Good news for those 27 million Italians who suffer from sleep disorders: eating pasta at dinner is good, relaxes, facilitates sleep and does not make you fat, rather it makes you lose weight. From the 1960s to the present, a vast scientific literature, including three studies published in the journal The Lancet Public Health, helps to debunk false myths and myths about pasta, confirming that eating carbohydrates at dinner, and in particular pasta, rich in Tryptophan and Vitamins from group B, could prove to be a wise choice, not only because if taken in moderation it “extends life”, but above all if we are stressed and suffer from insomnia. And a long and restorative sleep is inversely proportional to the weight gain … In view of the World Day of Sleep (March 15), called by the World Association of Sleep Medicine to raise awareness about the benefits of a good and healthy night’s sleep, Italian Union Food (formerly Aidepi), the association that represents Italian pasta makers, has created a practical guide on pasta recipes and the most suitable formats for the last meal of the day.

A DINNER ONLY 1/3 OF PASTA CONSUMPTION, THE MILLENNIALS IN COUNTERTORENCE

American research could change habits to a large portion of the Italian population that refuses to bring this food for dinner for fear of gaining weight or sleeping badly. And in fact, 99% of Italians eat it, but 65% of pasta consumption is at lunch, while only 35% focuses on dinner. This does not happen, for example, for bread, fruit, vegetables, meat and even dessert, consumed in more or less equivalent quantities between the two main meals of the day. Moreover, about 11.6 million Italians never eat pasta at dinner, while only 3.8 million renounce meat and 6.7 million say no to fish in the last meal of the day. The Millennials go against the flow: for 39% of the under-35s, the spaghetti to be prepared all together is the essential element of a dinner with friends. While a significant proportion of young people in the South (20%, especially males) often make an encore, bringing it to the table for lunch and dinner at least 5 times a week.

LUCA PIRETTA: “IN THE PASTA TRIPTOFANO AND VITAMIN B FOR THE RELAXATION OF MIND AND BODY”:

Pasta is an excellent ally also in the evening, especially if we are stressed, if we suffer from insomnia or if we complain of premenstrual syndrome disorders. Comment on the results of the study by Luca Piretta, nutritionist and gastroenterologist, member of the Board of Directors of the Italian Society of Food Science (SISA): “The consumption of pasta favors the synthesis of insulin which, in turn, facilitates the absorption of tryptophan , the amino acid precursor of serotonin (which regulates mood) and melatonin (which orients the rhythm of sleep). And a long and restorative sleep is inversely related to weight gain, reducing the hormones responsible for hunger. Furthermore, the B vitamins, present in greater quantities in whole wheat pasta, involve muscle relaxation; above all B1, fundamental for the central nervous system, stimulates the production of serotonin “.

PRACTICAL ANSEGLATION: “IPNOINDUCENT” MILLING OF THE TOOTH PASTE:

The reason for the hypno-inducing power of pasta would also be another. Chewing slowly and accurately stimulates the receptors that act on the sense of satiety, reducing the sense of hunger that leads us to introduce more food. “Chewing is the first phase of digestion. Crushing the food into smaller pieces makes it more exposed to saliva, which is essential for the metabolism and easier to digest, “explains Piretta. And in the case of pasta, the Italian one is processed in such a way as to maintain the seal to the tooth, a consistency that makes it more resistant to chewing and therefore more digestible.

THE RECIPES OF PASTA IDEALIPRIMA TO GO TO SLEEP: THE ITALIAN FOOD UNION GUIDE:

The scientific union is followed by the Guide of the Italian Food Union to the 10 best pasta dishes before going to sleep, realized in collaboration with Luca Piretta (see Focus 1). A selection of recipes (from Fusilli Ginger and Zucchini, Linguine with clams, to Spaghetti with asparagus and thyme) and practical advice. For example, the recommended portion of the evening is a maximum of 80 grams.