Sports Nutrition & Mediterranean Diet - SVQ

In this experiential course, students will identify and evaluate components of the Mediterranean diet and assess the quality and cultural appropriateness of selected food products as related to sports nutrition and athletic performance. Critical course content includes a substantial background on the sociological, cultural, and historical dimensions of the Mediterranean diet. Class time will also provide the opportunity for students to taste a highly representative sample of Mediterranean diet foods in a structured environment in which students put into practice skills and knowledge discussed in readings and lectures.

Food Studies are a growing academic specialty. Particular attention in this course will be devoted to regional differences in Mediterranean food-ways, hallmarking features of traditional Andalucían cuisine. Through a variety of experiential activities, including gastronomic videos and sensory tasting sessions, this course offers students an opportunity to go beyond the traditional classroom experience to explore the essential role all five senses play in comprehending and appreciating Mediterranean cuisine.

Students will also independently explore Mediterranean food practices as related to sports nutrition and the physiological and psychological effects upon the human body. Structured exercises should ultimately broaden student knowledge of the relationship between food consumption and athletic performance and develop the critical capacity to assess important features of various food practices.