Leena Watts
Italy is known for its delicious cuisine, including pizza, pasta, pastries, gelato, and more. Despite this, Italians have historically been known to stay fit and healthy. So, how do Italians eat so many carbs and maintain their health? Well, it's a combination of factors. Firstly, Italians value quality over quantity when it comes to food. They prefer locally sourced, fresh, and organic ingredients. They also eat light breakfasts and dinners, with lunch being the largest meal of the day. Additionally, they savour their meals, taking time to enjoy the company of family and friends. However, it's important to note that Italy is also facing an incursion of the Western diet, with increasing consumption of sugary, salty, and fatty foods, which may impact the health of Italians over time.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Sweet, short and simple |
| Lunch | Hearty and heavy |
| Dinner | Lighter than lunch, served between 7 and 10 pm |
| Food | Simple, fresh, local, and seasonal |
| Carbohydrates | Plenty of pasta, bread, and pizza |
| Sugar | Sweets, pastries, and gelato |
| Drinks | Coffee, tea, juices, wine, beer, spirits, and cocktails |
| Portion Sizes | Large |
| Diet | High-calorie, high-sugar, and high-salt |
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What You'll Learn
Keep it local and fresh
The Italian diet is about quality, not quantity. Italians love their local butcher, baker, or neighbour who supplies them with top-quality salami, bread, wine, or fruits. Even if the products aren't certified as organic, most farmers don't use chemicals because they know that wouldn't result in high-quality food. Italians eat homemade meals with fresh local produce they can pick up at the market or grow in their gardens.
Italian food is known for its delicious ingredients, like tomatoes, olive oil, and cheese. One common misconception about Italian food is that it's all pasta and pizza. While these dishes are popular, Italians eat many other meals, like soups and stews. The Italian diet also includes plenty of vegetables, including greens like arugula, kale, spinach, artichokes, eggplants, mushrooms, and zucchini.
Italians begin their day with a light colazione (breakfast), followed by pranzo (lunch) and cena (supper or dinner). These meals are built around satisfying dishes that emphasize simplicity, seasonality, and locality. Culinary specialties vary widely among Italy's 21 regions, making Italian cuisine one of the world's most diverse.
Italians are eating more like Americans—too much salt, sugar, and fat. Portion sizes in Italy are also increasing, and Italians now drink more than 8 gallons (per capita) of soft drinks per year. However, Italians walk more than Americans and are less likely to use environmentally harmful air conditioning, opting for the beach or mountains when it's hot.
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Simple, hearty meals
Italians enjoy simple, hearty meals made with fresh, local ingredients. While Italian cuisine is known for pasta and pizza, Italians eat a variety of other dishes, including soups and stews, and plenty of vegetables.
A typical Italian lunch might consist of pasta with tomato sauce and a side salad, while dinner is a time for family to gather and connect over a meal. Italians are also adept at reinventing leftovers, transforming them into something new and delicious.
- Pasta dishes: Italians enjoy a variety of pasta shapes, from spaghetti to penne, and often pair them with herb-packed tomato sauces, lean meats such as turkey breast, and vegetables like spinach and broccoli.
- Salads: Italians create hearty salads with a variety of ingredients such as iceberg lettuce, mozzarella, olives, salami, and peaches. They also enjoy Caprese salad, which combines tomatoes, parsley, and feta cheese.
- Soups and stews: Italians savour comforting dishes like minestrone soup and stews packed with vegetables and beans.
- Meat and fish: Grilled or braised meats, such as herbed veal chops and beef shank, are often paired with polenta or fresh pasta. Fish dishes, like swordfish steaks with a lemon-infused marinade, are also popular.
- Vegetarian options: Italians savour vegetarian dishes like mezzelune (crescent-shaped stuffed pasta) and flash-fried white beans with charred Broccolini. They also enjoy fried cauliflower, which brings out its nuttiness.
- Desserts and drinks: Italians typically enjoy light desserts like fruit or gelato and drinks such as espresso, macchiato, and Italian spritz (an alcoholic cocktail with Campari, Prosecco, and soda).
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Light breakfast, big lunch, light dinner
The Italian diet is about quality, not quantity, with an emphasis on local and organic produce. Italians tend to eat light breakfasts, large lunches, and light dinners.
A typical Italian breakfast, or "colazione", is not meant to be a filling meal. Instead, it is designed to give an energy boost and get the digestion going for the day. Italians often start their day with a cappuccino and a pastry, such as a cornetto (a cream- or jam-filled croissant) or a cornetti (a similar pastry but in an S-shape). They may also opt for fette biscottate (crunchy, toasted, pre-packaged bread slices topped with jam or hazelnut spread) or a small yoghurt with fresh fruit.
Lunch, or "pranzo", is a large midday meal. It may include pasta with tomato sauce and a side salad, or a variety of small portions of different dishes. Italians also enjoy a late afternoon snack, or "merenda", to tide them over until their late evening supper. This might include a small sandwich with cured meat and cheese, plain bread and olive oil, or fresh tomatoes with mozzarella or ricotta.
Dinner, or "cena", is usually a light meal served between 7 and 10 pm. It often consists of a salad, a primo (pasta or soup dish), and a secondo (meat or fish dish). Italians tend to pair their lunch and dinner with wine.
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Plenty of vegetables
The Italian diet is not just about pasta, pizza, and gelato. It includes plenty of vegetables, which are either bought at the market or grown in home gardens. Italians eat a lot of fresh, local produce, and their meals are built around simple, seasonal dishes.
A typical Italian dinner might include cooked vegetables such as artichokes, eggplants, mushrooms, spinach, and zucchini. Fresh, seasonal fruits like apples, figs, or oranges are also commonly served to round out the meal.
Italians are known for their love of good food and sharing meals with family and friends. Their meals emphasize simplicity, seasonality, and locality. They prefer to cook with the freshest ingredients, preferably grown or made locally. This focus on local and organic produce means Italians often shop at local markets or buy from their local butcher or baker. Even if the products are not certified as organic, most farmers avoid using chemicals to ensure high-quality produce.
While Italians do enjoy their fair share of carbs, it is important to remember that they also eat a lot of vegetables. So, when planning your meals like an Italian, be sure to include plenty of vegetables alongside those delicious carb-heavy dishes!
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Enjoy carbs in moderation
The Italian diet is about quality, not quantity. It's no secret that Italians enjoy carbohydrates, with pizza, pasta, pastries, bread, and gelato all featuring heavily in their diets. However, they do so in moderation, balancing their carb intake with other food groups.
Firstly, Italians eat a light breakfast, or colazione. This typically consists of fette biscottate (toasted, pre-packaged bread slices) with jam or hazelnut spread, or a small yogurt with fresh fruit. If eating out, they might opt for a cornetto (a cream or jam-filled croissant) or a ricotta-filled sfogliatelle, accompanied by an espresso or cappuccino. Italians view breakfast as a sweet meal, but it is not a large or indulgent one.
Lunch, or pranzo, is the largest meal of the day. It typically includes a salad, a primo (pasta or soup dish), and a secondo (meat or fish dish). Italians also eat plenty of cooked vegetables, including artichokes, eggplants, mushrooms, spinach, and zucchini, often sourced from local markets or grown in their gardens.
Dinner, or cena, is a lighter meal, usually served between 7 and 10 pm. It might consist of sliced meats, salad, cheese, or a dish of pasta or soup, with bread. Italians view dinner as a time to unwind and reconnect with family, savouring the joy and warmth of sharing a meal with loved ones.
While Italians do indulge in carbohydrates, they also consume a variety of fresh, local, and seasonal produce. They enjoy simple, hearty meals, emphasising the importance of quality ingredients over large portions. By prioritising flavour and freshness, Italians achieve a balanced diet that allows them to enjoy carbohydrates in moderation.
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Frequently asked questions
Italians eat simple, hearty meals made with fresh, local ingredients. They enjoy a variety of dishes, including pasta, pizza, soups, stews, salads, cooked vegetables, and fresh fruit. Italian meals are built around satisfying dishes that emphasize simplicity, seasonality, and locality.
Italians walk a lot and spend time in nature, heading to the beach or mountains when it's hot instead of staying indoors with air conditioning. They also have smaller portion sizes and don't eat large meals. Italians eat a light breakfast and a large midday lunch, followed by a light supper in the evening.
Italians have a strong food culture that is deeply rooted in tradition. They value quality over quantity and prioritize local and organic food. Italians also eat seasonally and cook with fresh ingredients, either bought from local markets or grown in their gardens.
