FINAL EXAM Flashcards
(9 cards)
What is the Mediterranean Diet?
American physician Ancel Keys discovered the benefits of the Mediterranean diet through observation and research. During a 1945 visit to Italy, found rural communities relying on plant-based foods, olive oil, whole grains, and moderate amounts of fish and wine - had lower rates of heart disease. This led him to launch the seven countries study in 1958, which confirmed the Mediterranean populations, especially in Greece and Italy, experienced fewer cardiovascular problems. His work eventually popularized the Mediterranean diet as a model for health living
Pyramid of Mediterranean Diet
Pyramid: daily activity, then whole grains, bread, beans, pasta, nuts then fruits and vegetables, then olive oil, then fish, seafood (blue fish), and some eggs, cheese, poultry, yogurt, then monthly have meats and sweets
Benefits of Mediterranean diet
Benefits of mediterranean diet: longer life (blue zones), improved brain function, lower risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression, and certain cancers
Aiding your weight loss and management efforts
Ward off Parkinson’s disease, improve rheumatoid arthritis and improve eye health
Safeguard from Alzheimer’s disease
Do Italians truly follow the Mediterranean diet?
No….
People are stepping away from their traditional dietary patterns such as the MD
In the last few decades, Mediterranean populations, including Italian adolescents and adults, are stepping away from their traditional dietary patterns, such as the MD. Important determinants are globalization, which overcomes geographical barriers between food production and consumption worldwide, population growth, urbanization, and lifestyle changes, together with economic and sociocultural factors. Food system and food consumption pattern transformations are responsible for a loss of biodiversity and soil degradation and represent significant challenges for the state of food security and nutrition
The blue zone: California, Costa Rica, Italy, Greece, and Japan
Focus on the one in Italy: SARDINIA: people live very long
Blue zones have plant based diet, stress reduction, serene life, moderate alcohol consumption, family and social engagement, physical activity
In Sardinia, they eat a lean, plant-based diet accented with meat, they put family first and celebrate elders, they walk often, usually around five miles a day or more, the drink a glass or two of red wine daily, but moderate drinking. They laugh with friends. Finally, they drink goats milk which protects them from inflammatory diseases.
Sustainable food
Sustainable food: low impact food that is produced, processed, and distributed in ways that minimize harmful impact on the environment while supporting social equity and maintaining economic viability
Social, economic, and environmental sustainability
Minimize environmental damages, use resources efficiently, supports local communities, and encourages healthy ecosystem
Sustainable vs unsustainable foods
An example of unsustainable food is avocados because they use lots of water and forests are often cleared to make space to grow avocados
An example of a sustainable food is mussels and other bluefish because farming does not require a lot of land or other resources. Great option due to low environmental impact.
Seasonal food:
oranges in winter, and strawberries currently (spring time), carrots, potatoes and peas are in season year round
Italian Culinary Rules
No cappuccino after 11am
Why are Italians so strict about these rules? Honoring heritage and culture
Unicity of some ingredients
History
Italian cuisine is all over, but want to make changes: chicken parm
