the mediterranean diet is not a lie pietro paganini non ripete

The Mediterranean Diet is not a Lie – Paganini non Ripete 292
The Mediterranean diet is under attack. The Government’s food nationalism has triggered ideological and commercial accusations that reduce it to a mere food myth. But the Mediterranean diet is much more than a list of products and typical dishes: it is the method of balance, a synthesis of the key factors of the Mediterranean lifestyle dating back to ancient Greece, but today it is less and less followed. This is why it is essential to protect, promote, and recover it to live better and longer.

The Mediterranean Diet is not a Lie

WHAT IS HAPPENING?   In recent months, voices accusing the Mediterranean diet of being exaggerated or even a lie have multiplied. These criticisms, lacking a scientific basis, aim to attack the agro-food economy of Mediterranean countries, with Italy being a primary target.
It is an ideological and commercial response to the food nationalism of the Italian Government, which exploits the Mediterranean diet for propaganda and economic purposes.

  • Both sides are wrong. The Mediterranean diet is more than a list of typical products and recipes: it is a lifestyle rooted in balance, something the world admires. This is what earned it recognition as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.

READ IT AGAIN: PAGANINI NON RIPETE 292, SCIENCE Vs IDEOLOGY

WHY IT MATTERS   These accusations, along with food nationalism, risk distorting the true value of the Mediterranean diet, reducing it to a mere food trend or commercial strategy. But it has never been just a diet. It is a method based on balance among healthy food, social interaction, and mental and physical well-being.
  • This balance is key to tackling modern challenges such as obesity, public health, and sustainability.

READ IT AGAIN: THE OPEN SCHOOL

ROOTS OF THE MISUNDERSTANDING   In the 1970s, Ancel Keys, through the famous Seven Countries Study, defined a dietary model capable of preventing serious diseases and prolonging life. He named it the “Mediterranean diet” after observing the longevity of countries like Greece, Italy, and the former Yugoslavia compared to Finland, the United States, and others.
  • But the link between diet and health is much older. As early as the 5th century B.C., Hippocrates understood that what we eat profoundly influences our well-being.

PAGANINI NON RIPETE 289: WELCOME TO THE AGE OF PERSONALIZATION

THE BALANCE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET   In ancient Greece, food was not just nourishment – it was part of a complex system of balance between mind and body, social interaction, hospitality, dialogue, moral reflection, and leisure. This vision echoes Aristotle’s concept of the “medio stat virtus”, the art of balancing excess and deficiency, and Paracelsus’ later principle that “the dose makes the poison.”

  • In ancient Greece, “diet” literally means “way of life.” 
This is the core principle of Mediterranean living: not a rigid dietary plan, but a method that helps us adapt to changes and provide new solutions to live better and longer.

NOT JUST FOOD, BUT A LIFESTYLE   Reducing the Mediterranean diet to food or recipes is a serious mistake. Its dishes have evolved over time due to:

• famines and public policies,
• cultural exchanges and imports,
• the evolution of dietary needs.

For centuries, Mediterranean communities lived with calorie deficits, compensated by hard labor in fields and factories. 

  • The Mediterranean diet has not survived because of individual foods but as a method passed down for generations, even during periods of hunger and poverty.

This balance held strong until the post-war economic boom, when calorie abundance and consumerism gradually eroded the Mediterranean method and its core principle: balance.

WHY WE LOST BALANCE   Obesity is on the rise in Italy, especially among children, with the southern regions being the most affected. We are no longer among the longest-living populations: countries like Singapore and Switzerland have surpassed us.
The problem is not our food but the loss of balance. Children are gaining weight because:
  • They consume too many calories, now widely available,
  • They burn too few calories due to an obesogenic environment with little free play or physical activity.
  • They are exposed to media pressure, psychological issues, food deserts, and more.

The Mediterranean lifestyle is no longer being passed down. It has been replaced by models that promote excess or deficiency, fostering eating disorders and widespread imbalances.

READ FRESH IDEAS AGAINST FOOD WASTE – PNR 286

TECHNOLOGY AND PERSONALIZATION   The Mediterranean diet needs political reinforcement and can be revitalized through technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things.

  • These tools can help us personalize nutrition and monitor our physical and mental balance, fostering a tailored and balanced lifestyle for each individual. 
  • The future of Mediterranean living does not lie in standardization but in personalization that respects our cultural heritage.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY   The Government, instead of creating a fragile culinary myth, should collaborate with Mediterranean countries to promote the Mediterranean lifestyle in its true essence: eating as an experience of connection, reflection, and social interaction.

  • Foods can change, but the true Mediterranean lifestyle remains. 
Let’s not allow it to die under the weight of accusations and commercial pressures. Let’s nurture and protect it for ourselves and future generations.

  • It is the greatest gift we can give our children: teaching them balance and passing down a legacy of health, culture, and well-being that the world admires.

The Mediterranean Diet is not a Lie – Paganini non Ripete 292

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