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As the originator of pizza and pasta, why are Italians not fat?
A very good friend of Gollum is studying food design in Italy. Every time she has just returned to China, we will sigh that she has lost weight again. It stands to reason that Italy is a famous country of food, from pizza, spaghetti and tiramisu to all kinds of ham, cheese, red wine and bread. Italians never wronged their stomachs, but the obesity rate in Italy ranks very low in Europe.

Especially for Americans, this doesn't seem reasonable at all.

A long time ago, an American blogger living in Italy deliberately studied this question, hoping to know if Italians have any special diet philosophy to keep them healthy while enjoying various foods.

Italian philosophy of healthy eating

1. Take a walk after dinner

Italians walk everywhere, especially after dinner, chatting with friends and walking home is their favorite way to travel. On the one hand, this lifestyle is caused by long-standing culture and habits, and on the other hand, because many Italian cities are relatively old, driving out is not necessarily more convenient than walking.

For China people, the rise of take-out and Didi has made life more and more convenient, but the opportunity to walk is getting less and less. A friend of Gollum once said that she walks the most when she goes shopping every week. But in fact, a 30-minute walk every day can not only help you burn more calories, be healthier, but also make you feel more relaxed. So our "take a hundred steps after dinner" still makes sense.

Stop after eating

Italians don't care much about calories. They measure how much they have eaten by "whether they are full", and put down their knives and forks when they are full. When a person really enjoys food, instead of eating a meal with a complicated mood and a mentality of completing tasks, his appetite will become more controllable.

They seldom go on a diet.

You rarely see Italians overeating and dieting crazily. They know how to enjoy food correctly. And you won't feel guilty, helpless and humiliated because of the date brought by food. For them, food is a friend, not an enemy.

4. Have a balanced diet and don't go to extremes. 2/8 diet

For Italians, the quality of food is more important than the quantity. They rarely give up a certain food completely, whether it is sweets, red meat or pizza.

Even in Europe, there is a saying that if you want to eat healthily, you should have breakfast and lunch brunch in the morning like the British, and aperitif and Seine aperitif in the evening like the Italians.

They will eat a piece of tiramisu after dinner, but it is often shared by several people. Want to eat red meat Italians prefer sliced Parma ham to extra-large steak.

Parma ham is the most summer meat. It was cut as thin as a piece of paper, rose-colored, with white lines on the fat. The entrance is very soft, you can't bear to chew hard, and it will dissolve in your mouth. Only a small amount of sea salt is used in the curing process, and the faint salty taste can better set off the sweetness of meat. Especially with cantaloupe or fig, it is a perfect match for summer picnics.

Or put one or two slices on salad or toast, not much, just a few slices.

Let's talk about whether we can eat pork to keep fit.

Chicken breast and beef are the first choices of most fitness parties in protein, but few people eat pork. In fact, the protein content of lean pork itself is not bad compared with beef. Especially for some fitness parties that are inconvenient to buy beef and chicken breast, it is ok to eat some pork occasionally.

Besides protein, fatty acids in pork fat are also very good. The ratio of saturated fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat in pork fat is 4:4:2, which is the closest to that in breast milk, and the ratio of essential fatty acid Omega3:Omega6 is 1:3, which is also the closest to the needs of human body.

Of course, in the environment of a large number of industrialized farming, the breeding environment of many pigs is not good, so if you want to add pork to your diet healthily, you must choose pork from organic high-quality producing areas.

Healthy indulgence

In recent years, more and more nutritional research began to make people realize the importance of fat, and also began to overthrow many theories that used to be "common sense" in our hearts. Saturated fatty acids, red meat, etc. Those who have been sentenced to death have also begun to be recognized by everyone.

The Parma Ham Association also conducted a study in cooperation with the Food Protection Laboratory (SSICA) and the National Institute of Food Nutrition (INRAN). In addition, sports scientists at the University of Aquila also confirmed that the nutritional value of Parma ham is suitable for all kinds of people, especially fitness people.

The protein of Parma ham per 100g is as high as 29. 1g, and the fat content is about 6.4g As a light food, taking it several times can also reduce the burden of taking too much protein in the kidney at one time. Due to the long-term aging of Parma ham, these protein are broken down into smaller molecules and single amino acids, which are easier to digest. And in these protein, the proportion of free amino acids is as high as 20.5%, especially valine, leucine and isoleucine. These essential amino acids can enter the metabolic cycle of muscle cells, relieve exercise fatigue and repair damaged muscles.

Moreover, the fatty acids in Parma ham are mostly unsaturated fatty acids, and the oleic acid content is also high (a monounsaturated fatty acid also contained in olive oil), accounting for 45.8%. The latest analysis confirmed that Palma ham also contains polyunsaturated fatty acids.

In addition, Parma ham also contains a lot of micronutrients, such as B vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. Among them, vitamin E, selenium, carnosine and carnosine are all natural antioxidants, which can inhibit free radicals and resist skin aging. Regarding the importance of antioxidants, you can see the previous article.

The sparkling wine produced in Champagne City is the real champagne.

Ham produced in Parma

It's Parma ham with a crown.

Since Roman times, Palma has been regarded as a good place to produce high-quality ham. Over the years, naturally, hams from other regions want to imitate them. The Parma Ham Association was established in Parma Province on 1963, and the Parma Ham was certified by the European Union PDO on 1996!

Only by curing in the mountains near Parma, and under the strict regulations of the association, the ham made by traditional methods can use the name of "Parma ham Prosciutto di Parma", and finally the leg will be branded with the seal of the Duke of Parma's crown.

Production standard of Parma ham

Palma's producing area must be in a specific area, specifically to a street and a river (specifically, it is 5 kilometers south from Emilia Street, starting from Enza River in the east, west to Sterona River, and up to an altitude of no more than 900 meters).

In addition, the source of ingredients for making Parma ham must also come from authorized farms in ten regions of central and northern Italy. The pigs on these farms only eat cereals, miscellaneous grains and whey left over from palsson cheese.

Before curing, the pork leg should be trimmed into a shape similar to "chicken leg" or "pear", and then wrapped with the only seasoning-sea salt. Salting with sea salt twice, standing, washing and air drying, primary ripening and lubrication, and finally salting and air drying for at least 1 year.

Finally, the ham that passed the test is entitled to be stamped with the crown of the Duke of Parma and become a well-deserved Parma ham.

Where can I eat it in China?

In China, except in some Italian restaurants, it is common to slice parma ham in plastic packages in supermarkets. Authentic Parma ham has a striking gold crown with a black triangle printed on it. If the Chinese word "Parma Ham" is printed on the package, but there is no golden crown sign, it is not the real Parma Ham Italian Ham!

For fitness parties, put Parma ham in salad or breakfast toast. Parma ham slices can be recessed into many shapes, which are beautiful and healthy.