Researchers have shown that pregnant women can dramatically impact upon the health of their unborn children by determining what sorts of foods they eat while expecting. Expectant mothers who eat a diet rich in high quality and traditional Mediterranean diet were shown to provide their unborn children with a natural remedy for asthma and allergies.

Firstly, what is the Mediterranean Diet? As the name would suggest, the Mediterranean Diet originates from the regions surrounding the Mediterranean Ocean. Typically the folk there had diets high in whole grains, nuts, seed, legumes, fresh vegetables and fruits. Unlike Western cultures, this diet does contain fats. However, these fats are mono-unsaturated and come from olive oil, nuts, seeds, and the fish that are consumed. Fish is eaten several times a week. Eggs, dairy products and poultry are eaten less frequently. Red meat is eaten infrequently. Sweets as the Western world knows them are not consumed. Red wine is also allowed in moderation in a healthy Mediterranean diet. No mention was made in the study of the pregnant women drinking alcohol. The conclusion would be that they did not.

The pregnant women in the study, who all hailed from Menorca, an island off Spain, were monitored by the quality of the Mediterranean foods that they ate. Mothers’ diets were designated as high quality, low quality, and Western diet. The study started in 1997 and followed 507 pregnant women. Their offspring were monitored until they turned 6.5 years. Although 507 mums were in the study only 468 children were eventually documented. (Some apparently were eliminated for a variety of reasons.)

The children were monitored annually until they reached the age of 6.5 years. These children were also skin tested at the end of the study, which began in 1997, for 6 common respiratory allergens. Researchers also concluded that the diets of the children once born had much less of a protective benefit than the insurance provided by their pregnant mothers’ diets.

What is the Mediterranean Diet? This diet is so called as it is based on a pattern of eating followed by various regional folk who live around the Mediterranean. Typically, Mediterranean cuisine comprises of plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, red wine, and olive oil. Fish is eaten moderately, and red meat is rarely eaten. Dairy products such as eggs, milk, cheeses, yogurts, and poultry are eaten in lesser amounts.

Researchers surmised that the protective health benefits of Mediterranean Diet for the unborn children came from 2 sources, antioxidants and omegas. Both these 2 ingredients are found in high amounts in Mediterranean cuisine. Antioxidants are beneficial in providing tissue health and omegas provide anti-inflammatory properties, especially in the airways (important in asthma).

Please note that drinking alcohol while pregnant is not recommended by medical authorities. No mention was made in the study of alcoholic intake for the pregnant women. A responsible conclusion would be that they were not consuming alcohol.

Conclusion – The already impressive health benefits of a Mediterranean diet now also include providing unborn children with protection against allergies and asthma. This is an impressive and important breakthrough considering that WHO estimates 300 million people worldwide suffer from asthma.