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Mediterranean Diet: Promoting Health and Sustainability
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Mediterranean Diet: Promoting Health and Sustainability

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2024 | Viewed by 21913

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Nikolaos K. Andrikopoulos

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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Chemistry-Biochemistry-Physical Chemistry of Foods, Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, Kallithea, Athens, Greece
Interests: polyphenols; polar phenols; chemical changes of foods (cooking)
Prof. Dr. Andriana Kaliora

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Chemistry-Biochemistry-Physical Chemistry of Foods, Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, School of Health Science and Education, Harokopio University, Kallithea, Athens, Greece
Interests: dietary interventions; foods; nutrients; food supplements; dietary patterns; chronic inflammatory conditions; inflammatory diseases; oxidative stress
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The Mediterranean Diet plays a well-established protective role against chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, different forms of cancer, Alzheimer disease, and even autoimmune disorders. Meanwhile, the Mediterranean diet is also linked with planetary health. It presents a better ecological footprint compared with other patterns due to the higher consumption of local in-season plant foods, the low ecological pressure by food production and consumption, as well as the lower intake of animal protein. Hence, encouraging people to increase adherence to Mediterranean diet would contribute substantially to decreased risk of chronic diseases as well as to sustainability of the food supply chain (from farm to fork), with a plethora of benefits for the environment.

In this Special Issue of Foods, we would like to bring together manuscripts dealing with the topic of “Mediterranean Diet: Promoting Health and Sustainability”. Different types of manuscripts on this topic, including original human and animal studies, dietary interventions, food analysis focusing mainly on the nutritional value of Mediterranean foods, systemic reviews, and metanalyses, are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Nikolaos K. Andrikopoulos
Prof. Dr. Andriana Kaliora
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mediterranean diet
  • health
  • chronic diseases
  • Mediterranean foods
  • Mediterranean cooking methods and chemical changes
  • sustainability
  • environmental impact
  • food selection determinants

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 294 KiB  
Article
Association between Dietary Patterns and Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study of Christian Orthodox Church Fasters and Non-Fasters in Greece
by Anna Kokkinopoulou, Niki Katsiki, Ioannis Pagkalos, Nikolaos E. Rodopaios, Alexandra-Aikaterini Koulouri, Eleni Vasara, Sousana K. Papadopoulou, Petros Skepastianos, Maria Hassapidou and Anthony G. Kafatos
Foods 2023, 12(18), 3488; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12183488 - 19 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1426
Abstract
It is well known that the Mediterranean diet contributes to healthy living, prevention of non-communicable diseases, and longevity. A cross-sectional study was conducted with participants from Greece who follow the Mediterranean diet and were further divided into two categories: (i) Christian Orthodox Church [...] Read more.
It is well known that the Mediterranean diet contributes to healthy living, prevention of non-communicable diseases, and longevity. A cross-sectional study was conducted with participants from Greece who follow the Mediterranean diet and were further divided into two categories: (i) Christian Orthodox Church (COC) religious fasters and (ii) non-fasters. Four-hundred individuals underwent anthropometric measurements, whereas information regarding dietary intake was collected via three 24 h diet recalls and a monthly food frequency questionnaire. Principal component analysis was performed to derive dietary patterns, whereas associations between dietary patterns and metabolic syndrome (MetS) risk factors were investigated with the general linear model. Non-fasters (n = 200) were found to consume significantly more beef, chicken, turkey, sausage, broth, fried potatoes, ketchup, and mustard, while consuming less seafood, snails, soya, tarama salads, fresh fruits, margarine, olives, and decaf coffee. Two distinct dietary patterns were identified in fasters: (i) the “Mixed Diet” and (ii) the “Plant-based/Fasting Diet” pattern. Moreover, three patterns were identified in non-fasters, and were identified as follows: (i) the “Western Diet”, (ii) the “Mixed Diet”, and (iii) the “Mediterranean-like Diet” pattern. No significant association was observed between dietary patterns and the prevalence of MetS in our population. Further epidemiological studies should evaluate the links between dietary patterns and MetS prevalence within the adult Greek population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediterranean Diet: Promoting Health and Sustainability)
18 pages, 1003 KiB  
Article
Ultra-Processed Foods in the Mediterranean Diet according to the NOVA Classification System; A Food Level Analysis of Branded Foods in Greece
by Alexandra Katidi, Antonis Vlassopoulos, Stamoulis Noutsos and Maria Kapsokefalou
Foods 2023, 12(7), 1520; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12071520 - 03 Apr 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3392
Abstract
While the Mediterranean diet (MD) is championed as a healthy and sustainable dietary pattern, the NOVA classification is discussed as a tool to identify ultra-processed foods and further specify healthy food choices. We tested whether the NOVA System aligns with the MD recommendations [...] Read more.
While the Mediterranean diet (MD) is championed as a healthy and sustainable dietary pattern, the NOVA classification is discussed as a tool to identify ultra-processed foods and further specify healthy food choices. We tested whether the NOVA System aligns with the MD recommendations as presented in the MD pyramids. Foods from the Greek branded food composition database, HelTH, (n = 4581) were scored according to NOVA and assigned to the tiers of the traditional and/or sustainable MD pyramids. Nutritional quality was measured as nutrient content and Nutri-Score grades. NOVA identified 70.2% of all foods as UPFs, and 58.7% or 41.0% of foods included in the sustainable and the traditional MD, respectively. Although foods at the top of the pyramids were mostly (>80%) UPFs, NOVA identified > 50% of foods in the MD base as UPFs. Only 22–39% of foods in the MD base were not UPFs and of high nutritional quality (Nutri-Score A-B). NOVA has low discriminatory capacity across the MD tiers, and it restricts food choices to <30% of foods currently available in supermarkets and <60% within the recommended MD tiers. Therefore, the NOVA classification cannot always identify suitable food choices under the MD pyramid in the modern packaged food environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediterranean Diet: Promoting Health and Sustainability)
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18 pages, 1078 KiB  
Article
Pleurotus eryngii Chips—Chemical Characterization and Nutritional Value of an Innovative Healthy Snack
by Charalampia Amerikanou, Dimitra Tagkouli, Thalia Tsiaka, Dimitra Z. Lantzouraki, Sotirios Karavoltsos, Aikaterini Sakellari, Stamatia-Angeliki Kleftaki, Georgios Koutrotsios, Virginia Giannou, Georgios I. Zervakis, Panagiotis Zoumpoulakis, Nick Kalogeropoulos and Andriana C. Kaliora
Foods 2023, 12(2), 353; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12020353 - 11 Jan 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2786
Abstract
Nowadays, as the pandemic has reshaped snacking behaviors, and consumers have become more health-conscious, the need for the incorporation of “healthy snacking” in our diets has emerged. Although there is no agreed-upon definition of “healthy snacking”, dietary guidelines refer to snack foods with [...] Read more.
Nowadays, as the pandemic has reshaped snacking behaviors, and consumers have become more health-conscious, the need for the incorporation of “healthy snacking” in our diets has emerged. Although there is no agreed-upon definition of “healthy snacking”, dietary guidelines refer to snack foods with high nutritional and biological value. The aim of this study was to chemically characterize and determine the nutritional value of an innovative UVB-irradiated and baked snack from Pleurotus eryngii mushrooms. P. eryngii is an edible mushroom native to the Mediterranean basin. We applied proximate composition, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and macro and trace elements analyses. Also, we computed indices to assess the nutritional quality of food, and we evaluated the sensory characteristics of the mushroom snack. We found high nutritional, consumer, and biological values for the snack. More specifically it was low in calories, high in fibre and protein, low in lipids, without added sugars, and high in ergosterol and beta-glucans. Additionally, it had some vitamins and trace elements in significant quantities. Its NRF9.3 score was considerably high compared to most popular snacks, and the snack exhibited high hypocholesterolemic and low atherogenic and thrombogenic potentials. In conclusion, as a result of UVB-irradiation and baking of P. eryngii mushrooms, the snack’s nutritional and biological value were not affected; instead, it provided a “healthy snacking” option. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediterranean Diet: Promoting Health and Sustainability)
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16 pages, 309 KiB  
Article
Longitudinal Trends, Determinants, and Cardiometabolic Impact of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among Greek Adults
by Michael Georgoulis, Ekavi N. Georgousopoulou, Christina Chrysohoou, Christos Pitsavos and Demosthenes B. Panagiotakos
Foods 2022, 11(16), 2389; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11162389 - 09 Aug 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1823
Abstract
Despite the well-established health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, there are signs that Mediterranean populations are deviating from this traditional pattern. We aimed to evaluate longitudinal changes in adherence to the Mediterranean diet, its determinants and health effects in a representative sample of [...] Read more.
Despite the well-established health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, there are signs that Mediterranean populations are deviating from this traditional pattern. We aimed to evaluate longitudinal changes in adherence to the Mediterranean diet, its determinants and health effects in a representative sample of the adult Greek population. This was a secondary analysis of the ATTICA epidemiological cohort study conducted in 2001/2002 and 2011/2012. The study sample consisted of 3042 men and women free of cardiovascular diseases living in Attica, Greece; of them, 2583 were followed-up for 10 years. Participants were evaluated in terms of sociodemographic, lifestyle and clinical parameters at baseline, and incidence of cardiometabolic diseases was recorded at follow-up. Dietary habits were assessed both at baseline and 10 years through a validated food frequency questionnaire and adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated through the MedDietScore, based on which four trajectories were identified, i.e., low–low, low–high, high–low and high–high. During the study period, 45.6% of participants moved away from the Mediterranean diet (high–low), 9.0% moved closer (low–high), while 18.7% sustained a high adherence (high–high). Participants in the high–high trajectory were younger, mostly women, more physically active, had a higher socioeconomic status, and a more favorable body composition and cardiometabolic profile at baseline, and exhibited lower 10-year incidence rates of hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease compared to other trajectories (all p-values < 0.050). Adherence to the Mediterranean diet is declining among Greek adults. Staying close to the Mediterranean diet is associated with significant health benefits and should be a major target of public health strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediterranean Diet: Promoting Health and Sustainability)

Review

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31 pages, 1463 KiB  
Review
Effects of Agricultural Intensification on Mediterranean Diets: A Narrative Review
by Gultekin Hasanaliyeva, Enas Khalid Sufar, Juan Wang, Leonidas Rempelos, Nikolaos Volakakis, Per Ole Iversen and Carlo Leifert
Foods 2023, 12(20), 3779; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12203779 - 14 Oct 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1300
Abstract
Introduction: Mediterranean diets (MedDiets) are linked to substantial health benefits. However, there is also growing evidence that the intensification of food production over the last 60 years has resulted in nutritionally relevant changes in the composition of foods that may augment the health [...] Read more.
Introduction: Mediterranean diets (MedDiets) are linked to substantial health benefits. However, there is also growing evidence that the intensification of food production over the last 60 years has resulted in nutritionally relevant changes in the composition of foods that may augment the health benefits of MedDiets. Objective: To synthesize, summarize, and critically evaluate the currently available evidence for changes in food composition resulting from agricultural intensification practices and their potential impact on the health benefits of MedDiets. Methods: We summarized/synthesized information from (i) systematic literature reviews/meta-analyses and more recently published articles on composition differences between conventional and organic foods, (ii) desk studies which compared food composition data from before and after agricultural intensification, (iii) recent retail and farm surveys and/or factorial field experiments that identified specific agronomic practices responsible for nutritionally relevant changes in food composition, and (iv) a recent systematic literature review and a small number of subsequently published observational and dietary intervention studies that investigated the potential health impacts of changes in food composition resulting from agricultural intensification. Results and Discussion: There has been growing evidence that the intensification of food production has resulted in (i) lower concentrations of nutritionally desirable compounds (e.g., phenolics, certain vitamins, mineral micronutrients including Se, Zn, and omega-3 fatty acids, α-tocopherol) and/or (ii) higher concentrations of nutritionally undesirable or toxic compounds (pesticide residues, cadmium, omega-6 fatty acids) in many of the foods (including wholegrain cereals, fruit and vegetables, olive oil, dairy products and meat from small ruminants, and fish) that are thought to contribute to the health benefits associated with MedDiets. The evidence for negative health impacts of consuming foods from intensified conventional production systems has also increased but is still limited and based primarily on evidence from observational studies. Limitations and gaps in the current evidence base are discussed. Conclusions: There is now substantial evidence that the intensification of agricultural food production has resulted in a decline in the nutritional quality of many of the foods that are recognized to contribute to the positive health impacts associated with adhering to traditional MedDiets. Further research is needed to quantify to what extent this decline augments the positive health impacts of adhering to a traditional MedDiet. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediterranean Diet: Promoting Health and Sustainability)
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16 pages, 1843 KiB  
Review
Mediterranean Diet: The Role of Phenolic Compounds from Aromatic Plant Foods
by Amélia Delgado, Sandra Gonçalves and Anabela Romano
Foods 2023, 12(4), 840; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12040840 - 16 Feb 2023
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2447
Abstract
Today’s global food system aggravates climate change while failing in meeting SDG2 and more. Yet, some sustainable food cultures, such as the Mediterranean Diet (MD), are simultaneously safe, healthy, and rooted in biodiversity. Their wide range of fruits, herbs, and vegetables convey many [...] Read more.
Today’s global food system aggravates climate change while failing in meeting SDG2 and more. Yet, some sustainable food cultures, such as the Mediterranean Diet (MD), are simultaneously safe, healthy, and rooted in biodiversity. Their wide range of fruits, herbs, and vegetables convey many bioactive compounds, often associated with colour, texture, and aroma. Phenolic compounds are largely responsible for such features of MD’s foods. These plant secondary metabolites all share in vitro bioactivities (e.g., antioxidants), and some are evidenced in vivo (e.g., plant sterols lower cholesterol levels in blood). The present work examines the role of polyphenols in the MD, with respect to human and planetary health. Since the commercial interest in polyphenols is increasing, a strategy for the sustainable exploitation of Mediterranean plants is essential in preserving species at risk while valuing local cultivars (e.g., through the geographical indication mechanism). Finally, the linkage of food habits with cultural landscapes, a cornerstone of the MD, should enable awareness-raising about seasonality, endemism, and other natural constraints to ensure the sustainable exploitation of Mediterranean plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediterranean Diet: Promoting Health and Sustainability)
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17 pages, 1260 KiB  
Review
Carob: A Sustainable Opportunity for Metabolic Health
by Aristea Gioxari, Charalampia Amerikanou, Irini Nestoridi, Eleni Gourgari, Harris Pratsinis, Nick Kalogeropoulos, Nikolaos K. Andrikopoulos and Andriana C. Kaliora
Foods 2022, 11(14), 2154; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11142154 - 20 Jul 2022
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 7587
Abstract
Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is an evergreen tree that belongs to the Leguminosae family and grows in the arid and semi-arid regions of the Mediterranean basin. The carob tree is resistant to droughts and salinity, while its deep root systems allow CO [...] Read more.
Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is an evergreen tree that belongs to the Leguminosae family and grows in the arid and semi-arid regions of the Mediterranean basin. The carob tree is resistant to droughts and salinity, while its deep root systems allow CO2 to sink, mitigating global warming effects. Traditionally, carob has been used to produce animal feed, but for many years, it was excluded from the human diet. Nowadays, agricultural and industrial sectors exploit carob fruit, also referred to as carob pod, and its primary products (i.e., flour, powder and syrup) to develop a variety of foods and beverages. The nutritional composition varies depending on the carob part but also on genetic, cultivar, seasonal and environmental factors. Despite the high sugar content, the carob pod is rich in insoluble fiber and microconstituents including phenolic compounds, inositols (mainly d-pinitol) and vitamins. In the present review article, we aimed to (a) highlight the role of carob cultivation in addressing climate change challenges and the need for sustainability, and (b) summarize the effects of carob consumption on obesity and related metabolic disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediterranean Diet: Promoting Health and Sustainability)
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