From diabetes.co.uk
Eating pasta and pizza in Italy is better for your blood sugar levels than consuming them in America, a health reporter has demonstrated.
Emily Joshu Sterne has discovered that her blood sugar levels tend to increase after eating pasta and pizza in America, leaving her feeling fatigued for hours afterwards. However, the Italian American saw that her blood sugar remained stable after eating pasta dishes and pizza while she was on holiday in Rome.
She said: "Like many Americans, I’d heard stories about people travelling to Europe and being able to eat anything without suffering bloating like they would at home. So, you can imagine my excitement as I prepared for my honeymoon in Italy last month, the mecca for carb lovers like myself.”
Before, and during her honeymoon, Emily wore a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to see how eating pasta dishes and pizza affected her blood sugar levels. While at home in America, she saw that her blood sugar levels often increased after eating dinner, particularly if the meals contained pasta or rice. However, her blood sugar never spiked after dinner when she was on her honeymoon in Rome, even if it was a bowl of carbonara, an Italian pizza or gelato.
Emily said: “The bloating and fatigue I normally get at home never set in. Even the five-course meal we made during a cooking class, which included three separate pasta courses, didn’t cause any high glucose alerts.”
Nutritionists claim that Americans tend to use a lot more ultra-processed foods than Europeans, meaning pasta brands in the US use thickening agents, colouring agents and additives like emulsifiers. Whereas pasta in Italy is usually homemade using just semolina wheat flour and water, leaving out the preservatives.
Dietitian Amie Alexander said: “Portion sizes [in Italy] also tend to be smaller, with Italians eating several small courses at a time. Pasta is typically the first course (primo), followed by meat or fish (secondi) and dessert.
“Meals are also combined with other nutrient-dense foods, such as vegetables, which can further blunt blood sugar responses.”
Dr Daniel Atkinson, Clinical Lead at Treated.com, said: “Pizza also has important differences. [In Italy] it is often made Neapolitan-style, with a thin crust and minimal toppings beyond fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella. The dough used is usually free from fat and sugar, so overall, eating pizza in Italy might be adding fewer calories to your daily intake than you think.”
He added: “Most pizza will cause some kind of blood sugar increase, but the thinner crust on Italian pizza means it will more than likely have a lower glycaemic index overall compared to American versions.”
Emily said: “Experts also told me that my increased steps could be playing a role: I was averaging 15,000 steps a day and, on my feet, constantly compared to around 5,000-7,000 on a normal day in the States.”
Amie Alexander stated: “Physical activity such as walking after meals increases muscles’ efficiency in absorbing glucose, thus reducing blood sugar. Walking is very much embedded in daily life in many European cities, which can really have a great impact on digestion and metabolic health.”
Emily concluded: “I am amazed at how energetic and healthy I felt even while indulging in my favourite foods in Italy, and I’ll definitely be checking ingredients lists in the US more often.
“I think I’ll also incorporate an after-dinner walk whenever we’re eating Italian food back home (before we open the wine and resign to the couch for the night!”
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