The Mediterranean diet is considered by many, from doctors to nutritionists, to be the gold standard when it comes to a balanced diet that contributes to a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
The traditional Mediterranean diet is characterized by a high intake of fruits, vegetables, cereals and fish with moderate consumption of wine and a rare intake of dairy products and red meat. Most importantly, the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet are explained by the high intake of monounsaturated fatty acids, primarily in the form of extra virgin olive oil.
A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine confirmed that a Mediterranean diet enhanced with extra virgin olive oil, but without energy restrictions, reduced the risk of diabetes in individuals at high risk for developing cardiovascular disease. The antioxidant action of extra virgin olive oil is believed to be responsible for the benefits of this type of diet.
Specifically, oxidative stress is associated with β-cell dysfunction and thus diabetes. In addition, oxidative stress is responsible for the activation of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4), which cleaves incretins that regulate insulin secretion. Incretins are intestinal hormones that secrete enteroendocrine cells after food intake and, among other things, stimulate glucose-dependent secretion of pancreatic beta cells.
In addition, a meal prepared according to the principles of the Mediterranean diet, enriched with extra virgin olive oil, is associated with the reduced postprandial (post-meal) oxidative stress generated by NOX2.
The study, published in Nutrition & Diabetes, taking into account all the above evidence and studies conducted, investigated the impact of a Mediterranean diet enriched with extra virgin olive oil can improve postprandial glucose control through mechanisms of action on oxidative stress. Additionally, the same study examined the effect of extra virgin olive oil on blood fat levels, including LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
All subjects received a meal consisting of pasta (100 g), chicken breast (150 g), salad (80 g), bread (80 g), apples (200 g) and had a total of 894 calories. One group also added 10 g of extra virgin olive oil to the meal, while the other group ate this meal without added oil.
According to the study, the results of blood tests in subjects who ate a meal prepared according to the principles of the Mediterranean diet and enriched with extra virgin olive oil were significantly different from those who did not have this oil in the meal. A blood sample was taken 2 hours after the meal. Significant differences were observed in the levels of glucose, insulin, GLP (glucagon-like peptide) and the concentration and activity of DPP-4.
Specifically, after a meal without extra virgin olive oil, glucose and insulin concentrations increased significantly. Analysis of incretin excretion also showed significant differences in meals with or without extra virgin olive oil. Incretins increased significantly in subjects who had oil in their meals.
Two hours after the meal, significant differences in LDL-C and ox-LDL levels were also observed, while no significant difference in triglyceride and HDL-C levels was observed.
All of the above studies confirm that postprandial changes in glucose and lipid levels can affect vascular disease by promoting and / or impeding arteriosclerotic processes. Postprandial glucose is associated with higher levels of cardiovascular difficulties in people with or without diabetes. Therefore, reducing or eliminating postprandial increases in glucose and lipid levels can have a positive effect on the development of arteriosclerosis.
Extra virgin olive oil enhances post-prandial glucose control by affecting glucose and insulin levels. Postprandial glucose is regulated by incretins that affect insulin production and blood glucose lowering. Incretins such as GLP1 and GIP are secreted in the small intestine by binding to receptors in the pancreas, causing insulin secretion and lowering of blood glucose, and rapidly deactivated by DPP-4.
This study sought to confirm whether extra virgin olive oil could stimulate intestinal cells and induce endogenous incretin release, which was confirmed, so extra virgin olive oil could be considered a DPP-4 inhibitor.
Therefore, it is clear that a Mediterranean diet enriched with high quality extra virgin olive oil has a number of positive effects on health and protection against a number of diseases, and this diet is the reason most often recommended by doctors, nutritionists and other health and nutrition experts.
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