A new study revealed the health benefits of the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet to postmenopausal women.
The study headed by Brazilian researchers found that this kind of plant-based diet could improve postmenauposal health for it appears to be good for an older woman’s bones and muscles.
This was confirmed by Thais Rasia Silva, Ph.D., the lead author and a postdoctoral student at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil.
“We found that the Mediterranean diet could be a useful nonmedical strategy for the prevention of osteoporosis and fractures in postmenopausal women,” Silva said.
Mediterranean Diet is abundant in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and olive oil. The Mediterranean diet has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and certain other chronic diseases.
Why Mediterranean diet Is Good For Postmenopausal Women
Women experience significant health changes during and after menopause. Women in this stage may suffer from loss of bone mass, increasing her risk of the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis and broken bones. This inevitable thing is due to decline in estrogen because of menopause.
However, this decline in skeletal muscle mass and strength among older women can be countered by the Mediterranean diet.
The team of researchers found that Mediterranean diet has positive effects on body composition after menopause.
Based from the study of 103 healthy women respondents from southern Brazil, older women with higher Mediterranean diet score (MDS) has higher bone mineral density measured at the lumbar spine and with greater muscle mass.
The respondents of the study had an average age of 55 and who had gone through menopause 5.5 years earlier, on average.
What is A Mediterranean Diet?
The Mediterranean diet consists of full of diverse plant-based foods, healthy fats, whole grains, and a occasional glass of red wine. It is widely embraced by top medical professionals and experts. This age-old eating habit is deeply rooted in the coastal cuisines of Mediterranean countries such as Greece, Spain, Italy, France, and northern Africa.