within our own cultural traditions to optimize health? Which approach do you prefer?
The Mediterranean diet is backed by extensive research as a heart-healthy eating plan, but at its core, it's largely about consuming plant-based foods and olive oil. In a recent T1D Exchange article, I explored research showing that the Mediterranean diet can be successfully adapted to various cultural diets, including Puerto Rican,(use of corn oil instead of olive oil; peanuts instead of almonds/walnuts/hazelnuts), Chilean, Japanese, and African American, leading to positive outcomes like weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, and reduced cardiometabolic risk.
Could we achieve similar results by following dietary guidelines from other countries? Absolutely. There are several other effective dietary plans, such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Vegetarian diets, and the MIND diet that can also support cardiometabolic health.
Interested in learning more about the MIND diet? You can read about it here:https://t1dexchange.org/should-i-mediterraneanize-my-diet-heres-what-you-need-to-know/
