Pizza not only tastes good but is also good for your health, says science, or rather research carried out by Silvano Gallus.
Together with Dr. Deborah Sangregorio, food consultant and toxicologist, we try to understand its beneficial properties.
But who is Silvano Gallus?
It is a Dutch-Italian from the Mario Negri Irccs Institute for Pharmacological Research in Milan who has won the IgNobel Prize for Medicine. The IgNobel Prizes are awarded annually in Harvard’s Sanders Theatre.
Designed to make people laugh, but then ultimately make them think.
The 2019 Medicine Prize was awarded specifically to Silvano Gallus.
His research shows that habitually eating pizza extends life and prevents myocardial infarction and some forms of cancer.
His study originated back in 2003, when he began an analysis on the impact of pizza on health.
The research was conducted on 4,999 people, (2,724 men, 2,275 women), based on their eating habits, sports activity, alcohol consumption and pizza consumption.
Theresults showed that those who habitually consume pizza are less prone to certain types of diseases.
However, pizza must be made in Italy, or at least with Italian methodology.
The real reason why pizza would turn out to have these “beneficial powers” lies mainly in the toppings.
Dr. Deborah Sangregorio, especially highlights the properties of tomato, basil and Evo oil.
Low in calories , tomatoes are composed of 93 percent water and are particularly rich in fiber, minerals (potassium in particular, but also manganese, phosphorus, copper, calcium and iron); substances with high antioxidant power (β-carotene, lycopene, vitamin E); B vitamins, folate, vitamin K and vitamin C.
It performs many actions that benefit our body as it decreases cholesterol levels, aids digestion, protects the heart and stimulates diuresis.
In addition, thanks to lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, tomatoes are considered a highly protective food for our bodies against degenerative diseases related to aging processes and reduce the risk of cancer and genetic damage.
The latter, let’s remember, is absorbed much more when tomatoes are cooked.
Basil is rich in vitamins, minerals, flavonoids and antioxidants, which are useful in protecting the body from aging and counteracting the action of free radicals.
In addition to this, basil aids digestion and proper functioning of the stomach.
In order for it to retain its vitamin content at its best, the advice is to consume basil raw.
Basil is about 92 percent water and contains a small amount of protein. It also contains vitamin A and B vitamins.
Dr. Sangregorio goes on to expound on the properties of extra virgin olive oil (EVO), a veritable gold mine of antioxidants.
Olive oil is particularly rich in fatty acids: oleic acid (monounsaturated), palmitic acid (saturated), linoleic acid (polyunsaturated, ω-6 family), and α-linolenic acid (polyunsaturated, ω-3 family); intakes of the right amounts of ω-3 and ω-6 benefit the consumer for their anti-inflammatory action.
Thanks to essential micro-molecules (fat-soluble vitamins – tocopherols and β-carotene) and phytosterols and polyphenols, the oil protects us from inflammatory processes, fights cellular aging, prevents heart disease, anti-cancer, reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and improves our cognitive functions.
Also important is the intake of vitamins especially those of groups A, E, K.
It must be said that we cannot limit the results of the research simply to these ingredients, because there are so many variations of pizza.
We can add fish to it, rich in Omega 3, but also and above all many vegetables, a source of fiber, vitamins and minerals.
We can draw the conclusion that the combination of pizza and health is therefore found in the ingredients used in the Italian Mediterranean diet.
Checking the ingredients and knowing their origin is essential, both to be sure what we eat, but especially for the impact on our health.
Here, then, is another good reason to keep eating pizza, especially if it is made at home with one’s own hands.
For those who want to try their hand at it, we recommend discovering Clementi wood-fired pizza ovens.
We cannot conclude except with an EVVIVA LA PIZZA!
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