Italian cuisine is UNESCO heritage: food, health, prevention and longevity at the center of the world

On Dec. 10, 2025, during the XX session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee in New Delhi, Italian cuisine was officially inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as "Italian cuisine, between sustainability and biocultural diversity". It is the first national cuisine in the world to be recognized in its entirety for rituals, practices and savoir-faire related to food.

University UNESCO has valorized not only the dishes but the entire culture of eating well, including aspects such as sharing, seasonality, environmental sustainability and intergenerational transmission of cooking practices.

Italian cuisine as a pillar of health and prevention

This recognition is not a tribute to recipes alone: Italian cuisine is recognized as a cultural model that promotes health,prevention and quality of life. According to experts and institutions, a proper diet based on balance, variety, and fresh ingredients represents one of the first tools to prevent obesity, chronic diseases, and lifestyle-related pathologies

Under Secretary for Health Marcello Gemmato called Italian cuisine "a model that promotes health and longevity," stressing how the combination of balanced diet, physical activity, and healthy lifestyles is crucial in the prevention of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

Dietotherapy and prevention: keys to longevity

The worldwide fame of the Mediterranean diet, already recognized in the past by UNESCO as an intangible heritage, is not accidental: numerous international studies show that this diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish and extra virgin olive oil, is associated with reduction in the risk of chronic diseases,inflammatory and degenerative diseases and to increased longevity.

In Italy, territories such as Sardinia, included in so-called Blue Zones, show an exceptionally high concentration of centenarians: a factor attributed precisely to the combination of diet, exercise and social ties.

Why this recognition matters for the wellness and spa sector

The UNESCO recognition shifts the focus from taste alone to the entire ecosystem of food: from local cultivation to the ritual of family meals, via dietary habits related to health and prevention. For wellness operators and spa centers, this is an opportunity to:

• Integrate nutritional pathways based on local and seasonal ingredients, consistent with the principles of the Mediterranean diet and sustainability.
   
• Promote offerings that combine spa treatments with preventive food programs (e.g., packages "detox and local cuisine," "wellness + nutrition education" stays).
   
• Value the local area and local producers as part of the healing and preventive experience offered to visitors.
   

Conclusions

The inclusion of Italian cuisine in UNESCO's Intangible Heritage is not only a tribute to our cultural identity, but a global confirmation of the active role that food plays in health, prevention and longevity. At a time in history when integrated well-being has become a priority, this recognition underscores how Italian food practices, based on quality, seasonality, biodiversity, and sharing , represent a true international model of sustainable nutrition and healthy lifestyle.