No-added-oil mediterranean diet: A novel aging deceleration diet?

Abstract

The Mediterranean diet has been associated with reduced morbidity and mortality as well as increased longevity. This dietary pattern relies heavily on fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, nuts, and occasionally fish and olive oil. Olive oil, despite being calorie-dense and nutrient-poor, was hailed as the hallmark of the healthy Mediterranean diet. Yet, caloric restriction and a low-fat diet are also associated with reducing aging-related chronic diseases and increasing life expectancy. Accordingly, the author proposes a novel variant of the Mediterranean diet termed no-added-oil Mediterranean diet and hypothesizes that such a novel diet could potentially slow down the aging process via reducing the bioaccessibility and density of the calories without significantly jeopardizing meal volume, fiber, or antioxidant content. Further research is needed to test this proposed novel dietary approach.

Keywords

• Low-fat diet
• Caloric restriction
• Olive oil
• Mediterranean diet
• Aging
• No-added-oil