How to Make Healthy Italian Food

Everyone seems to love Italian food. Whether you prefer spaghetti or chicken parmesan, you more than likely have a favorite Italian dish. But, is it healthy? Many times even low calorie Italian dishes may not be as healthy as you once thought. Luckily, there are several tricks you use to make all your Italian dishes healthy.

First of all, healthy Italian food starts with the pasta. Whether you're making lasagna or a pasta bake, you must use whole wheat pasta. We all know that white pasta is loaded with bad carbs, but whole wheat pasta is filled with the carbs your body needs to function properly. There are now several pasta brands available that make healthy whole wheat pasta, but you can also make it yourself.

Second, you need to choose a healthy sauce for your Italian dishes. While many pasta sauces are low in calories, they are also loaded with sodium. If you want truly healthy pasta sauce, you need to make it yourself. I suggest that you start with fresh ingredients like tomatoes, garlic, green peppers, onions, and fresh herbs. After adding your own healthy sauce, you'll find that your Italian recipes are not only healthy but taste amazing as well.

Third, you need to think about the meat you're adding to an Italian dish. In order to keep your Italian food healthy, I suggest using 93% lean ground beef. You can also use 98% lean ground chicken or turkey, if you like. If your Italian recipe calls for chicken breasts, skip the breading step and sauté the chicken in olive oil instead.

Fourth, don't be afraid to add tons of vegetables to your Italian recipes. Mushrooms, for example, make a great substitute for beef. You will also find that a pasta sauce loaded with chunks of vegetables is satisfying, even if you don't add beef. But, you must remember that if your Italian recipe calls for breaded and fried vegetables, you must skip that step.

Last, but not least, look for healthy cheeses to add to your Italian recipes. For example, you can find low-fat ricotta, cottage cheese, and mozzarella. The only time I wouldn't use the low-fat mozzarella is if the cheese needs to be melted. Parmesan cheese is fairly low in fat and calories. But, beware of the sodium and use sparingly.

As you can see, Italian food doesn't have to full of fat and calories. Even the most sinful Italian recipes can be made healthy. You just need to make a few adjustments.