The Mediterranean vs. Vegetarian Diet

Comparing the Impact of Diet on Heart Health

In the heart of the culinary world, two diets have emerged as favorites for those seeking a blend of taste and health: the Mediterranean (rich in olive oil, fish, and wine) and the Vegetarian (abstaining from meat). But which one edges out the other when it comes to heart health?

The Study
Francesco Sofia and his research team embarked on a mission to find out. They enlisted 118 participants, all of whom had some cardiovascular risk but were otherwise healthy. The participants were divided: some went vegetarian, while others embraced the Mediterranean diet. Both groups were restricted in calories, and after three months, they swapped diets.

The Findings
The results? Both diets proved effective in reducing body weight. There was no significant difference in the weight loss between the two groups, with the Vegetarian diet group losing an average of 1.88 kg and the Mediterranean diet group shedding 1.77 kg.

However, when it came to heart risk factors, the two diets showed different strengths. The Vegetarian diet was more effective in reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol), while the Mediterranean diet led to a more significant reduction in triglycerides.

The Conclusion
Both the Vegetarian and Mediterranean diets offer heart health benefits, with neither being significantly better than the other for weight loss. However, each diet has its unique strength in targeting specific heart risk factors.

For a deeper dive into the research details, check out the original article.

© 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.