Olive Oil Health: the Updated Mediterranean Diet Pyramid

Posted on March 30, 2010

When it comes to food pyramids, being at the bottom of the heap is actually a good thing. We just discovered olive oil has moved up in the world  . . . by moving farther down on the  new version of the 17-year-old Mediterranean diet pyramid.
The new version, pictured here, combines the original pyramid with the latest health and scientific studies.
Here are the key changes, according to Oldways, the Boston food think tank that was among the groups behind the launch of the original pyramid:

1. All plant foods – fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, legumes, seeds, olives, and olive oil – were combined in a single group and placed at the base. The change was meant to signal these foods “should be the basis of most meals.”
2. The recommended consumption of fish and shellfish was increased to two times a week, “indicating their multiple contributions to brain and reproductive organ health.”
3. Herbs and spices were added to reflect “increased evidence of their health-promoting properties” and their role in making foods taste better.

The pyramid also emphasizes the importance of physical activity and how you should enjoy meals in the company of family and friends.
The Mediterranean diet first came under the spotlight in 1993. That’s when Oldways, the Harvard School of Public Health, and the European Office of the World Health Organization unveiled the “classic” Mediterranean diet and the original pyramid. (The Harvard School of Public Health has issued its own “Healthy Eating Pyramid,” which I featured in a blog last week.)
Kathy McManus, director of the department of nutrition at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital, noted the “center of the plate” in the Mediterranean diet revolves around plant-based foods. She was speaking at a recent healthy eating and living conference we attended in northern California,  co-sponsored by the Culinary Institute of America and the Osher Research Center at Harvard Medical School.
McManus  gave a rundown of the diet’s overall healthful properties:

• Low consumption of red meat
• Daily use of olive oil
• Regular consumption of fish
• “Abundant intake” of plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts
• And wine in moderation

McManus noted “moderation is key” when it comes to eating healthful foods. “Savor it and enjoy it,” she said. “But don’t abuse it by piling up the plate.”
Bon appétit,
Claude S. Weiller
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
California Olive Ranch


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Mediterranean Diet May Be Good for Your Brain, Too, Study Suggests

Posted on February 17, 2012 by consumers

Here’s food for thought. Not only may the Mediterranean diet be good for your heart. But it also may be good for your brain, a study in this month’s issue of the Archives of Neurology suggests.
Researchers found that a Mediterranean diet – rich in fresh vegetables and fruit, lean proteins, whole grains and olive oil – may guard against blood-vessel damage in the brain, lowering the risks of stroke and memory loss. The study also suggested that monounsatured fat, found in olive oil, may play a key role.  Researchers at the University of Miami in Florida and Columbia University in New York led the effort.
“The current study suggests a possible protective association between increased consumption of a (Mediterranean diet) and small vessel damage,” Clinton Wright, an author of the study and an associate professor at Miami’s Miller School of Medicine, said in a news release.
The study is the first to examine the impact of a Mediterranean diet on the brain’s small blood vessels. Previous studies have suggested eating a Mediterranean-style diet can lead to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s disease. (Click here to see our eNewsletter showcasing Mediterranean cuisine and recipes.)
In the new study, researchers studied food questionnaires filled out by 966 participants in an ongoing study known as the Northern Manhattan Study. The participants were sorted by how strongly they adhered to a Mediterranean diet. Researchers used MRI scans to determine small blood vessel damage in the brain, as indicated by so-called white matter hyperintensities. The WMHs are considered “markers” of chronic small vessel damage.
The study suggested a “lower burden” of white-matter volume (WMHV) among those participants who adhered more to a Mediterranean diet. Moreover, researchers found those who consumed more monounsaturated fat, found in olive oil, had lower volumes of WMHs.
“The associations with WMHV may be driven by the favorable ratio of monounsaturated fat consumption over saturated fat,” Wright said. But he added that the results “suggest that the overall dietary pattern, rather than any of the individual components, may be more … relevant.”
Your friends at California Olive Ranch


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How to Eat and Live like a Mediterranean

A Revamped Diet Pyramid Shows How to Eat and Live Like A Mediterranean

Posted on November 11, 2011

How to eat and live like you’re a citizen of the Mediterranean? Eat at least two servings of veggies at main meals, and one two servings of olive oil. Plus, share meals with family and friends. So says a newly revamped version of the Mediterranean diet pyramid out of Spain.

The Mediterranean Diet Foundation’srevised pyramid spells out the servings you should eat on a daily or weekly basis of various foods. For example, you should eat one to two servings of fruit at every main meal as well as one to two servings of bread, rice and other cereals that are “preferably” whole grain, according to the Barcelona-based nonprofit. A serving size is based on “frugality and local habits.”

In a statement, the group says the revamped pyramid better reflects the “balanced lifestyle” of the Mediterranean people. The pyramid continues to promote grains, olive oil, fruits, vegetables and seafood. And, as before, you should eat red meat and sweets sparingly.

The Mediterranean Diet Foundation is the latest group to overhaul its version of the Mediterranean diet pyramid. The most well known pyramid is touted by our friends at the Boston food think tankOldways, which updated their pyramid a couple years ago.

As with other food pyramids, being at the bottom of the heap is a good thing. The lower section of the Mediterranean Diet Foundation pyramid depicts “foods that should sustain the diet,” like veggies, olive oil and fruit. The upper section of the pyramid details foods that should be consumed “in moderate amounts.”

You should eat no more than one serving of red meat a week, for example. White meat can equal two weekly servings. Fish and seafood, however, can be consumed more frequently: twice or more a week. Wine is recommended in “moderation.” (Click here to see our October In Season eNewsletter showcasing Mediterranean cuisine and recipes.)

To better illustrate the Mediterranean lifestyle as a whole, “regular” physical activity and “adequate” sleep are highlighted in the revamped pyramid, along with the practice of sharing meals with family and friends.

“It is not just about prioritizing some food groups from others, but also paying attention to the way of selecting, cooking and eating,” the Mediterranean Diet Foundation says.

The organization adds that it collaborated with nutritionists, anthropologists, sociologist and agricultural experts to develop the “new richer design.”

Bon appétit,

Your friends at California Olive Ranch

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