If a detox with Italian cuisine sounds like an oxymoron, let me introduce you to a concept that may be new to many: Italian food is generally very healthy. There, I said it! I expect food connoisseurs who have experienced the sensational freshness of Italian home cooking to be less than surprised to hear this statement. However, the majority of people I know struggle with the idea.

I’m often asked: “How can you eat Italian food every day and not be fat?” This question baffles me. I always candidly reply, “Because it’s healthy and nutritious”, which usually results in a few quizzical looks.

Somehow, in the course of a few generations of Italians who migrated to Australia, the authenticity of Italian home cooking has been lost in translation. Over time, the cuisine has been unjustly branded too rich and indulgent, carb-loaded and only to be consumed in moderation. I couldn’t be more thrilled to have this opportunity to voice my opinion on this delicate matter.

Let’s get this straight, once and for all: at the core of Italian cuisine is the Mediterranean diet, a way of life that encourages people to consume plenty of fruit, vegetables, pulses, nutritious grains and moderate to low amounts of meat and alcohol. And while it’s true that many Italians enjoy the occasional bowl of carbonara or cannelloni, we’re more inclined to turn to greens and legumes for our daily intake of goodness. Think about a bowl of seasonal vegetables lightly poached in a nutritious stock, a handful of lentils for a protein boost and a grating of lemon zest, crowned by a glistening drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. See, don’t you feel healthier already?

Here’s the recipe for Silvia Colloca’s summer minestrone.