Pizza And Pasta Magic - Pasta Delight For A Healthy Diet

Italy is considered to have the lowest amount of obese and overweight citizens living in all of Europe even though they consume more pizza and pasta with olive oil. But for a strange reason altogether, pizza and pasta are considered to be out-of-bounds according to modern weight loss specialists and experts who recommend a low carbohydrate and low fat diet, even though Italy - which is well-known to be the source of pizza and pasta - have the least number of heart patients than any other European state.

Recent research indicates that pizza, pasta and olive oil are essential components of a healthy diet. One of the main indicators that promote pizza and pasta as health foods is that the Italians eat these foods in smaller and healthier portions as compared to other nations where pizza and pasta are eaten ravenously. More importantly one of the best kept secrets of Italian pizza is that unlike the Americanized or any other commercial adaptation, the pizza base is very thin and contains far less fat and carbohydrates than found in a commercially prepared pizza.

Pizza And Pasta Delight With Processed Meats

Most American pizzas are replete with unhealthy saturated fat in the dough and contain large amounts of unhealthy and processed meats such as pepperoni and high-fat cheese among the toppings. An Italian pizza contains far less cheese but plenty of tomatoes in its base while its toppings include broccoli and tuna.

In the case of pasta, Italians eat far less potions than is served in American or British restaurants.

Pasta in Italy is served as a very small portion and is usually in the form of a starter while its emphasis lies mainly on quality and not on quantity.

Most importantly, the basic ingredient that is found in both Italian pizzas and pasta is cold pressed extra virgin olive oil. It is believed that olive oil contains the least amount of harmful fats and the more pure the olive oil, the better it is for health. Medical experts believe that the natural fats found in olive oil are the healthiest among all available oils and the least harmful for the arteries and the heart. The oil used in most pizzas and pasta in American and British diets is rarely olive oil and possess far more unhealthy hydrogenated saturated fats that are known to clog the arteries and increase the risk of coronary heart disease.

One can enjoy healthier pizza but preferably not in a restaurant. However if you do happen to order a pizza at a restaurant remember to eat a crunchy green salad as that can help in satiating your appetite before indulging in the pizza. Healthy pizzas can also be made at home without the unwanted calories and fats - with the addition of plenty of high fiber ingredients such as crunchy vegetables.

Submitted on January 16, 2014