A recent study found that consuming a Mediterranean diet can reduce the physiological effects of stress in animals compared to the typical Western diet. The Mediterranean diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and olive oil, and much of the protein and fat come from plant sources. The typical Western diet is high in animal protein, saturated fat, salt, and sugar.
The researchers looked at both chronic and acute stress in animals through low social status and being socially isolated for 30 minutes. The two groups of animals were fed either a Mediterranean or Western diet, then researchers measured changes in their sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and cortisol levels. The sympathetic nervous system is involved in the “fight or flight” response. The parasympathetic nervous system has the opposite effect and returns the body to a calmer state. It was found that animals fed the Mediterranean diet had increased resilience to stress. These animals had a lower sympathetic nervous system and cortisol responses to stress and recovered more quickly after the stressful event ended. The animals fed the Western diet had a higher sympathetic response to stress, which is not beneficial. Also, those fed the Western diet had more sympathetic nervous system activity as time went on, whereas those fed the Mediterranean diet showed slowed aging of the sympathetic nervous system. This is important because extended periods of high sympathetic nervous system activity can be harmful and have been linked to diseases. Consuming a Mediterranean diet may reduce the impact of stress on the body while also delaying the nervous system’s aging.
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201116125603.htm
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