According to a recent study, the Mediterranean diet may help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.
The well-known health advantages of the Mediterranean diet contributed to its rapid popularity.
Doctors and qualified dietitians prefer the eating pattern because of its emphasis on a variety of
nutritious foods and its adaptable and sustainable features.
A recent study investigated the relationship between type 2 diabetes and the Mediterranean diet.
The results imply that the Mediterranean diet may reduce type 2 diabetes even more effectively
than previously believed.

● The Mediterranean Diet: What Is It?
The Mediterranean diet is characterized by its abundance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains,
legumes, nuts, seeds, lean proteins and fish, and heart-healthy fats. It was inspired by the
characteristic cuisine and eating customs of southern Italy, southern Spain, and Greece.
Despite being regarded as a “diet,” the Mediterranean eating style allows the majority of foods and
does not have any rigid rules or restrictions, making it a very sustainable way of eating.
Researchers have discovered that folks from the countries where this eating pattern originated and
those who imitate their eating habits have a lower incidence of chronic disease.

● Type 2 diabetes and the Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is a popular eating pattern for preventing type 2 diabetes and has been
linked to a lower risk.
One of the study’s authors, Nita Forouhi, MBBS, Ph.D., emphasized that prior research on the
Mediterranean diet and type 2 diabetes was based on subjective reporting. In other words, it relied
on questioning study participants about their food, which is prone to reporting inaccuracies due to
human memory.
“We wanted to improve the assessment of dietary intakes by using objective markers of foods that
can be measured in the blood,” explained Dr. Forouhi.
The researchers gathered information on 340,234 people living in eight European countries. They
assessed adherence to the Mediterranean diet using blood carotenoids and fatty acids.
“We chose these lipid-soluble nutritional biomarkers because they can reflect dietary exposures
weeks or months before the blood draw,” Dr. Forouhi explained.
In other words, these biomarkers allowed the researchers to determine whether or not the study
participants followed the Mediterranean diet regularly.
The Mediterranean eating pattern was associated with a decreased risk of new-onset type 2 diabetes
in the study. The findings also revealed a stronger link between nutritional indicators and
self-report questionnaires.
Following a Mediterranean-style diet may be even more effective for the primary prevention of type
2 diabetes than previously anticipated, according to these findings, which support the evidence for
this approach. Furthermore, the study discovered that even moderate adherence to the eating
pattern has health benefits.
“The Mediterranean diet contains plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, lean
proteins, and heart-healthy fats.” These foods are abundant in nutrients that are beneficial to type 2
diabetes, such as fiber and whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and heart-healthy fats such as
avocados, olive oil, nuts, and seeds,” said Caroline Thomason, RD, CDCES, a dietitian and
diabetes educator in northern Virginia.
Nonetheless, no study is without limits. This study was observational, as is customary in nutrition
research, and did not account for all risk variables for disease. The authors took great care to isolate
the link of the biomarker score with illness risk, yet, accounting for all other lifestyle and medical
factors is nearly difficult.
“The study does not allow us to draw strong conclusions such as the Mediterranean diet being a
causal factor in lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.” “However, our findings are consistent with
other lines of evidence and support the Mediterranean diet as a dietary strategy for the prevention
of type 2 diabetes,” Dr. Forouhi added.

● Gut health and the Mediterranean Diet
Research on the connection between type 2 diabetes and gut microbiota is another field that is
expanding quickly.
According to Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, LD, owner of Sound Bites Nutrition, “the diet encourages
several plant-based foods that provide fiber, which changes gut bacteria and may aid in blood sugar
management.”
These plant-based diets include antioxidants, Andrews continued, which may have
anti-inflammatory qualities that help prevent diabetes.
The Mediterranean diet has been linked to several additional health advantages in addition to
improving your gut health. “Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and
neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s,” according to Andrews. Additionally, it could help
lower the chance of developing some diseases, like breast cancer.
A Mediterranean eating pattern can be adopted and followed in a variety of ways. Start out by
making one or two modifications at a time. As an example, Thomason proposed “incorporating
one fruit or vegetable per day or swapping refined grains for whole grains at least half the time.”
Last but not least, adapt the Mediterranean diet to meet your lifestyle.
According to Thomas, there are really 23 nations in the Mediterranean, spanning from Italy and
Greece to those in the Middle East and northern Africa. “You can adopt Mediterranean habits by
incorporating any of these cuisines!”
A Mediterranean eating pattern can be adopted and followed in various ways. Start by making one
or two modifications at a time. For example, Thomason proposed “incorporating one fruit or
vegetable per day or swapping refined grains for whole grains at least half the time.”
Last but not least, adapt the Mediterranean diet to meet your lifestyle.
According to Thomas, there are 23 nations in the Mediterranean, from Italy and Greece to the
Middle East and northern Africa. “You can adopt Mediterranean habits by incorporating any of
these cuisines!”