Yes, you can make mistakes on the Mediterranean Diet. And it’s more common than you’d think. The Mediterranean Diet, renowned for its health benefits and delicious flavors, has gained significant attention in recent years with the popularity of The Blue Zones, The Longevity Diet, and the like. With its emphasis on fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, this dietary pattern is known to promote heart health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and contribute to overall well-being. However, despite its simplicity and flexibility, many individuals stumble upon co ..read more

It’s well-known that the populations who follow a Mediterranean Diet are among the healthiest and longest-living on the planet. But while the focus is obviously on the variety of delicious foods, what is often missed is the role of fasting. Either for religious reasons or for the simple lack of abundance, inhabitants of Italy, Greece, Spain and other Mediterranean countries have experienced extended periods of calorically restricted diets. And they were healthier because of it. These circumstances not only extended their lifespan, but also their “healthspan,” allowing them to be active and abl ..read more

Both the Mediterranean Diet and the Paleo Diet ask us to “eat the way our ancestors ate.” BUT, the Mediterranean Diet asks us to look back only 3-4 generations, whereas the Paleo would have us look back 2.5 million years, or roughly 80,000 generations. Evolution has had plenty of time to catch up… During the Paleolithic period, early humans lived in caves or simple huts and were hunters-gatherers, which is the crux of the Paleo Diet. Approximately 75% of deaths at the time were caused by infection, including diarrheal diseases that resulted in dehydration and starvation. Other causes were inju ..read more

Pasta has gotten some bad press in recent years. In the age of the "fad diets," pasta contains an awkward amount of that evil archnemesis, "the carb." Or worse, carb's ugly cousin, gluten. Well, populations who follow the Mediterranean Diet have been eating carbs and gluten for centuries with no ill effects. Indeed, these are the healthiest, longest-living people on the planet. Which begs the question: Is there such a thing as too much pasta? So what gives? Why are some people so eager to embrace misinformation? No surprise, it's fed by a combination of factors: • Intuition: It just "seems ..read more

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. But it's more complicated than that.  Yes, experiments with laboratory animals have shown remarkable benefits for subjects given large doses of resveratrol, the so-called "magic" ingredient in wine. But these experiments were in ideal lab conditions where every variable could be tightly controlled... which is not the case in the reality of day to day human life.  So we look to the centenarians aro ..read more

Recently there was an article published by Taste Atlas that listed the Top 100 cheeses in the world. Not surprisingly, cheeses from Italy took 8 or the top 10 spots. I spoke about this with Robert Campana from Stop Italian Sounding, a brand dedicated to educating consumers on the differences between genuine Italian products and "fake" products that only borrow (read: steal) credibility from the real deal.  Have a listen to our conversation and let us know what you think about this somewhat "controversial" list. Ciao! Stop Italian Sounding on Instagram Stop Italian Sounding on TikTok ..read more

If you want to learn about Italian culture, there is no better lens from which to look than through Italy's food traditions and regional cuisines.  Today on the podcast we welcome Dottoressa Arianna Salomon, a PhD candidate at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, and a graduate of Università Ca' Foscari in Venice, Italy. This semester at FAU, Dott.ssa Salomon is teaching a course entitled, "Italian Culture Through Food," and she was kind enough to share some of her insights on this episode.  Food is a central part of Italian life, and it is used to celebrate special oc ..read more

Looking for the best food in Puglia? From traditional Italian dishes to unique regional specialties, listen to this podcast episode to learn about typical food from Puglia.  Scott Maxwell, a Scottish expat in Puglia, leads us through a culinary journey of the regions most iconic cuisine. This is the Mediterranean Diet at its best, with fresh seafood, great local wines, and "killer" pasta. Here's a link to his site and his recommendations: https://www.gaypugliapodcast.com/puglia-for-foodies/ Join us in Puglia! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/eat-like ..read more

Today I talk to Robert from "Stop Italian Sounding" about the ways that imitation Italian products infiltrate and confuse the marketplace, causing a very real economic impact on the producers of genuine Italian products in Italy.  I have talked about this topic on the podcast before, and written about it on the blog. But Robert has some first-hand experience on the difference between products that are authentically Italian, and those products that seek to profit by "impersonating" the real culinary treasures of Italian culture.  Read more about this discussion and other topics relate ..read more

It’s easy to take for granted during our busy routines, but food plays such an important part of our lives. It nourishes us, it comforts us, it connects us to our culture… and it can help heal us, too.  Cancer is a serious illness that affects millions of people around the world. While there is no guaranteed way to prevent cancer, there are some foods that have been shown to help fight it off. (Of course, there’s more to it than that, and you should always consult with a physician.) My guest on this podcast episode is Judy Witts Fancini. Besides all the aforementioned roles of food in our ..read more