Health Tip of the Week, sponsored by Baton Rouge General: Why this diet was once again ranked #1

For several years, the Mediterranean diet has ranked as the best diet. It can lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. It can also help people with heart disease and metabolic syndrome delay the need for and/or help reduce medications used to help control those diseases. It’s shown to help with weight loss, and found that it could reduce the brain’s age by five years. Less a meal plan and more of an eating style, the Mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and omega-3 fatty acids. It replaces saturated fats (which come mostly from animal products) with healthy fats that come from plant and fish sources. Learn more about the Mediterranean diet.