Journey to discover the Italian Mediterranean Diet: from literary sources, archaeological and medical sciences from the IV sec. BC to the post genomic era

The Mediterranean diet, a lifestyle universally regarded as the optimal scheme to promote health and, consequently, the duration and the quality of life, world-unique example of food, social and cultural practices, has been recognized as intangible heritage of UNESCO, in November 2010. Literary sources, but also the archaeological documentation and scientific, anthropological and paleobotanical analysis allow us to delineate an articulate Italian Mediterranean traditional food from the fourth century BC, from the territory of Calabria, called in the past Brutium. A diet high in grains and vegetables, an apparent consumption of olive oil, a substantial presence on the table, fish or pork, especially food high in fat like Omega3, with healthy benefits, and a consumption and marketing of wine, give the basis for recognizing a strong food culture, permeated by foreign influences but also characterized by important endogenous features, as marker of cultural identity of Italy.