Today it is considered an elixir for a long and healthy life. Did you know that this renewed diet was discovered and studied in a small Italian village?
LIVE LONG AND PROSPER
The “Italian way of life” is not only La Dolce Vita! We define this concept benessere and it literally means being well. There are many ways to take care of yourself. One of the most important is – of course – eating well and living healthy. The ancient Romans said in Latin: Mens sana in corpore sano, that is healthy mind in a healthy body. Defined by Ancel Keys in the Sixties, the Mediterranean diet is an ode to wellness. Today it is an internationally celebrated: In 2019 the Mediterranean diet was nominated the best overall diet in 2019, according to U.S. News and World Report.
FROM MINNEAPOLIS TO SOUTHERN ITALY
Keys, an American physiologist from Minneapolis, studied the influence of food on health and defined the diet observing the habits of people in Italy and Greece. In Pioppi, a hamlet of Pollica, a little town on the Cilento Coast in the South of Italy, the doctor studied the secrets of the population’s longevity and wellness. His studies were focused on the direct connections between health and nutrition lifestyle.
EAT HEALTHY FOOD AND EXERCISE
As the pioneer Keys discovered, a diet too rich in sugars, fats and processed foods is directly connected to many health issues. Keys also learned how the “centenari,” the hundred-year-old people living in Pioppi, had healthy eating habits and practiced some physical activity. Their diet was (and is) plant based, not meat based. The Mediterranean Diet, indeed, is strictly centered on local and organic foods: legumes, whole grains, pasta, fresh fish, healthy fats, vegetables, fruit, extra virgin olive oil. In addition, they had small portions of eggs, dairy, meat, and – of course – some wine. Today we know that the Mediterranean Diet, also recognized by the World Health Organization, reduces the risk for obesity, heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, dementia, and cancer.
THE MUSEUM
If you need an excuse to fly to Italy, you could visit the place where this perfect elixir was discovered. The Cilento Coast is an absolute gem. You will find the cleanest sea of the country along with delicious gastronomic traditions and local wineries. Pioppi, a delightful village facing the Mediterranean Sea, is home of a museum dedicated to the Mediterranean Diet, located in Palazzo Vinciprova, a 17th century palace. Ancel Keys lived in Pioppi with his wife, in the town of Pollica (South of Salerno). Pleasure, wellness and culture are the main focuses of this renowned museum. Dreaming of your next trip to Pollica, you can still taste the Mediterranean flavors. Magnifico offers a stunning selection of organic ingredients and products perfectly inspired by the Mediterranean Diet, from pastas to extra virgin olive oils!
