Italian ciusine

[Peter]

Hello, I just got started with the whole system with Whole30 and I almost through the book "It starts with food".

I get a little bit confused when it comes to pasta and even real Italian pizza which I (unfortunately) like a lot. Is it not the case that the people who are live in Italy have the best life expectancy in the world!? Most likely of their love to Olives. But they also eat a lot pasta and pizza (not supermarket pizza).

Maybe I look for an excuse and I don't eat as much pasta as I ate before but it bothers me a little that Italians are obviously healthy anyway.

 

Does somebody has a good explanation for this?

 

 

Peter

[Roz Griffiths]

The traditional Mediterranean diet was actually more along the lines of oily fish & plenty of vegetables. Pasta & pizza came along later, particularly among Italian ex-pats in the US...

[Kirsteen]

I have a lot of Italian friends with loads of family still in Italy and thay actually eat very little pasta. When they do have it, it's a very small portion before the main course which is usually meat, fish or chicken with lots of veg and salad. Even homemade pizza they regard as something to have  occasionally.

[Bet]

My father was born in Italy and came here when he was 18. He's 94 now, so yes, great life expectancy. He did come down with type 2 diabetes and it was so bad he became insulin dependent. He also had some small strokes and had to go into the hospital. He's now in a rehab center. While there, they changed his diet (no pasta!) and he is off insulin and his blood pressure meds. So even Italians can't eat that much pasta!

 

I'm 1/2 Italian an now I can't have pasta (gluten intolerant) or tomato sauce (nightshade allergy).  So I guess I take after my mother

[GFChris]

Per Wikipedia, Japan has the highest life expectancy (Italy is not far behind).

 

Besides what the previous posters have stated, I believe lifestyle, beyond food, is a huge part of it. Many Italians work very hard during the day, a lot of physical/manual labor. Afternoon naps are common. An evening walk, called the passeggiata, is a frequent occurence after dinner. There is also significant real food in their diet: fresh fish, meat, poultry, fruit and vegetables. Family bonds are typically very close, and those values are significant in how they direct their lives.

[Carlaccini]

Hi There,

 

As my father-in-law says (who is from italy) pasta, was considered economically affortable food - especially after the war time.  Anybody could trade or barter for grain so it became a relatively tasty, and inexpensive way to feed a family. Does this make it healthy? I wouldn't say so.

 

When I am off whole 30 guidelines - if my father-in-law makes pizza (traditional style) or my mother-in-law makes homemade lasangna (makes noodles, sauce, and all) I will indulge a little and have a piece.  But this is usually twice a year (Christmas and Easter) and I suck up the side effects after.  But for whole 30 - follow the whole 30 guidelines and then afterwards you can indulge in those things and know what your own body's reaction to them will be.

[Peter]

Thanks for all the answers!

 

After I read all your comments it looked as I have had not a real good understanding for Italian cuisine. But that changed thanks to you.

But it also looks like as I have to get rid of the rest of the pasta dishes which I usually eat.

That is definitely the hardest part!! I don't care about sugar, chocolate or milk products. But the pasta will be a challenge.

But I will try my best

 

So thanks again and have a nice weekend all of you!

 

Peter

[Roz Griffiths]

You don't need to get rid of your pasta dishes, just adapt them! You can make your own, sugar free bolognese sauce for example, & serve it over julienned courgettes. You can even make a lasagna using thinly sliced strips of butternut squash

[pjena]

Zoodles!  You can make zucchini noodles with a spiralizer machine (pretty inexpensive on Amazon) or with a julienne peeler.  We LOVE them and my husband and 9yo, who do not follow W30, even like them better than pasta. 

 

To make zoodles:

Spiralize at least 1 zucchini per serving.  Put in a colandar and sprinkle with salt.  Let sit about 30 mintues.  Rinse and drain well.  Wrap in paper towels and  put in the fridge over night.  Change the paper towels a couple times.  I use my salad spinner colandar and just keep them in the spinner in the fridge after wrapping in paper towels.  Super easy.  When it's time to make dinner, turn on the oven to 350.  Put the zoodles on a cookie sheet and put them into the oven.  Prepare the rest of the dish and then put the warmed and slightly dried zoodles into the sauce.  Super easy and faster than boiling water!

 

So far this is what I've done with them for super fast weeknight meals:

1) brown 2 lbs ground beef in coconut oil with onions.  Pour in 2 cans/jars marinara sauce to warm.  Mix in zoodles.  Top with olives. 

2) Brown a pkg of compliant Italian sausages cut into chuncks in coconut oil.  Add homemade basil pesto and enough water to make into a sauce.  Add zoodles.  Top with olives.

 

Both were huge hits with the family and took 10 minutes to pull together with the zoodles already zoodled in the fridge.  Husband and kids add toast and I add a spinach salad, so it works well for "mixed" families, too.

 

When the family was eating pizza for dinner, I baked a sweet potato, cut it open, topped it with a cut up Italian sauasge, tomato sauce and olives and fresh basil and baked it another few minutes.  I didn't miss the pizza at all.