Polymeal
Encyclopedia
The Polymeal is a diet-based approach to combatting heart disease
, proposed in December 2004 by Oscar Franco, a Colombian public health scientist at the University Medical Centre in Rotterdam
, Netherlands
. Franco and his colleagues suggest the "Polymeal" as a natural alternative to the "Polypill", a multi-drug-based strategy for reducing heart disease. The researchers used the same technique in the polypill paper: a statistical "meta-analysis
" which combined the results of many previous studies. The paper, appearing in the BMJ
's traditionally light-hearted Christmas issue, may be regarded as somewhat satirical, as noted in responses in the journal.
The study claims that adherence to the polymeal diet would delay the average onset of heart attack
by nine years among men and by eight years among women. Because cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of mortality in first-world
nations, this delay of heart failure would increase the average lifespan of men by six years and women by 5.5 years.
The researchers combined several food items already known to reduce the risk of heart disease:
They suggest a person should consume, every day:
as well as 118 g of fish per day four times each week.
Since the Polymeal is based on principles of combating inflammation, this diet could be extended to the following foods:
Cardiovascular disease
Heart disease or cardiovascular disease are the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels . While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system , it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis...
, proposed in December 2004 by Oscar Franco, a Colombian public health scientist at the University Medical Centre in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Franco and his colleagues suggest the "Polymeal" as a natural alternative to the "Polypill", a multi-drug-based strategy for reducing heart disease. The researchers used the same technique in the polypill paper: a statistical "meta-analysis
Meta-analysis
In statistics, a meta-analysis combines the results of several studies that address a set of related research hypotheses. In its simplest form, this is normally by identification of a common measure of effect size, for which a weighted average might be the output of a meta-analyses. Here the...
" which combined the results of many previous studies. The paper, appearing in the BMJ
BMJ
BMJ is a partially open-access peer-reviewed medical journal. Originally called the British Medical Journal, the title was officially shortened to BMJ in 1988. The journal is published by the BMJ Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association...
's traditionally light-hearted Christmas issue, may be regarded as somewhat satirical, as noted in responses in the journal.
The study claims that adherence to the polymeal diet would delay the average onset of heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
by nine years among men and by eight years among women. Because cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of mortality in first-world
First World
The concept of the First World first originated during the Cold War, where it was used to describe countries that were aligned with the United States. These countries were democratic and capitalistic. After the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, the term "First World" took on a...
nations, this delay of heart failure would increase the average lifespan of men by six years and women by 5.5 years.
The researchers combined several food items already known to reduce the risk of heart disease:
- Red wine, which contains the antioxidantAntioxidantAn antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions. When...
resveratrolResveratrolResveratrol is a stilbenoid, a type of natural phenol, and a phytoalexin produced naturally by several plants when under attack by pathogens such as bacteria or fungi....
, and alcoholAlcoholic beverageAn alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
, which some researchers think may help to reduce atherosclerosisAtherosclerosisAtherosclerosis is a condition in which an artery wall thickens as a result of the accumulation of fatty materials such as cholesterol...
by reducing clotting. - Dark chocolateChocolateChocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
without dairy products - AlmondAlmondThe almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree...
s - GarlicGarlicAllium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
- FishFishFish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, particularly oily fishOily fishOily fish have oil in their tissues and in the belly cavity around the gut. Their fillets contain up to 30 percent oil, although this figure varies both within and between species...
, which are sources of the Omega-3 fatty acidOmega-3 fatty acidN−3 fatty acids are essential unsaturated fatty acids with a double bond starting after the third carbon atom from the end of the carbon chain....
s EPAEicosapentaenoic acidEicosapentaenoic acid is an omega-3 fatty acid. In physiological literature, it is given the name 20:5. It also has the trivial name timnodonic acid...
and DHADocosahexaenoic acidDocosahexaenoic acid is an omega-3 fatty acid that is a primary structural component of the human brain and retina. In chemical structure, DHA is a carboxylic acid with a 22-carbon chain and six cis double bonds; the first double bond is located at the third carbon from the omega end...
. - FruitFruitIn broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s and vegetableVegetableThe noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s
They suggest a person should consume, every day:
- 150 mL of red wine (about one glass)
- 100 g of dark chocolate
- 400 g of fruits and vegetables
- 2.7 g of garlic
- 68 g of almonds
as well as 118 g of fish per day four times each week.
Since the Polymeal is based on principles of combating inflammation, this diet could be extended to the following foods:
- fruits and vegetables (as the staple)
- potatoes
- fish (other than catfish & tilapia)
- grass-fed beef (as opposed to grain-fed)
- chicken & eggs
- herbs & spices
- olive oil
- butter (ghee)
- coconut oil
- nuts
- dark chocolate (at least 85% chocolate)
- lots of water
- green tea
- red wine (dry & aged)
External links
- Alcohol, Wine, and Cardiovascular Disease From the American Heart Association
- Could Polymeal Increase Male Life Expectancy By 6 Years? A discussion about the polymeal and the polypill at FuturePundit
- Isn't this really reduction ad absurdum? Some pointers gleaned from the original article
Academic references
- Franco OH, Bonneux L, de Laet C, Peeters A, Steyerberg EW, Mackenbach JP. The Polymeal: a more natural, safer, and probably tastier (than the Polypill) strategy to reduce cardiovascular disease by more than 75%. BMJBritish Medical JournalBMJ is a partially open-access peer-reviewed medical journal. Originally called the British Medical Journal, the title was officially shortened to BMJ in 1988. The journal is published by the BMJ Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association...
2004;329:1447-1450. Fulltext (PDF). PMID 15604180.