Appreciate daily meal by knowing its ingredients.
Our daily diet is so important in keeping us healthy and strong, it helps with our sleeping patterns and energy levels. Moreover, eating well reduces the risk of physical health problems like heart disease and diabetes or even cancer. Many people think that to eat healthy means eating flavorless food or reducing food intake, but the concept of a diet is much simpler. Replace you daily diet with the right food items keep what is good and reduce or avoid what is useless or bad. Eat what you want but in the right moment of the day so you can support your metabolism and digestion without accumulating fat. Of course parallel activities such as sports and regular activity help burn fat and detox our bodies.
Today i am going to share with you benefits of some ingredients and food that i recommended in my live streaming in happs.tv on fri 29th. You can see the replay on happs.tv or simply on my facebook (@silviabonomo) or twitter (@ladyamarone1) page.
The first dish i recommended was: SPAGHETTI AGLIO, OLIO, PEPERONCINO. This famous dish has its origins in the south of Italy in Naples. You can do it with spaghetti, linguine or even vermicelli pasta. We can find mentions of this dish in the italian book "Cucina Teorica Pratica" of Ippolito Cavalcanti in 1837. It is actually considered very healthy and helpful for your body. Let's see why is good and when is not good to eat it.
PASTA
Pasta is holds mainly starches with a moderate amount of protein, mineral salts (calcium, phosphorus and iron) and vitamins of group B. Whole grain pasta carries a large amount of fiber, but the egg one is rich in proteins neither. Pasta provide energy of immediate use since it characterised by a high starch content. However, this digestibility varies according to the degree of cooking (al dente pasta i the most digestible) and the condimento too which also influences the caloric intake. To increase its digestibility, it is recommended to chew it for a long time. WARNING! cooking of semolina pasta involves the loss of vitamin B1 (50% about circa ) B2 (about 30% circa ) and B3 (about 40% circa).
When to reduce pasta consumption? Controidications: Arteriosclerast (reduce the use and lightly seasoned, avoid egg pasta and or seasoned with fats of animal origin), diabetic (prefer integral or semi integral pasta), gastroenterocolitis (consume it in moderation, in stages acne eliminate it completely), hypertension, liver disease (no pasta topped with meat sauce or and egg), celiac disease (gluten free or low protein pasta is recommended), obesity, gastroduodenale ulcer, uricemia.
AGLIO (GARLIC)
It holds essential oil, vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D, H, enzymes, amino acids, high concentrations of traccia minerals (selenium, germanium that is able to strengthen the immune system). It has a strong antibacterial powder once you cook or cut it. Produce 41 calories/100g. Benefits: Mainly used to treat system infections respiratory and intestinal, it is also indicated in prevention cardiocirculatory disorders, as it reduces the cholesterol level in the blood. Some studies revealed its hypoglycaemic agents, it is alble to reduce sugar levels in the blood; under the supervision of the doctor, garlic can therefore be used in case of diabetes. Controidications: gastritis, hyperchlorhydria, gastroduodenal ulcer.
OLIO D'OLIVA (EXRAVERGIN OLIVE OIL)
Contains mostly unsaturated fatty acids: about 75% monounsaturated (mainly oleic acid, beneficial for gallbladder) and about 9% polyunsaturated. Vitamins present are E (a powerful antioxidant) and A (useful fo skin health). Keep it always in clean, dark balls and well-tampered containers for avoid contact with air. Keep in cool place and away from direct light. Don't cook with it, it doesn't support high temperatures and turns to be carcinogenic. Better to use cold or in the pot for few seconds before adding vegetables or tomato sauce. Italians do not recommend to use it for cooking meat (butter in that case is preferred). It has laxative action in case of excessive consumption.
PEPERONCINO (CHILLIES)
It has origins in central and south America, it arrived in Europe in the sixteenth century. It contain capsicin and capsaicin, alkaloids, vitamin A, C, E and group B, carotenoids, bioflavonoids, mineral salts (potassium and copper). WARNING! When handling it, avoid touching eyes, sensitive skin areas and nay wounds or grazes. Benefits: it favour the digestion of foods, specially of starchy ones (perfect for your pasta!); improve blood circulation; fight diarrhea due to bacteria; it edify the phlegm of the respiratory tract; increases resistance to infections; it is useful in weight loss diets. To take advantage of the therapeutic properties, add a pinch of chili powder on already cooked foods. Controindications: hyperchlorhydria, gastritis, gastroduodenali ulcer, colitis, diverticulitis and all cases of inflammation of the stomach. Improper consumption of chili peppers can cause injury to the mucous membranes of the digestive system.
The second dish i recommended was FRAGOLE CHEESECAKE a gorgeous dessert that make you fly in heaven. It holds, strawberries, honey, ricotta and biscuits but let's see today strawberry benefits in particular as it is the main ingredient.
FRAGOLE (STRAWBERRIES)
Strawberry is known at the time of Greeks and Romans. It contains a few sugars (5.3g/100g), is rich in potassium and calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, chlorine, sulfur, iodine, bromine, vitamins of the B, A, C, fibers, organic acids such as malic, citric, tartaric and salicylic (which makes strawberry a sort of natural aspirin), polyphenols (antioxidants are also into wine). Benefits: useful in case of rheumatism, colds, damentous, cheek, hypertension, fluid retention, kidney stones, liver disease, arteriosclerosis. It can be part of the diet of the diabetics due to low sugar content. According to some researches it seems that pure strawberry juice is able to destroy herpes simplex virus and other infective microorganisms. Controindications: gastroduodenal ulcer, gastroenterocolitis, in predisposed people it can trigger allergic reactions (dermatosis, itching, urticaria), not recommended to eat in case of prostate cancer.
I want to thank Maria Fiorella Coccolo and her book "Il nuovo dizionario alimenti" for being so detailed. It inspires me all the time.