You may have been trying to loose weight for a while now. Now with the current lockdowns this may have become more difficult than ever before, since the gyms are closed. But there is hope yet. Researchers have fund that mediterranean foods can have a positive effect if you want to shed off the pounds. The article belows shows everything you need to know to get back in shape. But even more than just losing weight, this diet can actually lower your risk of diabetes type 2.
Research shows a diet influenced by the Mediterranean will help women who are overweight lower their risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 30%.
Researchers analysed data from the Women's Health Study (WHS) at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Massachusetts from more than 25,000 seemingly stable female healthcare staff.
To establish a baseline between 0 and 9, participants were asked to complete food frequency questionnaires about their dietary intake.
Points were allocated to increase the consumption of mediterranean foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and fish. Moderate alcohol intake and lower red and processed meat consumption were also included.
The study authors stated that they found no consistent cause and effect when measuring possible underlying biomarkers such as insulin resistance, lipoprotein metabolism, body mass index (BMI), and inflammation.
They found, however, that such biomarkers were the most significant contributors to understanding this inverse correlation between the Mediterranean diet and the risk of diabetes. And it's necessary to remember that all of these improvements are not occurring immediately,' said Dr. Samia Mora, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard and an associate physician in the preventive medicine and cardiovascular medicine divisions of Brigham, in a news release.
Caroline West Passerrello, MS, RDN, LDN, CLT, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, said A Mediterranean diet is greater than just the foods and is really a way of life,"
In addition to foods common to Spain, Italy and Greece, it also includes the processes involved in food processing, cooking, and consumption, as well as other lifestyle factors (moderate consumption of alcohol, not smoking, physically active),"In addition to foods common to Spain, Italy and Greece, it also includes the processes involved in obtaining, cooking, and consuming the foods as well as other lifestyle factors (moderate alcohol consumption, not smoking, being physically active),"
It emphasises other foods that naturally contain healthy fats, such as avocados, almonds, and fatty fish such as salmon and sardines.
Finally, public health officials from Harvard say that we should select water as the main regular beverage, but they note that a small consumption of wine with food is permissible.
"This study supports the previous research that shows a diet that focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can positively influence those biomarkers and reduce the risk for certain chronic health conditions like type 2 diabetes," Passerrello said.
"These biomarkers, like cholesterol levels and amount of inflammation, can be influenced by diet and lifestyle behaviours," she said.
A drawback of this analysis, however as the study authors and Passerrello point out is that the findings are not generalizable.
The research population was composed of well-educated, primarily white female health professionals.
This research was focused on self-reported dietary intake and weights, also in the population that was studied, primarily white people, and the diet was only evaluated at baseline,"Even in the population that was studied, predominantly white females, this study was based on self-reported dietary intake and weights, and the diet was only assessed at baseline,"
Despite the limitations of the report, Andy De Santis, a registered dietitian with a master's degree in nutrition in the public health sector, said that a wide range of people would possibly have the health benefits of consuming a higher or "greener" Mediterranean diet.
"Given the robust nutritional benefits that are associated with a 'green' Mediterranean dietary pattern, I see no obvious reasons why this style of eating would not be protective across broader portions of the population, although definitive research always helps to increase the confidence in such a claim," De Santis told Healthline.
"All of my research and education tells me that whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables represent the most viable avenues to either prevent or manage type 2 diabetes," he said.
"Within the whole grain/starchy veggie category, emphasising lower glycemic index] selections such as sweet potatoes, barley, quinoa, and steel cut oats will certainly be helpful," he added.
In addition, De Santis said that anyone would benefit from their dietary pattern by adding more plant fibre.
"The results of this study don't surprise me in the least because low glycemic index, high soluble fibre foods like fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and legumes have long been considered a cornerstone of good blood sugar management," said De Santis.
And it is almost inevitable that a dietary pattern that emphasises them above all else will protect against the development of type 2 diabetes,"And a dietary pattern which emphasises them above all else will almost inevitably be protective against the development of type 2 diabetes,"
The glycemic index tests food's effect on your blood sugar (blood glucose) and insulin levels.
Foods may be classified into groups of low, moderate and high glycemic indexes. Faster increases in insulin and blood sugar result from higher glycemic foods.
A guide from Harvard Medical School shows how to turn from higher glycemic index foods to lower ones on a regular basis.
Those swaps are recommended by the guide:
"[Low glycemic index] foods help with blood sugar management largely due to their soluble fibre content," De Santis said.
Soluble fibre has a slowing effect on food movement through the digestive system and thus contributes to a more modest response to insulin,"Soluble fibre has a slowing effect on the movement of food through the digestive system and thus leads to a more modest insulin response,"
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