Mediterranean slows aging
A USC Leonard Davis School paper reports small cellular proteins respond to Mediterranean‑style diets and could be a mechanism slowing aging and protecting against chronic disease. (knowridge.com) Harvard ran a 'Mediterranean and Greek Diet: From Research to Plate' symposium to translate those findings, and a new 'Mediterranean Diet: 100 Best Recipes 2026' compendium offers practical recipes to apply the science. (news.harvard.edu) (ebooksyard.com)
The paper was published March 9, 2026 in Frontiers in Nutrition and lists Roberto Vicinanza as first author with Pinchas Cohen as senior author. (frontiersin.org) Researchers performed a cross‑sectional analysis of 49 patients with non‑valvular atrial fibrillation (mean age 78.4 ± 8.7 years; 57% female) recruited from the Atherothrombosis Center at Sapienza University of Rome. (frontiersin.org) Participants were scored on a 9‑item Mediterranean‑diet adherence questionnaire and divided into low–medium (0–6) and high (7–9) adherence groups, with 20 patients (40.8%) in the high‑adherence category. (frontiersin.org) The study reported higher plasma levels of the mitochondrial microproteins Humanin (p = 0.045) and SHMOOSE (p = 0.046) in the high‑adherence group, with circulating levels measured by an in‑house sandwich ELISA. (frontiersin.org) Nutrient‑level associations included positive correlations of Humanin with olive oil (p = 0.0069), fish (p = 0.038) and legumes (p = 0.0282), and links of SHMOOSE with olive‑oil intake (p = 0.020) and lower refined‑bread consumption (p = 0.029). (frontiersin.org) Humanin was inversely associated with oxidative‑stress markers—soluble Nox2‑derived peptide (sNox2‑dp; p = 0.019) and plasma 8‑iso‑prostaglandin F2α (p = 0.049)—and the Humanin–sNox2‑dp relationship remained significant after adjustment (B = −0.010; β = −0.302; p = 0.040). (frontiersin.org) Harvard University Dining Services and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health held an invitation‑only “Mediterranean and Greek Diet: From Research to Plate” event on March 17, 2026 that featured speakers Smitha Haneef, Stefanos Kales, Frank Hu and Demetrios Kalaitzidakis and included a culinary tasting component. (news.harvard.edu) A practical companion for consumers, Better Homes & Gardens issued a special‑edition compendium titled BH&G Mediterranean Diet: 100 Best Recipes 2026, available on digital newsstands and retail listings such as Zinio and Amazon. (zinio.com)
