Multiple studies in recent years have highlighted the cardiovascular benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which typically prioritizes eating fruits and vegetables and limiting fatty foods and animal products. According to a new analysis published in Stroke, following such a diet may also be associated with another key advantage: reducing the development of atherosclerosis.

For the study, the intima-media thickness of both common carotid arteries (IMT-CC) was evaluated in a total of 939 participants. Each individual was then randomly chosen to start a Mediterranean diet rich in monounsaturated fatty acids from extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or a low-fat diet rich in complex carbohydrates.

The authors found that after both five and seven years, the Mediterranean diet substantially reduced IMT-CC compared to baseline. The low-fat diet, on the other hand, did not result in any change in IMT-CC over the same time period.

“The Mediterranean diet produced a higher decrease in IMT-CC and carotid plaque height, compared with the low-fat diet throughout follow-up,” wrote lead author Jose Jimenez-Torres, MD, a specialist at Reina Sofia University Hospital in Spain, and colleagues. “However, the Mediterranean diet did not exert any effect on the number of carotid plaques. The low-fat diet did not modify either IMT-CC or carotid plaque number and height after 5 and 7 years of follow-up.”