My husband and I traveled to Italy in 2019. Everything was wonderful, even the “house” wine in restaurants. We were surprised, however, that much of food we were served did not exactly match what we expected in this Mediterranean country.

In particular was the abundance of meat products, especially cold cuts, in the meals provided by our hosts. Since we were with a group of Americans, I wrote it off as a gesture of hospitality from our Italian friends.

A few weeks ago, however, I received a letter from my Russian friend who has lived in Italy for several years.

“Yesterday we had lunch with our Italian and Canadian friends in town,” she wrote. “We had pasta con fagioli (pasta with beans), fried pork sausages and pistachio tiramisu (an Italian pastry dessert made with layers of mascarpone cheese, whipped eggs yolks and sugar).

“People have good quality cold cuts, cheeses, olive oil and wine,” she continued.

“We cannot help but notice that in Italy, pasta is in the menu everywhere and always on the table for lunch in Italian homes. Salads are very rare. Mediterranean diet is a well-promoted healthy food concept that sells well but somehow does not correspond to reality, at least here in Italy,” she concluded.

Very interesting. Traditionally, the diet habits of people in Italy and other Mediterranean countries included plenty of pasta, bread, olive oil and vegetables, with moderate portions of meat, fish, dairy foods and eggs. Dessert was usually fresh fruit.

Research from the 1980s found this way of eating to be especially healthful, especially for the heart, when compared to the usual American diet of the time. Thus, the adoption of the Mediterranean diet as a way to lower cholesterol.

What about now? A 2021 study in the journal Nutrients reported that “food habits in Italy have changed considerably” in the past 20 years and “adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet is, at present, rather modest.”

These researchers found that today’s Italians eat too few vegetables, fruit and legumes and too much meat, cheese and sugar. They are doing well with their intake of fish, poultry and olive oil, however.

Italians could improve the quality of their diets by adjusting the balance of how they eat these foods, say these scientists.

What about those of us in the United States? Studies have found that trending one’s diet to the traditional Mediterranean way of eating may help improve pregnancy outcomes and lower one’s risk for depression, obesity and heart disease.

I especially like that this pattern can be adjusted to our individual likes and dislikes. Most importantly, those who enjoy this traditional way of eating often do so with others. And we know that sharing meals is a valuable source of social and emotional support. May that part of the Mediterranean diet never change.

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