Healthy Lifestyles
Choosing the best for ourselves every day
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The new guidelines
New scientific evidence have led to a revision of the food pyramid that has given the guidelines to follow, since 1992.
In 2025, SINU issued new guidelines to promote healthier eating, taking into account innovative issues related to the environmental footprint of food and an active lifestyle.
A renewed version
A team of experts from the Italian Society of Human Nutrition (SINU) recently developed a new version of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid, promoting healthy and sustainable eating.
This revision was made possible by significant new scientific evidence regarding the link between the Mediterranean diet and the prevention of chronic noncommunicable diseases. SINU reviewed the FAO-WHO document on healthy and sustainable diets, as well as the EAT-Lancet Commission article on healthy diets from sustainable food systems.
Two other official Italian documents that the Working Group carefully examined were the Dietary Guidelines for a Healthy Diet, developed by the CREA-Centro di Ricerca per gli Alimenti e la Nutrizione (Center for Research on Food and Nutrition), and the more recent 5th Revision of the Dietary Reference Values for the Italian Population (LARN).
The base of the Food Pyramid
At the base of the Pyramid there are two sections, both dedicated to foods to be consumed daily.
The lower section represents the heart of the Mediterranean model and includes fruits, vegetables (five servings per day), and extra virgin olive oil (EVO). EVO oil's central position among the essential foods is justified by the solid evidence of its value in preventing cardiovascular disease, as well as being a key component of the Mediterranean diet.
Let's go up a step
The upper part of the Pyramid's base includes other foods which consume is recommended daily, with whole grains occupying a prominent position as the main source of carbohydrates and energy. Another suggestion, respecting ancient traditions, is to pair grains with vegetables and legumes.
The new Food Pyramid particularly emphasizes the importance of consuming whole grains, thanks to their contribution of dietary fibre, vitamins, and bioactive compounds. These elements are crucial for their positive metabolic effects compared to refined grains, such as reducing the glycaemic response after meals.
Nuts and oilseeds have been included in healthy dietary guidelines in many countries, thanks to growing scientific evidence attesting to their beneficial effects. Italian guidelines recommend regular consumption of dried fruit, due to its content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive substances, recommending a serving of 30g per day.
In the average Italian diet, cheese emerges as one of the main sources of salt and saturated fat. The Guidelines recommend regular consumption of semi-skimmed milk and yogurt, emphasizing that some saturated fatty acids found in milk and its derivatives do not significantly impact blood cholesterol levels.
For this reason, milk and yogurt have been placed in the new Food Pyramid alongside cereals and nuts, recommending their daily consumption. Conversely, cheese has been placed in the middle section of the Pyramid, suggesting less frequent weekly consumption, with a preference for soft cheeses over hard and very mature cheeses.
Protein sources are coming
The middle tier of the Pyramid consists of foods that provide protein: the two main recommended sources of protein are pulses and fish, and these are placed in the lower section alongside the fresh dairy products mentioned earlier.
Eating more pulses instead of foods that provide animal protein is preferable both for health reasons and to reduce the environmental impact of food production.
Eating fish is part of the local tradition, particularly along the coastlines of Mediterranean countries, and preference should be given to small local fish and ‘oily fish’ for both nutritional and environmental reasons.
The next step
At the top of the central section of the Food Pyramid, alongside hard cheeses, are other sources of animal protein: white meat and eggs, along with potatoes, a valid carbohydrate alternative.
It is recommended to consume white meat, especially poultry, and eggs on a weekly basis, along with aged cheese, which should be considered the main protein source rather than an addition to the meal.
The summit
Conversely, red and processed meats are at the top of the Pyramid, indicating that their consumption should be occasional. This represents a significant advancement toward a more plant-based eating pattern compared to the previous version of the Pyramid, which recommended regular consumption of red and processed meats on a weekly basis.
Along with red and processed meats, the top of the Food Pyramid comprises all products containing high amounts of added sugars. According to the LARN (Regional Food Safety Authority) and the Italian Guidelines for Healthy Nutrition, a balanced diet should not exceed 15% of total energy intake.
Regarding sugar, salt, and alcohol: the less you consume, the better it is. A balanced Mediterranean diet must focus on excess intake of these three elements, which are often overlooked and significantly contribute to the onset of major chronic non-communicable diseases.
Other key aspects of a healthy and sustainable Mediterranean lifestyle complement the Pyramid model, including:
The sustainability of a diet, according to FAO/WHO documents, also includes its environmental and climate impact, representing a step forward from solely assessing its effect on human health.
Thanks to the SINU Group, the new Mediterranean Diet Pyramid represents a significant evolution, based on new scientific evidence and sustainability principles. This updated model places particular emphasis on plant-based foods, particularly fruits, vegetables, and extra virgin olive oil, while promoting whole grains and legumes as the primary sources of nutrients.
It is a model that, in addition to aiming to improve the population's health, also preserves cultural food traditions, providing a practical and long-term framework for adopting a healthy and sustainable dietary lifestyle in the 21st century.
Open Food Factory is Gruppo Felsineo's new project dedicated to spreading awareness about proper nutrition.
It is a hub where nutritionists, athletes and sports professionals collaborate to offer useful content and tools to those seeking well-being at the table through a balanced and conscious diet combined with proper exercise.
Gruppo Felsineo Open Food Factory is part of the Group's sustainability programme, within the “Via dei Consumatori” (Consumers' Way), and contributes to the common good: Wellbeing and Nutrition.
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