This Super-Popular Diet Could Lower Heart Disease Risk in Women by 24%

New research says you should probably stock up on salmon and avocados.

"Diet" tends to be a dirty word. It usually involves counting calories (and maybe micros and macros) and is restrictive.

But one diet consistently receives praise from medical professionals and scientists: the Mediterranean diet. The plan has ranked atop U.S. News & World Report's list of best diets for the last six years.

The diet calls for tons of fruits and vegetables, plant-based and lean proteins and monosaturated fats like those found in extra virgin olive oil. Previous studies have shown it lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease. But a new one shows the specific benefits for women. The study, published this month in Heart, found that women who followed a Mediterranean-style diet had a 24% lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

The study is welcome information to one Cleveland Clinic cardiologist, who says heart disease risk is often overlooked in women.

"We have a tendency to underappreciate the impact of cardiovascular heart disease on the health of women," says Dr. Christine Jellis, MD, Ph.D., a cardiologist with Cleveland Clinic. "Coronary heart disease typically kills twice as many women as breast cancer. It’s not just a man’s problem."

Sometimes referred to as a "silent killer," heart disease was responsible for 1 in 5 female deaths in 2020, according to CDC data. But the CDC notes that research shows only about half (56%) of U.S. women are aware that it's the leading cause of female death in the U.S.

Dr. Jellis says this study helps change that and gives women actionable ways to reduce their risk.

"Like everything, prevention is much better than cure," Dr. Jellis says. “This study shows a nice association where they demonstrate that the optimization of diet can significantly reduce some of those potential risks [for heart disease]."

Related: What Is The Mediterranean Diet?

About the Study

Dr. Jellis says the research is a compilation study of 16 previous studies, and the sample size was large: 722,495 women. "It's a good number of women," Dr. Jellis says. "We can look at this data and hope it is reflected of a true association.”

The results were promising. The female participants who closely adhered to the Mediterranean diet were 24% less likely to develop heart disease and reduced their risk of early death by 23%. Researchers noted a trend of women who followed the diet having a lower risk of stroke, but it was not statistically significant.

Still, Dr. Jellis says the study lays a foundation for more targeted healthcare advice. "It’s a great place for us to start and move forward," Dr. Jellis says.

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What Makes This Study Different

This research may not surprise you if you've been following health news for the last several years. In the last year alone, study after study continues to share the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, including longevity and a reduction in dementia risk. It has also previously been shown to reduce heart disease, but this study is novel.

“There have been lots of studies done on the Mediterranean-style diet on cardiovascular disease risks—but not specifically on women," Dr. Jellis says.

In this study, scientists specifically pulled studies that clearly focused on women or had a distinct separation between genders. "They could really see the outcomes," Dr. Jellis says. "It’s really important as we move forward that we get more of a sense of how heart disease behaves in women and how we can approach it in a targeted.”

Related: 7 Signs Of Heart Problems Women Should Never Ignore

How Women Can Use This Study

The research is based on observational studies, which means they show a "correlation" between the Mediterranean diet and improved heart health outcomes in women. But they don't prove a direct "cause-and-effect" link.

Still, Dr. Jellis says this study, combined with the numerous others on the Mediterranean diet, shows its merits.

"We have a lot of good information about the benefits of the Mediterranean diet across the general population," Dr. Jellis says. "Now, it seems we can specifically show that that benefits women. At this point, it would be reasonable for female patients who want to be proactive about the potential for cardiovascular disease in the future that they would follow a Mediterranean-style diet.”

Change is hard, but Dr. Jellis says even simple swaps can put you on a path to following the Mediterranean diet.

"Think about healthy substitutes," Dr. Jellis says. "Instead of having a dish that has red meat, choose shellfish or fish. Instead of putting a cheese-based source or dressing on a salad, request an olive-oil-based dressing or ask for it on the side…there are simple things."

That doesn't mean you can never have a filet mignon again.

“It's something to be mindful of," Dr. Jellis says. "We have so many choices when we eat out and even in the supermarket…think ahead and try to balance out the ratios by increasing plant-based substitutes and fish and reducing the proportion of red meat. It’s really about getting the balance right.”

One more caveat: Diet alone won't reduce your heart disease risk. Exercise plays a role. Genetics does too. But Dr. Jellis still recommends the Mediterranean diet.

"There are always multiple things, but diet is something we can control," she says. "Genetics, we typically can’t. This can be a way women empower themselves.”

Source

• Dr. Christine Jellis, MD, Ph.D., a cardiologist with Cleveland Clinic.