Real Italian: olive oil, vegetables, legumes, pasta 60-80g as first course (not 300g main). Fish along coast, meat sparingly. Pasta portions 1/3 of American restaurants.
Healthiest Traditional Dishes
| Dish | Cal | Protein | Why Healthy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasta e Fagioli | 250 | 12g | Pasta + beans + tomato + olive oil. Complete protein. 8g fiber. Not Alfredo — this is real Italian food. |
| Insalata Caprese | 180 | 10g | Tomato (raw vit C) + mozzarella + basil + olive oil. Lycopene + olive oil = absorption. |
| Ribollita | 200 | 8g | Leftover bread + cannellini beans + cavolo nero + vegetables. Original zero-waste dish. Complete protein. |
📋 Core Principles
- Olive oil raw, never heated to smoking
- Pasta as primo — 60-80g, not main course
- Vegetables as contorno (main), not side
- Legumes 3-4x/week
- Fish > meat. Red meat 1-2x/month
- No snacking culture