Green Mediterranean Diet Significantly Improves Proximal Aortic Stiffness

A green Mediterranean-high polyphenol diet significantly improves proximal aortic sclerosis (PAS), a marker of vascular aging and increased cardiovascular risk. The green Mediterranean diet was compared to a healthy Mediterranean diet and a healthy guideline-recommended control diet in a large clinical intervention trial, DIRECT PLUS. Researchers found that a green Mediterranean diet regressed proximal aortic stiffness by 15%, a Mediterranean diet by 7.3%, and a healthy eating guideline diet by 4.8%.

The study was recently published in a top-ranked journal in the field of cardiology. Jack (Journal of the American College of Cardiology). This is the first time scientists have shown a strong and potent effect of diet on age-related proximal aortic stiffness.

DIRECT PLUS, a large, 300-participant, 18-month long-term clinical trial, used MRI to measure aortic stiffness, the most accurate non-invasive measure.

Aortic stiffness is a measure of the elasticity of the arterial wall and occurs when elastic fibers (elastin) within the arterial wall begin to fray due to mechanical stress. Proximal aortic stiffness (PAS) reflects the stiffness of the aorta from the ascending to the proximal descending thoracic aorta. A portion of the aorta, the largest artery in the body that carries oxygen-rich blood away from the heart. Proximal aortic stiffness is a distinct marker of vascular aging and an independent cardiovascular risk factor for predicting morbidity and mortality.

The study was led by Professor Iris Shai of Ben-Gurion University, Negev, Israel, adjunct professor at the Harvard School of Public Health and professor emeritus at the University of Leipzig, Germany, and doctoral student Dr. Gall. . His Tsaban, a cardiologist at Soroka University Medical Center, and his colleagues at Harvard and Leipzig.

The DIRECT-PLUS testing research team was the first to introduce the concept of a green Mediterranean high polyphenol diet. This modified Mediterranean diet is richer in dietary polyphenols (phytochemicals, secondary metabolites of plant compounds that provide various health benefits) and less in red/processed meats than traditional It differs from the Mediterranean diet. In addition to their daily intake of walnuts (28 grams), Green Mediterranean dieters consumed 3-4 cups of green tea and 1 cup of duckweed (Mancai) plant green shakes per day over 18 months. Mankay, an aquatic green plant, is an excellent alternative to meat as it is rich in bioavailable iron, B12, 200 polyphenols, and protein.

In previous research, the team found that green Mediterranean, high polyphenols, and diet have a range of effects from microbiome remodeling (Gastroenterology 2021) to halting brain atrophy (AJCN 2022), fatty liver regression (Gut 2021), and visceral adiposity (Gastroenterology 2021). BMC Med 2022).

A healthy lifestyle is a powerful foundation for improving cardiometabolic health. From the results of the experiment, we learned that dietary quality is important for mobilizing atherogenic adipose tissue, lowering cardiometabolic risk, and improving obesity profiles. Sexual polyphenols have shown potential to improve various aspects of human health. However, so far no dietary strategies have been shown to influence the physiology of vascular aging.

Prof. Iris Shai, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel

“Even just maintaining a healthy diet is associated with PAS regression. A green Mediterranean diet dramatically reduces PAS by 15%. The results of our study emphasize once again that not all diets offer similar benefits and that a green Mediterranean diet promotes vascular health I am pointing out that it is possible.

Other researchers include Aryeh Shalev, Amos Katz, Anat Yaskolka Meir, Ehud Rinott, Hila Zelicha, Alon Kaplan, Arik Wolak, Matthias Bluher, and Meir J Stampfer.

This work was funded by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) – project number 209933838- SFB 1052. Rosetrees Trust (Grant A2623); Israel Ministry of Health grant 87472511. Israel Ministry of Science and Technology Grant 3-13604. and the California Walnut Commission.

Funders were not involved at any stage of the study design, conduct or analysis, nor did they have access to research results prior to publication.