It might be almost 40 years that we don’t eat the same way as our grandparents did. We don’t follow the Mediterranean diet which could be considered as one of the healthiest. We might ask ourselves of what has happened that caused us to lose those healthy eating habits?

Many factors could be seen as responsible for this social change.

The exhausting lifestyle and the incorporation of women into the job market led us to spending less time on food shopping, cooking or planning our own menus.

In parallel, the food industry has introduced the processed food into so popular distribution chains where the shelves are being stuffed with ready-to-eat or semi prepared food which either contains the ingredients of low quality or with little to no nutrients. This dramatic change could also be seen in the fatty acids where the beneficial Omega 3 has been replaced by Omega 6 and other oils or saturated as well as hydrogenated fats.

The healthy relation of Omega 6/ Omega 3 intake is considered to be 4 to 1; however, nowadays it is 30 to 1. On top of that, it should be taken into consideration that the intake of  blue fish, which is the source of Omega 3, has decreased drastically. Therefore, the actual deficit of Omega 3, to be more specific of its main agent DHA, is universal and independent of factors such as body weight.

This particular lack results in elevated inflammatory processes, little response to the external stress factors, higher cardiovascular risk and the ageing of the cells.

On the other hand, the current contamination of the seas, makes us consider the alternative of Omega 3 supplementation free of contaminants as healthier than the proportional intake of blue fish.

Favorably in the past years there are more restaurants, supermarket chains, cooperative societies of consumers and school caterings which support the return to healthy eating based on the locally produced, less processed, sometimes even more ecological and more respectful to the environment products. We expect that this healthy flow will keep expanding and become more available for everyone.