One of the most irresistible of all Italian dishes is ravioli — small pouches of pasta in tomato sauce, each one of them filled with a variety of cheeses. There is no denying that it tastes phenomenal. But is it a healthy treat? Continue reading to know if it’s perfectly fine for a health-conscious person like you to get your hands on ravioli.

While you can easily order ravioli at your favorite Italian restaurant, you can also actually make it from scratch right in your own kitchen. If you love experimenting with various pasta dishes, then you will surely be thrilled to make your very first batch of ravioli to improve your gourmet cooking profile.

Thanks to the usual cheese fillings of ravioli, this Italian treat can be on the healthy side of things. However, every serving of ravioli can also easily supply your body with lots and lots of calories, saturated fat and cholesterol if you opt for ravioli with fillings such as beef and shrimp. Eating ravioli in moderation is recommended!

Provided that you are able to control yourself and consume ravioli in moderate amounts only each time, every serving of it can actually be good for you. So if you are conscious about your health, self-control is what you need and not dodging a plate of ravioli completely. Here are some of the perks that you can enjoy from this very popular Italian dish:

Strengthened Bones and Teeth

Because of the cheese fillings that ravioli boasts of, your body is supplied with impressive amounts of calcium. Everyone knows very well that calcium is a mineral so important for strengthening the bones. A diet that consists of calcium-rich foods is an effective way to get your risk of having osteoporosis one day reduced.

It’s not just your bones that can be strengthened by calcium, but also your teeth. So the next time you are eating ravioli, go ahead and smile not only because it tastes so wonderful, but makes your pearly whites strong, too.

Boosted Energy Levels

Ravioli consists of pasta pockets that are out of durum wheat flour, which is a great source of complex carbohydrates. The nicest thing about durum wheat flour is it supplies your body with other nutrients, too, unlike white or refined flour that offers you nothing but calories each time you consume it.

Optimized Fiber Intake

Durum wheat flour which is one of the most important ingredients in making ravioli also contains impressive amounts of dietary fiber. It’s no secret that dietary fiber is essential for keeping you regular — it helps in lowering your risk of constipation. So if you love ravioli, you are guaranteed to have stellar toilet habits.

According to medical experts, the regular consumption of foods rich in dietary fiber may also lower your risk of having to face colon cancer one day because the cancer-triggering toxins in the gut are always flushed out.

Increased Muscle Mass

Ravioli that is stuffed with beef is undeniably a phenomenal source of protein, and we all know that protein is so vital for building muscles and getting them repaired, too. Protein is also essential for keeping the skin, hair and nails beautiful and healthy, and it’s also necessitated by the body for the creation of certain hormones and enzymes.

Alas, meat ravioli stuffing can also come loaded with calories, saturated fat and cholesterol, and this is exactly the reason why you should always consume ravioli in moderation even though it can be hard to stop eating this Italian treat.

Lowered Cancer Risk

Finally, tomato sauce that ravioli comes in is an excellent fighter of cancer, according to medical experts. It’s for the fact that tomato sauce is a very good source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that is proven to have amazing cancer-busting properties. Tomato sauce also provides potassium, copper, and vitamins A, C and E.