#health + #cooking

So when he released his book, literally titled Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life, I asked him what motivated him.

"Mostly anger at the wellness industrial complex," Emanuel says. He says the wellness industry is selling people all kinds of things that are expensive and clinically unproven, pointing to the latest peptide trend, whole body scans and "all sorts of supplements" marketed as anti-aging elixirs.

And though the title is a bit tongue-in-cheek, he points to evidence that people who are in the habit of eating ice cream have a lower risk of metabolic disease, despite the fact that it has lots of sugar and fat. Researchers have dubbed this the "ice cream paradox." There's data from 2015 that suggests "that ice cream is actually pretty good at preventing development of Type 2 diabetes, and dairy in general is good at preventing Type 2 diabetes," Emanuel says.

• High intakes of olive oil (as the principal source of fat), and a plant-based diet: vegetables (including leafy green vegetables, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and peppers), fresh fruits (consumed as desserts or snacks), cereals (mostly whole grains), nuts, and legumes.

• Moderate intakes of fish and other seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products (primarily cheese and yogurt), and red wine.

• Low intakes of red meat, processed meat, refined carbohydrates, and sweets.

The Mediterranean diet is associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality in observational studies.[12][13] A 2017 review provided evidence that the Mediterranean diet lowers the risk of heart disease and early death;[14] it may also help with weight loss in obese people.[15] The Mediterranean diet is one of three healthy diets recommended in the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, along with the DASH diet and vegetarian diet.[16] It is also recognized by the World Health Organization as a healthy eating pattern.[17]

A 2017 review found evidence that practice of a Mediterranean diet could lead to reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, overall cancer incidence, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and early death.

A 2023 review provided evidence for a reduction of mortality and cardiovascular disease risk in women on a Mediterranean-type diet.[39] A 2024 meta-analysis found that adherence to consuming these foods was associated with reduction in cardiovascular disease risk.

An updated review in 2021 found that the Mediterranean diet is associated with a 13% lower risk of cancer mortality in the general population.

According to a 2013 systematic review, greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet is correlated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and slower cognitive decline.[52] Another 2013 systematic review reached similar conclusions, and also found a negative association with the risk of progressing from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's