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AC WORLDS NEWS
> INTERVIEW
ANNA LANTE:
“WE ARE WHAT WE EAT…”
1. You are part of the historical Accademia
dei Georgofili: can you explain what it is
and why it is so important?
The Accademia dei Georgofili, based in
Florence, was founded in 1753 and it is the
oldest institution of its kind, concerning
itself with agriculture, the environment and
foodstuffs as a way of promoting greater
knowledge, the development of technical
and economic activities and the growth of
social awareness in full respect of the motto
“Prosperatati Publicae Augendae” (in favour
of public prosperity). The strategic role of
agriculture emerges in this contest, not only in
the “primary”sector in terms of the time frame
involved in production activities, but also
because it is the principal source of nutritional
sustenance as well as being an equilibrium
for the biosphere of which man is an integral
part and from which his survival depends.
It should not be forgotten that industrial
manufacturing development was born from
agriculture, which supplied the raw materials,
workforce and capital.
2. Is there any correlation between what we
eat and diseases that we might develop?
It has been demonstrated that there is a
correlation between nutrition and health.
At this point I would like to highlight that
the Mediterranean Diet, considered world
heritage by UNESCO, represents a real
lifestyle, characterised by a nutritional model
that has remained constant over time, where
vegetables, fruit, dried fruit, pulses, cereals
and extra virgin olive oil are the key players,
along with good quantities of fish, little dairy,
meat and saturated fats. All of which can
be accompanied by a glass of wine during
meal times. What benefits there are from
the Mediterranean diet can be understood
from a recent article in 2014 in the British
Medical Journal where it was demonstrated
that following the lifestyle proposed by the
Mediterranean diet extends lifespan.
3. Living a healthy life and eating well
should help us live longer...
Nutrition is important, but everythingdepends
on the telomeres, sequences of DNA situated
in the end of the chromosomes, considered
natural markers of aging. Unfortunately the
length of the telomeres decreases naturally
with age and it is personal to the individual.
However, lifestyles, such as that proposed
by the Mediterranean diet, can help us stay
“young” for longer.
Silvia Carraro
Anna Lante, lecturer in Alimentary Science and Technology at the Department of Agronomy Animals Natural
Nutritional Resources and Environment at the Agripolis of Padova talks to us about health. The one that starts
at the table…