Two Israeli clinical dieticians studied a representative sample of Jews living in Israel’s southern Negev region and concluded that the Mediterranean Diet is still “the best in the world” and should be observed by as many people as possible to improve and preserve health.
They also offer an explanation for the ‘Israel Paradox,’ that Israeli disease rates are quite similar to those in the US and other developed countries, despite the fact that much of Israel is located right on the edge of the Mediterranean and an abundance of the foods in the Mediterranean Diet (fruits, vegetables, nuts, olive oil, whole grains and fish) are readily available.
Dr. Rali Abel and Ruthi Leter of the Clalit Health Services write in the Hebrew-language Israel Journal of Clinical Nutrition that a large proportion of Israelis are immigrants from Europe, Asia and Africa who have not yet fully adopted the Mediterranean Diet. Their Negev study found that only 19 percent of the women and 17% of the men closely adopt it.
The Mediterranean Diet has been proven to reduce atherosclerosis, cancer, obesity, osteoporosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and other major disorders.
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