In my nostalgic respect to my Italian-American heritage, I often look back fondly on returning home from school to find my mom preparing a large serving of spaghetti and steaming hot garlic bread, or how our family enjoyed takeout pizza on weekends.
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In a healthy diet, it’s good to keep snacks, like fresh fruits, and vegetables generally light, especially in calories.
Last month, a paradise for carb enthusiasts such as myself.
I decided this trip would be an ideal opportunity to verify for myself whether something genuinely changed, from a physiological perspective, when I consumed my favorite dishes outside of my usual home environment.
The level of glucose in your blood.
Sudden significant increases and decreases in blood sugar levels are generally responsible for the fatigue, dehydration and other unpleasant symptoms people experience after over-eating.
I recorded my progress for a week before my trip and then during the initial week of my honeymoon, and the outcomes were, quite frankly, astonishing.
I used a device called Stelo, which is inserted into the arm with a small needle and remains there for several weeks.
It measures the amount of glucose in the interstitial fluid, a body liquid surrounding cells and tissues.
The company states that a typical blood glucose level for a non-diabetic individual ranges from 70 to 140 milligrams per deciliter of blood.
Whenever my glucose levels would surge past this threshold, I’d receive an alert on my phone. A prompt would then be displayed, inquiring about my activities and food intake at the time of the spike.
Throughout the initial phase of the experiment, I observed recurring peaks in my bodily readings, particularly following dinner, with levels appearing more elevated when the meal included pasta or rice.
White, brown, and yellow rice are staple ingredients I frequently add to my meals around dinner time, as they are versatile and require relatively minimal effort and time.
Within 30 minutes of eating, the system would inform me that my blood sugar would rise from 80 mg/dl to approximately 130 in a brief period, gradually exceeding the normal range.
For pasta, I tried pairing it with vegetables and light sauces to make it a healthier option.
It’s possible that the food or perhaps the relief of not having to plan a wedding anymore contributed to my blood sugar levels remaining stable during mealtimes during my first week in Rome.
Whether it was a bowl of spaghetti carbonara at a sit-down restaurant or a trapizzino—an Italian pizza pocket—or a scoop of gelato from a street vendor, my levels stayed stable.
Despite the irregular schedule caused by jet lag and plane travel, I do not experience the typical bloating and fatigue that usually occurs when I am at home.
Even our multi-course meal prepared during a cooking class, which featured three distinct pasta dishes, triggered no high glucose alerts.
Many specialists think that the extensively processed character of American food in contrast to European products could be a contributing factor.
A box of Barilla Spaghetti in the US, for instance, includes the additives niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, and folic acid, along with semolina wheat flour.
Many of the ingredients previously used to extend the shelf life of food have been associated with blood sugar difficulties and diabetes.
Italian pasta typically consists of only semolina wheat flour and water, without using preservatives.
According to scientific evidence, eliminating processed foods from one’s diet may have tangible advantages.
Less processed pasta typically has a slower digestion rate, which slows the entry of glucose into the bloodstream.
Italians follow the practice of cooking pasta “al dente,” which is equivalent to “to the tooth.” This implies that the pasta has a firmer texture that requires more force to chew, thereby slowing down the digestive process.
In Australia, a spokesperson for the company spoke to saying that portion sizes tend to be smaller in Italy, with locals consuming several small meals at a time. Pasta is usually the first course (primo), followed by main dishes of meat or fish (secondi) and dessert.
She stated, ‘Meals are also combined with other nutrient-dense foods, such as vegetables, which can further reduce blood sugar responses.’
“Pizza also has significant distinctions,” Dr. Daniel Atkinson, clinical lead at Treated.com, said to .
He mentioned that Neapolitan-style pizzas are often made, featuring a thin crust and limited toppings, primarily consisting of fresh tomato sauce and mozzarella.
In Italy, pizzas typically use dough that is low in fat and sugar, which means consuming it may actually add less to your daily calorie count than you expect.
‘Almost all pizzas will lead to some increase in blood sugar, however, the thinner crust on Italian-style pizza usually means it will have a lower glycemic index overall compared to various American versions.’
In the US, many dining establishments employ sugar not only in their dough but also in their sauces to amplify their flavor profiles.
”This extra sugar contained in US pizzas may, in theory, partly account for why blood sugar surges may be more extreme compared to those encountered in Italy,’ Dr Atkinson pointed out.
My experts also advise me that my elevated step count may be a contributing factor: I have been averaging 15,000 steps a day and am constantly on my feet, as opposed to the average 5,000 to 7,000 on a normal day at home.
Research has reliably demonstrated that engaging in a walk following a meal leads to faster digestion of food and facilitates the movement of gas throughout the digestive system, thereby reducing the occurrence of bloating.
It has been discovered that a two-minute walk after eating also helps to reduce blood sugar levels. This is because the muscles take up the extra glucose in the bloodstream.
Ms Alexander told
Walking is deeply ingrained in the daily routine of many urban centers in Europe, which can significantly influence digestion and metabolic well-being.
I wasn’t completely exempt from blood-sugar spikes during my time in Italy – I still experienced them after breakfast.
I’m typically not a morning person. Usually, I’m in a rush and all I can manage is a few scrambled eggs or a toasted waffle.
While in Rome, Florence, and Venice, I indulged in the traditional continental breakfasts, typically consisting of a mix of pastries, yogurt, eggs, salad, and cappuccino.
It’s likely that I was experiencing the spikes around this time due to my body not being accustomed to breakfast, and on top of that, I was choosing high-sugar alternatives.
Upon returning from my Italy trip, my average blood glucose level was 101 mg/dl, and I spent nearly 96 percent of the time within the target glucose range.
Despite a slight decrease in spikes overall, I spent nearly the same amount of time within the target area.
I’m impressed by how lively and healthy I felt while enjoying my favourite foods in Italy, and I’ll definitely be checking the ingredient lists in the US more frequently.
I plan to also take an after-dinner walk every time we have Italian food at home.
