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It’s Grecian formula for health! Diet cuts cardio risk by 30%

Pass the olive oil — and keep it coming!

A classic Mediterranean diet high in extra-virgin olive oil, fish, nuts and even wine can slash your risk of a heart attack or stroke by up to a whopping 30 percent, scientists said yesterday.

The sensational findings stunned even the researchers, who said they stopped the study early because the data was already so overwhelmingly clear. And they promptly adopted the diet regime themselves.

“Diet works!” crowed Dr. Ramon Estruch of the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, Spain, who oversaw the groundbreaking research.

For the extensive project, nearly 7,500 residents in Spain were put on either a typical low-fat diet or traditional Mediterranean fare supplemented with either olive oil or nuts.

The scientists then tracked the groups — huge in research terms — for five years.

While they didn’t generally lose weight, those who followed the Mediterranean diet — high in monounsaturated fats, omega-3 fats and protein — had a 28 to 30 percent lower risk of cardiovascular problems, even though the entire group consisted of fatties, smokers and diabetics.

Dr. Joy Gelbman, a cardiologist at the Perelman Heart Institute at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, said she plans to show the results to patients.

“This is really one of the first major clinical trials to really measure’’ the effects of the Mediterranean diet, Gelbman said.

She also praised the diet for its practicality.

“It’s good for doctors, and it’s good for patients, because it’s easier for patients . . . to swallow,’’ she said.

“Instead of saying, ‘You can’t, you can’t, you can’t,’ there are things you actually can have. It’s a much easier sell. It’s not like these studies that say you can lower your risk by 2 percent if you make major lifestyle changes.”

Nutritionist Keith Ayoob, an associate professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in The Bronx, added, “What I like about this is it shows the power of food.

“This is all about the benefits of really good food.”

It was old news to some people.

“I’m not surprised at the results because I’ve been growing up on the food, so I always knew the benefits,” said Arturo Cortes, manager of Greek eatery Avra Estiatorio on West 48th Street in Midtown.

“All of the ingredients are simple at their most basic core component, from the olive oil to the spinach to the onions and leeks,’’ he said. “Nothing is processed.”

Still, experts said it’s unclear whether the study will significantly influence eaters in the US, where heart disease is the leading cause of death, killing about 600,000 people every year.

For one, there’s Americans’ love of red meat. Then there’s the pesky problem of portion control and a reluctance to shell out more bucks on such high-quality ingredients as extra-virgin olive oil.

Participants on the Mediterranean diet ingested at least four tablespoons of the oil or a fistful of almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts daily. Researchers provided the oil and nuts for free.

Those on the diet also cut back on red meat in favor of chicken, fish and legumes, ate more fruits and veggies and reduced their processed-food intake.

Olive oil, fish and nuts pack oleic acids that can lower artery-choking cholesterol. Fish, nuts, fruit and veggies also contain crucial protein, nutrients and vitamins.

Participants were allowed to have at least seven glasses of wine a week. Red wine is said to produce anti-clotting agents that boost “good” cholesterol.

Meanwhile, processed meats and other commercially prepared food were taboo.

Mediterranean dried-meat staples such as prosciutto and Serrano ham are not as bad as some processed meats and could be OK in limited quantities, health experts said.

But they’re high in fat and salt, so, technically, “they’re not part of the diet,’’ said Alissa Rumsey, a dietician with New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center on the Upper East Side. “I don’t think they’d be encouraged.”

Also reduced were high-fat dairy products. But dieticians note there are healthier options such as low-fat yogurt and cheese.

“This [study] reinforces what we’ve thought for a while . . . You don’t have to cut out all fat to have a healthy diet,” Rumsey said.

Nicola Kostoni, owner of Periyali restaurant on West 20th Street in Chelsea, said the study will only be good for business.

“People who come in here know the health benefits. And they keep learning more and more. That’s why we’ve become so popular,” he said.

The study results were first published on the New England Journal of Medicine’s Web site.

Additional reporting by Kenneth Garger