Everyone knows the famous Mediterranean diet and its beneficial properties. Now even science has discovered a benefit that makes it unique.
The Mediterranean diet has become the leading example to follow around the world and the symbol of a healthy and nutrient-rich cuisine. In fact, in 2010 UNESCO included it among the oral and intangible heritage of humanity. But how was the Mediterranean diet born?
It all started with a trip to Italy made by Elizabeth David, an English writer who dealt with gastronomy. In the 1930s she visited the Italian and Greek Mediterranean area, discovering a completely new and different cuisine compared to the English one.
When he returned to England he published a book on the foods of the Mediterranean peoples. The book made a great impression on the British, as many ingredients were not present in English cities, such as basil, aubergines, garlic or olive oil. A few years later he also published a book on Italian cuisine.
The benefit of the Mediterranean diet
Some recent studies have shown that a diet rich in fresh vegetables can even improve the biological age of the brain. And not only that: it seems to be particularly effective if vegetables are also associated with seafood and whole grains. These foods are enough to slow down the aging of the brain. In fact, brain scans have revealed that after 18 months of following this diet, brain age only increased by 9 months instead of 18. It is true that biological age can change due to stressful events, which can accelerate aging, but now there is also a method to slow it down thanks to the Mediterranean diet.
To be precise, during the research, the scientists investigated the brains of 102 people: before starting the diet and after 18 months of dieting. The tested patients adopted a diet rich in nuts, fish and chicken, and abolished red meat. After 18 months i patients lost about 2.3 kg and their brains were aged only 9 months. Furthermore, it seems that the Mediterranean diet may also have benefits on the memory of older people. Experts say the brain slowdown is also due to lower levels of liver fat.
However, one must remember that these positive changes are temporary, as the brain could return to accelerate aging. Therefore, to have a consistently young brain age, one must always follow a healthy lifestyle. This means that as soon as you stop taking care of your brain, biological age accelerates.