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This week on the Olive Health Information System website
The newsletter of the University of Navarra and the IOC dedicated to health
Article 1
Healthy dietary patterns are generally characterized by a high intake of minimally processed plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, and legumes. What distinguishes the Mediterranean diet from other healthy dietary patterns is its emphasis on extra virgin olive oil as the primary source of fat along with a substantial consumption of nuts and a low-to-moderate intake of red wine during meals.
A recently published review summarizes the current evidence regarding the Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular diseases. The available data indicate that the traditional Mediterranean diet represents a sustainable and health-promoting eating pattern, associated with a wide range of cardiovascular benefits. These protective effects have been consistently supported by large randomized controlled trials, including the Lyon Diet Heart Study, PREDIMED, PREDIMED-Plus, and CORDIOPREV. The Mediterranean diet remains an exemplary dietary model, supported by the most robust scientific evidence for cardiovascular disease prevention.
Extra virgin olive oil not only helps protect against cardiovascular diseases, but also offers beneficial effects in the prevention and mitigation of other conditions, including breast cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline, and depressive symptoms, while contributing to an improved quality of life. A recent systematic review reported that greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with improved mental health outcomes in adults. Higher adherence was linked to reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, lower stress levels, and enhanced quality of life and overall well-being, both in individuals with comorbidities and in healthy subjects. These associations may be explained by the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of extra virgin olive oil and the Mediterranean diet as a whole, as well as their beneficial effects on the gut microbiota.
Article 2
The Mediterranean diet is a dietary pattern rich in olive oil, vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, and fish, with limited intake of red and processed meats. It is widely recognized for the prevention of several chronic diseases, yet ongoing research continues to explore its long-term impact and broader health benefits.
For example, one recent study examined how dietary habits —particularly adherence to the Mediterranean diet — influence the risk of developing several chronic conditions simultaneously (multimorbidity) in women in the UK. More than 24,000 women were followed for about 20 years, with regular assessment of their diets and health status. Researchers found that women with the highest adherence to the Mediterranean diet had a 14% lower risk of developing multimorbidity compared with those with the lowest adherence. In contrast, higher consumption of red and processed meat was associated with an increased risk. These associations were consistent regardless of age or body size, although the protective effect of the Mediterranean diet was weaker in women over 60 years.
Beyond multimorbidity, research has also explored whether adhering to different dietary patterns may influence the risk of neurological and psychiatric disorders. In the UK Biobank cohort, data from nearly 167,000 participants were analyzed to evaluate adherence to 10 dietary patterns —including the Mediterranean diet — and the incidence of 5 major brain disorders: dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety and Parkinson’s disease. The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND diet) emerged as the most protective, especially against dementia, stroke, depression, and anxiety. These findings were validated in two additional cohorts, where the MIND diet remained significantly associated with lower risks of depression and anxiety, as well as better cognitive performance and fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms. In contrast, a high consumption of ultra-processed food was associated with an increased risk of dementia, depression and anxiety. The mechanisms underlying these benefits were also explored, suggesting that a favorable metabolic profile and slower biological aging may partly mediate these protective effects.
Overall, these studies add to the growing evidence that Mediterranean-style eating—traditionally anchored by olive oil—is linked to healthier ageing
Article 3
This week’s research highlights the central role of microorganisms in both olive cultivation and human health. Microbial biostimulants show promise for enhancing olive tree resilience and productivity, while components of the Mediterranean diet may promote digestive health in part by supporting a healthy gut microbiota. Together, these studies emphasize how microbial communities connect sustainable agriculture and dietary benefits within the broader olive ecosystem.
Focusing first on olive cultivation, an article reviews how microbial biostimulants, especially plant-growth-promoting bacteria, could improve olive cultivation under climate stress. Reported benefits include enhanced nutrient uptake, greater tolerance to drought and heat, and better protection against pathogens. However, many field applications in mature olive groves have shown limited success due to challenges in microbial survival, root colonization, and competition with native soil microbes. The authors argue that the main bottleneck is not biological potential but inadequate delivery methods. They propose developing advanced carriers and exploring non-soil delivery approaches, such as endotherapy, to unlock the full potential of microbial biostimulants in olive farming.
Turning now to human health, a study in three prospective cohorts examined how dietary patterns relate to the risk of developing chronic constipation in more than 96,000 middle-aged and older adults. Higher adherence to an alternate Mediterranean diet pattern was associated with a 16% lower risk of chronic constipation compared with those with the lowest adherence. A plant-based dietary pattern showed an even stronger association, with a 20% reduction in risk. These protective effects remained significant even after adjusting for total fiber intake and consumption of ultra-processed foods, indicating that the benefits are not explained by fiber alone, and may be partly mediated by favorable changes in the gut microbiota.
Overall, these findings underscore the dual importance of microorganisms, from soil to gut, in supporting both productive olive groves and human digestive wellbeing. Enhancing tree-associated microbial communities and promoting Mediterranean dietary patterns may act synergistically to improve agricultural sustainability and health outcomes. This integrated perspective highlights the potential of microbiota-centered strategies across the olive-oil value chain.
Other articles mentioned this week in the OHIS newsletter:
Olive fruit
Nanoencapsulation of hydroxytyrosol extract of fermented olive leaf brine using proniosomes.
A sequential multi-strain inoculation approach for designing functional Sicilian table olives.
Improving olive farming with microbial biostimulants: benefits, challenges and opportunities
Mediterranean diet
The mediterranean diet and acne vulgaris: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Cardiometabolic health
The Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular disease.
Mental health
Effect of Mediterranean diet on mental health outcomes: A systematic review.
Cancer Prevention
Dietary patterns, polygenic risk, and kidney cancer incidence: a UK Biobank cohort study
Cardiovascular Disease
Midlife Mediterranean diet is associated with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in late midlife.
Heart Disease
Liver & Metabolism
Diet Habits and Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Potential Implication for Clinical Practice.
Nutritional adequacy
Digestive System Disease
Eating Behaviour
Other topics
