Med diet can help treat heart disease

Heart disease is better treated with a Mediterranean-style diet than cholesterol-lowering drugs, it has been claimed.

A study found those who had a diet rich in vegetables, nuts, fish and oils were a third less likely to die early, compared with those who ate larger quantities of red meat, such as beef, and butter.

Speaking at a global conference on heart disease in Rome, Italy, leading heart disease expert Professor Giovanni de Gaetano said: “So far research has focused on the general population, which is mainly composed of healthy people.