Tuesday 9 September 2014

Italian Food – Is It Healthy? Get Frankfort IL Pizza Delivery

From creamy lasagnas to rich Bolognese sauces and crusty Italian ciabatta breads, Italian food is both tasty and delicious and has become a staple component of many of our diets. But for all its creaminess, richness and tastiness, just how healthy is Italian food?

Weight Management
Fruit and vegetables such as grapes, figs, lemons, tomatoes, aubergines, garlic and onions play an important part in Italian cooking. These fruits and vegetables are low in calories and high in essential vitamins and nutrients that the body needs. Foods such as these, when incorporated into a portion controlled diet, could help you to maintain a healthy weight or help you in losing weight.

Heart Health
Two staples of Italian cuisine are olive oil and fresh seafood, both of which are fantastic sources of omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats. Olive oil and fish such as salmon, sardines and tuna contain these healthy fats, which have been proven to prevent heart disease and reduce blood pressure.

Fibre

Italian food such as ciabatta bread, focaccia bread and pasta forms the basis of many Italian dishes. Even pizza with a wholegrain crust, which can be yours at Frankfort IL Pizza Delivery, is a good source of dietary fibre. Foods that contain dietary fibre have many important benefits to the human body. In addition to helping the body maintain its sugar levels, dietary fibre can also help to lower cholesterol and aid the digestive system.

Antioxidants

Studies have shown that foods that are rich in antioxidants can help protect the body from cell damage, which in turn reduces the risk of cancer. Tomatoes have been found to be a rich source of antioxidants and given that tomato and tomato based products form the basis of many Italian dishes, this makes Italian food a healthy choice for your body.