The meals found in Nubella's Recipe Database and Healthy Cooking Center that fit Mediterranean-style diets just may prove to be heart healthier for you than typical low-fat creations. 

"The results to date make us believe, long term, the Mediterranean diet enriched with walnuts or olive oil will indeed reduce the rates of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases by 50 percent," says Dr. Emilio Rios, who researched the effects of Mediterranean-style meals on heart health for Spain's University of Barcelona.

Rios and his team say you can lower your cholesterol and sugar levels, as well as your blood pressure, by eating foods people in southern Europe and throughout  Asia have enjoyed for thousands of years. Mediterranean diets include plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, with strict limits on red meat, processed foods and alcohol.

Olive oil as the basis

At the center, you'll find olive oil, which is mostly monounsaturated fat, much healthier than saturated fat and trans fatty acids. In addition, minimally processed virgin olive oil keeps the olive's disease-fighting antioxidants and nutrients that may help reduce inflammation in your blood vessels.

The nuts used in the diets also contain unsaturated fats and other nutrients that also protect the heart, says Dr. Ramon Estruch, the lead researcher at the University of Barcelona.

In the latest Annals of Internal Medicine, Estruch says researchers studied nearly 770 people 55 to 80 who had type 2 diabetes or other risk factors for heart disease and strokes. For three months, they ate either low-fat diets, a Mediterranean diet that emphasized virgin olive oil, or a Mediterranean diet in which walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds provided the overall dietary fat.

According to the results, people on both Mediterranean diets showed small improvements in their HDL "good" cholesterol levels, and enjoyed lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Meanwhile, the low-fat group showed a decline in good cholesterol and no change to blood pressure or sugar levels.

Meanwhile, you can love your heart by preparing the following meal that includes foods and spices common in Mediterranean diets.

Orzo Pasta with Cannellini Beans

4 cups water
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1/2 cup orzo pasta
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups baby spinach
1 can (15 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup crumbled reduced fat feta cheese
1 Tbsp. packed fresh thyme leaves

In large pot, bring water and rosemary to boil. Boil 1 minute, then remove rosemary with slotted spoon. Add orzo and cook for 10-12 minutes. Drain well.

If desired, remove rosemary leaves from stem and mix with pasta.

In large nonstick skillet, heat oil. Saute onion and garlic for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add bell peppers. Saute for 3 more minutes. Add spinach and saute until wilted, 1 minute. Add beans and stir until hot.

Stir in orzo and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese, garnish with thyme and serve.

Nutritional information:

Calories, 244; total fat, 5 g; saturated fat, 1 g; carbohydrates, 40 g; protein, 12 g; dietary fiber, 7 g; sodium, 110 mg.

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Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.

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