Be careful, this is not a diet, we could say paraphrasing Magritte. The “Mediterranean” is a “diet plan,” as is the “Dash,” according to doctors at the American Heart Association. Because, more than a list of favorable foods; With these two ways of eating, it is about adopting habits and a method to keep throughout life. However, everyone will adapt it to their living conditions and their environment. “We’re not all Cretan retirees in the village square,” smiles a nutritionist. First “good plan”, this traditional Mediterranean diet praised for ages by nutrition professionals. We know its main principles and its star foods: variety of products, seasonal, minimally processed.

Predominance of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains, fish, a little meat, very little dairy products, a little wine, without overdoing it. Olive oil, extra-virgin if possible, is the icon of this Mediterranean diet and, if I had to name a dish, it could be this puree of tomatoes and vegetables called chakchouka in the Maghreb, Saksuka in Turkey and frita. in Spain: far from being uniform, the Mediterranean diet varies depending on the country, southern France, Spain, Italy, Greece and Crete, Turkey, Croatia, Maghreb, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, etc.

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Why is it so popular? Through multiple studies, biomedical research has shown that adopting this eating style, over time, provides a number of health benefits due to its richness in favorable nutrients: antioxidants; dietary fiber ; monounsaturated fatty acids (those from olive oil) and omega 3.

Thus, there is less risk of cardiovascular diseases; we lower our risk of metabolic disorders (obesity, diabetes); as well as the risk of certain cancers (for example, those linked to excessive consumption of red meat), finally, we preserve our brain: brain cells are protected against chronic inflammation, which has a positive effect on functions cognitive and on the risk of neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s). Compared to the typical Western diet, or even restrictive diets (low in fats or carbohydrates), it appears to be much superior from the point of view of biological balance.

Paradoxically, “today’s” Mediterranean diet, that consumed on a daily basis in Sicily, Tunisia or the south of France, is not conducive, far from it, to good health: too much sugar, fat , ultra-processed foods and fruits and vegetables in small portions. Food evolves at the pace of societies, and the path taken is not the right one. The same phenomenon exists in Japan, where the famous Okinawa centenarian diet is non-existent in Tokyo or Osaka.

The second dietary plan widely recognized as good for health is Dash, for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, a method developed by a national health promotion institute in the United States, and which originally aimed to fight against silent killer that is hypertension, very common in countries with a Western lifestyle (without symptoms for an entire period, too high blood pressure can cause cardiovascular, cerebral and neurodegenerative complications). Adopted over the long term, it is both preventive (we avoid becoming hypertensive) and curative (avoid medications or, if necessary, increase their effectiveness). In particular, this involves reducing salt consumption in order to lower blood pressure.

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One teaspoon of table salt per day is tolerated, less if you are already hypertensive. Another main principle is the consumption of a significant quantity of vegetables, especially those rich in potassium (bananas, oranges, spinach, potatoes, etc.), because this mineral salt is effective against hypertension. The quantities should be at least 5 servings per day, same thing for fruit. Otherwise, the Dash is very similar to the Mediterranean diet, with a wide variety of foods and nutrients, fiber, whole grains, lean proteins and as little saturated fat as possible. Processed foods high in salt should be avoided. Finally, Dash suggests that eaters limit their portions and is, therefore, a “reasonable” weight loss diet even if this effect is not explicitly targeted by the promoters of the method.

Its positive effects on health are clearly established on hypertension, and, more broadly, on the proper functioning of the heart and arteries: for example, it helps reduce cholesterol levels. The risk of cardiovascular diseases (heart attack, stroke) is reduced. Another benefit of Dash is the reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes, due to reduced intake of sugars and saturated fats. As is the risk of obesity with a reduction in abdominal fat.

Another advantage of this diet is the effect on the intestinal microbiota, which today we continue to discover how important it is, not only for digestion and intestinal functions, but for good health in general. Rich in plant fibers from vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains, this diet promotes a good balance between the families of microorganisms that inhabit our intestines.

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Last health benefit, and not the least: just like the Mediterranean diet, Dash helps fight certain cancers, including colorectal and breast cancer. Called by its supporters “the best diet in the world”, it may however not be easy to follow if you strictly apply its precepts: it involves precisely measuring your daily salt consumption, including that from food, and it is not so easy.

April 2023, the highly respected American Heart Association, which brings together cardiologists from across the Atlantic, publishes its recommendations for better cardiac and metabolic health in the form of a ranking. Scores (from 31 to 100) were assigned to each diet based on its compliance with the association’s recommendations. Four groups were formed: the first and best (scores above 85) included the Mediterranean and Dash diets.

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We then have a set of “vegan and low-fat diets” (score of 75 to 85), rated less well due to possible deficiencies, and the fact that all fats are put on the same level. Then group 3 (score of 55 to 74), diets with very low fat and carbohydrate contents, with deficiencies and too little fiber. At the bottom of the ranking (score less than 55), we find the Paleolithic diet and those very low in carbohydrates, too rich in saturated fats, without enough fiber… Diets that are impossible to maintain in the long term.