Pasta, or paste, is the basis of Italian cuisine and Italians tend to eat it almost every day. But is this true or myth?
Pasta is the key element of Italian cuisine, being an essential food in the Italian diet. Hence the popularity of the saying “Toglietemi tutto mai la folder”. ('Take everything from me except the dough').
However, there is a widespread belief among foreigners that people in beautiful country They eat pasta every day of the week.
Is this reality or myth?
According to a survey by the search platform YouGov Italy, “only” 17% of Italians eat pasta every day or at least six days a week.
The majority of Italians (37%) eat pasta two to three times a week, while 30% say they eat it four to five times a week.
Finally, 8% eat pasta only once a week.
Although the research seems to debunk the claim that Italians generally eat pasta every day (only a minority do), does this mean that they are not as big pasta consumers as we originally thought?
Not really.
The Italian population is one of the main consumers of pasta in terms of consumption, since the annual average is 23,1 kilograms (almost two kilograms per month).
For context, people in neighboring France and Germany consume just 8,3 and 7,9 kg per capita per year, while the average American eats about 9 kg each year.
Brazilians consume around 6 kg of pasta per person, according to a study by the World Pasta Organization (IPO).
In the United Kingdom, another example, annual per capita consumption is an average of just 3,5 kg, according to a report from the pasta manufacturer Barilla.
So while they may not have it every day, Italians eat plenty of pasta throughout the year.
But how come they never get tired of it?
One of the main reasons behind Italians' unbreakable bond with this carbohydrate-rich food is variety.
Italians are extremely creative when it comes to pasta and rarely eat the same dish twice in a row as they like to experiment with a wide variety of recipes and sauces.
We also pack any there are more than 350 types of pasta in Italy, meaning you could potentially eat a different form of pasta almost every day of the year.
Another reason why most Italians eat pasta several times a week is that they tend to eat it in moderation, thus avoiding possible carbohydrate overloads.
Although they may have a large, high-calorie pasta dish (e.g. lasagna or pasta al ragù) on weekends or special occasions, people in the country generally opt for lighter recipes and sauces on regular days, with portions generally ranging from 80 to 120 grams per person.
Additionally, Italians rarely eat pasta twice a day, with most people opting for it at lunch and then choosing a carb-free dish in the evening. (Photo: Depositphotos)
FOLLOW ITALIANISM
