Mediterranean diet: the Italian food heritage
Italians are admired for a beauty of their country, its ancient tradition and culture, nonetheless for their cuisine famous all over the world. As in all countries of Mediterranean basin, Italy does not make a difference, the style of eating, well known as Mediterranean diet, is of high importance. We do not speak only about a simple way of food consumption. The Mediterranean diet is above all a system of knowledge, social habits and cultural tradition that have been a historical Italian heritage.
Have you ever asked yourself why people from Mediterranean countries live longer and have a healthier existence? The answer is quite easy: thanks to the Mediterranean diet. However, if you believe that a popular diet is a recent invention of dieticians, we have to correct you. The food in this area has been important to its societies since the beginning of civilization. Favorable climate conditions, the presence of the sea itself, which have provided people not only with food but it was also the easiest way of communication and trade with other regions, was very important for growth of society.
Think at the moment of ancient civilizations, as the Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians or the Israelites, they all were part of the so-called Mediterranean triad, whose essential elements of nutrition were very simple: olives, cereals, bread, wine and fish, popular mostly on the coastline. This system of food consumption has evolved throughout the centuries and became what today we classify as Mediterranean cuisine.
Nowadays the traditional diets of populations living on the European shores of the Mediterranean Sea are generally characterized by low consumption of meat and its products, moderate consumption of fish, milk and alcohol beverages, usually red wine with meals, and high consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes and olive oil. Despite its name, the famous diet, recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Italy, a country promoter together with Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Greece, Cyprus and Croatia, is not typical in every part of the country. In the northern Italian regions, for example, olive oil is just reserved for dressing salads and boiled vegetables, while for cooking people commonly use lard and butter.
The Mediterranean diet involves a set of skills, knowledge, rituals, symbols and traditions regarding crops, harvesting, fishing, conservation, processing, cooking and particularly the sharing and consumption of food. Eating together, as the foundation of the cultural identity of Mediterranean communities, gives the opportunity for social exchange and communication. Moreover, the Mediterranean diet emphasizes importance of values of hospitality, intercultural dialogue and creativity and invites people to live their lives guided by respect for diversities.
As already mentioned, Mediterranean diet is not only Italian, it embraces the cuisines of different places ranging from Spain to Israel, from Syria to Greece, from North Africa to Italy. Because of this variety, both cultural and geographical, Mediterranean cuisine differs from one zone to another. In Italy, for example, pasta is the basis for main mail. In the Middle East, on the contrary, most dishes are made of barley and chickpeas. What is common for each country is usage of fresh ingredients, vegetables and fruits, olive oil, and fish as opposed to meat.
Although the Mediterranean diet appeared for the first time in publications in 1945 thanks to famous American scientist Ancel Keys stationed in Italy, it gained widespread recognition only in the 1990’s. The most famed version of the Mediterranean diet was presented by Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University’s School of Public Health. According to the study of food patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 60’s, so called Seven countries study, the Mediterranean diet, along with the regular physical activity, puts an emphases on abundant plant foods, fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert, olive oil as the principal source of fat, dairy products (mostly cheese and yogurt), and fish and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts, zero to four eggs consumed weekly, red meat consumed in low amounts, and wine consumed in low to moderate amounts.
The principles of a Mediterranean diet are shown best in the Mediterranean pyramid, a sort of guide to what is today universally recognized as the “gold standard” eating pattern promoting lifelong excellent health. The pyramid was created using the nutrition research to represent a healthy, traditional Mediterranean diet, at a time, we speak about 1960’s, when the rates of chronic disease among populations were among the lowest in the world, and adult life expectancy was among the highest even though medical services were limited.
There are innumerous benefits of Mediterranean diet, especially regarding people’s health. Over the past decade, new studies continually emphasized the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in case of illnesses including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, coronary heart disease and attacks, and even cancer. A recently published study conducted by the Spanish university of Navarra shows that the Mediterranean diet can boost brain power of elderly people and is better than a low-fat diet in cases at risk of vascular dementia. Moreover, the Mediterranean diet helps reducing the risk of heart disease and obesity, as well as lowing blood sugar and promoting weight loss in type 2 diabetics.
The popularity of Mediterranean diet amongst Italian people is not fading. The majority of Italians prefers still eating pasta and vegetables, consuming plenty of olive oil because aware of benefits, not to be underestimate, of a healthy Mediterranean diet. However, due to modernization, faster tempo of life, a lot of things have changed. Even Italians are constantly in a rush and have no time to go home for lunch; instead they are obliged to choose pre - packed food. Or fast food, which is even worse and has brought to the augmentation of obesity epidemic cases. Unfortunately, Italy is at the top of the list for childhood obesity in Europe and it is a negative data, especially if we consider that an obese child has nearly a 100% possibility of becoming an obese adult.
Italians are admired in the whole world for their healthy Mediterranean diet but the pressures of modern society influenced many of them to change eating habits despite studies show the benefits of eating à la Mediterranean. The Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, legumes and vegetables, fruit and nuts and a moderate amount of fish and wine with few dairy products on the table, has been for ages the model for healthy eating and should continue to be. Eat well, feel well. Live Italian way of living. Try Mediterranean diet – the Italian food heritage.
©2014 Emina Ristovic, The Italian Heritage Magazine
Have you ever asked yourself why people from Mediterranean countries live longer and have a healthier existence? The answer is quite easy: thanks to the Mediterranean diet. However, if you believe that a popular diet is a recent invention of dieticians, we have to correct you. The food in this area has been important to its societies since the beginning of civilization. Favorable climate conditions, the presence of the sea itself, which have provided people not only with food but it was also the easiest way of communication and trade with other regions, was very important for growth of society.
Think at the moment of ancient civilizations, as the Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians or the Israelites, they all were part of the so-called Mediterranean triad, whose essential elements of nutrition were very simple: olives, cereals, bread, wine and fish, popular mostly on the coastline. This system of food consumption has evolved throughout the centuries and became what today we classify as Mediterranean cuisine.
Nowadays the traditional diets of populations living on the European shores of the Mediterranean Sea are generally characterized by low consumption of meat and its products, moderate consumption of fish, milk and alcohol beverages, usually red wine with meals, and high consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes and olive oil. Despite its name, the famous diet, recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Italy, a country promoter together with Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Greece, Cyprus and Croatia, is not typical in every part of the country. In the northern Italian regions, for example, olive oil is just reserved for dressing salads and boiled vegetables, while for cooking people commonly use lard and butter.
The Mediterranean diet involves a set of skills, knowledge, rituals, symbols and traditions regarding crops, harvesting, fishing, conservation, processing, cooking and particularly the sharing and consumption of food. Eating together, as the foundation of the cultural identity of Mediterranean communities, gives the opportunity for social exchange and communication. Moreover, the Mediterranean diet emphasizes importance of values of hospitality, intercultural dialogue and creativity and invites people to live their lives guided by respect for diversities.
As already mentioned, Mediterranean diet is not only Italian, it embraces the cuisines of different places ranging from Spain to Israel, from Syria to Greece, from North Africa to Italy. Because of this variety, both cultural and geographical, Mediterranean cuisine differs from one zone to another. In Italy, for example, pasta is the basis for main mail. In the Middle East, on the contrary, most dishes are made of barley and chickpeas. What is common for each country is usage of fresh ingredients, vegetables and fruits, olive oil, and fish as opposed to meat.
Although the Mediterranean diet appeared for the first time in publications in 1945 thanks to famous American scientist Ancel Keys stationed in Italy, it gained widespread recognition only in the 1990’s. The most famed version of the Mediterranean diet was presented by Dr. Walter Willett of Harvard University’s School of Public Health. According to the study of food patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and southern Italy in the early 60’s, so called Seven countries study, the Mediterranean diet, along with the regular physical activity, puts an emphases on abundant plant foods, fresh fruit as the typical daily dessert, olive oil as the principal source of fat, dairy products (mostly cheese and yogurt), and fish and poultry consumed in low to moderate amounts, zero to four eggs consumed weekly, red meat consumed in low amounts, and wine consumed in low to moderate amounts.
The principles of a Mediterranean diet are shown best in the Mediterranean pyramid, a sort of guide to what is today universally recognized as the “gold standard” eating pattern promoting lifelong excellent health. The pyramid was created using the nutrition research to represent a healthy, traditional Mediterranean diet, at a time, we speak about 1960’s, when the rates of chronic disease among populations were among the lowest in the world, and adult life expectancy was among the highest even though medical services were limited.
There are innumerous benefits of Mediterranean diet, especially regarding people’s health. Over the past decade, new studies continually emphasized the benefits of the Mediterranean diet in case of illnesses including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, coronary heart disease and attacks, and even cancer. A recently published study conducted by the Spanish university of Navarra shows that the Mediterranean diet can boost brain power of elderly people and is better than a low-fat diet in cases at risk of vascular dementia. Moreover, the Mediterranean diet helps reducing the risk of heart disease and obesity, as well as lowing blood sugar and promoting weight loss in type 2 diabetics.
The popularity of Mediterranean diet amongst Italian people is not fading. The majority of Italians prefers still eating pasta and vegetables, consuming plenty of olive oil because aware of benefits, not to be underestimate, of a healthy Mediterranean diet. However, due to modernization, faster tempo of life, a lot of things have changed. Even Italians are constantly in a rush and have no time to go home for lunch; instead they are obliged to choose pre - packed food. Or fast food, which is even worse and has brought to the augmentation of obesity epidemic cases. Unfortunately, Italy is at the top of the list for childhood obesity in Europe and it is a negative data, especially if we consider that an obese child has nearly a 100% possibility of becoming an obese adult.
Italians are admired in the whole world for their healthy Mediterranean diet but the pressures of modern society influenced many of them to change eating habits despite studies show the benefits of eating à la Mediterranean. The Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, legumes and vegetables, fruit and nuts and a moderate amount of fish and wine with few dairy products on the table, has been for ages the model for healthy eating and should continue to be. Eat well, feel well. Live Italian way of living. Try Mediterranean diet – the Italian food heritage.
©2014 Emina Ristovic, The Italian Heritage Magazine