The Mediterranean Diet Blog from Italy

Origins of The Mediterranean Diet

The late U.S. physiologist Ancel Keys is the person most closely associated with popularizing the origins of the Mediterranean Diet. He coined the term when he published the findings of his ongoing research throughout his career, while spending a great deal of time living Southern Italy, in the tiny village of Pioppi, just south of […]

Intermittent Fasting Diets

An intermittent fasting diet… doesn’t sound too appealing, does it? Even before you wade into the details, you’re already pretty sure that you wouldn’t like it, battling hunger pangs the whole while. Well, that may or may not be true, but what do intermittent fasting diets look like in practice?First of all, fasting has been […]

Is It True That Wine Is Good For You?

The question of whether or not wine is good for you has been hotly debated. The general consensus is that red wine, in moderation, (maximum 2-3 glasses a day, depending on your age, weight, and sex) can impart cardiac benefits, and contribute to overall well-being. In Italy, the question is NOT hotly debated. Rather, wine […]

Simple Italian Recipes in an American Kitchen

Recently I wrote a review of the Italian food Mecca in New York, Eataly in the Flatiron District. My travel companion on that trip was my friend and colleague Adina, who is a buongustaio and healthy food evangelist in her own right. What’s more, our philosophies are perfectly aligned, with one of our shared goals […]

A Healthy Diet for Children

What do Italians feed their kids?Most parents know that, as difficult as it is to stick to a diet yourself, it’s even more challenging to enforce a healthy diet for children. Kids tend to be finicky eaters anyway, and with peer pressure at school and brilliantly targeted marketing by the Big Food industry, it’s really […]

Is Eataly Italian?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock (or in the Southern United States) for the last decade, no doubt you’ve heard about the super-sized Italian food amusement park called Eataly, iterations of which can be found in (almost) every corner of the globe these days. In sum, it’s a utopian hub for all good things to […]

When to Eat According to Italians

Growing up in the U.S., we were given some pretty bad advice about when to eat. The most recent research suggests that the old advice given to Americans was exactly opposite to what our bodies really need. Specifically, these two outdated quips:Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.You should eat several smaller meals […]

Salad in Italy

During an early vacation, I ordered a salad in Italy to accompany my dinner at a charming local trattoria. Being from the U.S., I supposed I envisioned our version of a tossed salad or side salad, or in other words, a medium-sized bowl with eight or nine ingredients mixed together, topped with croutons and some […]

Too Much Pasta?

Perhaps you recall several decades ago (circa late 1980s) hearing about the “French Paradox.” In sum, this observation stated that while people in France eat foods high in saturated fats (foie gras, brie cheese, buttery croissants, etc.) they suffered fewer heart attacks than Americans of the same age and socioeconomic status. Further, the French even […]

How Much Salt For Your Italian Recipes?

Spices in general are really not a big part of cooking in Italy. However, one spice, sale (salt), is extremely important and you have to get it just right. Learning how to salt correctly is probably the simplest thing you can do to improve the taste of your food. If you’re not already a good […]