Researchers Discover Secret of Mediterranean Diet: Make Nitro Fatty Acids Part of Your Office Meals!

Followers of food news and health-conscious diners who are looking for healthier office meals have heard it all before: the Mediterranean diet is almost too good to be true. Research has suggested that following a Mediterranean-style diet can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, improve memory, and even prevent depression. That’s why Mediterranean-inspired office meals are one of the healthiest cuisines that wellness-focused workplaces can serve.

And by and large, it makes sense. The diet is rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits, and fish, and low in red meat and processed carbohydrates. One question that has plagued researchers may finally have its answer, though. The Mediterranean diet isn’t necessarily low-fat — olive oil and nuts are staples — yet following it seems to prevent heart disease and lower blood pressure. How is that possible?

The answer, as always, is to eat your vegetables. A new study on the Mediterranean diet in mice, published May 19th in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has found that it’s the combination of certain vegetables and olive oil that’s responsible for the Mediterranean diet’s heart-healthiness.

It works like this: pairing olive oil with some vegetables leads to a reaction between the unsaturated fats in the olive oil and certain nitrites and nitrates found in many vegetables, including spinach, celery, and carrots. The fats and the nitrites/nitrates combine to create awesomely-named compounds: “nitro fatty acids”. Nitro fatty acids, in turn, seem to improve heart health by relaxing our blood vessels and lowering blood pressure.

The researchers determined this by selectively feeding mice with high blood pressure a diet with lots of the unsaturated fats and nitrogen compounds found in olive oil and veggies. After five days, the mice had lower blood pressure — except for a small group that had been specifically bred to be resistant to nitro fatty acids. Of course, further research is needed to see if the same results appear in humans, but it’s a really promising — and sensible — explanation for why a relatively high-fat diet like the Mediterranean can lead to better heart health.

So how can you make this equation work to unleash the power of nitro fatty acids during your office meals? Luckily, we have a few suggestions!

1) Swap your salad dressing. Instead of ranch or bleu cheese atop your spinach salad, go for a balsamic vinaigrette made with olive oil for your nitro fatty acid fix!

2) When you order a deli sandwich, skip the honey mustard in favor of oil and vinegar, and add spinach instead of lettuce for a nutrient boost.

3) Choose heart-healthy snacks. Find hummus made with olive oil instead of the less-healthy canola oil, and serve it with baby carrots and celery.

4) Since avocados have the same unsaturated fats as olive oil, the study’s authors suggest they will have the same effect in olive oil’s place. At your next meeting, serve guacamole and radish slices for a crisp and refreshing alternative to chips and dip.

5) The same rule goes for nuts, so go nuts! Add them to your spinach salad for a heart-healthy crunch.

6) Have a pasta makeover. Next time you order Italian take-out or have a catered meal, choose a pasta with sautéed veggies and pesto (usually made with olive oil AND nuts) instead of a creamy tomato sauce.

Serving Mediterranean-inspired office meals is a no-brainer: healthier employees are happier and more productive. And with plentiful menus and prompt delivery, Waiter.com makes it as easy to provide delicious, wholesome, nitro fatty acid-powered meals to your team!