Prof. Consolandi welcomed the students of the Master in Food Studies, inviting them to take advantage of their presence in Italy to follow the Mediterranean diet, focusing on how to strengthen the immune system. How? By buying vegetables and fruits that are in season and paying attention to the ingredients and portion sizes of the Mediterranean diet, based on the following suggested food consumption: 1) to consume in every meal one or two servings of fruit (one serving of fruit is 150g, or one bunch), two or more servings of vegetables (one serving of cooked vegetables is 200g and one serving of fresh salad is 80g or three bunches), one or two servings of pasta, rice, bread and other cereals (one serving of pasta and rice is 80g and 50g of bread); 2) to consume every day one serving of olives, nuts and seeds (one serving of seeds is 30g), two servings of milk and dairy products (one serving of milk and yogurt is 125ml/g, and 100g of fresh cheese or 50g of aged cheese; 3) to consume each week one serving of white meat (one serving of meat is 100g), two or more serving of fish or seafood (one serving of fish is 50g), from two to four servings of eggs (one serving is 50g that is the average weight of an egg), two servings of legumes (one serving of dry legumes is 50g and 150 g for fresh legumes), 200ml of extra virgin olive oil, less than two servings of red meat and less than one serving of processed meat (one serving of processed meat is 50g).
Prof. Consolandi stressed the importance of strengthening the immune system with intake of vitamin A (fish, eggs, milk and dairy products, deeply colored vegetables such as apricot, carrots pepper and broccoli), vitamin C (fruits and vegetables), vitamin D (fish, egg yolk, mushrooms, and grain), zinc (eggs, meat, grains, milk and dairy products, fruits and vegetables) and calcium (almonds, soy, beans, meat and fish, dairy products, oranges and broccoli). In general, she invited students to consume cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables that are rich in fiber, essential for keeping the gut Microbiome healthy, which is in turn essential for immune functions.
She showed the students the vegetables in season, like the Roman broccoli (or “Broccoli Romaneschi” cultivated in the Roman countryside) rich in vitamin A and fiber; the cauliflower, an excellent source of calcium and fiber, and the black cabbage, rich in vitamin A, B6 and K. She invited students to explore the open air markets with their rich variety of seasonal fruits (pears, kaki and grapes) and vegetables (leek, pumpkin, different varieties of cabbage). Buon appetito and stay healthy!
