Italians have much to teach us about healthful eating Health Tips

Italians have much to teach us about healthful eating

Travel is an opportunity to explore new sights, sounds and flavors, and a week in Italy provided me with all that and more. Here are a few tasty insights from my time under the Tuscan sun.

Farro is a popular Italian grain that is perfect for anyone looking for a brown rice alternative. It is related to wheat, but its gluten molecules are weaker, making it more easily digested. Some people with gluten intolerance (not celiac disease) are able to handle it.

Farro is used whole in soups and salads and ground into flour for breads and pasta. A half cup, cooked, has 100 calories and 4 grams each protein and fiber. It contains cyanogenic glucosides, which stimulate the immune system, lower cholesterol and assist with blood glucose maintenance.

Farro has a rich, nutty flavor and chewy texture. Look for whole farro, which will need to be soaked before cooking. The pearled (hulled) variety is quicker cooking but lower in fiber and phytonutrients

Noticeably missing from restaurant tables in Italy were salt shakers. I liked that. Too many people salt food before tasting. Italian dishes are flavored with some salt and also fresh herbs and small amounts of salty foods such as olives and Parmesan cheese.

Considering that 90 percent of Americans will have high blood pressure by the time they are 65, it is important to explore herbs and spices for flavoring. In addition to fabulous flavor, herbs and spices boost the antioxidant content of a prepared dish. Rosemary, for example, contains phytonutrients that increase circulation, improve digestion and are anti-inflammatory.

Another missing item were the plates you often see in U.S. Italian restaurants for dipping bread in olive oil. A slice of bread is about 100 calories, and 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil increases the calories by 50 percent. Few of us need that.

My most overall impression was that enjoying food prepared with fresh and minimally processed ingredients is an Italian national passion. Lets import that to our dinner tables.

Sheah Rarback is a registered dietitian on the faculty of the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine.

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