There’s been a common belief for many years that if you eat a Mediterranean diet then you’re likely to live longer, but now, there’s research that claims that by eating a Mediterranean diet you may actually be able to reverse the effects of metabolic syndrome, by reducing obesity and blood glucose levels that lead to the condition.

Metabolic syndrome is combination of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity which puts people at a higher risk of things like heart disease and strokes.

So….we thought that we would take a look into the facts and see what it all means to us…and see if there’s anything we can do to help ourselves, and you, get a bit healthier.

What’s involved?

Well….Its seems that the most important part of the diet is Olive Oil or nuts.

So, along with a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, fish and whole-grains, by adding nuts or Olive Oil you can help your weight reduce and lower your blood glucose levels.

That sounds too good to be true doesn’t it?

The research..

This information has come from a Spanish study done at Universitat Rovira i Virgili and Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan de Reus on a group of nearly 5800 men and women (aged 55-80) and were all at risk of heart disease. They were split into three groups, One group ate a Mediterranean diet with extra olive oil, another had the Mediterranean diet, with added nuts and the final ate a traditional low-fat diet. (you know…they one we’re all trying to follow).

Research showed the both the ‘Mediterranean diet’ groups lost weight and reduced their blood sugar levels…Pretty significant, bearing in mind the current advice is to follow a low-fat diet to achieve these results!

The Mediterranean diet also seems to stop people from collecting fat around their middles (the classic apple shape), which is commonly identified as being a precursor to diabetes…

It is estimated that if we increased the amount of fruit and vegetables we eat by just one portion per day, and the amount of nuts eaten by two portions per week, then this could prevent up to 5.2 million deaths from cardiovascular disease in just one year!

So, will you change?

It seems like our Mediterranean cousins have been getting it right all this time….Maybe think of every meal as a mini holiday…. but we’re not sure all the wine counts!

To find out more, check out the NHS Mediterranean diet information here and make your choice.

Comment below and let us know what you think or if you will be changing your diet – We think we will!

For more information on obesity and treatments to help with weight loss, please go to: www.ukmeds4u.com