Researchers analyzed 168 types of wheat flour purchased throughout the UK and Germany to compare their nutritional profiles. While spelt and organic wheat varieties had significantly higher levels of antioxidants and minerals than their conventional/modern counterparts, a far greater impact on nutrition was observed when comparing whole grain wheat to refined wheat. Whole grain wheat flours had 2-4.3x higher antioxidant concentrations and activity, 144% more phosphorous, 125% more potassium, and 209% more magnesium than refined wheat flours. The authors conclude that “refining (removal of the bran and germ) (a) has a substantially greater impact on the mineral nutrients and phytochemical concentrations in flour than wheat genetics/species choice (T. aestivum vs T. spelta) and production protocols (organic vs conventional), (b) diminishes the differences in antioxidant activity, and phenolic and mineral concentrations in wheat flour produced with grain from contrasting farming systems and wheat species.”
Food Chem X. 2020 May 4;6:100091. doi: 10.1016/j.fochx.2020.100091. (Wang J et al.)

Telomeres are parts of a cell that affect how the cell ages. Without telomeres, our DNA strands can become damaged and cells cannot function properly. Telomeres tend to become shorter as we age, but lifestyle choices and habits such as stress, smoking, poor diet, and lack of exercise can contribute to a premature shortening of telomeres as well. In this study, 886 participants aged 57-91 years old were studied to see the association between highly-processed food consumption and telomere length. Results showed that those who had a higher consumption of highly-processed foods had almost twice the odds of having short telomeres in comparison to those who had low consumption of highly processed foods. 
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2020 Apr 24;111(6):1259-1266. doi.org /10.1093 /ajcn/nqaa075 (Pedrero LA et al.)

Not all fats are created equal. Olive oil is a source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and polyphenols, while butter is a source of saturated fats. In this study, researchers followed more than 90,000 people for 24 years. Those eating more than ½ tablespoon of olive oil per day had a 14-17% lower risk of heart disease compared with people who didn’t eat olive oil. The scientists also found that replacing 5g/day of butter, margarine, mayonnaise, or dairy fat with the equivalent amount of olive oil was also linked with a 5-7% lower risk of heart disease.
J Am Coll Cardiol. 2020 Apr 21;75(15):1729-1739. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2020.02.036. Epub 2020 Mar 5. (Guasch-Ferré M et al.)

The Mediterranean diet is well known for helping prevent disease, and research suggests it may also be helpful for people who already have chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. In this review, researchers analyzed existing studies (including randomized clinical trials as well as cohort studies) to see how the Mediterranean diet impacted patients with type 2 diabetes. They found that the Mediterranean diet can help reduce risk factors of diabetes complications, such as high blood pressure, inflammation, diseased blood vessels (angiopathy) and poor blood sugar control.
Adv Exp Med Biol. 2020 Apr 7. doi: 10.1007/5584_2020_513. (Gonçalves Tosatti JA et al.)

Dairy foods are a complex bunch. On the one hand, they provide a number of important nutrients such as protein, calcium and phosphorus. On the other hand, they can also contribute to saturated fat and sodium intake, and the calories in higher-fat dairy products can add up quickly. In this study, researchers analyzed the eating habits and health outcomes of 147,812 people from 21 countries around the world. Those eating at least 2 servings of dairy foods per day (including milk, cheese and yogurt) were 11% less likely to have high blood pressure, 14% less likely to have diabetes, and also significantly more likely to have smaller waist sizes, lower BMIs, and lower blood sugar, as well as higher levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. Interestingly, low-fat dairy was linked with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome (a risky combination of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and/or excess fat around the waist), while full-fat dairy was linked with a lower risk of metabolic syndrome. The authors conclude that there is a “need for large randomized trials of dairy intake, including an evaluation of different types of dairy (fermented vs non-fermented) and fat content (whole fat vs low fat).”
BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 2020 Apr;8(1):e000826. doi: 10.1136/bmjdrc-2019-000826. (Bhavadharini B et al.)

Diets can be difficult to stick to over extended periods of time, and the health benefits aren’t always long lasting. In this study, researchers analyzed 121 studies encompassing 21,942 people looking at the impacts of 14 popular diets (Mediterranean diet, low carb diet, low fat diet, etc.) after 6 months and 12 months. After 6 months, most of the diets resulted in a modest weight loss as well as improvements in blood pressure and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. However, after 12 months, weight loss had diminished, and only those on a Mediterranean diet continued to see lower blood pressure.
BMJ. 2020 Apr 1;369:m696. doi: 10.1136/bmj.m696. (Ge L et al.)

A traditional Mediterranean diet includes frequent seafood and frequent but small portions of dairy foods, leaving some to wonder how a Mediterranean diet relates to markers of bone health. In this study, researchers analyzed the diets and vitamin D levels (using 25(OH)D blood levels) of 284 overweight and obese adults in Italy. Vitamin D levels in the blood are important to study, as they can indicate whether someone’s bones are strong or at risk of osteoporosis. Those most closely following a Mediterranean diet were significantly more likely to have higher vitamin D levels, as well as to have healthier BMI, waist size, insulin levels, and triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood). Seafood, which is abundant in the Mediterranean diet, is an important source of vitamin D, and the authors suggest that vitamin D may partially explain the Mediterranean diet’s protective effect on osteoporosis.
Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2020 Mar 29;1-7. doi: 10.1080/09637486.2020.1744533. Online ahead of print. (Zupo R et al.)

Lung function gradually declines with aging, but certain lifestyle changes may be able preserve lung function for a longer period of time. In a study of more than 2,000 adults ages 50+, those most closely following a Mediterranean diet had better lung function (as measured by peak expiratory flow rate) than those not following a Mediterranean diet, even after adjusting for factors like age, smoking history, and physical activity. When looking at specific foods, grains, dairy foods, and fish were all linked with better lung function.
Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2020 Mar 23:1-6. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2020.1740114. [Epub ahead of print] (Papassotiriou I et al.)

Vegetarians tend to be healthier than their meat-eating counterparts, though some are at risk of falling short on Vitamin B12 (found in animal foods or in supplements). In this study, researchers followed more than 13,000 adults in Taiwan for up to 9 years to see how vegetarianism related to stroke risk. Vegetarians had a significantly lower risk of stroke compared with people who ate meat and fish. Interestingly, when comparing vegetarians who get adequate vitamin B12 with vegetarians who fall below vitamin B12 recommendations, it was only the subgroup of vegetarians with inadequate vitamin B12 (less than 2.4 μg) that had a lower risk of stroke.
Neurology. 2020 Mar 17;94(11):e1112-e1121. doi: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000009093. Epub 2020 Feb 26. (Chiu THT et al.)

Many times when people think they don’t like a particular food, what’s really happening is that they aren’t yet familiar enough with it. To see how this theory might apply to whole grains, researchers took 45 people who don’t eat whole grains and randomly assigned half of them to a diet with whole grains (where they were gifted whole grain products to incorporate into meals and snacks) for 6 weeks, while the other half continued eating their normal diet. Those in the whole grain group rated whole grains’ flavor and texture more favorably than they did before, and also expressed more willingness to include whole grains as a regular part of their diet.
Curr Dev Nutr. 2020 Mar 9;4(3):nzaa023. doi: 10.1093/cdn/nzaa023. eCollection 2020 Mar. (De Leon A et al.)

A balanced diet is important to support our bodies and our brains as we age. In a study of 139,096 Australian adults followed for 6 years, those eating the most fruits, vegetables, and protein foods had a lower risk of developing memory loss, while those eating the most fruits and vegetables also had the lowest risk of comorbid heart disease. When looking specifically at adults over 80 years old, those eating the fewest grains had the highest risk of memory loss and comorbid heart disease.
Int J Public Health. 2020 Feb 12. doi: 10.1007/s00038-020-01337-y. Online ahead of print. Xu X et al.)

A well-balanced diet is one of the best ways to set our bodies up for good health down the road, and transplant patients are no exception. In this study of 632 adult kidney transplant recipients, those most closely following a Mediterranean diet had a 32% lower risk of graft failure and kidney function decline, and a 26% lower risk of graft loss (graft being the term for the transplanted kidney).
Clinical Journal of the American Society for Nephrology. 2020 Feb 7;15(2):238-246. doi: 10.2215/CJN.06710619. (Gomes-Neto AW et al.)