Popular Diets of the World: The Italian Way With Food - 1 views
-
miche11echang on 12 Jul 17This is a WebMD article about Italian cuisine and health. The article starts by mentioning that, second to Mexican food, Italian is the most popular ethnic cuisine in the United States; however, it points out that there is a lot more to Italian foods than our Americanized favorites like pasta drowned in Alfredo sauce, pizza, cheesy garlic bread, and spaghetti and meatballs. These popular Italian dishes are typically not considered healthy, but Italian cuisine can be healthy. Italian cuisine also includes a variety of seafood and fresh vegetables. Many Italian pastas are actually much lighter than what we are used to in the U.S, with many herbs and spices for seasoning rather than just cheese and sauce. Italians are also used to much smaller portions than our American mega-sized plates. Furthermore, a major source of added sugar in American diets, sweetened beverages like soda, are not as popular in Italy. Other things that may not seem like a big deal, but can contribute to overall healthier eating habits are the Italians' emphasis on family-centric meals, taste and nutrition maximization, preparation, and presentation. All of these aspects of Italian cuisine has contributed to lower rates of obesity and other diseases in Italian people. I thought this was a really good resource because it clearly explained why different elements of the cuisine contributes to better nutrition and health in a group.
