Researchers in Spain set out to learn just how effective the long-heralded Mediterranean diet is against heart disease. The results, after a five-year study, are a confirmation that a Mediterranean diet high in extra virgin olive oil and will significantly lower the risk of heart disease. 

"We really believe the Mediterranean diet lowers incidence of (heart attack), stroke and cardiovascular deaths," said Dr. Ramón Estruch, the leading researcher in the study, according to CNN.

The study tracked the occurrence of heart attack, stroke and heart-disease-related death in people who were assigned specific diets. 
Three diets were studied, a Mediterranean diet high in olive oil and a separate Mediterranean diet high in nuts, and a control "low fat" diet.

Though high in fat, the Mediterranean diets resulted in the lowest frequency of heart attack, stroke or dying of heart disease over the study's five-year span.

Compared to those eating a prescribed "low-fat" diet the EVO group showed a 30 percent lower risk of heart attack, stroke or dying of heart disease after five years. A high-in-nut Mediterranean diet showed a 28 percent lower risk

Other studies on the Mediterranean diet have asked participants to recall dietary habits and then used that data to make conclusions, where Estruch's study assigned particular diets and followed the participants for heart-disease risk, CNN reported.

Participants in the Mediterranean diet segment of the study agreed to replace red meat with white meat like chicken and eat three or more servings of fish each week, along with three or more servings of fruit and at least two servings of vegetables each day.

A total of 7,447 people aged 55 to 80 years were in the study; 57 percent were women. 

The study concluded, "Among persons at high cardiovascular risk, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts reduced the incidence of major cardiovascular events."

A typical Mediterranean diet includes plenty of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits and vegetables. The diet sees moderate consumption of dairy (mostly as cheese and yogurt) and wine, and low consumption of meat of meat products.  

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