An international study led by Ben-Gurion University says a green Mediterranean diet, rich in leafy foods, Mankai, green tea and walnuts, can do more than improve routine health markers. The research, published in Clinical Nutrition on June 23, 2026, found that the diet raised blood folate levels sharply and was associated with better blood sugar control, lower inflammation and improved blood fats.
The study followed about 300 participants who adopted the green version of the Mediterranean diet, which also reduced red and processed meat. Their folate levels rose more than in people on a traditional Mediterranean diet or standard healthy eating guidelines. The researchers say this increase was linked to improved insulin sensitivity, lower intercellular inflammation, a better triglycerides to good cholesterol ratio, and reduced liver and abdominal fat.
The team focused on a common MTHFR gene variant, rs1801133, especially the TT form, which can cut the enzyme’s activity by 50 to 60 percent and leaves carriers with lower baseline folate. In those participants, skipping Mankai was tied to higher cardiovascular risk, while adding the green diet, especially Mankai, sharply reduced that risk. Gene-expression testing showed that TT carriers had a biological “rewiring” that activated alternative pathways to compensate for the inherited enzyme weakness.
Prof. Iris Shai, the study’s lead researcher, said the findings show that a diet rich in greens can affect metabolic pathways related to folate and cardiometabolic health. She added that folate may deserve a place in routine blood tests as a biomarker of plant-based diet quality and the body’s protective response against heart disease, vascular disease and diabetes. Dr. Hila Zelecha Par said the study suggests folate should also be seen as a metabolic marker that reflects how the body responds to nutrition. The research team also included scientists from Leipzig University, Harvard, Soroka Medical Center and Ben-Gurion University.
