The Mediterranean Diet (PDF)

Recent large-scale epidemiological studies have confirmed the
pre-eminence of the Mediterranean diet for reducing the risk of
primary and secondary heart disease and cancer. There is also
increasingly convincing evidence for its protective value against
diabetes, dementias and other age-related disorders, and for
increasing overall longevity.



The Mediterranean Diet: Health and Science is a
timely, authoritative and accessible account of the Mediterranean
diet for nutritionists and dieticians. It discusses the
Mediterranean diet in the light of recent developments in
nutritional biochemistry, disease mechanisms and epidemiological
studies, and also provides advice on nutrition policies and
interventions.

The Mediterranean Diet: Health and Science opens with
an overview of the Mediterranean diet, and this is followed by a
survey of the latest epidemiological evidence for its health
benefits. There is detailed nutritional information on olive oil,
wine, fish, fruit and vegetables and other components of the
Mediterranean diet, and this information is used to explain how the
diet protects against a range of age-related diseases. The book
emphasises the importance of understanding the Mediterranean diet
in its totality by discussing the evidence for beneficial
interactions between various components of the diet. There are also
discussions of how agricultural practices, as well as food
preparation and cooking techniques, influence the nutritional
quality of the diet. The book concludes by discussing the social
context in which the Mediterranean diet is eaten, and public health
issues associated with adopting a Mediterranean diet, especially in
the context of more northerly countries.

Written by nutritional biochemist Richard Hoffman and a past
President of the French Nutrition Society, Mariette Gerber, who
between them have many years experience in this area, this exciting
and highly topical boook is an essential purchase for all
nutritionists and dietitians worldwide. Libraries in all
universities where nutrition, dietetics and food science and
technology are studied and taught should have copies of this
excellent book on their shelves.