Notice that the authors of the study set up careful comparisons and then cut the study short after 5 years. Yes, for ethical reasons but that was very convenient for them. This way little will be known about the diets impact on cancer and how it compares with other diets around the world. And it doesn't seem as though they are looking for the very best diet in the world, just the best out of the 3 comparisons they set up. Hmmmm!
In the book "The Okinawa Program" it showed several diets that were better than The Mediterranean Diet. I believe the Mediterranean diet came in 7th or 8th. I'll look it up later to make sure.
When I first heard about The Mediterranean Diet in the news, I suspected that it might have been sponsored by the olive oil industry. Now that I have seen the Mediterranean food pyramid with olive oil at the bottom of the pyramid, I'm fairly certain that the study was sponsored by olive oil. If you don't think so, tell me what olive oil is doing at the bottom of the pyramid.
I still use a little olive oil but very very little. One teaspoon (i.e., 1 measuring spoon) with lunch and one teaspoon with dinner. When I read that olive oil was healthy, I felt encouraged and started to use slightly more (perhaps a table spoon per day which is still a small amount). And over a period of a few weeks I have put on about 4 pounds. It hasn't hurt me as far as weight because I was at a low weight anyway. But if I didn't go back to my regular amount of 2 teaspoons per day, I'd be living in fatsville by now.
So why isn't olive oil at the very tip of The Mediterranean pyramid, instead of at the bottom? Ca-ching - $$$$$, it's all about money. And the last thing they want to do is compare their diet with other diets around the world.
However, it will sell because the average person is more concerned with taste than anything else. And perhaps they really don't want the very best diet. Enjoy yourself now and worry about weight gain, strokes, and cancer later.
