BALTIMORE—New research out of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine affirms the role of a Mediterranean diet and improved heart health for those at risk for cardiovascular disease, even if the dietary changes aren’t coupled with weight loss. The findings, present at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2011 outlines the benefits of a balanced diet that replaces white bread and pasta carbohydrates with unsaturated fat from avocados, olive oil and nuts.
Researchers analyzed data from the OmniHeart Trial, which studied the cardiovascular effects of three different balanced diets on 164 people with mild hypertension but no diabetes. They compared the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and maintain healthy insulin levels while on a carbohydrate-rich diet, a protein-rich diet and a diet rich in unsaturated fats.
They found a generally balanced diet higher in unsaturated fats, such as those in avocados, olive oil and nuts, improves insulin use significantly more than a diet high in carbohydrates, particularly such refined carbs as white bread and pasta. The preferred diet is very similar to the Mediterranean diet that emphasizes healthy fats, fruits and vegetables.
Study participants were fed each of the three diets for six weeks in a row, with two to four weeks off in between. Blood samples were collected after fasting periods in weeks four and six of each diet, and used to monitor insulin and glucose levels. The study was designed to keep participants at their starting weights.
“A lot of studies have looked at how the body becomes better at using insulin when you lose weight," the researchers said. “We kept the weight stable so we could isolate the effects of the macronutrients. What we found is that you can begin to see a beneficial impact on heart health even before weight loss."
