8 Most Popular Ingredients in Italian Cuisine

From this selection you will be able to find out what ingredients, besides pasta, Italians use in their dishes to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Italian cuisine is Mediterranean food. It contains simple and healthy ingredients and no chemicals, only natural products such as tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, herbs, vegetables, nuts. Research has confirmed that by eating Mediterranean foods, you will improve your physical condition and well-being. More precisely, this means losing excess weight, stabilizing glucose levels in the body, and reducing the risk of depression. A healthy lifestyle and Italian cuisine are synonyms!

Add olive oil to your diet and it will make your dishes incredibly flavorful. Replace regular oil with olive oil and you will reduce the level of fats, which will help regulate cholesterol in the body. In addition, cold-pressed olive oil contains polyphenols, which have a good effect on the heart. Try to eat like Italians, they add cold-pressed olive oil and lemon juice to every salad. Also use olive oil for frying fresh vegetables.

The ancient Romans considered garlic magical. Today, it has been proven that garlic has antibiotic and antifungal properties. The Romans and Greeks protected themselves from infection with garlic, and modern research shows that it can reduce the risk of cancer. Garlic also has a good effect on the heart, as it can prevent blood clotting. Why is garlic so beneficial for our body? Because it contains substances such as sulfides. However, chopped or crushed garlic should not be left for more than 10-15 minutes. And of course, it is not only about its beneficial properties, but also about its special aroma, which is simply necessary for many dishes of Italian cuisine. Add garlic fried in olive oil to a summer salad or pasta sauce.

Seafood is the main protein in Italian cuisine; Italians use all kinds of shellfish and fish in a variety of dishes, whether it's salad or pasta. Fattier seafood, such as tuna or salmon, provides essential elements for the heart to work. And seafood such as shrimp, mussels, squid, and sea bass provide sufficient protein. Eat fish or seafood at least twice a week.

Cereals are the basis of the Mediterranean diet: pasta, porridge, bakery products. Cereals are useful because they can accumulate solar energy. They contain many vitamins, microelements and other very useful substances. A diet that includes healthy cereals in moderate quantities can protect against heart disease, diabetes and other chronic problems. Italians simply adore toasted grain bread with sliced tomatoes, garlic and basil, as well as pasta with olive oil, garlic and Parmesan cheese.

Beans are one of the main components in Italian dishes. Beans can replace meat consumption, as they contain the necessary protein. Beans contain all the essential amino acids, carbohydrates and a complex of B vitamins, can prevent colon cancer and reduce the risk of heart disease, and can also help treat diabetes. Add dishes containing beans to your diet and you will be full of energy. Italians love beans, using them everywhere - in traditional pasta, adding them to pizza or making vegetable soup with beans.

Being Italian means appreciating and eating a variety of greens, especially rapini, the “Italian broccoli.” Greens pair well with meat, anchovies, and hot peppers. Dark lettuce is a star ingredient in dishes and is loaded with vitamins like A, C, and K, heart-healthy fiber, and cancer-fighting compounds. Include a variety of greens in your daily diet, such as Swiss chard, kale, escarole, and collard greens. Italians like to sauté their greens with olive oil, lots of garlic, and crushed red pepper.

Walnut trees are almost as common in Italy as olive trees. They are eaten as a snack, and are also added to various sauces and salads. Nuts are very good for the heart; they are rich in protein, fiber, vitamin E, folate, calcium and magnesium, and contain arginine, an amino acid that helps maintain healthy blood vessels. Add chopped nuts to salads, eat nut bread, mix chopped nuts into pesto sauce with almonds, pine nuts, or hazelnuts.

What Italian dinner would be complete without a glass of red wine? And it is red wine that is especially beneficial for health. Wine lowers cholesterol and regulates blood sugar. In addition, red wine is excellent for digestion. Drink just 150 ml of red wine, such as Chianti, Montepulciano or another, with dinner, and you will ensure a deep and healthy sleep.