Unveiling the Secrets of the Italian Diet: Why Do Italians Live Longer?

Bookworm

posted on 1 year ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Discover the surprising truth behind Italy's renowned cuisine and its impact on longevity. Explore the Mediterranean diet, unique eating habits, and the small contradictions that make Italians some of the healthiest people in the world. Uncover the hidden factors contributing to their longer life expectancy. Don't miss out on understanding the captivating relationship between Italian food, culture, and well-being.

Experts Share the Effects of Daily Tomato Consumption on the Body

A Wide Variety

Tomatoes, those red fruits often mistakenly referred to as vegetables, are an important part of our diet. Technically, they are botanically defined as fruits, which may come as a surprise to many. Most of us envision tomatoes as vibrant red, but nature offers an impressive color palette of tomatoes.

There are varieties in orange, green, yellow, and even deep purple. Apart from the color diversity, the size is also notably different. There are small, sweet cherry tomatoes, often used in salads, and large, juicy beefsteak tomatoes, which are excellent for sandwiches and burgers.

The Nightshade Family

The origins of tomatoes lie deep in South America, where they belong to the nightshade family. This family also includes other everyday foods found in many kitchens worldwide.

In addition to tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, and peppers are members of this family. It is amazing to think of how different our diet, especially in the USA and Europe, would be if nightshade vegetables were not integrated into our daily meals.

Mainly Water

Upon looking inside a tomato, one will discover that it is made up of a remarkable amount of water. This explains its juiciness and refreshing taste. Approximately 95% of a tomato consists of water.

The remaining portion is composed of important carbohydrates, fiber, a small amount of protein, sugar, and even fat. This composition makes tomatoes a healthy and satisfying snack.

Packed with Goodness

But even though they are mainly composed of water, tomatoes are far from being simply "water with flavor". They are a powerhouse of nutrients and health benefits.

Tomatoes are filled with vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients that significantly contribute to our health and well-being. Nutrition experts and doctors often recommend the consumption of tomatoes because their benefits for the body are hard to surpass.

Lycopene

The striking red color of tomatoes is not only eye-catching but also a sign of their richness in health-promoting compounds. This red hue is produced by a pigment called lycopene.

Lycopene belongs to the group of carotenoids, which are generally known for their antioxidant properties. It is often said that the more intense the redness of the tomato, the higher its lycopene content, making it an important food source of this nutrient.

Ketchup

Although the skin of the tomato has the highest lycopene content, many people in the West consume this important antioxidant through tomato sauces and ketchups. However, a word of caution

While ketchup is a popular condiment, it often contains a lot of sugar and preservatives. This means that even though ketchup contains lycopene, fresh tomatoes always remain the healthier choice.

Concrete Effects

With all this information in mind, we may wonder how tomatoes really affect our health. It is a question that has been extensively studied by science.

Tomatoes are not only delicious but also offer concrete health benefits. They can contribute to strengthening our immune system, balance cholesterol levels, and even help prevent certain types of cancer.

The Brain

First, we need to consider the wonderful and complex organ we call the brain. It is the center of our thoughts, our emotions, and it controls how we perceive the world around us. In recent years, numerous scientific studies and research have highlighted the positive effects of specific nutrients and antioxidants on the brain. In particular, lycopene, which is abundant in tomatoes, appears to have a protective effect on our brain cells.

These antioxidants can help reduce oxidative stress, which is a main cause of brain cell degradation. Diseases like Alzheimer's, which have devastating effects on our cognitive abilities such as thinking and remembering, could be positively influenced by regular consumption of foods rich in lycopene, such as tomatoes. It is fascinating to think that the simple act of regularly eating tomatoes could help protect our mental health as we age.

Promising Results

Scientists can point to a four-year study to support this claim. It analyzed the cognitive activity of people over 70.

It turns out that those who consumed more lycopene experienced slower cognitive decline. This was a promising finding, but further research is needed to support it.

Metabolic Syndrome

There are arguments that tomatoes can help with metabolic syndrome, which can be characterized as a collection of conditions that increase a person's risk for serious problems like diabetes and heart disease.

One can be said to have metabolic syndrome if three of the following conditions are present in the body: high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high blood fats, low good cholesterol, or a large waist circumference.

A Common Complaint

According to current statistics, an astonishing one-third of the adult population in the US suffers from metabolic syndrome. That's a staggering proportion, and any measures that could help alleviate this problem are urgently needed and highly welcome. Lycopene, a compound abundant in tomatoes, is said to have supportive effects here.

So, tomatoes are an excellent way to incorporate this valuable substance into our system. In fact, including regular tomatoes in our diet could help reduce the risk of this condition and promote overall health.

Prevention of Heart Disease

When specifically examining heart disease, it seems that tomatoes can help reduce the risk of its development. This is largely due to the lycopene they contain.

One study claims that a healthy intake of this compound can reduce a person's chances of developing heart disease by about 14 percent. This demonstrates how powerful and effective natural foods like tomatoes can be when it comes to our health.

Mixed with Olive Oil

Further research has examined how tomatoes, when combined with olive oil, also have a positive effect on the heart. The experts focused on how tomatoes lowered levels of bad blood cholesterol and fat while increasing levels of good cholesterol and overall anti-inflammatory effects.

They examined raw tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato sauce mixed with olive oil. They found that the latter combination was most advantageous in terms of health benefits.

Good for Digestion

Other studies have demonstrated the benefits of tomatoes for digestion. Not only is their high water content advantageous in this regard, but the fruits also contain a considerable amount of different fibers.

Without going into too much detail, all these factors facilitate bowel movement and promote healthy digestion.

Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes poses a significant threat to people in America. Nearly 15 percent of adults are affected, while 38 percent have blood sugar levels high enough to be considered pre-diabetic.

Here, lycopene can help by preventing cell damage and reducing inflammation, thus reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Cancer Prevention

Since lycopene and other antioxidants in tomatoes can protect cells from damage, it follows that the risk of cancer development is reduced in individuals who consume adequate amounts of them.

In a study on men, it was found that tomatoes reduce the likelihood of developing prostate cancer. More generally, non-starchy fruits and vegetables like tomatoes appear to reduce the risk of a variety of other cancer types.

Good Recovery

Other research suggests that tomatoes can help people recover more effectively. While exercise is good for the body, it can sometimes cause harm.

Drinking tomato juice before or after a workout can be a great way to recover after physical activity.

So Many Benefits

The immune system can also greatly benefit from tomatoes. All these vitamins mean that people can more effectively ward off viruses, which is certainly an appealing prospect. In short, there are so many different benefits to consuming tomatoes.

However, if you want to find out how to make the most of them, it's probably best to consult a professional.

Mix It Up

In general, it is advisable to consume tomatoes in various ways. Don't just eat them raw, but cook them in different ways and incorporate them into different dishes. Drink the juice and make sauces out of them.

Variety is good for your health and also makes your meals more interesting. Perhaps no nation loves tomatoes as much as the Italians do. That might make you wonder - what does the Italian diet do to your body?

The Mediterranean Diet

It may seem strange that a country known for a variety of calorie-rich delicacies is considered one of the healthiest in the world. Turns out, there's more to this story. The world has its perception of the classic Italian diet, but in reality, it differs quite a bit from what we might imagine.

Most Italians enjoy a diet rich in fish, fruits, poultry, whole grains, beans, tomatoes, and vegetables, supplemented by their staples like pasta. They typically avoid red meat and love their wine and coffee. Their entire diet is traditionally known as the Mediterranean diet.

A Leisurely Experience

Furthermore, the Italian attitude towards food is significantly different than in other parts of the world. Eating a meal is a sacred affair in Italy; an experience that, when done correctly,

Takes time. Stephano Gumina, a doctor in Rome, told WebMD, "We eat with our gut and not with our head. And since we dine in peace, we get the signal that we are full, and can simply lean back and enjoy the company."

Not as Pure as Before

The Mediterranean diet, combined with the way the nation views food, has contributed to Italy being called one of the healthiest countries in the world. But what if we told you that the reality is more nuanced?

What if we told you that some Italian foods can actually be quite unhealthy for you and that some questionable eating habits from other countries have been seeping into Italian culture for some time now?

Longer Life Expectancy

In 2013, the journal The Lancet published an assessment of public health in 19 countries worldwide. The results were compiled from 20 years of data and revealed something interesting.

Italy had the second-highest life expectancy of all the countries, surpassing other European countries like Sweden, France, and Germany.

A Small Contradiction

Surprisingly, Italy's life expectancy of 81.5 years was a whole 18 months longer than that of people in the UK, who had an average life expectancy of 79.9 years.

An incredulous BBC article titled "Why do the Italians live longer than us?" couldn't understand how this could be the case when the UK had a larger health budget, people smoked less, and the country had a thriving economy.

Income Gap

Alan Maryon-Davis, professor of health at King's College London, had a theory. He told the BBC that he believed it had something to do with the fact that the gap between Italy's rich and poor citizens was smaller than in the UK.

He noted, "There's a flatter social gradient - less difference between the haves and the have-nots in Italy, and that's likely to play a part in the health outcomes."

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