Mediterranean diet not as healthy

(ANSA) - Rome, August 12 - The Mediterranean diet is no longer as healthy as it was 70 years ago, a new Italian study has shown.
    The contemporary version has been contaminated with meat, processed foods, saturated fats, and sugar, according to the study that involved 52 women aged over 80 and who are in good health, self-sufficient, and in full possession of their cognitive powers, and 52 women and men aged 50-60.
    Researchers found that on a daily basis, contemporary Mediterranean eaters consume 49.6 grams of animal protein against 28.3 grams in the traditional diet, 37.8 grams of animal fat against 20.1 grams, 25 grams of saturated fats against 15.8 grams, and 305 milligrams of cholesterol against 258.5 milligrams in the diet of yesteryear.
    The authors of the article published on Clinical Nutrition ESPEN - an official publication of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) - called for a return to tradition and natural, unprocessed foods that are more nutritious and less expensive.