Low fat Italian food?

Pesce (fish) and verdure (veggies) - both low fat and easy to find on menus. Artichokes (carciofi all romana) are very popular in Rome when in season. The fried Jewish version (carciofi alla giudia) is yummy but probably not low fat. Pasta is often eaten as a first course but you can easily skip it.

I've only traveled to Italy between May and September, so I don't know exactly what will be on the menu in early spring. I've always looked for the grilled-vegetable side-dish, which is a good way to be sure of including something healthy. You should be able to find seafood (usually not a very cheap option), and I'd imagine chicken and pork will be available frequently in non-fried form. I think you'll do OK.

Menus are posted outside, so you'll have a very good idea of what's on offer before you go in a restaurant.

The year after I had my gallbladder removed I also had to be especially careful. For me, it was the breakfast items - meats and cheeses and pastry-type options. I had to choose just one of those three items total per breakfast with fruit and bread and coffee.

Your friend will be insalada mista (nice mixed salads) and staying towards the tomato sauces with pasta vs an oily or cream sauce. Milk products really affected me for awhile.

Usually any adverse reactions will happen within 30 minutes, so you may want to eat breakfast at your hotel a little earlier and just have dinners somewhat near your hotel. It does get better! Enjoy your time in Italy!

Pasta dishes are not as fat-laden as they are in the U.S. Many are vegetarian and rarely is cream used. Spaghetti con vongole ( clams) is very nice. Roast chicken is common on menus as are the grilled vegies mentioned by others, grilled tuna (tonno in Italian) or other grilled fish are great. Check out Sardinian and Sicilian restaurants in Rome for great seafood. Skip the salami-type products, but you may tolerate prosciutto.

I should also add that picking up some items from a grocery store is a great option for some lunches, too.

In addition to pastas with red sauce, ask the restaurant what vegetables they have available that they can prepare. In my experience in Italy, vegetables are not always listed on the menu but are almost always able to be prepared if you ask.

I would ask for vegetables "sensa olio." Artichokes/carciofi all romana are not fried but they're braised with a lot of oil in the water. Some other vegetables may also be marinated in advance or (easier to prevent) dressed with oil just before they leave the kitchen.

I had my gall bladder removed about eight or nine months before I made my annual pilgrimage to Italy and i did not have a problem with anything. The Italian food in Italy is not as heavy as we experience here. I grew up in an Italian-American home and have found the food of Italy to be much less heavy than the version served here.

Vegetables, fresh fruits, seafood, and much smaller cuts of meat are the Italian style. Basically, you won't find a meat lovers pizza laden with lots of meat items. Pasta dishes are not drenched in sauce and are not gargantuan.

Buon viaggio,

Salad is served without dressing. Usually olive oil and balsamic vinegar are available, but you certainly don't have to use them. Some dishes, like lasagna, are heavy on cheese. You may want to skip these. Butter is not used so much in Italy. Pastries often are sweet, but not buttery as they are in France. Fruit is readily available at small stores and produce stands. If whole milk is a problem, just drink coffee black, maybe "café Americano." This is espresso plus hot water to resemble what we drink in the USA.