Gourmet Italian

Without a doubt, gourmet Italian food has gotten a bad reputation for being fattening and unhealthy. Actually, there are many things about the Italian diet that make it a sound regimen with many health benefits – not to mention the fabulous tastes and bright fresh colors of this brilliant cuisine!

Let’s think about what we hear these days about healthy eating. We hear about Omega-3 having numerous benefits for the human body. These little gems are primarily found in oily fish. Italians eat large amounts of sardines and anchovies which have wonderful Omega-3 content. We are told to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. The Italian diet is loaded with these, too, in salads or cooked. Does any country have more ways to cook eggplant than Italy? Did you know that fruit is a basic component of almost every Italian meal – especially in their wonderful desserts.

You’ve surely heard of all of the health benefits of garlic and olive oil. Hello, Gourmet Italian food!!! Just loaded with both. Red wine has suddenly hit the list as being beneficial in small quantities. Chianti, anyone? But what about the pasta? Pasta bad! Dieticians tell us that a decent diet requires carbohydrates – and one can now buy low-carb pasta in just about any grocery store!

But what about that wonderful bread! Did you know that Italian bread has a significantly lower salt count then American bread? Also, their breads, such as ciabatta and foccaccia, are quite dense, giving more of a feeling of fullness so one eats less of it. And guess what they eat with their bread in Italy? Not butter! They soak it in the magical olive oil!

For years there has been lots of buzz and books about the Mediterranean Diet. And Italy is where? That’s right! Right smack dab in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea! So if you love gourmet Italian food, go ahead and indulge once in a while and take advantage this marvelous gourmet Italian food without feeling guilty about it! Mangia Bene!