As part of Canada Nutrition Month, the Embassy of Italy in Ottawa in collaboration with the School of Nutrition Sciences at the University of Ottawa organized on March 22 “Food, Nutrition, and Health”, an initiative focusing on the link between nutrition – with a specific focus on the Mediterranean diet – health and well-being. Around 100 guests including students, professors and researchers from the University’s Faculty of Sciences, as well as representatives of Canadian institutions and members of the diplomatic corps in Canada attended the event.
The event was opened by two internationally renowned Italian researchers, Stefania Maggi, Director of Research at CNR and current President of the Fondazione Dieta Mediterranea, and Antonella Amato, Professor of Physiology at the University of Palermo, and focused on the positive impact of the Mediterranean diet on people’s well-being, including in terms of preventing aging and cognitive decline. The speeches were followed by a cooking demonstration by the Embassy’s Chef, Cristian Lepore, during which he explained how the ingredients at the heart of the Mediterranean diet can be combined in various ways to make healthier dishes, while retaining the taste that makes them popular all over the world.
An exhibit of science-based posters, including one created by the Italian Embassy on the Mediterranean diet, Italian food and Italian sounding, followed.
