The #1 Ranked Healthiest Diet to Follow

U.S. News ranked the Mediterranean Diet the #1 healthiest diet to follow. The diet is full of fresh produce, fish, herbs, nuts, whole grains, and olive oil. An article posted by Tufts University, Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPH, editor-in-chief of Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter explains that the Mediterranean Diet has been “linked to improved cardiovascular health and lower risk of type 2 diabetes and weight gain.” [1] One of the key components of this diet is high amounts of olive oil. A recent article posted in the Harvard School of Public Health press release explains that people who eat a higher amount of olive oil have a lower risk of “premature death overall and from specific causes including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative disease”. In fact, compared to people who rarely consumed olive oil, people who had higher amounts (> 7g per day), “had 19% lower risk of total and cardiovascular disease mortality, 17% lower risk of cancer mortality, 29% lower risk of neurodegenerative mortality, and 18% lower risk of respiratory mortality”. [2] 

[1] https://www.nutritionletter.tufts.edu/special-reports/new-evidence-mediterranean-diet-supports-healthy-aging/ 

[2] https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/higher-olive-oil-consumption-linked-with-lower-risk-of-premature-death/