Mediterranean diet could reduce risks during pregnancy

Queensland: Women who follow a Mediterranean-style diet in the years before becoming pregnant could face a significantly reduced risk of developing hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, new research from The University of Queensland (UQ) suggests. UQ School of Public Health researchers found that young women who followed a diet rich in vegetables, legumes, nuts, tofu, rice, pasta, rye bread, red wine and fish before pregnancy had a 42 per cent lower risk of developing gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia.

Adding nuts, olive oil to Mediterranean diet may boost brains

Scimex: A new study by Spanish researchers suggests that supplementing the plant-based Mediterranean diet with antioxidant-rich extra virgin olive oil or mixed nuts improves cognitive function and may even lower the risk of developing dementia for older adults. The authors warn however that more investigation is needed, since the study was limited by the small number of participants.