Cognition and nutrition with the Mediterranean Diet

We are aptly named lucky for the ownership of the so-called privileged Mediterranean diet, a very valuable cultural heritage passed down over the years through an evolving territory. It is mostly believed to be a further nutritional pattern of a particular region.

The word diet comes from the ancient Greek “Diata”, a balanced lifestyle which combines a particular dietary model using local agriculture ingredients, recipes and cooking regional methods such us a wide variety of meals, celebrations and traditions well-balanced with a healthy occupancy of satisfactory physical exercise and good weather conditions.
The Mediterranean diet is made up of the simplicity led to a completed combination of food based on fresh, local and seasonal products. Composed of landmarks, crops and farming techniques, markets, elaborations, spaces and gestures, culinary flavours and fragrances, colours, gatherings, legends and devotions, joys and sorrows, innovation and tradition. It has gone by different generations evolving and incorporating new kinds of food and techniques. Nowadays, it has been catalogued as “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO.

The trilogy is set as a key example of the Mediterranean diet: wheat, grapes and olives. In addition, it might be included nutrients such as legumes, vegetables, fruit, fish, cheese and nuts. There is far too much abundance of food in our society whether taken into consideration as main source of fat elements like bread, pasta, rice and the use of olive oil, seafood, poultry, dairy products and red meat as well as daily intake of wine.

Its importance in the individual’s health is due to:

- A balanced diet with a varied and accurate intake of macronutrients.

- The low content saturated fatty acids and high in monounsaturated.

- Complex carbohydrates and fibre.

- Antioxidants.

A correct nutrition is the basis of a good health and a good performance

Even though the human brain only accounts for 2% of body weight, it consumes 20% of the oxygen it needs to work. Such figure requires 25% of the total glucose we daily need. Nonetheless, the brain is in need of other organic and mineral nutrients such as glucose and oxygen to keep it healthy. Regarding glucose, there is food that can damage our body and imbalance glucose regulation by providing white refined sugar and carbohydrates, pasta and pastries. Absorbed carbohydrates such as cereals and pasta make longer to digest and release energy.

Nutrition plays a crucial role in both short and long term mental health. The brain is an easily vulnerable organ to food and nutrient intake, so there is a strong parallel between healthy body and healthy brain. This allows us to anticipate if we learn to regulate glucose levels with the right foods and will achieve mental and emotional stability.

Determinants for the correct functioning of the brain:

- Omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids run a protection of brain deterioration with the pass of time. And we can get our power as easily as consuming at least once a week fatty fish like salmon, herring, and fresh tuna.

- Folic Acid. It is a B vitamin that protects against the decline in memory and helps us maintain the capacity of language and the concept of space. We obtain this vitamin from vegetables such as spinach, beets, lettuce, asparagus … and some legumes such as chickpeas and lentils and some citrus fruits.

- Vitamin C and beta-carotene. Both vitamin C and beta-carotene have antioxidant properties which help maintain the memory and skills. We get vitamin C mainly from vegetables such as tomatoes, cauliflower, beets and spinach, and fruits such as oranges, strawberries and mangoes. Sources of beta-carotene are carrots, spinach, beets, artichokes and lettuce, plus fruits like mango, cantaloupe, apricots and plums.

- Exogenous antioxidants such as green tea, which is rich in polyphenols (antioxidant compounds that act as protectors against oxidative cell damage) and therefore prevent oxidative stress in the brain.

Current food culture incorporates many convenience foods which reduce calories and balance the energy expenditure of each individual through numerous additives, flavourings and preservatives Needless to say, saturated fat reduction cannot be forgotten since it is very beneficial to increase consumption of omega-3 fatty acids.

What happened on 3DS Barcelona 2012

Normally when performing this type of events falls into the trap of thinking: “They are young, they need to eat, it doesn’t matter where calories come from”, … and what is offered to them is industrial quantities of foods rich in saturated fats, additives, preservatives, salt, sugar, pre-cooked,… Nevertheless, it did not happen. The entire food event was managed separately from the academic side and organizing, and carried out by the Foundation for the health promotion (www.fufosa.org ), a non-profit foundation which founding objectives are promoting health and take precautions against diseases, through post-graduate activities and release of information, both aimed at professionals of medicine and citizens. It also stimulates research in health issues and the publication of informative material of quality. At first, Fufosa was a hard work to achieve sponsorship of all the foods considered essential to gain an improvement in cognitive performance of the participants. Once achieved with adequate nutrients, it was planned to offer food to participants in order to keep their brain awake during the three hard and exciting days ranging to live. It was scheduled in such a way that wherefore their feeding was careful all day, from 8.30 a.m. until 12 midnight, the three main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) were complete in
nutrients and micronutrients. As expected, participants arranged all kinds of healthy snacks to keep their body and brain in motion. .

Just by getting to the working classrooms all the participants had a full breakfast:

- Varied fruit, providing high content of vitamins and minerals that help regulate the metabolism of the body and immune system.

- Whole wheat bread, seeds, chapatti, rustic … with tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil that facilitates the absorption of lycopene from tomato, which is an important antioxidant.

- Muesli with nuts and almonds both rich in fibre and no trans fats.

- Low-fat dairy such as milk, yogurt or cheese, which are low-fat foods that provide lots of nutrients and benefits to the body, such as care of the bones, nails and teeth therefore maintain and strengthen the tissues and muscles.

- Olive Oil extra virgin, one of the treasures of our agriculture and main role of the Mediterranean diet in promoting heart-healthy life.

- Creta Farms sausages, which are the only sausages made up with extra virgin olive oil instead of animal fat (and unique process patented worldwide) to reduce the intake of saturated fat.

- Nuts such as walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, raisins, … all of them rich in protein, fibre, minerals, vitamins and high intake of unsaturated fats, making them cardio protective food. Some scientific studies support its beneficial effects on health, and are essential in people’s diet which demands great physical or mental performance.

- Further products such as wheat toast, crackers Mary, crackers, cookies, cola cao, honey …

Drink water for a proper hydration, otherwise metabolism can be damaged significantly with low digestions and circulatory and kidney deficiency. Other types of beverage such as infusions should be taken into consideration as well. Coffee is a central nervous system stimulant and keeps the mind more alert to people who are doing some work that needs mental focus, and has a very good diuretic and antioxidant potential.

At the issue, meals and heart-healthy dishes were provided in collaboration with Grup jardí (www.grupjardi.com). Some of the nutrients to maximize the cognitive performance of participants were the following:

- Salads with ingredients such as:

- Lettuce: low-calorie source of vitamin B9, some vitamin C and carotenoids (powerful antioxidant) and rich in water and potassium.

- Tomato: rich in lycopene - a plant pigment with high antioxidant properties which works to protect body cells from oxidative stress caused by free radicals.

- Asparagus: with low calories and high in fibre that provides a feeling of fullness, which helps to reduce appetite, and as a source of antioxidants like vitamin C, E, provitamin A and phenolic compounds such as lignans.

- Mozzarella: with a large supply of calcium and phosphorus. It is an excellent food for bones and brain.

- Tuna: it is an excellent source of protein of high biological value, vitamins and minerals. The benefit is low in saturated fat and is high in Omega-3, which decreases the incidence of cardiovascular disease and it has beneficial effects on cognitive brain function.

All the salads are dressed with our fantastic extra virgin olive oil:

- Pasta with pesto. Pasta is food rich in carbohydrates. 100 g. of this meal contains 70.90 g. of starch, so it is an excellent energy food, which provides glucose to the body muscles and brain. The arugula pesto allows us to enjoy the arugula, which is an excellent plant, highly digestible and combines beautifully with reputedly anti-cholesterol items such as garlic, olive oil or nuts.

- Mushroom Risotto: rice is the staple food of nearly half of the world population. It is rich in carbohydrates and therefore it is an energy food vital for muscle development and a source of energy for the brain. Unlike other cereals, it contains no gluten. “Ceps” (Boletus aureus) are mostly water, fibre, vitamins and minerals, so do not add any fat and fewer carbohydrates. Also mushrooms are one of the few non-marine sources of iodine, essential for the synthesis of thyroid hormones. They are also beneficial for its phosphorus, necessary for the bones and teeth formation. Also it contains ergosterol, a compound that is converted into vitamin D, which promotes proper calcium absorption.

-Desserts: basically fruit that provides more than half of the vitamin A and almost all the vitamin C we need. Also it contains phenolic compounds and carotenoids which are potent antioxidants. And why not the whim of the day?: Chocolate brownie, despite it provides saturated fats and sugars it offers the magnificent properties of black chocolate, and therefore having small quantities also gives us the pleasure of eating it.

At dinner time, certes nerves were served because it was nearly the end of the day and some projects were a bit stuck so they were offered food easier to eat but no least healthy as:

- Gazpacho, refreshing, full of vitamins, minerals, and especially lycopene (antioxidant).

- Cream of asparagus, peas, mushrooms…an easy and convenient for the provision of essential vitamins and minerals that should be part of every meal.

- Bread, which we already know its benefits especially brown bread, and tomato and olive oil.

- Tortilla with potatoes and onions, with the wealth of the properties of the egg as a source of high biological value protein, onion rich in vitamins and minerals and ingredients typical of many Mediterranean dishes.

- Creta Farms Pates made with extra virgin olive oil.

- Chalk Farm Sausages made with extra virgin olive oil

- Fresh cheese.

- And of course, fresh fruit and non-fat yogurt.

To keep everybody awake and be able to work all day, some drinks were available: water, coffee, tea, cola zero, orange juice,… and some healthy snacks like fruit, nuts (nuts, raisins, almonds, hazelnuts, …), biscuits and whole low fat yogurt, …

It is fairly expected to display other events from Fufosa enhanced among participants and organizers: there is a goal in everything, we are what we eat and our eating habits might change widely our future both professionally and healthily.

“I heard it and forgot it

I saw it and believed it

I did and I learned”

Confucius.

We are further obliged to:

Grup Jardí www.grupjardi.com

Caprabo www.caprabo.com

Nestlé www.nestle.es

Cobega www.cobega.es

Nespresso www.nespresso.es

Nutrexpa www.nutrexpa.es

Mundopan www.mundopan.es