The Mediterranean Diet
Diet: definition Chance to loose weight and achieve wellbeing Linked to unhappiness
Mediterranean: definition Mediterranean is bordered by 20 countries Each country has its own identity and cuisine No single mediterranean diet as such
Cuisine = Identity of a nation of a region of a family of a person
President of the Saudi Group for Cardiovascular Prevention and rehabilitation? Who is he?
Oh, yes the one that made the lovely Al-Kabsa!
What is the identity of the Mediterranean diet?
More than any other ingredient the olive represents the Mediterranean diet A biblical reference Meaning: Peace
The goodness of olive oil Monounsaturated fats Oleic acid Antioxidants Anti-inflammatory Anti-cholesterol
Not only olive oil: Fruits Veg Cereals Grains Wine Fish
Mediterranean Diet It goes back to the Romans and Christianity But.one day, from the north, the Nordics came! The contamination
The Southern (Greeks & Romans) The Nordic (Vikings & Barbarians)
The Great opposition Southern - bread - oil - wine - veg Nordic - meat - lard - beer - pork
The result of the fusion is?
A sandwich is not just a sandwich! It is the culmination of a long lasting cultural adventure!!!
The Great opposition Southern - Water - frugality - farmers Nordic - Fire - opulence - aristocrats
Boiling (woman) Roasting (man)
Mediterranean Diet Promoted in England by Giacomo Castelvetro in the early renaissance
Mediterranean Diet A brief account of the fruits, herbs and vegetables of Italy London, Viking, 1614
Mediterranean Diet He tried without success to convince the English to eat more fruit and vegetables Castelvetro s diet was not dissimilar to diets for prevention of cancer based on individual genetic make-up!
Mediterranean Diet The Empire required sailors and soldiers in good health Emphasis shifted to indiviudual food rather than diet (scurvy)
Mediterranean Diet In 1950, Angel Keys (a nutritionist) notes that Southern Italians and Cretans have a better CV performance than North Europeans
Mediterranean Diet Because of high use of olive oil, fruit, vegetables and cereals But also no industry, rural lifestyle, 3 hour long siesta!
Mediterranean Diet Picked up and promoted by Prof. Willet at Harvard University The food pyramid conquers the North American media
Mediterranean Diet The good! Tasty Encourages to take time to eat and savour food Psychologically linked to beauty
Mediterranean Diet The bad! Salt Olives are salted & pickled Feta, anchovies, capers, dried cod, fish roe, salad all salted!
Mediterranean Diet The best achievement is that it has created a modern culture of food vs McDonaldisation Food itself means culture and treatment
Prevalence of pandemics Leprosy Plague Syphilis TB CAD XII XIII XIV XV XVI XVII XVIII XIX XX XXI Time (centuries)
Pandemics were resolved, not by drug therapy but through a change of social habits, daily life and diet
Food habits, lifestyle and simple risk factors accounts for 90% of cardiovascular diseases
Food: A cultural turn Agriculture (plough, sew, preserve) comes from
Food: A cultural turn Civilisation (man vs animal): man is able to produce, preserve and prepare food Agriculture: a separation from nature actually a violence to nature
Food: A cultural turn Greeks and Romans developed a sense of blame resulting in the 3rd element in cooking: water = boiling
Food as culture: The Western World No identity / variety Propensity in fusion Use of knife and fork Vertical approach Temporal sequence
Food as culture: Arabia and Asia Difficulty in fusing Physical contact with food Circular approach Simultaneous eating
May 1968, France Historical, political, cultural and culinary revolution
Nouvelle language Fruit salad Camembert sorbet Charlotte of vegetables Liver gateau Kiwi and raspberry soup
Sound of the sea
The Mediterranean Diet today The modern, great opposition
The modern, great opposition Europe U.S.A. Equilibrium - Regular - Slow food - Med diet King Size - Big - Fast food - McDonalds
Mediterranean Diet More than a diet it is a concept of beauty, harmony and equilibrium!
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