From John Corey, Melrose, New York, US
Your article got me thinking about indirect contributors to the Mediterranean diet’s healthful properties (13 January, p 32). Specifically, with large amounts of fresh and unprocessed foods, how many more beneficial microorganisms are supported? We are learning of the importance of our intestinal microbiome: has anyone yet compared that of long-lived Mediterraneans with other Westerners? Maybe the good bugs really like olive oil!
