Did you know Americans are stocking up on Parmigiano?

No, seriously! Imports of the Italian cheese to the U.S. were up over 11% last year.

Experts say it's because people are worried that Trump's looming tariffs on European goods will spike the price of the must-have pasta-topper.

And Americans are not the only ones bracing for impact.

In Europe, politicians and food producers are also gearing up for another transatlantic trade fight.

Which makes this the perfect moment to talk about how food and politics are intertwined.

And what better example than the Mediterranean diet?

They call it Europe's secret to longevity,

a diet that's super healthy, balanced, and delicious.

But in 2025, the so-called Mediterranean diet

is looking less like a recipe for living to 100,

and more like a political weapon.

In Italy, Georgia Maloney's hard-right government has wrapped everything from wine to salami

and, yep, Parmigiano, into the banner of tradition, using the Mediterranean diet to

rally against EU health and climate policies.

And she's not alone.

From Spain to France, hungry to Poland, politicians are turning so-called gastro-nationalism

into a potent force, defending beloved local foods, healthy or not, while

obesity rates keep climbing. So if the Mediterranean diet is so healthy, why are people getting

fatter? Is it possible to hold on to our food traditions without hurting public health? And what does it

even say about the

state of our culture if pasta, red wine, and, yep, Parmigiano have become partisan?

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