On May 12, 2026, Comunità S.A.N.E. – the project by Fondazione Valter Longo dedicated to Health, Physical Activity, Nutrition and Education – will enter schools for the first time. At 10:00 AM, at the Isabella D’Este Caracciolo Institute in Naples, the Food is Good Workshop will take place: an engaging event open to students, parents and teachers, designed to help build healthy eating habits through a practical, scientific and inspiring approach.

A European project for adolescent health

Comunità S.A.N.E. was created as part of a project funded by the European Union through Coesione Italia, in collaboration with Fondazione Evangelica Betania, FORM.IT and with the special participation of SSC Napoli. The goal is to promote the health of adolescents in Campania through an integrated approach combining nutrition education, physical activity and prevention, supported by the scientific expertise of Fondazione Valter Longo.

What happens during the Food is Good Workshop

During the workshop, students will take part in:

• Educational sessions focused on building healthy habits through nutrition and physical activity.
• Interactive moments dedicated to discovering how to adopt healthy and enjoyable eating habits.
• Engaging activities designed to improve energy, concentration and stress management.
• Short free nutritional consultations with Fondazione Valter Longo nutritionists, also open to parents and teachers.

Who will be attending

The event will feature nutritionists from Fondazione Valter Longo, the medical and technical staff of SSC Napoli, and the project partners: a multidisciplinary team bringing the science of longevity directly into schools.

Watch the live streaming

Can’t attend in person but interested in the project? The event will also be available via live streaming on the Fondazione Valter Longo YouTube channel on May 12 starting at 10:00 AM.

What is Comunità S.A.N.E.

Comunità S.A.N.E. is a project that brings health education into communities across Campania, with a specific focus on adolescents. The initiative combines a clinical study with structured educational interventions in schools, aiming to demonstrate how lifestyle, nutrition and physical activity can concretely improve young people’s wellbeing.

→ Discover the Comunità S.A.N.E. project

A beginning, not a standalone event

The first workshop is only the beginning. Comunità S.A.N.E. will continue supporting schools through a long-term health education journey focused on younger generations, combining scientific rigor with practical action. Over the next three years, the project aims to reach 17,000 young people across Campania.

On May 12, 2026, at the Isabella D’Este Caracciolo Institute in Naples, the first school event of the Comunità S.A.N.E. project — Health, Physical Activity, Nutrition and Education — took place. The initiative is promoted by Fondazione Evangelica Betania, Fondazione Valter Longo and Form.it as part of a program funded by the Campania Region, with the special collaboration of SSC Napoli.

A morning dedicated to young people’s health

Students and teachers took part in a day focused on education and awareness around healthy eating, physical activity, mental and physical wellbeing, and prevention. The school principal, Giovanna Scala, welcomed the initiative and highlighted the importance of creating synergies between schools, healthcare, sports and local communities to guide young people toward healthier lifestyles.

The “Food is Good” workshop

At the heart of the morning was the “Food is Good” workshop: around one hour of interactive sessions, discussions and educational activities designed to actively engage students.

The event focused on food awareness, nutrition, physical activity and stress management. The nutritionists from Fondazione Valter Longo, led by Scientific Director Romina Inés Cervigni and Educational Programs Director Cristina Villa, explored students’ eating habits, opinions about food and the importance of prevention from adolescence onward, also through playful activities.

The topic of food awareness was also explored by Antonio Salzano, psychologist and head of the Clinical Psychology Service at Evangelico Betania Hospital, together with colleagues Maria Betteghella, psychologist and psychotherapist, and Valeria Fiorini, physician and psychotherapist in training. Their contribution encouraged students to reflect on the connection between food and emotions.

There was also strong participation during the talks led by the technical and medical staff of SSC Napoli — Raffaele Canonico, Gennaro De Luca and Marco Rufolo — who shared their daily experiences from the world of professional sports, helping bring the topic of prevention closer to the everyday lives of young people.

A project looking toward the future of Campania

The Naples event is only the first step. Over the next three years, Comunità S.A.N.E. will involve around 17,000 students across Campania through interactive workshops, free nutritional consultations, family open days and awareness activities focused on the importance of physical activity. Twenty-five schools across the provinces of Naples, Salerno, Caserta, Avellino and Benevento will take part in the project.

The initiative also includes a scientific research component: a randomized clinical study involving 330 adolescents aged 14 to 18 from Campania affected by overweight and obesity. The study will test nutritional protocols developed through the research of Professor Valter Longo, Director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California.

In a region with some of the highest childhood obesity rates in Europe, Comunità S.A.N.E. proposes an innovative model of prevention and nutrition education, with the goal of transforming Campania into a leading laboratory for the health of future generations.

Artículo en español después de la versión en inglés

The new scientific publication in ‘Nature Communications’ reveals which form of fasting makes these results possible.

“This is the first study to show that a food-based intervention that does not require chronic dietary changes or other lifestyle changes can make people biologically younger.” With this statement, Professor Valter Longo summarizes the key message of a new scientific publication in “Nature Communications” (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38378685/).

The study is based on the analysis of participants in two different clinical studies, who carried out three 5-day fasting-mimicking diet cycles. Researchers found that following the fasting-mimicking diet resulted in a reduction in biological age and a lower risk of developing age-related diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Participants were therefore healthier and younger, by around 2.5 years.

What the study consists of

The fasting-mimicking diet, developed at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology in California, USA, is an innovative diet designed to mimic the effects of water-only fasting while still providing all the essential nutrients. The clinically tested protocol consists of a five-day low-calorie diet rich in “healthy” unsaturated fats and low in proteins and simple carbohydrates.

Fewer illnesses, thanks to fasting and refeeding cycles

The study also highlights how intervention strategies on aging processes should begin early in adulthood to effectively mitigate the cellular and molecular damage that accumulates over time. Alternating fasting-mimicking diet cycles with periods of refeeding in the long term facilitates the elimination of damaged cellular components and allows cellular regeneration, effectively counteracting age-related deterioration.

The decrease in biological age, when following 3 cycles of fasting-mimicking diet per year, between the ages of 50 and 70 can be up to 11 years younger.

Previous research by Professor Longo has indicated that short periodic cycles of fasting-mimicking diets can promote various metabolic benefits: in particular, optimization of cholesterol, blood pressure, triglycerides, blood sugar, inflammation, and IGF-1 (an insulin-like growth factor, which can be considered a risk factor for oncological diseases) values. Furthermore, it was mainly participants with high initial risk factor values who experienced more pronounced improvements after the fasting-mimicking diet intervention, underlining its potential as a personalized therapeutic approach. The improvement of these parameters allows us to counter metabolic syndrome, a widespread condition linked to the presence of other diseases and cardiovascular mortality. The new findings, published in the journal “Nature Communications”, revealed that those in the fasting-mimicking diet group had less abdominal and liver fat, a key indicator of metabolic health. Participants also showed a lower risk of diabetes, with, in particular, lower insulin resistance and reduced levels of glycated hemoglobin (crucial markers in diabetes control).

The new study therefore confirms how the optimization of these parameters lowers the risk of developing the main chronic non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s. 

Rejuvenation of the immune system Yet another element to consider is an increase in the lymphocyte-myeloid ratio, an indicator of a younger immune system. An increase in the lymphocyte-myeloid ratio indicates that there are more lymphocytes in the immune system, that is white blood cells that play a crucial role in adaptive immunity, compared to myeloid cells, involved in innate immunity. This increase is interpreted as a sign of a younger or more active immune system. Since lymphocytes are associated with specific and targeted immune responses, a greater ratio suggests greater efficiency of the immune system in responding to external challenges. The fasting-mimicking diet, as shown in the data published by this innovative scientific research, seems to exert positive effects on the immune profile, with evidence suggesting rejuvenating impacts on the immune system, similar to what has been observed in animal studies.In fact, aging is often accompanied by immunosenescence, characterized by an altered production and function of immune cells, which lead to greater susceptibility to disease.

The results of the new study appear to be independent of weight loss, which is achieved with calorie restriction. The effect is therefore not secondary to weight loss, but specific to this protocol.

In conclusion, accumulating evidence appears to support the role of the fasting-mimicking diet as a promising intervention to promote health extension and mitigate age-related health decline. Further research and longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the long-term effects and optimize the implementation of the said regimen for personalized health management strategies. How to eat between one fasting cycle and another?Everyday nutrition, as a whole, also affects long-term health. Studies on aging and nutrition in simple organisms, rodents, monkeys, and humans have made it possible to link longevity to conserved metabolic and growth pathways to define their role in aging and age-related diseases. A viable and effective nutritional strategy in delaying aging and/or preventing disease is the “Longevity Diet”. Its characteristics are based on the analysis of scientific studies but also on the habits of healthy centenarians. Personalization of the Longevity Diet, which also includes the fasting-mimicking diet, is crucial in optimizing lifespan and health.  It is important, for any form of fasting, to be followed by a professional expert in the application of these protocols, given the high risks of a do-it-yourself approach. To evaluate personalized strategies, the nutritionists of the European Longevity Institute at the non-profit Valter Longo Foundation, trained by Professor Valter Longo, are available at the email address [email protected].

🇪🇸 ¿Cómo reducir la edad biológica y disminuir el riesgo de desarrollar enfermedades crónicas?

La nueva publicación científica en Nature Communications revela que forma de ayuno hace posible estos resultados.

“Este es el primer estudio que demuestra que una intervención basada en la comida que no requiere cambios dietéticos crónicos u otros cambios de estilo de vida puede hacer a las personas más jóvenes biológicamente.” Con esta declaración el Profesor Valter Longo resume el mensaje principal de una nueva publicación científica en Nature Communications (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38378685/).

El estudio se basa en el análisis de participantes en dos distintos estudios clínicos, que efectuaron tres ciclos de dieta mima-ayuno (que imita al ayuno) de 5 días. Los investigadores descubrieron que las personas que siguieron la dieta mima-ayuno habían tenido como resultado una reducción de su edad biológica y menor riesgo de desarrollar una enfermedad ligada al envejecimiento como el cáncer, diabetes y enfermedades cardíacas.

Los participantes eran, por lo tanto, más sanos y resultaron más jóvenes, por cerca de 2.5 años.

En qué consiste el estudio

La dieta mima-ayuno, desarrollada en la Escuela de Gerontología Leonard Davis de USC en California, EUA, es una dieta innovadora diseñada para simular los efectos del ayuno de sólo agua, mientras proporciona todos los nutrientes esenciales. El protocolo, clínicamente probado, consiste en un régimen alimenticio hipocalórico de cinco días rico en grasas insaturadas “saludables” y bajo contenido de proteínas y carbohidratos simples.

Menos enfermedades, gracias a los ciclos de ayuno y realimentación 

El estudio resalta, además, como las estrategias de intervención sobre los procesos de envejecimiento deberían iniciar de manera temprana en la edad adulta para mitigar eficazmente los daños celulares y moleculares que se acumulan con el pasar del tiempo. Alternar los ciclos de dieta mima-ayuno con periodos de realimentación a largo plazo facilita la eliminación de los componentes celulares dañados y permite la regeneración celular, contrarrestando efectivamente el deterioro ligado a la edad.

La disminución de la edad biológica, cuando se hacen 3 ciclos de dieta mima-ayuno al año, entre los 50 y 70 años puede hacer que se llegue con 11 años menos.

Investigaciones precedentes a las del Profesor Longo han indicado que breves ciclos periódicos de dieta mima-ayuno pueden promover diversos beneficios sobre el metabolismo. En particular, una mejora en los valores de colesterol, presión arterial, triglicéridos, glucemia, inflamación e IGF-1 (un factor de crecimiento similar a la insulina, que puede ser considerado como un factor de riesgo para enfermedades oncológicas). Además, sobre todo los participantes con valores iniciales de factores de riesgo elevados son quienes experimentan un mejoramiento más pronunciado después de la implementación de la dieta mima-ayuno, resaltando su potencial como enfoque terapéutico personalizado.

El mejoramiento de estos parámetros permite contrarrestar el síndrome metabólico, una condición ampliamente distribuida ligada a la presencia de otras enfermedades y con la mortalidad cardiovascular.

Los nuevos resultados, publicados en la revista Nature Communications, revelaron que aquellos que formaron parte del grupo dieta mima-ayuno tuvieron menor grasa abdominal y hepática, un indicador clave de la salud metabólica. Los participantes mostraron también un menor riesgo de diabetes, con una particular resistencia menor a la insulina y niveles reducidos de hemoglobina glucosídica (marcadores cruciales en el control de la diabetes).

El nuevo estudio confirma por lo tanto como la mejora de estos parámetros disminuye el riesgo de desarrollar las principales enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles como diabetes, cáncer, enfermedades cardiovasculares y enfermedades neurodegenerativas, como el Alzheimer.  

Rejuvenecimiento del sistema inmunitario

A todo esto, se le añade un aumento de la proporción linfocitos-mieloides, indicador de un sistema inmunitario más joven. Un aumento de la proporción linfocitos-mieloides indica, de hecho, que en el sistema inmunitario hay más linfocitos, glóbulos blancos que llevan a cabo una función crucial en la inmunidad adaptativa, respecto a células mieloides, involucradas en la inmunidad innata. Este incremento se interpreta como signo de un sistema inmunitario más joven y activo. Debido a que los linfocitos están asociados a la respuesta inmune específica y dirigida, una mayor cantidad de estas células sugiere una mayor eficiencia del sistema inmune para responder a los desafíos externos.

La dieta mima-ayuno, con base a la lectura de los resultados publicados de tal investigación científica innovadora, parece ejercer efectos positivos sobre el perfil inmunitario, con pruebas que sugieren impactos rejuvenecedores sobre el sistema inmunitario, similares a los observados en estudios en animales.

A menudo, de hecho, el envejecimiento es acompañado de la inmunosenescencia, caracterizada por la producción y función alterada de las células inmunitarias, que llevan a una mayor susceptibilidad a enfermedades.

Los resultados del nuevo estudio parecen ser independiente de la pérdida de peso, que se obtiene como resultado de la restricción calórica. El efecto no es por lo tanto secundario de la pérdida de peso, pero específico de este protocolo.

En conclusión, las pruebas acumuladas parecen apoyar el papel de la dieta mima-ayuno como intervención prometedora para promover la extensión de la salud y mitigar el declive de la salud ligado a la edad. Investigaciones adicionales y estudios longitudinales son necesarios para aclarar los efectos a largo plazo y optimizar la implementación de dicho régimen para estrategias personalizadas de gestión de la salud.

¿Cómo comer entre uno y otro ciclo de ayuno?

Incluso la alimentación de todos los días, como un todo, influye en la salud a largo plazo.

Estudios sobre el envejecimiento y la nutrición en organismos simples, roedores, simios y seres humanos han permitido conectar la longevidad con vías metabólicas y de crecimiento conservadas para determinar su papel en el envejecimiento y en las enfermedades relacionadas con la edad. Una estrategia nutricional práctica y eficaz en el retardo del envejecimiento y/o prevención de las enfermedades es la “Dieta de la Longevidad”. Las características de la cual se basan en el análisis de estudios científicos, así como también en los hábitos de los “centenarios” sanos.

La personalización de la dieta de la longevidad, que comprende también la dieta mima-ayuno, es crucial en la mejora de la duración de la vida y la salud. Es importante, cual sea la forma de ayuno, ser orientado por un profesional experto en la aplicación de tales protocolos, dado los altos riesgos de hacerlo por uno mismo. Para evaluar las estrategias personalizadas, los nutricionistas del Instituto Europeo de la Longevidad de la Fundación Valter Longo Onlus, formados por el Profesor Valter Longo, están a disponibilidad en el siguiente correo electrónico:  [email protected]

A recent study carried out in 2020 and published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition investigated whether an anti-inflammatory diet could reduce disease activity and improve the quality of life for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by synovial inflammation (an acute or chronic inflammation of tendon tissue) and often followed by cartilage and bone erosion¹. Patients with RA suffer from reduced functional capacity, pain and stiffness that often lead to an impairment in their quality of life.

In this single blinded crossover study, i.e. a study in which the subject is exposed, at different times, to one or more different treatments, following a random sequence and without being aware of the type of treatment received, the 50 Swedish patients with RA enrolled were randomly assigned to either an anti-inflammatory intervention diet that included non-inflammatory foods or a diet similar to a typical Swedish diet for 10 weeks.

The intervention diet was provided by the study and was created based on the average dietary intake for men and women aged 45 to 64 years in Sweden (17% protein, 34% total fat, 13% SFA and 43% carbohydrates).

• Lunch and dinner contained fish (mainly salmon) 3-4 times a week and vegetarian dishes with legumes 1-2 times a week. Potatoes, whole grains, vegetables, yogurt for dips, spices, and other flavorings were included

• Snacks consisted of fresh fruit.

• Breakfast contained low-fat dairy, whole grains, pomegranate and cranberries, nuts, and juice shots with probiotics.

The probiotic strain used contained Lactobacillus plantarum 299, known for its systemic anti-inflammatory and immune response regulator properties, and 5g/week were provided to the participants.

For those meals not provided by the study, participants were instructed to limit their meat intake to no more than 3 times per week, to eat no more than 5 servings of fruit, berries, and vegetables per day (including those provided), to use oil or margarine when cooking, and choose low-fat dairy products and whole grains.

The control diet followed by the other group, provided by the study, had a daily structure of:

• meat or chicken, a maximum of 5 times a week,

• refined cereals,

• protein bars or quark (cream cheese) as snacks

• a breakfast of white bread with butter and cream cheese and a mix of either quark or yoghurt with corn flakes and orange juice.

In addition, participants were also asked to consume ≤5 servings-per-day of fruits, berries, and vegetables; seafood ≤1 time/week; to use butter when cooking; to choose high-fat dairy products and avoid products with probiotics.

After a 4-month break from the dietary treatment, the participants switched diets, therefore those who followed the anti-inflammatory diet started following the control diet and vice versa.

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate disease activity, the secondary objective was to evaluate any improvements in painful and swollen joints, general health status and C-reactive protein (an index of inflammation detected through blood tests).

RESULTS

While following the anti-inflammatory diet, patients had a significant post-operative improvement in disease activity compared to patients following the control diet, whilst there were no statistically significant improvements in joint pain, swelling, etc. although some patients did report some improvement.

In conclusion, this study demonstrated the positive effects of an anti-inflammatory diet on disease activity. However, further studies are needed to determine whether this type of diet can lead to clinically relevant improvements².

SOURCES

1. Choy E. Understanding the dynamics: pathways involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology. 2012;51(5):v3–11.
2. Anna K E Vadell, Linnea Bärebring, Erik Hulander, Inger Gjertsson, Helen M Lindqvist, Anna Winkvist, Anti-inflammatory Diet In Rheumatoid Arthritis (ADIRA)—a randomized, controlled crossover trial indicating effects on disease activity, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 111, Issue 6, June 2020, Pages 1203–1213.

The connection between junk food and mental health has been discovered. It was brought to light by scientific research conducted at Loma Linda University in California (USA). The results of the American study were published in the specialized journal International Journal Food Sciences and Nutrition (February 2019). A previous version of this study had also already been presented during the 7th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition (also held in Loma Linda, on February 26, 2018).

AN UNHEALTHY DIET IS BAD FOR OUR BRAIN

The survey involved of over 245,000 California residents who were given questionnaires on eating habits over a 10-year period, from 2005 to 2015. In particular, researchers focused their attention on the role diet played in relation to mental health. Scholars have found that some mental disorders are related to a poor diet, regardless of age, ethnicity, education, income, marital status, geographic origin, and body mass index. As far as an “unhealthy diet” is concerned, in this study, moderate and severe psychological disturbances were associated with a reduced consumption of fruit and vegetables, versus an increase in the consumption of French fries, fast food, sodas, and teaspoons of sugar on a daily basis.

TOO MUCH SUGAR, FRIED FOOD, AND TOO MANY REFINED GRAINS LEAD TO MENTAL DISORDERS

The data from the survey (known as the “California Health Interview Survey 2005-2015”) found that individuals who consumed the most junk food were more likely to develop symptoms related to moderate or severe psychological disorders compared to participants who followed a healthier diet. Specifically, excessive sugar consumption is associated with bipolar disorder, while consuming foods that are fried or contain high amounts of sugar and processed grains are linked to depression. Data analysis shows that almost 17% of adults who took part in the survey run the risk of suffering from mental disorders, of which 13.2% in a moderate form and 3.7% in a severe form.

Further investigations are needed to confirm that, conversely, a healthy diet contributes to good mental health. A positive goal would be to establish targeted public health interventions, especially at a preventive level, aimed at young adults or individuals with less than 12 years of education.

SOURCES

Banta JE et Al. – Mental health status and dietary intake among California adults: a population-based survey – International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition (Feb. 2019)

It is by now well known that carbonated drinks are bad for your health. In fact, there are many scientific studies that demonstrate that the sugar they contain leads to an increase in the risk of premature death. A new study reveals that even 100% natural fruit juices contain the same amount of sugar as sugary drinks and that, therefore, if drunk in excess they are equally harmful. It was a survey carried out by a group of US researchers from Emory University in Atlanta (Georgia) and Cornell University in Ithaca (New York), who, for the first time, compared 100% fruit juices with soft drinks. The results were published in the scientific journal Jama (May 2019).

SUGAR IN SOFT DRINKS ASSOCIATED WITH CORONARY RISK

To do so, researchers analyzed the eating habits, in particular those regarding the intake of sugary drinks and fruit juices, of almost 13,440 American adults, over 45 years of age. During the 6-year observation period, 1,000 deaths from different causes and 168 deaths from coronary heart disease were recorded. It turned out that those who drank a large glass (350 ml) of fruit juice every day saw a 24% increase in their mortality risk, compared to those who didn’t drink any. Meanwhile, for those who drank sugary drinks every day, mortality risk increased “only” by 11%.

Previous studies have associated consuming lots of fruit juice with an increased risk of getting type 2 diabetes, compared to eating whole fruit. Likewise, the consumption of sugar and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has already been associated with dyslipidemia, obesity and diabetes, all considered risk factors for coronary heart disease. At any rate, further longer-term investigations are needed to confirm this preliminary study’s observations.

WHOLE FRUIT IS BETTER THAN FRUIT JUICE

Sugary drinks, soft drinks, energy drinks and 100% fruit juices themselves are among the main causes of obesity and cardio-vascular problems. Furthermore, in most cases, fruit juices contain an amount of sugar that is the maximum amount that a 4–6-year-old child should not consume per day. Although fruit juices are still widely regarded as a healthier choice than sugary drinks, they often contain the same amount of sugar and provide the same calorie intake as SSBs. Even if it is sugar already found in fruit, our body metabolizes it in the same way it does added sugar.

The WHO, as a matter of fact, considers sugar naturally found in fruit juices in the same way it does added sugars in food products. Hence the importance of setting up communication campaigns, marketing restrictions and taxation even for 100% fruit juices, especially when children are the final consumers.

SOURCES

Marta Guasch-Ferré, Frank B. Hu – Are Fruit Juices Just as Unhealthy as Sugar-Sweetened Beverages? – JAMA (May 2019)

Good news for spice lovers, at the expense of salt. Eating too much salt is bad for heart health, as it causes hypertension and increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes. To avoid this, doctors usually recommend limiting the use of salt in our dishes, although the amount of salt in our everyday diet remains a controversial topic, given that even those who consume too little salt run the risk of increasing the likelihood of developing heart disease. How can we manage our taste for savory flavors?

A group of researchers from the Third Military University of Chongqing (China) investigated the possibility of reducing salt in our daily diet, by replacing it with spices. The results of the study were published in the scientific journal Hypertension (October 2017).

CHILI PEPPER HELPS KEEP BLOOD PRESSURE UNDER CONTROL

The survey involved over 600 adults of Chinese nationality, who were initially asked whether they preferred salty or spicy dishes, after which their blood pressure would be checked. It turned out that participants who didn’t consume spicy dishes ate an average of 13.4 grams of salt per day. Whilst subjects who chose spicy foods reduced the amount of salt consumed to 10.3 grams per day. Furthermore, for spice lovers, systolic blood pressure was 8 mmHg lower than for those who, on the other hand, preferred salty foods over spicy ones. The same goes for diastolic blood pressure, which was 5 mmHg lower for spice users.

Researchers investigated whether increased awareness of salty foods could reduce salt intake in daily diets, finding that a taste for spicy flavors is an effective solution for reducing salt intake in daily diets and, consequently, keeping blood pressure under control, regardless of the type and amount of food. Specifically, it would be up to capsaicin, a substance that gives the spicy flavor to chili pepper and other spices, to amplify the sensation of salty taste in foods.

THE BRAIN AREAS STIMULATED BY SALT AND SPICES ARE THE SAME

Furthermore, through imaging techniques, researchers investigated the brain areas involved in the mechanisms that regulate the perception of salty tastes (insula and orbito-frontal cortex), discovering that they are the same ones activated by spicy tastes. Furthermore, spices amplify the brain activity of those same areas stimulated by salt. Therefore, eating spicy foods can be an excellent trick to consume less salt, since it increases its gustatory perception.

In light of these results, experts advise those who enjoy it to eat spicy food every day; whilst to those who cannot tolerate chili peppers, they suggest choosing other spices. In any case, further studies are needed to understand which is the best spice to add to food, in order to reduce salt consumption and/or lower blood pressure. It may also be useful to conduct scientific research on population samples that are larger and belong to other ethnic groups.

SOURCES

nternational Childhood Cancer Day

Zhiming Zhu et al. – Enjoyment of Spicy Flavor Enhances Central Salty-Taste Perception and Reduces Salt Intake and Blood Pressure – Hypertension (Oct 2017)

A COLLECTIVE BOOK TO FOSTER INCLUSION THROUGH FOOD – CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

On this special occasion, we would like to remind us all how food could be an important tool to foster inclusion, openness, and to encounter other cultures.

For this reason, my Foundations created a collective project:

“The Collective Book of Recipes, Stories, and Traditions of Longevity”

The goal is to create a collective book with recipes, stories, and traditions of longevity from around the world to promote more inclusive communities and expand our knowledge of other cultures.

Your contribution and your name will appear in the book to be published next year.

The proceeds will go to non-profit projects for schools, families, patients in economic and critical health conditions, people with disabilities, and women who are embarking on a path out of violence.

We are delighted to work together to create inclusive, healthy, and sustainable communities and realities.

GUIDELINES- HOW TO SEND YOUR CONTRIBUTION

For more information click here to read the guidelines

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