Eating a Mediterranean diet with extra nuts or olive oil is significantly better for heart health than a low-fat diet, says a "landmark" clinical trial from Spain, reports the web site, www.nutraingredients.com. "The results to date make us believe, long term, the Mediterranean diet enriched with walnuts or olive oil will indeed reduce heart disease. The size, duration and clinical basis of this study make it landmark," said researcher Emilio Ros, from the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona.

The Med diet, rich in cereals, fruits, legumes and whole grains, fish and olive oil, has been linked to longer life, less heart disease, and protection against some cancers. The diet's main nutritional components include beta-carotene, vitamin C, tocopherols, polyphenols, and essential minerals.

Ros said the previous results on Med diets and heart health were merely "scattered pieces of evidence from prospective studies". But the early results of the clinical trials led by him indicate that "the Mediterranean diet pattern is ideal for cardiovascular disease prevention."

Ros declared in a video interview: "I'm saying that a diet that incorporates walnuts will surely reduce the risk of heart disease in the long term."

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