Spanish researchers have found that a Mediterranean diet containing lots of virgin olive oil may be good for bones as well as the heart. For the study, more than 100 older men were randomly assigned to follow a heart-healthy diet for two years. One third were given a low-fat diet plan; one-third followed a Mediterranean diet with mixed nuts; and the final third ate a Mediterranean diet that got most of its fat from olive oil. At the end of two years, the scientists found that blood levels of a compound called osteocalcin, associated with bone formation, had increased among the men assigned to the diet enriched with olive oil.
[Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, October, 2012]
