The 9 Italian Superfoods Giada De Laurentiis Always Keeps in Her Pantry

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We love a good pantry tour. From Ina Garten’s pristine pantry and Rachael Ray‘s upstate New York home pantry to, yes, even Kim Kardashian’s uber-extravagant pantry, we just can’t get enough of them. And this week, we were treated to another peek one of our favorites’ pantries, Giada De Laurentiis’, who put a fun twist on her tour by spotlighting, specifically, her must-have Italian superfoods.

In her new cookbook, Eat Better, Feel Better, De Laurentiis describes “superfood” as “ingredients that punch way above their weight when it comes to making things taste, smell, or look amazing, and they do it in a way that won’t disturb the balance you’re trying to restore in your gut.” And for De Laurentiis, this includes more than the usual suspects, like chia seeds, açaí berries, and kale. From olives and Italian honey to gluten-free pasta, De Laurentiis’ must-have superfoods include ingredients that not only taste great, but also help you maintain a healthy diet.

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Cerignola Olives

Cerignola olives are loaded with antioxidants and healthy fans. They taste great, too.

Olive Oil

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You likely already have olive oil on-hand in your kitchen, but we bet you didn’t realize they were considered a superfood. And one of our favorite brands is Brightland.

Balsamic Vinegar

Same goes for balsamic vinegar. It’s not only a highly versatile ingredient, but its health benefits also include lowering ones cholesterol and helping to stabilize blood pressure.

Gluten-Free Pasta

De Laurentiis loves her some gluten-free pasta, specifically Massimo Zero. “[It] has tons of our favorite unique pasta shapes, and they all taste delicious,” she writes.

Italian Honey

One of De Laurentiis’ go-to sweeteners, Italian honey is also known to boast a host of health benefits, from cleaning and keeping the liver healthy to improving one’s circulatory system.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes

We’re all aware these gems are flavor bombs, but did you know sun-dried tomatoes help keep your heart healthy? They’re also packed with antioxidants.

Anchovies

“These tiny fish may be divisive, but in my experience, even folks who claim to hate anchovies love the recipes they star in—after all, who doesn’t like a Caesar salad?” De Laurentiis said.

Dried Oregano

Ah, dried oregano — a must. No pantry, Italian or not, is complete without this antioxidant-rich herb that boasts anti-cancer properties and can help decrease inflammation.

Calabrian Chili Paste

De Laurentiis loves Calabrian chili paste, a versatile Italian pepper rich with vitamins A, B-6 and C, as well as potassium, iron, magnesium and capsaicin.

Before you go, check out our gallery below:

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