Are the benefits of Mediterranean diet simply due to unsaturated fat intake?

The Mediterranean diet is highly recommended by modern nutritionists, being derived from the traditional diet of the Mediterranean countries, with a large number of fruits and vegetables, olive oil, plus an appropriate amount of wine as an important feature. This simple, light, but the nutritious diet is thought to prevent cardiovascular and other diseases. The traditional view, as well as many studies, indicated the positive effect of olive oil rich in unsaturated fatty acids on the prevention of diseases, such as cardiovascular disease. However, some of these studies seem not to be strict enough to prove these benefits. Here, we evaluated the effectiveness of unsaturated fats, as well as analyzing the effect of some other food components in the Mediterranean diet on the prevention of age-related diseases. The results show the effect of unsaturated fatty acid may be overstated and dietary fiber and antioxidants in the Mediterranean diet perhaps also play a role that cannot be ignored. Therefore, any beneficial effect cannot be attributed to a single factor such as unsaturated fatty acids. The purpose of this work is to discuss the significance of healthy diet in the general public health and occupational health perspectives; provide advice to guide the dietary structure and food selection of populations, especially for occupational groups who have to face high working stress and frequently ignore the importance of reasonable diet structure