Green Mediterranean diet is the newest addition to healthy diets to try in 2021. Previously, it was in limelight for its benefits for heart and diabetic patients. The new study suggests that it may also lower the risk of a non-alcoholic fatty liver disease better than any other diet. It also suggests the high-risk patients switch to this new type of Mediterranean diet to save themselves from complications.
Typically, a green Mediterranean diet is associated with cardiac benefits which makes it superior to other trendy diets. But it has maximum benefits for people who are at risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) but cutting it to half.
This new study led by the research team from Ben-Gurion University with their international partners is now published in the journal Gut.
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The research team analyzed the studies conducted over the last 20 years suggesting how the Mediterranean diet is the most healthy diet for people. Based on these results and comparing them with the disease-related outcomes, it is clear that making some changes to this basic diet, the Green Mediterranean diet has a high potential to change the hepatic fat along with other health benefits for the body.
This non-alcoholic fatty liver disease hits up to 30% of the US and European population every year. While having some fat amount in the liver is normal, when this fat content increases more than 5%, the body starts to experience insulin resistance, which leads to diabetes type 2, heart problems, impaired digestive health, and other issues. There is no treatment available for a fatty liver, right now and the only way a patient can help himself is by losing weight and controlling the alcohol consumption.
There is a high content of green components in this new variant of the Mediterranean diet which means it adds a high number of phenols to the body. The person following this diet takes up to four cups of green tea every day and nearly 100g of Mankai green shake for the extra phenols. Mankai is a plant that grows in water and has a high amount of vitamins and minerals in it.
Along with certain dietary interventions, following the green Mediterranean diet may help people to lower the risk of liver fat. This trial shows that dietary changes can help losing weight as well as lowering the chances of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
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This trial was conducted to check the efficacy of the Green Mediterranean diet which is just the basic version of this diet, added with more veggies and nuts and low amounts of processed or red meat.
This trial lasted for 18 months, starting in 2017 from the Nuclear Research Center Negev (Israel). The results showed that both the Mediterranean diet and green Mediterranean diet can help to lower liver fat but the effects of the Green Mediterranean diet are better than the original diet. In addition to that, Mankai and nuts especially walnut, and low intake of meat significantly protect from the complications.
