astrolab
VIP Member (Resident chef)
I hear family and friends making New Year's resolutions that often include eating healthier, getting into shape, as well as often losing a few pounds. Many of these same folks believe the only way to do this is to give up all of their favorites foods and often moan and groan that they won't be able to touch a plate of pasta for months. There is a huge misconception that Italian cuisine is fat laden and by consuming Italian food everyday you will in fact gain weight rather than lose weight. This couldn't be farther from the truth! Of course if you eat large portions of Fettuccine Alfredo and greasy Eggplant Parmigiana everyday you are not setting yourself up to succeed, but the Italian diet is so intrinsically healthy to begin with, that by simply making smarter choices you can easily eat delicious, and healthy Italian meals every day. It is well known that the Mediterranean diet has many significant health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease and many types of cancer. An Italian diet contains many grains, vegetables, legumes, nuts and fruits, all of which we know are good for us. In Italy, Italians cook with fresh, seasonal vegetables, and most Italian dishes are simple to prepare and require just a few ingredients.
Seafood also plays a very important part in the diet, and portion sizes, of meat in particular, are often much smaller than what we are used to here in North America. The most significant factor however, is probably that the fat used in Italian cooking is mostly mono-unsaturated, from olive oil, rather than saturated fats.
In general, we love to eat, and as often as is possible we dine together with our family, never in front of a television or rarely while driving in our cars. We relax and socialize while dining, over lunch and/or dinner. Sitting at the table for long periods of time does not appear to lead to excessive eating or drinking, as Italians eat slowly, savoring each bite and keep their portions small. As well, after dinner, many Italians engage in the passeggiata,(walk) a leisurely stroll through town to help digest their dinner. Although I notice it has changed somewhat over the years, Italians rarely snack, and if we do we choose a piece of fresh fruit, or a hard cookie and a coffee. Breakfast is generally very small (which some nutritionists today may consider unhealthy), and then one light meal of perhaps soup and salad is consumed for lunch, while the larger meal of the day is enjoyed at dinner when the entire family is home to enjoy it. It is another misconception that, we, Italians (in Italy) eat huge multi-course meals on a daily basis. This type of meal is reserved for special holidays and celebrations, and most meals consumed daily are simpler ones consisting of one or two courses. These main meals of the day are also well balanced with healthy carbohydrates like whole grains and vegetables, a little healthy fat (olive oil), and small portions of lean meat or seafood.
If these facts still don't convince you an Italian diet is a healthy choice, here are a few additional tips to help you make even better choices when eating Italian:
Most antipasti dishes are pretty low fat, but try and choose the best of the bunch. Avoid meats, cheeses and fried foods, and instead pick the grilled vegetables or seafood options. A cup of vegetable soup or a lovely crisp mixed salad are wonderful healthy options to start your meal whether at home, or when dining at a restaurant. Instead of getting the salad already dressed with a creamy (hence fattening) dressing, ask for olive oil and red wine vinegar or fresh lemon and dress your salad yourself.
Pasta unfortunately has gotten a very bad reputation in the "diet" world and does not have to be excluded from your diet if you are interested in making healthy choices, or even if you need to lose a pound or two. There are wonderful whole grain pasta varieties sold at every grocery store that are both delicious tasting and good for you that you can use in place of the refined pastas. I love Barilla Plus or the whole wheat varieties from Di Cecco myself. When cooking at home reduce your size of pasta per portion, and instead increase the amount of vegetables in your sauce. You'll be surprised at how filling and satisfying your pasta dish will be! If you are concerned about pasta sauce choices when dining out, pick a sauce where vegetables or seafood are the main ingredients. Avoid any dishes that are described as creamy, and look for tomato based sauces, or ask your waiter exactly what is in the sauce. Most pasta portion sizes served in Italian restaurants in North America are absurdly huge, so consider sharing a pasta, or ask that half your pasta dish be boxed.
Reserve pizza for an occasional treat, and ask for a whole wheat crust if available. Avoid multi cheese or meat pizza topping options, and top your pizza with lots of delicious grilled vegetables as an alternative. Instead of consuming an entire personal pizza yourself, consider sharing a pizza and filling up instead with a nice, crisp mixed salad.
Limit your intake of refined breads and instead choose healthy whole grain breads. You'll find you will need much less of the healthier multi grain breads to feel satisfied as they will fill you up much quicker. Never use butter on your bread, and if you must have something, use a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil instead.
Soups are always a great healthy, hearty way to fill you up, and if you choose correctly by selecting soups full of vegetables, beans, and grains, you will be getting your daily fill of fiber, protein, and vitamins. I love a bowl full of hearty vegetable soup for lunch alongside a crisp green salad. I call these soups "a multivitamin in a bowl"!
For main dishes, again always try to avoid any recipe or menu item that has the word creamy in its description. This will often mean it has either cream added to it, or was developed from a béchamel sauce which has butter as it's base. That goes the same for the word fried describing any menu item. You know these dishes are going to be ones heavy in both fat and calories, and if you are hoping to lose weight, or even if you just want to make healthier choices this new year, it is best to stay away from these dishes. Making correct entrée choices can cut considerable calories from your meals. Try choosing grilled or roasted fish and poultry over beef. Keep your portions small, and add whole grains and vegetables to round out the meal.
When preparing vegetables, avoid frying, and instead try grilling or roasting. Both of these alternative methods caramelize the vegetables, bringing out the natural flavors. If you choose a very good extra virgin olive oil, you will only need a very little amount when cooking to add flavor. Add a little additional chicken or vegetable broth when sautéing vegetables, and you won't even notice the loss of the oil. I make great a great Eggplant Parmesan dish that is low in fat by grilling the eggplant slices instead of frying them, and substituting low fat cheeses.
If you have to have dessert, pick a fruit based one without heavy sauces. A couple of low fat favorites of mine are ripe peaches soaked in red wine, or grilled pineapple slices served with a scoop of frozen yogurt. Better yet, save the dessert courses for a once in a while treat!
You can see that although Italian foods are in essence good for you, with a little thought, you can pick the very best choices. Remember, they even now say that one glass of red wine a day can be beneficial to your health!
I hope to don't have annoyed you with this post, but is a little step ahead to keep our health in a good way, it is done by my personal experience, based in more than 30 years spent in the Food business , in cooking and in managing this particular, important, business, so, if this guide can help. I will be happy to have wrote here, a little, piece of information to live, little bit better...
Cheers Folks..
Seafood also plays a very important part in the diet, and portion sizes, of meat in particular, are often much smaller than what we are used to here in North America. The most significant factor however, is probably that the fat used in Italian cooking is mostly mono-unsaturated, from olive oil, rather than saturated fats.
In general, we love to eat, and as often as is possible we dine together with our family, never in front of a television or rarely while driving in our cars. We relax and socialize while dining, over lunch and/or dinner. Sitting at the table for long periods of time does not appear to lead to excessive eating or drinking, as Italians eat slowly, savoring each bite and keep their portions small. As well, after dinner, many Italians engage in the passeggiata,(walk) a leisurely stroll through town to help digest their dinner. Although I notice it has changed somewhat over the years, Italians rarely snack, and if we do we choose a piece of fresh fruit, or a hard cookie and a coffee. Breakfast is generally very small (which some nutritionists today may consider unhealthy), and then one light meal of perhaps soup and salad is consumed for lunch, while the larger meal of the day is enjoyed at dinner when the entire family is home to enjoy it. It is another misconception that, we, Italians (in Italy) eat huge multi-course meals on a daily basis. This type of meal is reserved for special holidays and celebrations, and most meals consumed daily are simpler ones consisting of one or two courses. These main meals of the day are also well balanced with healthy carbohydrates like whole grains and vegetables, a little healthy fat (olive oil), and small portions of lean meat or seafood.
If these facts still don't convince you an Italian diet is a healthy choice, here are a few additional tips to help you make even better choices when eating Italian:
Most antipasti dishes are pretty low fat, but try and choose the best of the bunch. Avoid meats, cheeses and fried foods, and instead pick the grilled vegetables or seafood options. A cup of vegetable soup or a lovely crisp mixed salad are wonderful healthy options to start your meal whether at home, or when dining at a restaurant. Instead of getting the salad already dressed with a creamy (hence fattening) dressing, ask for olive oil and red wine vinegar or fresh lemon and dress your salad yourself.
Pasta unfortunately has gotten a very bad reputation in the "diet" world and does not have to be excluded from your diet if you are interested in making healthy choices, or even if you need to lose a pound or two. There are wonderful whole grain pasta varieties sold at every grocery store that are both delicious tasting and good for you that you can use in place of the refined pastas. I love Barilla Plus or the whole wheat varieties from Di Cecco myself. When cooking at home reduce your size of pasta per portion, and instead increase the amount of vegetables in your sauce. You'll be surprised at how filling and satisfying your pasta dish will be! If you are concerned about pasta sauce choices when dining out, pick a sauce where vegetables or seafood are the main ingredients. Avoid any dishes that are described as creamy, and look for tomato based sauces, or ask your waiter exactly what is in the sauce. Most pasta portion sizes served in Italian restaurants in North America are absurdly huge, so consider sharing a pasta, or ask that half your pasta dish be boxed.
Reserve pizza for an occasional treat, and ask for a whole wheat crust if available. Avoid multi cheese or meat pizza topping options, and top your pizza with lots of delicious grilled vegetables as an alternative. Instead of consuming an entire personal pizza yourself, consider sharing a pizza and filling up instead with a nice, crisp mixed salad.
Limit your intake of refined breads and instead choose healthy whole grain breads. You'll find you will need much less of the healthier multi grain breads to feel satisfied as they will fill you up much quicker. Never use butter on your bread, and if you must have something, use a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil instead.
Soups are always a great healthy, hearty way to fill you up, and if you choose correctly by selecting soups full of vegetables, beans, and grains, you will be getting your daily fill of fiber, protein, and vitamins. I love a bowl full of hearty vegetable soup for lunch alongside a crisp green salad. I call these soups "a multivitamin in a bowl"!
For main dishes, again always try to avoid any recipe or menu item that has the word creamy in its description. This will often mean it has either cream added to it, or was developed from a béchamel sauce which has butter as it's base. That goes the same for the word fried describing any menu item. You know these dishes are going to be ones heavy in both fat and calories, and if you are hoping to lose weight, or even if you just want to make healthier choices this new year, it is best to stay away from these dishes. Making correct entrée choices can cut considerable calories from your meals. Try choosing grilled or roasted fish and poultry over beef. Keep your portions small, and add whole grains and vegetables to round out the meal.
When preparing vegetables, avoid frying, and instead try grilling or roasting. Both of these alternative methods caramelize the vegetables, bringing out the natural flavors. If you choose a very good extra virgin olive oil, you will only need a very little amount when cooking to add flavor. Add a little additional chicken or vegetable broth when sautéing vegetables, and you won't even notice the loss of the oil. I make great a great Eggplant Parmesan dish that is low in fat by grilling the eggplant slices instead of frying them, and substituting low fat cheeses.
If you have to have dessert, pick a fruit based one without heavy sauces. A couple of low fat favorites of mine are ripe peaches soaked in red wine, or grilled pineapple slices served with a scoop of frozen yogurt. Better yet, save the dessert courses for a once in a while treat!
You can see that although Italian foods are in essence good for you, with a little thought, you can pick the very best choices. Remember, they even now say that one glass of red wine a day can be beneficial to your health!
I hope to don't have annoyed you with this post, but is a little step ahead to keep our health in a good way, it is done by my personal experience, based in more than 30 years spent in the Food business , in cooking and in managing this particular, important, business, so, if this guide can help. I will be happy to have wrote here, a little, piece of information to live, little bit better...
Cheers Folks..
