As reported by several studies, people following strictly the Mediterranean diet live longer, therefore life expectancy in Italy has considerably increased; this eating pattern help reducing the incidence of some diseases like Parkinson, Alzheimer and cancer. For this reason in Italy cases of heart diseases or obesity are less than in other Countries; moreover as Mediterranean diet is based on the consumption of local and fresh products, it allows to assimilate a higher quantity of protection molecules contained in non-processed food.

That’s why it is worldwide considered the most complete and correct diet, the best example of an healthy food lifestyle, so that on the 16th November 2010 it has been recognized as intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO.
The proclamation of this diet as a sustainable lifestyle based on food tradition and on age-old cultural values, represents an historical goal for food tradition and culture of the whole Italy.

Mediterranean diet represents a food lifestyle based on fruit, vegetables, potatoes, legumes, bread and fish consumption and is considered one of the most complete, healthy and balanced diet, because it meets the percentage of energetic intake recommended by nutritionists: 55-60% of daily food requirement should consist in carbohydrate, 25-30% in fats and 10-15% in proteins. As a matter of fact Mediterranean diet is rich in carbohydrates, relatively poor in animal fats and is especially based on a wide range of fruit and vegetables.