Italian cuisine was developed over centuries, influenced by food of adjacent countries. Joint Italy appeared on the map of Europe just over 100 years ago, thanks to which Italy’s national cuisine has soaked in the best of the Liguria, Milan, Sicily, Naples, Calabria and other cuisines. Contemporary Italian cuisine can be conditionally divided into north and south, the chief difference – flavors, used by northern and southern chefs to cook the same recipes.

Although Italian cuisine is mostly centered on pizzas and pastas, Italians almost never get fat and even live longer in comparison with others. Peculiar thing true? Let’s try to make the whole thing clear by talking about some inevitable food of Italian cuisine.

Among specialists, nutritionists are waging a brutal battle on the admissibility of pasta for a healthy diet.Popular is strongly against it. Pasta is accused that it contributes to obesity, contains “empty” calories and is in general worthless. And yet this product does not disappear from the table of athletes, including bodybuilders.

Similar to flour products, pasta is a primarily source of carbohydrates. Most of them are starch, having a glycemic index of medium to high. However, the value depends strongly on the makeup of pasta, varieties used for making flour and cooking regime. Adding protein and especially eggs dramatically reduce the glycemic index, and slow down absorption of starch and reduce the increment in insulin levels. Unfortunately, there is no fiber in pasta, with the omission of products made from durum wheat flour.

Diverse varieties of pasta can include up to 12 percent protein. Alas, this is largely inferior vegetable protein, scarce in lysine. However, the addition of eggs increases its nutritional value, practiced as well as enrichment of pasta with protein. Naturally, noodles made from other grains, will have a slightly different amino acid composition.

The content of fat in the pasta is usually low. Exclusion – Chinese Kuksa or its analogues, produced in Vietnam. The energy value of pasta is very high. In addition, various additives can optimize the composition of the diet. This introduces a variety of food needed. For athletes are suitable mainly those sorts of pasta, in which there are protein supplements. Also, it makes sense to use products made from flour of the lower grades with a high content of fiber.

Another renowned Italian product is the olive oil – the only oil that is absorbed by the body to 100 percent. First, olive oil is an excellent natural remedy for prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It contains a complex of vitamins (A, D, E) and monounsaturated fatty acids, which can reduce the level of harmful cholesterol. This can further help in bringing down the index of dangerous cholesterol. Secondly, due to the presence of vitamin E and other antioxidants olive oil successfully prevents premature fading of the organism. Third, the oil helps to repair stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers, improves the activity of the stomach, intestines, pancreas and liver.

For more information and videos on Italian Recipes and pasta dishes please look at pasta recipes

Tags: , , , ,