"During confinement, less red meat was consumed, less sweetened/carbonated beverages and less pastries were consumed. Consumption of olive oil, fish, fruits, vegetables and legumes increased, which increased adherence to the Mediterranean per diem expenses ," explained Dolores Ruiz, Professor of Nutrition and Bromatology at the University of Granada. The speaker intervened in the "XV workshop of update in Nutrition-Encounters for professionals" organized by the School of Pharmacy and Nutrition of the University of Navarra.

Dolores Ruiz, together with her team of researchers, devised the project #COVIDiet on eating behavior during confinement. The study included a 14-question survey about the Mediterranean per diem expenses for "being a healthy patron saint of per diem expenses and recognized in several international countries".

With a participation of 7,514 people, the results were positive and significant as they saw all groups surveyed increase their adherence to the Mediterranean per diem expenses . The project was expanded to a European level with 16 countries and 28,000 participants who adapted their surveys to the status of each nation through an indicator provided by Oxford University.

Increase vitamin D intake
The main food and nutrition recommendation in the face of the COVID-19 health crisis is to seek a complete and healthy per diem expenses , supplying energy, protein and fat needs. In addition, Dolores Ruiz focused on vitamin D as "the nutrient that could help reduce the inflammatory response to infection".  

The main conclusion reached by Dolores Ruiz was that "when we are allowed to organize our lives in a more relaxed way we eat better because it has already been engraved in our minds as consumers which foods are better". "If we dedicate more time to life and less to work, we organize ourselves better and we will be able to give continuity to the Mediterranean per diem expenses ", she concluded.