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The historical bases of the Mediterranean alimentary model

The feeding is of for himself one elementary biological function. In the man, but, the feeding is loaded with means to you and of symbols, until becoming a true cultural fact that follows, in the centuries, evolversi of the economic order and the needs of the society, varying and complicating of equal step with varying and complicating themselves of the various aspects of the same society.

We can therefore say that the way to feed itself is legacy is to the local availability (qualitative and quantitative) of alimony, is to the history and the economy of people. It varies therefore from Country to Country, also maintaining to sure characteristics of likeness and homogeneity within one sure geographic area. One was this premise necessary in order to understand what agrees for “Mediterranean alimentary model”.

Saying “Mediterranean” we do not refer, is obvious, only to Italy and not even to all Italy. Mediterranean are in fact the climate, the sea, the geographic atmosphere and geologic, the uses and the customs are of those our regions that of Mediterranean Italy make part, are of groups of population of other Countries (Greece, Spain, the same France, the northern Countries of Africa and the Near East) that geographically they find in an atmosphere much similar one.

Uses and customs, we have said; and between these those foods are comprised also, base to you on the same alimony, facts of products that in these places are born, handed on in the course of the centuries of generation in generation. A “alimentary model”, exactly: a model that, on the base of how much we have premised, it is not only Italian and is not neanche familiar to all the Italians. Made these precisazioni, it is well but to remember that of true and own “alimentary tradition” draft, a tradition that has put in the uses of people solid roots much to succeed to resist enough well to passing of the centuries and, lately (is also more to hard work), to overbearing chasing of new habits and new models apparently many “more modern” and attractive.

The alimentary choices of the Italians from the post-war period today

Approximately 167.000 billions of Liras expenses in the 1991 from the Italian families in alimentary kinds and drinks it gives the imposing dimensions of the problem of the alimentary consumptions in our Country. If to that dependency from the import of our alimentary supplyings joins to the crescent (25,000 billions in 1991) the panorama it completes with rose-colored colorations not sure. How they are composed and like they have gone modifying itself in the course of last trent'anni the alimentary consumptions in our Country? Which are the probable tendencies in the short term of these consumptions?

The feeding of the Italians deeply has been modified in the last few decades, cioé in the passage from a period in which our Country it exited from the serious restrictions of the war and of the post-war period to periods in which the income bracket for-understood (and therefore of well-being) has gone gradually increasing, in order to reach until our days. Fundamental characteristic has been the generalized increase of the great part of our alimentary consumptions (increase that has carried to us to assume every day in average 400 calories in more than recommended how much), with particular relief for the fat people, the meats and the every sugar over other food, in relation also to more rather low values of departure.

They are above all increases the consumptions to you of products of animal origin, and between these mainly those of the meats in their complex. In particular a constant increase of the consumption of bovine meat has been noticed, with a slowing down only in recent years; good the increments also in the consumption of meat suina, pollame and rabbits; and modest those in the consumptions of equine, ovine and goat meat. Salted E' the consumption of the fresh fish, goes coming down that one of the conserved fish. They are it increases to you the consumptions of latte and derives remarkablly to you and of eggs. For the alimony vegetables one has had an increment a much moderated of the frumento consumption and decrease for smaller cereals and rice. Between the ortaggi, a product group (potatoes, legumi buckets, cabbages and cauliflowers) has shown an increment then begins followed them from a radical change of direction, while for all the other ortaggi the consumptions have been in constant increase. Also for the I'andamento fruit it has been differentiated: a remarkable increase begins them and one then contraction in the last period for apples, pears, peaches, grape, etc; one constant rise, instead, for the other fruits, especially for citruses and yields of import. The consumption of all the fat people from condimento in recent years nearly has been become stabilized, after the strong increase of ventennio '52- '72, period in which above all is increased the seed oil consumption, while you increase more modest have had the olive oil and, in way still more pronounced, the fat people animals (butter, lardo, strutto). At last, the drinks: the wine consumption, after a moderated increase begins them, is diminished decidedly during the last few years. In fort and constant increase it is the consumption of the beer, while the superalcoholic ones are in remarkable expansion. What can be concluded? Simply that from the post-war period today the habits and the alimentary behavior of the Italians have abandoned sure our traditional models base to you on the thrifty use of the resources available, in order to pass to typical choices of one opulent society, with more and more diffused adoption of “the prestigious ones” alimentary models of import. The result has been to raise of beyond thousand calories the every day availability per capita average in energy, to multiply destined expenses to the purchase of alimentary products (great part of which they come give beyond frontier) and considerable to increase the incidence of sure diseases that, by now has been assessed, is favorite also from the alimentary choices.

The protagonists of the Mediterranean alimentary model

We have already examined the historical aspect of the Mediterranean alimentary tradition. The protagonists of this tradition are very famous, even if perhaps for a sure period us “we are vergognati some” (with that passion towards all that that is alien who distinguishes to us…) and we have consequently over a long time span ignored some or underrated the advantages on the plan of the taste, the sapori, the health and the saving: we speak about the oil of olive, the paste, the bread, the wine, the legumi, the fruit (citruses in particular) and about all the immense range of the ortaggi, between which today primeggia the tomato. Mediterranean feeding wants therefore to perhaps say feeding vegetarian? It is not therefore. These products, very arrange between they as it knows to make the kitchen to you Mediterranean, with added of the just amounts of products animals (meat, with particular with regard to that one not bovine, latte, eggs, fish, cheeses) assure a valid feeding, balanced, adapted to whichever age and also in degree (will see it) to reduce the risk considerable that sure diseases rebel that are typical of our age. Someone will be able to notice as an example that those list to you are the alimony typically used in poor years, in years '50, those of the immediate post-war period: perhaps this means that to propose a Mediterranean alimentary model poor” diet means riproporre a return to one “?

It is not sure therefore, indeed this possible confusion goes decidedly avoided. About “poor” diet it is not spoken, in fact, but only of a way to feed itself founded on the respect of a sure alimentary behavior based on the original and characteristic nucleus of a tradition (Mediterranean, exactly) that, this yes, uses also some meritorious alimony that a sure mistaken mentality has for humbler and poor years considered.

A tradition that as turned out it has produced those sure habits that we very know and that today they are marked as the most adapted to provoke to an alimentary behavior that introduces varies advantages to you, between which that one protect the health, in the sense to render the appearance more difficult than those diseases that “the modern” feeding (rich and unbalanced) on the contrary he facilitates and he aggravates. In that what consists the Mediterranean alimentary model. Draft of a model of consumption in which they occupy one preponderant position, like energy source, the products vegetables. Between these we find, in Association of Bologna on all, the cereals with all their derives to you: less diffuse paste, bread, polenta and other products. The preponderant role that derives you of the cereals has in the Mediterranean feeding is without a doubt legacy closely to that habit, typically nostrana, that it previews the constant presence on the table of the bread, in all its innumerevoli regional varieties, and the appeared daily of the paste like first capacity and fulcrum of one of the two main meal. E' just to this habit that goes reconnected to the satisfactory complex carbohydrate amount presents in accustoms them Mediterranean portion, in perfect agreement with how much they prescribe and they advise to the most modern theories for one correct feeding. Other characteristic of the Mediterranean model is the frequent one and remarkable presence of legumi, other ortaggi, verdure, yield and fat people above all vegetables (olive oil): all alimony that a large contribution gives is in integrating the quality of the assured proteico contribution from the cereals (remembers the property of proteins of the cereals and proteins of the legumi to be completed mutual), is in balancing the lipidica portion with the just fat acid amounts insaturi, is at last in supplying a physiologically adequate alimentary fiber amount (without having to resort, like “is forced” to make sure people Nordic, to expensive supplementazioni to procurarsi in pharmacy). But this model comprises also, com'è logical, alimony of the animal world, in adapted to amount and combinations and relation to their specific nutrizionali contributions. The meats, as an example, at all are not excluded, neither you of would be reason. Their importance but is reorganized, with particular with regard to that one of the bovine meat, that it comes effectively replaced from meats “alternatives” which pollo, rabbit, lean pig, turkey, etc

Worthy of particular consideration, between the alimony animals, the consumption of the fish and that one of eggs, the most valuable food is for the contribution in proteins of elevated quality that in iron. Equally important the habit to the consumption of derives you of the latte ones, beyond that of the latte ones same, and of wine, drink that, if consumed in the just amounts and the just way (in correspondence of the meal and with an opportune division) it has of the healthy property and symbol that come man hand always better known and estimated. Other important characteristic of the typical alimony of the Mediterranean tradition is their adaptability to form of the only plates. For ONLY PLATE we mean an able capacity to assure all alone those contributions nourished to you that normally they are supplied to us partially from the “first one” and partially from “according to” plate accustoms them. The only plate, insomma, replaces effectively and economically “first” and “second” with an only capacity.

Typical examples: the paste with fagioli (or ceci, or peas, or lenticchie…), the dry pastes with condimento of meat and cheese, minestroni with verdura, the oil and grattugiato cheese, the Neapolitan peak with mozzarella and alici, etc To make to follow to these “only plates” a “traditional second” are useless and excessive: the single one is in fact sufficient adding of fresh verdura and fruit in order to realize a complete meal, nutrizionalmente balanced and less expensive. After all the alimentary model of our tradition is an alimentary program

that smaller assumption of energy stretches to favor one (calories) to parity of volume or alimentary mass (and, therefore, of possibility to satiate itself). Of it it derives that an other its merit is that one to render us the realization easier than a convenient equilibrium between the expense and the assumption of energy (calories from alimony). By now obvious E' therefore that to recover and rivalorizzare this alimentary tradition simply means to re-establish itself to an outline that always has been familiar (and to which we can therefore return with particular it appeal to) and that today us greater validity is introduced with anchor is for its recognized adaptability to the requirements of the modern life (requirements of comprised saving), is for its qualities, by now internationally proven, of particularly suitable regimen to defend from the greater connaturati factors of risk to the rhythm and the habits of the modern life.

The riscoperta one of the Mediterranean alimentary model

The riscoperta one of the validity and the convenience of the Mediterranean alimentary model has taken consistency in years '70, when us is rendered best account of the deep existing tie between the way to eat (type of alimony consumes and modality to you of their consumption) and the worrisome increase of sure typical diseases of the modern societies progressed of the West (“diseases from well-being” or “diseases from cardiovascular civilizzazione”, which obesities, diabetes, atheroscleroses, hypertension, diseases generally, calculosis, etc). Today therefore it is believed that also under the profile of the health us it must be not only worried of the “amount” of the diet, but also about its “quality”, being the way to feed one of the more important (and controlable) risk factors that can render the appearance of the cited diseases easier and more probable. Well, the modern”, “western” feeding “, “americanized”, than to many still seems therefore more puts into effect them, desirable, seducente and logical of our “old” habits, and that many proseliti it has made above all of the new generations, it represents the easier road towards those errors, those excesses and those imbalances that much part has had in favoring the spread of the “diseases from well-being”. But we said of the riscoperta one of the values of the Mediterranean alimentary model. Great part of the merit goes to university professor Ancel Keys, a nutrizionista American (of Minneapolis) that by now it resides habitually for six months per year in Campania, in the Cilento, and that has based also on the coincidence between the alimentary habits (typically Mediterranean) of that zone and the frequency (much lowland) of the diseases from well-being in those places its first intuitions and its first convictions approximately the benefits influences of that alimentary model and life.

To give force to these come ideas they are then man hand turns out to you of searches to highest level that have been completed (and many others are tutt'ora in course) in several parts of the world, until composing all with a such picture to allow us to proclamare with sufficient emergency the healthy validity of the Mediterranean alimentary model. In Italy the first push to this riscoperta has been given to the beginnings of years '80 from the lstituto National of the Nutrition, is on the base of the cited scientific acquaintances by now available (studies lead in several parts of the world on the relationship between diet and diseases, experiments on the man and in laboratory, etc), are on the base of comparisons that demonstrate (given introduce you for before the time to London to a Conference on the organized Human Feeding from the EEC in 1980) as the alimentary portion of the Countries of the Mediterranean area is most similar to that model of feeding that today the best one is considered in order to conserve the health, and that it is photographed in that “Dietary Goals” (objects you nutrizionali) that they have been established in 1977 from one the appropriate Commission of Experts to the need name from the Senate of the USA. Subsequently, the “way” to the spread of these acquaintances near the Italians was given in the 1981 from a campaign of alimentary education and guideline of the consumptions that, intentional from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and entrusted to the lstituto National of the Nutrition for the scientific part, had a most remarkable echo in all the Country also because case of formidable resonance found in great part of the press one and, in the event specific, how much never welcome and profit. In the following years an ulterior widening of this operation of alimentary information of our population has been realizzao through the distribution - carried out with the precious collaboration of operating sanitary which the doctors of base and the druggists - more than 7 million than pamphlets the “Lines Guide for a healthy Italian feeding”. Directives of the type of the “Lines Guide” by now exist in all the more important Countries of the world and consist in a short series of simple councils and suggestions, directed to the population, that they have the scope to indicate the most correct model than alimentary behavior to follow.

Well, expert the multidisciplinary group of summoned from the National Institute of the Nutrition to the aim to formulate the “Lines Guide” for our Country has characterized just in the model of the most traditional Mediterranean alimentary habits the instrument for “star better having eaten better”. Consequently, the callback to the adoption or the recovery of that alimentary model, contained in these “widely diffuse Lines Guide” therefore, has given to an ulterior contribution to one more wide acquaintance than these useful criteria therefore for an feeding that it has like obbiettivo “more well-being and more health for the entire population, without however mortificare the senses and the pleasure of the good table”.

The “scientific tests” in favour of the validity of the Mediterranean alimentary model in the protect the health

We distinguish them in:

to) tests based on the likeness with the models proposals all over the world;

b) tests based on the characteristics of the modelo to feed medierraneo;

c) deriventi tests from epidemiologiche searches;

d) deriventi tests from participation studies.

to) Tests based on the likeness with the models proposals all over the world

Obvious analogies between the structuring of the Mediterranean portion and several the suggestions exist that various authoritative international and national organisms, preplaces to the protection of the health, and numerous medical associations of specialists have well officially advanced during the last few years like means in order to be and in order to prevent numerous diseases. The first example is that one of already cited “Dietary” Goals, which suggest the ideal subdivision of the calories of the diet between proteins, carbohydrates and fat people, let alone the corrected proportions between fat people saturate (animals mostly) and insaturi (mostly vegetables) and between simple carbohydrates (sugar, cakies, candies, marmellate, etc) and

complex carbohydrates (starch above all, like that one of the paste and the bread). Well, confronting the Dietary Goals with the structure of the portions consumed medium in the progressed western Countries, looks at that the Italian portion is between all by far nearest the ideal outline (even if, unfortunately, from this situation of I privilege we stretch to remove to us, under the push of “mode” the alimentary ones emerged). In fact, only our medium diet (between those of the taken Countries under investigation) contains amount of complex carbohydrates and fat people insaturi enough near those advised ones, and èl'unica that turns out free from clamorous excesses in the consumption of fat people animals (mostly saturates) and of simple sugars: the result of our habit is this sure to consume regularly bread and paste (for complex carbohydrates) and oil of olive (like main condimento), let alone it varies produced vegetables to you (for the equilibrium of the fat people). But in general terms it is however strongest the likeness between the medium Italian portion of the years 'the 50 and the first years '60 and alimentary models that come today advises you for the protection of the health, with particular reference to that “prudent diet” that comes substantially suggested from the entire world-wide scientific community. Some other example with regard to is represented from the councils of the European Atherosclerosis Society, that they trace punctually the characteristics of the Mediterranean alimentary model, from the several directives of the Consensus Conferences, from the councils of the American Heart Association and of the British Hyperlipidaemia Association, from the Nutritional Guidelines for Americans, until recent the Nutrient Goals it circulates to you from the WHO: in all these directives we invariably find again a series of callbacks to alimentary behaviors that remember the lines very generate them of the Mediterranean model.

b) Tests based on the characteristics of the Mediterranean alimentary model

1) and by now tried that to consume many fat people animals (saturates) increases the frequency of the diseases of is gone and of the heart. Well, in the Mediterranean feeding the fat people animals are present in particularly reduced amount and are instead present in remarkable amounts those fat acids monoinsaturi (typically represent to you from the oleico acid that abounds in the olive oil) that today they arouse great interest for their protecting and riequilibratrici actions in the comparisons of the type and the level of the present cholesterol in the blood. 2) All the most modern suggestions for the defense of the health are based also on the principle to avoid the excesses of products animals and alimentary cholesterol. Well, Mediterranean laalimentazione puts in condition for respecting these councils more easy.

3) famous E' that one adapted presence in the alimentary fiber diet is important in order to avoid sure digestive diseases, sure disturbs of the veins and other diseases. Well, the Mediterranean feeding is particularly rich of natural fiber.

 4) famous E' that to exceed in the simple sugar consumption can damage the health through many mechanisms. Well, Mediterranean I'alimentazione includes little simple sugars and on the contrary it privileges characteristically complex carbohydrates.

5) famous E' that to introduce too many calories favors the insorgence of the “diseases from well-being”. Well, the Mediterranean alimentary model helps to avoid the excesses of calories because, being rich of vegetables and fibers, it allows to calm the hunger with foods that have elevated volume and reduced “concentration” of energy and that moreover they donate a satiety sense that prolongeds for a greater time.

6) the Dietary Goals limit the amounts of fat people who can themselves be consumed, and are famous that the consumption of fat alimony and fat people from condimento is sped up and pushed from the search of those strong” and intense sapori “that are typically it brings to you just from the fat member of the portion. Well, the Mediterranean alimentary model can help us also in this, because it previews the not fat use of characteristic aromas and condimenti (which spezie, grass, gravy of tomato, chili pepper, garlic, onion, basil, lauro, salvia, prezzemolo, etc) that they allow to obtain easy of the saporite pietanze and appetizing without to exceed neither in the additions of fat people neither in those of knows them from kitchen (chloride of sodio), other great “culprit” as far as the cardiovascular diseases.

c) Tests deriving from epidemiologiche searches

The searches of this type are those that study the modalities with which the diseases rebel, are manifested, propagano or permangono in a collectivity, the conditions that favor this situation and also the ways in order to fight it. With regard to the Mediterranean alimentary model they have been carries out numerous studies to you of this type. In this center we will limit ourselves to remember turns out to you gushed from the so-called “Study of the Seven Countries”. Draft of a surveying that has been coordinated from prof. the Keys, is duration beyond 20 years and has taken under investigation, with methodical quinquennial controls, beyond dodicimila subject between the 40 and 59 years, living in seven Countries with alimentary habits much various (Japan, USA, Holland, Yugoslavia, Greece, Finland and Italy). It turns out to you, in extreme synthesis, can be therefore outlines to you:

- in all the Countries in which a refined western diet was consumed, mortality for “diseases from well-being” was much elevating; - in the Countries in which a diet of Mediterranean type was consumed, such mortality was the much lowest one; - following in the years the same groups of population, it has been stated that as a population changed the own habits, adopting the outlines (is foods that of style of life) typical of the advanced societies, the “diseases from well-being” appeared with crescent incidence, until delineating a distribution much similar one to that typical one of the civilization of which they had been married alimentary habits and consumptions.

d) Tests deriving from participation studies

Draft of studies is carried out to you in several parts of the world, taking part on the followed model of feeding it is from persons knows of it (groups considers you to risk and groups it does not consider you such) that from persons in not good health, and studying, then, the effects of such modifications in the nourishing assumption. The participations have been directed above all towards those alimentary members who are consider the greater factors you of risk for the chronic degenerate diseases, in particular for the cardiovascular diseases. These studies, of number by now much elevating, have supplied turn out to you remarkablly concordant between they. It will be enough to remember of some. We begin from that one carried out on 54 persons in 1982 in the northern Karelia (Finland): six weeks of diet with Mediterranean characteristics and oils to high content of mono and polinsaturi have been sufficient to determine one meaningful fall of the levels emati us of the cholesterol and others important factors of cardiocoronarico risk; six weeks of return to it accustoms them Finnish diet have made to go back these values to the dangerous levels of departure. In the Cilento, in a zone to “typically Mediterranean” feeding, it has been then lead a specular search to the previous one: in 48 persons, six weeks of fat acid and cholesterol “from Bologna” diet, rich it saturates, have elevated significatamente the cholesterol total and the LDLcolesterolo (that is the considered fraction the greater factor of risk); six weeks of return to it it accustoms them Mediterranean outline have restored the reassuring values of departure. We point out at last to a study-pilot who has put to comparison between they three populations

rural: that one of Canine, in the southern Etruria (characterized from the use of fat people from condimento almost exclusively vegetables) and those, much “more western”, of Numijarn (in Finland) and Beltsville (in the USA). Well, the study has found in the population of Canine a detached protection much more in the comparisons of the thrombosis risk.

The conclusion that the students have drawn from these and numerous other studies has been the confirmation of the fact that the Mediterranean alimentary model exercises favorable effects also on subject affections from diabetes and from it elevates blood levels to you of fat people and cholesterol, and that in any case to consume habitually just amounts of bread, paste, fish, products vegetables and oil of olive it constitutes for anyone a protection in the comparisons of the risk of the cardiovascular diseases (that they are between the first two causes of dead women premature in the modern world) and of the other degenerate diseases that are typically in great expansion in the modern industrialized societies.

Like every day following the Mediterranean alimentary model in the life

To follow the Mediterranean alimentary model wants to simply say to use with regolarità foods of our tradition, that is those foods that are for we therefore easy available and that they are lend to being prepare to you are in the simple and gustose ways who are familiar from always, are, like demonstrated from our best ones chefs, also in special prescriptions of high gastronomico value on the international plan. Returning to our feeding every day, we see to synthetize some practical councils us in little points easy to remember: -

to subdivide the every day feeding in 4-5 appointments; this concurs us to digest more easy and than to better use the principles nourished to you contained in the alimony, beyond that to avoid one excessive stimulation of the production of fat people in the organism; in occasion of the two main meal, the table goes revalued like reunion and encounter point; - to consume just paste portions in the picture of one balanced and adapted feeding. Proteins of discreet quality, good iron contribution go emphasize you are the good nourishing value of this product (, B1, B2 and PP, elevated starch amount) that its attitude to constitute the carrying structure of a meal. E' then to sfatare the idea that the paste is a highly caloric food: they are instead the fat condimenti, than often they come added in excessive amount, to make to go up the caloric contribution of the paste plate. Of for himself, instead, this product supplies approximately 350 calories every 100 grams, a completely reasonable amount if it is considered that the 80 grams of a good portion represent only 280 calories. As condimento is well to avoid to use (to part the special occasions) excessive amounts of fat people (butter, lardo, margarina, etc), of bacon, cheese, cream, and therefore via, giving instead the preference to the gravy of tomato and to the oil of olive. The paste goes cooked “to the tooth” for one optimal digeribilità, one better conservation of the nourishing value and more extended sense than satiety; - preferibilmente to accompany the meal with the bread, abandoning the illusion of being able to draw some advantage from the use (expensive…) of grissini and crackers. Opportune E' to give to the preference to the bread prepared with the single fundamental ingredients (home-made, rosettes, sfilatini, etc), possibly integral bread, avoiding special breads with adding of fat people; - to remember itself imperniare with a sure frequency a meal on one those “only plates” that have been previously lists to you, with the single accompanyment of verdura and yields fresh; they will earn some is the pocketbook that the line; - to use like preferred condimento the oil of olive, that it represents a extremely digeribile fat person, able to promote also the digestion of the other fat people, of giving to taste in small amounts thanks to its intense sapore, stimulating the intestine and the gall bladder and to carry out beneficial actions is in the infancy that in the third age. Between the other, it is common admission that the olive oil is the surer fat person in order to fry, and this for sure a its natural protection regarding the damages from heat and for its degree of particularly balanced insaturazione, that is its characteristic of being free is from excesses in fat acids saturates that in fat acids polinsaturi; - to rerun with frequency to the “meats alternatives” (pollo, rabbit, pig, turkey, etc) to the place of the most expensive bovine meat (than in great part we are forced to import). The meats alternatives are convenient economically and have the same nourishing value of the bovine meat. And if moreover, in the presentations today available, they allow to prepare pietanze varied and gustose also in the respect of the praticità norms taxes from the rhythms of the modern life;