Adnkronos Rome, October 15 (Adnkronos Salute) – Fresh fruit and vegetables should be included at every meal, varying the type and color; whole grains, such as bread, pasta, and whole grains; among proteins, favor legumes and fish, including eggs, cheese, and poultry, and limiting red meat; and high-quality fats and condiments, such as extra virgin olive oil, nuts, and oilseeds.
Creating healthy lunches and dinners is also possible thanks to a new tool, the "smart plate," inspired by the Mediterranean diet. And on World Food Day, Smartfood IEO, the Nutrition Sciences and Communication Program at the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, presents the "smart plate," a visual guide for creating balanced meals based on the recommendations of leading national and international scientific societies.
The "Smart Plate" was created as a practical and visual tool for translating recommendations into daily choices: an easy-to-understand graphic illustrating the ideal composition of main meals according to the Mediterranean diet, recognized globally as one of the most beneficial for our health. The infographic was reworked by the Smartfood team based on the "Healthy Eating Plate" model from Harvard Medical School in Boston, expanding on practical messages and adapting to the latest evidence.
"Eating healthily isn't complicated: anyone can do it by adapting the Smart Plate recommendations to their tastes, habits, and lifestyle," explains Lucilla Titta, coordinator of the IEO Smartfood program. "With this infographic, which represents a universal educational tool, we want to offer a simple and reliable guide, based on solid scientific evidence, to help people make informed food choices every day."
To redesign the new 'smart plate,' the Smartfood team integrated the principles of the Guidelines for a Healthy Diet from the Food and Nutrition Research Center (CREA), the recommendations of the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), and the update of the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid developed by the Italian Society of Human Nutrition (SINU) in 2025. The result – according to a press release – is a modern representation of the Mediterranean model, consistent with the most recent international guidelines for the prevention of chronic diseases.
In celebration of World Food Day, Smartfood Ieo is also revamping its website, smartfood.ieo.it, the go-to resource for anyone seeking guidance in the world of healthy nutrition. The new, more intuitive and dynamic version is designed to offer a simple yet content-rich browsing experience: in-depth articles, infographics, recipes, practical tips, and multimedia resources that transform research into practical tools for everyday life. Clear language, fresh graphics, and themed sections such as Food Science, be Smart, and Nutrition from A to Z make the portal a vibrant information hub where science is accessible and useful to everyone. With these initiatives, Smartfood Ieo—the statement concludes—confirms its mission: to translate scientific research into people's daily lives to promote a healthy, informed, and evidence-based lifestyle.