A Mediterranean diet that limits meat consumption to fish and seafood and includes intermittent fasting may be “ideal for optimizing cardiovascular health,” according to a new analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
“Today, many people overconsume animal products, often-processed meats high in saturated fats and chemical additives,” wrote lead author James H. O’Keefe, MD, director of preventive cardiology at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri, and colleagues. “Alternatively, strict veganism can cause nutritional deficiencies and predispose to osteopenia, sarcopenia and anemia. A logical compromise is a plant-rich diet with fish/seafood as principal sources of animal food.”
The recommended diet consists of “vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains and extra-virgin olive oil with fish/seafood and fermented dairy products.” Water, coffee and tea are the suggested beverage choices, alcohol is limited to red wine with a meal and intermittent fasting should last from 12 to 16 hours each day.
The inclusion of some dairy products was allowed after Keefe and colleagues considered numerous options.