Interview to the president of the Italian Society of Andrology
«Good sex begins at the table», president of the Italian Society of Andrology (Sia), Mr. Giorgio Franco says. Mediterranean diet, beside its healthy benefits, as already shown by many studies, could prevent problems in the sexual sphere as well, such as the erectile dysfunction. Data come from the national Congress of the Sia held in Naples last June.
The president of the Italian Society of Andrology (Sia), Dr. Giorgio Franco
Franco affirms: «Following Mediterranean diet prevents sexual disorders and reduces the risk of impotence». So, basically, health – also concerning the life as a couple – begins at the table.
Which types of food, specifically, help you fight impotence? Cereals – and therefore also an average amount of pasta and bread – fruit, vegetables and fish.
The andrologist explains: «The are many scientific studies (Esposito et al Int. J.Impot. Res, 2006; Esposito et al. Jsm, 2010) that show how Mediterranean diet – poor in red or processed meat and rich in durum wheat, fruit, vegetables, nuts and fish – is more frequently associated with subjects without erectile dysfunction rather than with subjects with the dysfunction. In particular, in diabetic subjects, Mediterranean diet seems to be associated with a low risk of erectile dysfunction (Giugliano, Jsm, 2010)».
The expert also gives us an example of what the diet could consist of: «Cereals, durum wheat bread, fruit, milk and, why not, coffee or tea for breakfast. Pasta, fish, salad with oil and vinegar and fruit for lunch. Vegetable soup, fresh cheese and fruit or dessert for dinner».
Franco has no doubts about the dressing: «Preferably with fresh tomato or tomato puree, or with raw olive oil and vegetables (broccoli, zucchini, aubergine) or legumes. Avoid cream, butter or other fat condiments».
The outcomes of the Naples Congress confirm the irreplaceable role of cereals in a correct diet. Nevertheless, several people and scientists attack Mediterranean diet.
We often hear about new food trends that are based on high-protein types of food. Fortunately, low-carb diets do not find a way into Italian hearts. A Doxa research for the Italian Association of Confectionery and Pasta Industries (Aidepi) lets us know that 90% of Italians love pasta and 53% of them do not renounce to it, not even while on a strict diet.
The survey reveals that only 5% of Italians have heard about low-carb diets and only 2% has one followed it. A very low percentage of Italians (18%) admit to be interested in following the diet in the future.
1 over 3 people who have already tried one of the three most famous low-carb diets (Zone, Dukan and Palaeolithic) claims to be unsatisfied, half of them because they simply could not resist to bread and pasta and the other half because they could not get the awaited results. Still, for 72% of Italians, the ideal diet is the Mediterranean, the one based on bread and pasta.
Men under 24, who were born in southern Italian villages and on the Italian islands are the people who mainly cannot say no to pasta. Is that, perhaps, the reason why the saying «Italians do it better» has become famous all over the world?
