Why Dining in an Italian Restaurant Makes You Feel So Good (2024)

Why Dining in an Italian Restaurant Makes You Feel So Good

Dining in an Italian restaurant can make you feel like you are eating a home-cooked family meal in Italy. From the moment you enter the restaurant an aroma of herbs, steaming fresh vegetables and olive oil awakens your senses and blends with the ambience to help your body relax and prepare for a fabulous meal.

Americans love Italian food, especially homemade old country Italian foods prepared from family recipes passed down through generations. But aside from the good feeling you get when entering an Italian restaurant, why does the food make you feel so good?

Italian Food Loaded with Healthy Ingredients

Considering just a few of the health benefits of ingredients used most often in traditional Italian foods, it is easy to understand why eating the food makes you feel better. Many Italian dishes include:

Olive oil – Olive oil is loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. Although high in fat, the main fat in olive oil is monounsaturated, which helps lowers your LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise your HDL (good) cholesterol. It helps lower blood pressure and protect against heart disease and stroke. Olive oil can also lower your risks for forming gallstones and may help prevent cancer. It is the more healthy oil.

Garlic – The health benefits of garlic are widely known, and have been for ages. It is a powerful antioxidant and considered a natural antibiotic. Garlic helps thin your blood and lower risks for developing blood clots. Simply put, it is one of the most beneficial herbs. People around the world use garlic for treating everything from colds to snakebites.

Tomatoes – Fresh, cooked tomatoes are great source of potassium and vitamins. They are a powerful antioxidant enhanced by cooking. Tomatoes can lower your risks for cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. They can also help reduce inflammation, and studies show tomatoes may even help burn fat.

Basil – Basil is also a powerful antioxidant that can boost your immune system and prevent cancer. It helps prevent cholesterol buildup, can improve blood flow, and reduces your risk for a heart attack. The antibacterial properties of basil can help fight colds, flu and other viral infections. The anti-inflammatory properties also help treat stomach problems, including cramps and indigestion, as well as arthritis.

Mushrooms – Fresh mushrooms have been used throughout history for food and medicinal purposes. Full of antioxidants, they help lower blood pressure and can reduce risks for heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, among other conditions. Mushrooms are fat and cholesterol free and low in calories, making them a healthy addition to your diet and helpful in losing weight.

Those are only a few of the healthy ingredients found in many Italian dishes, so it’s easy to understand why eating a traditional Italian meal can make you feel better. It is good for you!

To eat healthier whendining in an Italian restaurant, choose sautéed dishes, not fried. Keep the bread you consume to a minimum (not easy to do at Italiano’s), and enjoy each healthy bite.

Why Dining in an Italian Restaurant Makes You Feel So Good (2024)

FAQs

Why Dining in an Italian Restaurant Makes You Feel So Good? ›

Dining in an Italian restaurant can make you feel like you are eating a home-cooked family meal in Italy. From the moment you enter the restaurant an aroma of herbs, steaming fresh vegetables and olive oil awakens your senses and blends with the ambience to help your body relax and prepare for a fabulous meal.

Why is Italian food so good for you? ›

A Focus On Fresh

Everything is homemade, ingredients are rarely processed, and the flavors speak for themselves. Eating home-cooked meals with family is a huge part of the Italian lifestyle. With such a big focus on fresh ingredients and little processed food, the Italian diet is great for the body.

What makes Italian cuisine enjoyable? ›

There are many reasons why Italian cuisine is so popular worldwide. These reasons include its quality of ingredients, simplicity of dishes, potential health benefits, and variety of tastes. Why is Italian cuisine so unique? Italian dishes are typically rich in olive oils rather than loaded with unhealthy fats.

Why is Italian food so romantic? ›

3) Italian Food is Sensual and Hands-On

Plump, juicy Italian olives, sweet, piquant sundried tomatoes, rounds of fresh, crusty bread, our Italian cheese platter and salty, succulent morsels of cured meat make for the perfect romantic picnic at home – and don't forget the Italian olive oil for dipping.

What are some reasons why some people enjoy eating in restaurants? ›

One of the main reasons is the convenience and quick service that restaurants offer, making it easier for individuals with busy lifestyles to have a meal. Additionally, restaurants provide a social setting where people can gather with friends and family, making it a way to socialize and spend time together.

Why eat at an Italian restaurant? ›

Dining in an Italian restaurant can make you feel like you are eating a home-cooked family meal in Italy. From the moment you enter the restaurant an aroma of herbs, steaming fresh vegetables and olive oil awakens your senses and blends with the ambience to help your body relax and prepare for a fabulous meal.

Why is food in Italy so much better than us? ›

Freshness is King

Italians pride themselves on utilizing fresh local produce and products in their cooking, much more so than Americans. As a result, much of the normal food you would eat in America just… tastes better here. Even the hamburgers you might find at a local restaurant taste better!

Why is Italian food so comforting? ›

Italian cuisine is renowned for its emphasis on quality ingredients and the art of simplicity. This approach allows the ingredients' true flavors to shine through, resulting in delicious and satisfying dishes.

What do Italians love to eat the most? ›

Most dinners consist of a salad, the primo (pasta or soup dish) and the secondo (meat or fish dish). The Italians also enjoy cooked vegetables like artichokes, eggplants, mushrooms, spinach and zucchini, which they either buy at the market or grow in their gardens.

Why is Italian food special? ›

One of the main characteristics of Italian cuisine is its simplicity, with many dishes made up of few ingredients, and therefore Italian cooks often rely on the quality of the ingredients, rather than the complexity of preparation. Italian cuisine is at the origin of a turnover of more than €200 billion worldwide.

What are Italian eating habits? ›

The most common foods in the Italian diet include pasta, cheese, vegetables, olive oil, meats, and wine. Italians give a lot of importance to fresh ingredients. They use seasonal ingredients to prepare meals. The Italian diet consists of breakfast (colazione), lunch (pranzo), and dinner (cena).

Why Italians are passionate? ›

And this passion is not just reserved for love and affection. Consider the things Italy is famous for: food, cooking, fashion, design, art, politics, religion, family, opera, even the terrible driving – everything in Italy is approached with gusto, joie de vivre, energy and, of course, passion!

Why do I get so much enjoyment from food? ›

We can see that hormones and neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine are being released in the body to reward you for enjoying a healthy meal, and even the trillions of microorganisms living in your gut microbiome communicate with your brain through neural, inflammatory, and hormonal signals to let you know that ...

Why do people like fine dining? ›

Culinary Craftsmanship and Exclusive Cuisine

In a fine dining restaurant you can expect to try innovative and bold menus, exclusive ingredients from around the world and culinary flare. Meals at fine dining restaurants are often trailblazing with chefs showcasing their latest masterpieces in taste and presentation.

Why is food such a pleasure? ›

The psychology behind eating for pleasure

“Pleasure of any kind, including pleasure from food, leads to a release of dopamine in the brain,” explains therapist, dietitian, and Certified Body Trust provider Aleta Storch, RDN, MHC, of Wise Heart Nutrition and Wellness.

Is Italian food the healthiest in the world? ›

Although Italy is known for its pizza and pasta, it is the healthiest country in the world because of its food. Meals are both healthy and delicious, and you can still lose weight following an Italian diet. Healthy fats, fresh veggies, and, yes, wonderful pasta all contribute to the country's low obesity rates.

What is the healthiest Italian food to eat? ›

7 Healthy Italian Dishes That Still Taste Amazing
  • Minestrone Soup. ...
  • Steamed Clams. ...
  • Roasted Chicken. ...
  • Eggplant Parmigiana. ...
  • Whole Wheat Spaghetti Aglio Oglio. ...
  • Cheese Ravioli. ...
  • Chicken Cacciatora. ...
  • Are You Ready to Try Some Healthy Italian Dishes?
Dec 30, 2019

How do Italians eat pasta and not get fat? ›

Have you ever wondered why the Italian do not get fat despite an abundance of pizza, pasta, and dairy? Well, it is because of the Mediterranean diet! People in Italy enjoy a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, beans, tomatoes, poultry, whole grains, olive oil, red wine, dairy ― and they consume very little red meat.

What do Italians eat every day? ›

A typical Italian diet consists of three meals in a day. The most common foods in the Italian diet include pasta, cheese, vegetables, olive oil, meats, and wine. Italians give a lot of importance to fresh ingredients. They use seasonal ingredients to prepare meals.

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