Nutritional Value of Food

Introduction

Through this WebQuest you will achieve a better adherence to Mediterranean Diet by exploring more deeply the nutritional value of legumes, fish, bread and whole grains, nuts/seeds, fruits/vegetables, fermented dairy, herbs/spices and of course wine as alcohol suggested in this diet. By combining research, analysis, creativity, and critical thinking in a STEAM challenge, you will highlight the science, cultural value and modern relevance of these essential foods.

Task

You will work in small teams to:

  1. Investigate one core Mediterranean food category (excluding olive oil).
  2. Analyze its nutritional composition and evidence-based health impact.
  3. Explore its scientific properties, cultural/traditional uses, and role in disease prevention (cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer, etc.).
  4. Complete a STEAM-based creative challenge to present your findings to the class or community.
Process

Step 1: Choose a STEAM activity per team

Each team will select one of the following activities to investigate and present:

1. "Nutritional Portrait" Infographic or Poster

 Include:

  • Key nutrients and compounds (e.g., omega-3s in fish, fiber in legumes)
  • Disease prevention roles
  • Visuals or icons representing their traditional Mediterranean uses

 

Useful links:

https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/heart-healthy-foods-to-add-to-your-diet

 

2. "Functional Foodboard"

Design a conceptual “Functional Mediterranean Plate” that categorizes foods not just by meal type but by function:

  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Gut-health promoting
  • Heart-friendly
  • Blood sugar stabilizing

https://www.canva.com/design/DAGtuvoPV98/gAaPaYRi3uOkhieYabzZ0A/edit?utm_content=DAGtuvoPV98&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

 

3. “The Underrated Powerhouses of the Med Diet” e-guide

that focuses on the heroes of the Med Diet, such as foods rich in fiber, antioxidants, healthy fats, and functional nutrients that help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and inflammation. Provide their nutritional data, compounds, health benefits, etc

 

Useful links:

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet

 

4. "Med-Diet Health Hero" Comic or Short Video

Create a comic strip, podcast, or short animated video featuring a “Health Hero” character (e.g., “Captain Chickpea” or “Omega-3 Warrior”) who educates others on the health benefits of your assigned food group. Include science-based facts with humor or storytelling.

 

Step 2: Share your work

Post your awesome deliverables in the following padlet: https://padlet.com/meddiet4health/steam-challenges-on-core-components-nutritional-value-7wfklkabq60xu0oi

 

Evaluation
Criteria 5 - Excellent 4 - Good 3 - Satisfactory 2 - Needs Improvement 1 - Poor
Research & Nutritional Analysis Thorough investigation of the assigned food category including detailed nutritional data and strong evidence-based health impacts. Good investigation with clear nutritional data and some evidence-based health impacts. Basic investigation with some nutritional data and limited health impact evidence. Minimal investigation; inadequate or inaccurate nutritional data and weak health impact evidence. Little to no investigation; missing or incorrect nutritional data and health information.
Scientific & Cultural Exploration Insightful exploration of scientific properties, cultural/traditional uses, and disease prevention roles with clear connections. Clear exploration of scientific and cultural aspects with some links to disease prevention. Basic exploration of scientific/cultural uses; limited mention of disease prevention. Limited or unclear exploration with weak or missing connections to culture and health. No meaningful exploration of scientific, cultural, or health aspects.
STEAM Creative Presentation Exceptionally creative, well-organized, and engaging presentation using the chosen STEAM activity; excellent visuals or storytelling. Creative and organized presentation; effectively uses STEAM elements with good visuals/storytelling. Adequate presentation showing some creativity and organization; basic use of STEAM elements. Presentation lacks creativity or organization; minimal engagement or effort in STEAM activity. Presentation is incomplete, unclear, or lacks effort and creativity in STEAM elements.
Collaboration & Teamwork Demonstrates excellent collaboration with equal participation and respectful communication among team members. Good collaboration with most team members contributing and communicating well. Some collaboration with uneven participation or occasional communication issues. Limited collaboration with poor communication or unequal workload distribution. Little to no collaboration; team members worked mostly independently or with conflict.
Accuracy & Use of Evidence Information is accurate, well-cited, and clearly linked to scientific and health evidence throughout the project. Mostly accurate information with appropriate citations and some scientific evidence. Some accuracy but occasional errors or weak citations; limited evidence use. Frequent inaccuracies or missing citations; weak or no evidence to support claims. Information is mostly inaccurate or unsupported by evidence; no citations provided.
Conclusion

Through this WebQuest, you will have explored the Mediterranean Diet from scientific, creative, and cultural perspectives by engaging in a STEAM challenge. Whether you designed an infographic, a functional foodboard, an e-guide, or a health-hero comic, you combined research, analysis and creativity to showcase the nutritional value and health benefits of core Mediterranean foods.

Credits
Teacher Page

This WebQuest was edited by teachers of Gymnázium Cyrila Daxnera vo Vranove nad Topľou (Slovakia) and 1st EPAL Nafpaktou (Greece) as part of the activities of the "Mediterranean Diet for Overall Health" (MedDiet4Health) Erasmus+ project (Project number: 2023-2-EL01-KA210-VET-000183592).

By engaging in these activities, students not only gain theoretical knowledge of the Mediterranean Diet but also develop practical skills essential for their future careers. They strengthen their ability to research and interpret nutritional data, practice digital creativity by designing infographics, guides and comics and improve communication by presenting science-based information in engaging ways. At the same time, they enhance teamwork, problem-solving, and cultural awareness- competences that are highly relevant in the fields of food technology, health and nutrition.

This WebQuest reflects only the author’s views. The European Commission’s support for the production of this WebQuest does not constitute an endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.