Understanding Mediterranean and Okinawa Diets

Syllabus

• Week 1

  What do we eat

  • Is your food healthy?

    Welcome to this course in which we will be dealing with food and health. You will be guided through this journey by experts and you will be invited to think about your habits and share your thoughts with other participants.

  • Why is diet important for your health?

    You might be familiar with the slogan “You are what you eat!”. However, does it really matter what and how you eat? Is the diet crucial for your health?

  • The Mediterranean (MED) food pyramid and scientific background

    We will present here the history of the Med diet, the Med food pyramid and the recommended frequency of food consumption.

  • The Okinawa diet: The food pyramid, scientific background and benefits for your health

    Like many other diets based on traditional or local eating patterns, the Okinawa diet recommends eating as much food as possible that is not subject to processing, thus avoiding processed food.

  • Week 1 reflection

    Reflection is an important part of learning, so, let's review what you've learned so far.

• Week 2

  Diet and microbiota: health benefits

  • Diet and microbiota: fundaments

    Diet influences human microbiota and its functions and, in this way, it has an impact on human health.

  • The health benefits of the MED and Okinawa diets

    Find out what are the benefits, documented by rigorous scientific studies, of these two diets, which are very different from each other, but have many common characteristics, by being all healthy diets.

  • Components of MED and Okinawa diets: protein sources

    During this week you will find out what are the foods in these two diets which represent protein sources. Watch what protein sources, from legumes and other plant, are used in the MED diet.

  • Foods of the MED and Okinawa diets: fish, meat, poultry and dairy

    The goal of these videos is to improve your knowledge of protein foods and their role in a healthy diet. We will start introducing the common fishes of MED and Okinawa diet and then we will focus on three kinds of animal protein.

  • An easy-to-prepare recipe

    How is your cooking style?

  • Test your knowledge

    What do you know about protein source foods? Did you find something new about that?

  • Reflection

    Let’s take a moment to reflect on what you’ve learned

• Week 3

  Foods of MED and Okinawa diets: properties and benefits

  • Foods of the Okinawa diet: wakame and kombu seaweeds, tofu, shiitake mushrooms.

    Discover foods of the Okinawa diet and how to find European alternatives.

  • Components of MED and Okinawa diets: carbohydrate and fat sources.

    During this activity you will find out what are foods used in the MED and in the Okinawa diets as carbohydrate and fat sources.

  • Foods of the MED diet: olive oil.

    Properties and benefits of olive oil

  • Foods of the MED and Okinawa diets: fruit and vegetables

    This video aims to increase your knowledge of the fruit and vegetables. What is their role in MED diet? Also, you will learn about the nutritional properties and health benefits associated with this food group.

  • Foods of the MED and Okinawa diets: cereals and pseudocereals

    In this video, you will learn more about cereals and pseudocereals. After this lesson, you will be able to describe their role in MED and Okinawa diets.

  • Test your knowledge

    What do you know about fruit, vegetables, cereals and pseudocereals? Did you find something new about that?

  • An easy-to-prepare recipe

    Have you ever used foods of the three diets in your cuisine?

  • Final assessment and 'take home message'

    What do you take with you at the end of this course? Check your knowledge and share your reflections with other learners.

Who will you learn with?