WEB DESK: A Mediterranean diet that is rich in “healthy” fats such as fatty fish, eggs, olive oil and nuts may lower your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and breast cancer, new research has claimed.

According to Hanna Bloomfield from the Chronic Disease Outcomes Research in the US, some foods in a high-fat Mediterranean diet may be linked to lower risks of developing certain ailments because of the anti-inflammatory effects.

For the study, researchers analysed 332 previously published studies and focused on 56 papers for a deeper look into the said benefits of a high-fat Mediterranean diet, ‘Tech Times’ reported.

Examples of healthy fats or mono-unsaturated fats include canola oil, olive oil and avocados. Unhealthy fats or trans and saturated fats are found in potato chips. For the study, researchers’ description of a Mediterranean diet was one with no fat intake restrictions and included two or more of seven elements.

The elements were – high healthy-to-unhealthy fat ratio, high intake of vegetables and fruits, high intake of leafy, dark green vegetables such as broccoli, high intake of cereals and grains, moderate consumption of red wine, moderate intake of dairy products and increased intake of fish but low consumption of red meat and other meat products.

The study found that while a high-fat Mediterranean diet did not have an effect on overall mortality, it could benefit people in reducing the risk of developing certain diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and breast cancer.

According to Bloomfield, this could be because people who take on diets with fat restrictions get their calories more from sugar and unrefined grains. The health benefits stem from “healthy” fats such as fatty fish, eggs, olive oil and nuts, said Bloomfield.

People should add more healthy fats to their diets such as olive oil, nuts and avocados, she said. The findings were published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

-PTI