I know I've written about this healthy way of eating before, but here's another reason to consider the Mediterranean pattern of eating. In a study (published in May 2022), researchers at the Reina Sofia University Hospital in Cordoba, Spain, looked at which diet was best for your heart after you've been diagnosed with coronary artery disease: the Mediterranean diet or a low-fat diet. The CORDIOPREV study compared the Mediterranean diet with a low-fat diet over a seven-year follow-up period.

A total of 1,002 participants, with an average age of 59.5, were enrolled if they had known coronary artery disease and were randomly assigned to one of the eating patterns. Doctors didn't know which eating pattern their patient was assigned. In the seven-year follow up period, doctors looked at a composite of major cardiovascular events of participants, including myocardial infarction, revascularization, ischemic stroke, peripheral artery disease and cardiovascular death. The study was published in The Lancet on May 14, 2022.

They found the Mediterranean diet was superior to the low-fat diet at preventing cardiovascular events for men and women, but this was more evident in men. Heart events occurred in 67 (16.2%) of 414 men in the Mediterranean diet group versus 94 (22.8%) of 413 men in the low-fat diet group. For 175 women in the study, no difference was found between the groups.

So just what does it mean to have a Mediterranean pattern of eating? The Mediterranean diet encourages the consumption of a variety of nutrient-dense foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains and heart-healthy fats. (In the study, olive oil was provided for free for participants in the Mediterranean diet group). It also includes fish and seafood twice a week and weekly chicken, pork and beef.

The diet was initially based on the traditional diet of Greece and southern Italy in the 1960s.

So, should you drizzle olive oil on your bread? Add feta and Parmesan cheeses to your recipes? Drink wine every night? While those may sound Mediterranean, what really counts is a pattern of eating and not necessarily specific foods. Here are six ways to get started.

No. 1: Replace other fats in your diet with olive oil, making it your go-to fat. Cook your daily vegetables in olive oil.

No. 2: Eat your vegetables as a main course. The high consumption of vegetables (and fruit, whole grains, cheese and yogurt) is a main characteristic of the Mediterranean diet. Greeks consume almost a pound of vegetables a day. Try green beans, peas, eggplant, artichoke and okra cooked with olive oil, tomato and herbs, served with bread and feta.

No. 3: Learn to cook a few basic Mediterranean meals by combining your veggies with beans and legumes, such as spinach and rice, Greek-style green beans or a Greek lentil stew. Try one new recipe a week to get started. There are lots of good cookbooks available. Find one you like. This doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing approach; just add a few Mediterranean dishes to your weekly menus.

No. 4: Overall, eat meat less often or in smaller portions. Plan your meal around vegetables instead of meat. When you have meat, make it an accent rather than the star of your plate. And don't forget to include fish, chicken and turkey as well as red meat.

No. 5: If you have red wine, drink it with your meal rather than by itself. Part of the success of the Mediterranean diet is the social aspect: Eat with friends and family with the goal of making eating enjoyable.

No. 6: Don't forget to exercise. Daily physical activity is at the base of the Mediterranean diet pyramid, meaning it's an important part of the lifestyle of eating the Mediterranean way.

Q and A

Q: Do avocados really help your heart?

A: A 30-year study of 110,000 adults found that half a serving a day of avocado (equal to 1/4 cup) instead of eggs, cheese, margarine, butter or processed meats lowered heart attack risk by 16% to 22%. The key is that the avocado replaced those other foods. However, when avocado replaced an equal serving of nuts, olive oil or other plant oil, there was no difference in risk reduction. Think about swapping butter or margarine on your toast with avocado. The study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in March 2022.

RECIPE

Servings: 4

I'm still using my slow cooker, even with the temperatures rising. It's a convenient way to have dinner at home, which is more important than ever if you're looking to save on food costs. Here's a favorite: coconut curry chicken from Taste of Home's Skinny Instant Pot and Slow Cooker Cookbook. You can boost the fiber by using brown rice.

COCONUT CURRY CHICKEN

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 small onion, chopped

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)

1 cup light coconut milk

4 teaspoons curry powder

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon reduced-sodium chicken bouillon granules

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups hot cooked rice

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, raisins, flaked coconut and chopped unsalted peanuts, optional

Place potatoes and onion in a 3-to-4-quart slow cooker. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown chicken on both sides. Transfer to slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the coconut milk, curry, garlic, bouillon, salt and pepper; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or until meat is tender. Serve chicken and sauce with rice; sprinkle with green onions. Garnish with raisins, coconut and peanuts, if desired. Serves 4.

Per serving: 396 calories; 27 grams protein; 43 grams carbohydrate; 11 grams fat (7 grams saturated); 63 milligrams cholesterol; 3 grams fiber; 309 milligrams sodium.

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Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian with SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois, and the current president of the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.