The Aula of the Mediterranean Diet and Healthy Living, together with the University of Almería, the University of Navarra, and the Permanent Seminar on the Mediterranean Diet of the University of Almería, has actively contributed to the promotion and presentation of the Manifesto of the First Meeting on Culinary Medicine, held in Almería on 10 November 2025.
This manifesto represents a shared academic and institutional commitment to culinary medicine as an innovative, interdisciplinary approach that connects medical science, nutrition, gastronomy, and sustainability in the service of public health.
Culinary Medicine: Bridging Science, Cooking, and Health
Culinary medicine is defined as an emerging discipline that integrates evidence-based medicine with culinary practice, aiming to prevent and manage disease through nutrition, healthy cooking techniques, and lifestyle education. Its primary goal is to improve adherence to healthy dietary patterns—particularly the Mediterranean Diet—and to enhance the effectiveness of clinical and preventive health recommendations.
Within this framework, the kitchen becomes an essential educational and therapeutic space, where medical professionals, dietitians, researchers, and culinary experts collaborate to translate scientific evidence into everyday meals.
The Chef as a Key Member of the Health Team
One of the central pillars of the manifesto is the recognition of the chef as an operational member of the healthcare team. In the context of culinary medicine, chefs contribute practical expertise in ingredient selection, cooking techniques, sensory adaptation, and recipe design, ensuring that medical and nutritional recommendations are feasible, enjoyable, and culturally meaningful.
This role is particularly relevant in improving dietary adherence, preventing malnutrition, and adapting food preparation to specific clinical conditions.
Culinary Medicine and the Mediterranean Diet: Health, Culture, and Sustainability
The manifesto highlights the Mediterranean Diet as a cornerstone of culinary medicine, emphasizing not only food choices but also traditional cooking techniques, conviviality, sustainability, and the preservation of culinary heritage. Culinary medicine operationalizes these principles by transforming them into concrete, practical actions that promote health and well-being across the lifespan.
Special attention is given to healthy cooking methods, the reduction of harmful compounds generated during certain cooking processes, and the development of guidelines and recipe resources adapted to different health needs.
Education, Research, and Social Commitment in Culinary Medicine
Among the objectives outlined in the manifesto are the establishment of teaching kitchens in healthcare and community settings, continuous interprofessional training, transnational research on cooking techniques and health outcomes, and the creation of strategic alliances between medical, academic, and gastronomic institutions.
Through its involvement in this initiative, the Aula of the Mediterranean Diet and Healthy Living reinforces its mission to promote culinary medicine as a public health strategy, aligned with scientific evidence, cultural values, and environmental responsibility.
Cooking is Preventive Medicine. Cooking is an act of Public Health.