Is Italian food good for your weight?

Italy is of course known for its dishes such as pizza and pasta. Pasta is rich in carbohydrates and pizza is known as fast food, which you should avoid if you want to lose weight. Does this make Italian cuisine less good for your weight? We looked into it for you.

Small portions of whole grain products

Let's be clear: pizza and pasta made from white flour are not very good for your weight. Especially if they only come with a thin sauce or a meager topping. With these dishes you get a lot of fast carbohydrates, which cause fat storage.

The same goes for white rice risotto. It is also better to leave this Italian dish alone if you are on your own weight want to pay attention or lose weight. Yet the diet in the countries along the Mediterranean Sea - the Mediterranean cuisine - is known for its beneficial effect on your weight and health.

The fact that the Mediterranean diet is beneficial for your weight is because it mainly uses whole grains. Think of brown rice and whole wheat flour.

Whole grains still contain all the fiber and other nutrients. This makes them more nutritious and you eat less of them. This is beneficial if you want to lose weight.

The fiber in whole grains also ensures that the carbohydrates are slowly absorbed by your body. This way your blood sugar level remains better balanced, which also has a positive effect on your weight.

Unlike ours, the portions of grain products in Italy are not large. Pasta and risotto are mainly eaten as a starter. The main courses mainly consist of vegetables and other products that are good for your weight.

Low-calorie and nutritious

The Mediterranean diet makes extensive use of vegetables, such as sun-ripened tomatoes, artichokes and... Eggplant. For example in soups and salads, which are commonly eaten in Italy.

Most vegetables are low in calories and carbohydrates. Despite being low in calories and carbohydrates, vegetables do have a high nutritional value.

The high nutritional value of vegetables is due to the many fibers, vitamins and minerals in these healthy foods. Consider the large amount of vitamin C in peppers and folate (natural folic acid) in asparagus. Leafy vegetables are rich in magnesium, iron and vitamin K, broccoli and onions provide selenium and peas contain a fair amount of zinc.

Italian cuisine uses a rich palette of vegetables in its dishes. The more color on your plate, the greater the diversity of vitamins and minerals you consume. Your body needs these nutrients to function properly. Even when it comes to a healthy weight.

These vitamins and minerals are indispensable if you want to achieve a healthy weight:

• Vitamin B
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Iodine
• Magnesium
• S
• Iron
• Zinc

The above vitamins play an essential role in your metabolism. A plate full of different vegetables is exactly what you need if you want to maintain or lose weight.

You also need magnesium for, among other things, the formation of bone and muscle and for the proper functioning of muscles and the transmission of nerve impulses. Magnesium also gives you extra energy when tired. If you want to increase your magnesium intake in addition to your healthy diet, choose the best magnesium tablets.

Nowadays, a good amount of iodine can mainly be found in seaweed and also in animal foods.

Healthy fats

Italian cuisine is known for the frequent use of healthy fats in the form of olive oil, nuts and oily fish. Fats are particularly satiating. Oily fish is also rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids and iodine.

In addition to the fact that omega-3 fatty acids have a satiating effect, they also contribute to your body's fat burning. Especially when it comes to the abdominal area. This is ideal if you want to reduce excess belly fat.

Satisfying proteins

Finally, you will find many proteins in the form of fish, shellfish and crustaceans in Mediterranean cuisine. Just like fats, proteins are very filling. This makes you feel full for longer, which reduces your calorie intake. You can already guess what effect this has on your weight.

Proteins also increase calorie consumption. This is because your body has to make more effort to digest these nutrients. Your body uses more calories and that has a positive effect on your weight.

4 tips for healthy Italian dishes

If you want to live healthy, here are 4 Italian-inspired dishes you can eat anytime:

1. Zucchini bolognese

Zucchini is 'pasta' made from zucchini. You can easily make this yourself with a spiral cutter and you can also buy ready-made zucchini in the supermarket. Make a delicious sauce with minced meat, tomatoes and other vegetables for a fantastic dish that gives you all the nutrients your body needs.

2. Cauliflower pizza

Did you know that you can have a very healthy pizza if you make the base from cauliflower? You will find many recipes for pizza with a cauliflower base on the internet. Top the pizza with lots of vegetables and use anchovies and sardines instead of tuna.

3. Steak tagliata

Steak tagliata is a delicious dish with herbs that fits into a healthy lifestyle and a Mediterranean diet. Only if you want to lose weight, it is better to replace the cheese with goat's or sheep's cheese because they have more nutritional value per calorie.

4. Zucchini bruschetta

You can make a delicious bruschetta from zucchini as a base. Top grilled zucchini with a delicious topping, such as aschovies and various crispy vegetables. Also tasty and healthy is a spread of ricotta and herbs topped with a mix of tomatoes and garlic. Sprinkle some olive oil over the whole thing for an extra healthy touch.