INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — A Mediterranean diet alone lowers the risk of type two diabetes, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Researchers followed people at risk for heart disease. Those who were put on the Mediterranean diet were about 30 percent less likely to develop diabetes over the next four years. That’s compared to those who ate a general low-fat diet. The difference was seen without cutting back on calories or exercising although researchers say it shouldn’t discourage people from reducing calories or exercising.
Some people on the Mediterranean diet were told to have three tablespoons of olive oil daily. Others were told to have an ounce of nuts instead. The people in the olive oil group had the lowest risk of diabetes. Researchers aren’t sure why.
FOX 4 Medical Reporter Meryl Lin McKean visited with Jamie Jarvis, a registered dietitian at HyVee in Independence, about how you can eat the Mediterranean way. Watch the video to learn more.
