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Colorado Heart Center Explores the Mediterranean Diet

Learn How to Lower Cholesterol

South Denver Cardiology, a Colorado heart center with locations across the Denver-metro area, understands the significance of maintaining a healthy diet for your heart. After all, you are what you eat, and a lot of what you eat, can harm your heart in ways you wouldn’t expect. That’s why we always strive to find the best diets that are good for your heart, while still making your taste buds feel like the fourth of July. Fortunately, one such diet is no secret. In fact, it’s been a very popular diet for decades. This diet defines the cultures of the Mediterranean Sea so much, that in 2010 the United Nations Education, Science, and Culture Organization labeled the diet the “intangible cultural heritage” of Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, and Croatia.” In a 2011 systematic review, this diet was found to be more effective than a low-fat diet in reducing cardiovascular risk factors, such as cholesterol level and blood pressure, in the long-term.
Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University’s School of Public Health was cited as describing the diet as having an emphasis on, “abundant plant foods, fresh fruit for dessert, olive oil as the principal source of fat, dairy products, and fish and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts, zero to four eggs consumed weekly, red meat consumed in low amounts, and wine consumed in low to moderate amounts.” Nutritionists state that total fat represents 25 to 35 percent of calories, with saturated fat only comprising 8 percent of that.
So what makes this an auspicious diet for heart health? Since olive oil comprises the majority of fat consumption, the diet forces people to limit their saturated fat intake. Consider that olive oil is extremely high in monounsaturated fats, along with a fair amount of polyunsaturated fats. Both of these bats have been linked to positive heart health and cholesterol reduction. Furthermore, olive oil has been found to have distinct anti-oxidant properties that can decrease LDL cholesterol.
But the diet contains more than just olive oil. Red wine, for example, has been proven to reduce cholesterol if one glass is consumed a day. Seafood products can contain high traces of Omega 3 fats, which are essential to heart health as well. Ultimately, there are an abundance of nutritional benefits to the sorts of food commonly consumed by these cultures, and if you’re looking to have a healthier life style, then consider your next recipe to be from one of the aforementioned countries.
How To Use This Information
By studying and replicating the dietary patterns of the Mediterranean cultures, you could see a drastic change in your heart health within a year. We’re so confident in the diet’s ability to improve your health, we dare you to schedule a before and after check up to see the difference. Want to take the challenge? Then schedule an appointment with the best Colorado heart center, or give us a call at 303-744-1065.

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