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HEALTH FOCUS

The Mediterranean diet places an emphasis on fresh, colourful eating and shuns heavily processed ingredients. Though “diet” is in the name, this plan is more of a holistic approach to eating that relies on real foods. You won’t be counting calories or macronutrients like you would with a typical “diet”. 3 reasons to make space on your plate for Mediterranean diet foods: 1. It can keep your heart healthier In a 2013 study in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that people on a Mediterranean diet were far less likely to have a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event than people who ate a low-fat diet. The study participants who ate a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil or nuts saw their risk of cardiovascular disease drop by 30 %.

2. It can have weight loss benefits In a study on younger women, those who most closely followed a Mediterranean diet had a lower body mass index (BMI) and smaller waist and thighs than those who adhered to the diet’s style the least. This is likely because the diet is high in antioxidants and provides rich anti inflammatory properties. It’s also packed with fibre, a nutrient known for keeping you full. 3. It can support better brain health A 2016 review of 18 studies in Frontiers in Nutrition found that eating Mediterranean was associated with less cognitive decline, reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and better memory and executive function. Additional research in the journal Neurology likened the diet’s effects to reducing the brain’s age by five years.

GET TO GRIPS WITH OYSTERS … Beneficial to ecosystems and humans, oysters provide an array of health benefits. What oysters lack in calories they make up for in their nutritional content, which includes vitamin B12, zinc and a unique antioxidant. Oysters are saltwater bivalve molluscs that live in marine habitats such as bays and oceans. They’re a vital part of the ecosystem, filtering pollutants out of the water and providing habitats for other species, such as barnacles and mussels. There are many different types of oysters and their briny, flavourful meat is considered a delicacy around the world. Though well known for their supposed aphrodisiac qualities, these

Phosphorus: 12% of the DV Vitamin E: 9% of the DV Riboflavin: 9% of the DV

molluscs have a lot to offer in terms of health benefits. Nutrition facts Oysters have a hard, irregularly shaped shell that protects a grey, plump inner body. This inner body, known as the meat, is highly nutritious. A 100-gram serving of cooked wild eastern oysters provides the following nutrients: ✓ Calories: 79 ✓ Protein: 9 grams ✓ Carbs: 4 grams ✓ Fat: 3 grams ✓ Zinc: 555% of the Daily Value (DV) ✓ Vitamin B12: 538% of the DV ✓ Copper: 493% of the DV ✓ Selenium: 56% of the DV ✓ Iron: 40% of the DV ✓ Manganese: 20% of the DV

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Calcium: 7% of the DV Oysters are low in calories yet loaded with nutrients, including protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. For example, a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving provides more than 100% of the DV for vitamin B12, zinc and copper, plus a good amount of selenium, iron and manganese. These tasty molluscs are also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, a family of polyunsaturated fats that play important roles in your body, including regulating inflammation, supporting heart and brain health, and protecting against type 2 diabetes. ■ (Sources: www.allinahealth.org/ www. eatingwell.com/ www.healthline.com).

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The Script Pharmacy Magazine