THE “green” Mediterranean diet may be even healthier for you than the traditional Mediterranean diet. That’s according to a new study published online in the journal Heart. Researchers said they found that people who consumed higher amounts of plant-based proteins and less red meat and poultry experienced increased cardiovascular and metabolic benefits. The researchers randomly assigned 294 sedentary people with moderate obesity (defined as a BMI of 31) into three dietary groups. A significant majority of participants were male. Their average age was 51. The first group received guidance on boosting physical activity and basic guidelines for achieving a healthy diet. The second group received the same physical activity guidance plus advice on following a calorie-restricted, traditional Mediterranean diet. Their menu was low in simple carbohydrates, rich in vegetables, and with poultry and fish replacing red meat. The third group received all of the above, plus 3 to 4 cups of green tea as well as 28 grams of walnuts per day. Their daily menu also included 100 grams of frozen Wolffia globosa (cultivated Mankai strain) cubes, a high protein form of the aquatic plant duckweed. The cubes were taken as a green plant-based protein shake as a partial substitute for animal protein. The study authors said in a press release that their findings suggest further limiting meat intake while increasing plant-based, protein-rich foods may benefit the cardiometabolic state even more. And it may reduce cardiovascular risk beyond the known beneficial effects of the traditional Mediterranean diet. After six months, the “green Med” diet surpassed the other two dietary plans in associated health benefits. Participants on either type of Mediterranean diet lost more weight. The green Med group lost a total of 6.2 kilograms, the traditional Mediterranean diet group lost 5.4 kilograms, and the healthy diet group lost 1.5 kilograms. Waist circumference shrank by an average of 8.6 centimeters among those on the green Med diet compared with 6.8 centimeters for those on the Mediterranean diet and 4.3 centimeters for those on the healthy diet. The green Med group also saw the greatest reduction in LDL (bad) cholesterol with a nearly 4 percent decrease. The equivalent figures were nearly 1 percent for those in the Mediterranean diet group and even less than that for those in the healthy diet group. Participants following Mediterranean-based diets also reaped additional health benefits that included decreases in diastolic blood pressure, insulin resistance, and an important marker of inflammation, C-reactive protein, which has an essential role in artery hardening. “Diversifying your protein intake is one of the most impactful things a person can do to improve their health,” said Andy De Santis, a registered dietitian with a master’s in public health nutrition, “The primary sources of plant protein, such as legumes, nuts, seeds, and soy-based foods, offer unique benefits that are simply not found in animal foods,” he added. “With that being said, no one is saying you have to drop all animal protein to be healthy,” he noted. “You should, however, think about the balance between plant and animal protein consumption over your life course. “Animal protein, aside from being widely enjoyed, also has nutritional value particularly relating to its iron, protein, and B12 content. Fish, in particular, being rich in the elusive vitamin D and omega-3s, is a very useful food,” De Santis added. (SD-Agencies) | 