Tag: answers

Is coconut water good for you? The nutrition expert answers – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Fresh, fragrant, sweet, refreshing and light: thecoconut water it would seem to be the ideal drink for the summer. Is it also good how you talk about it on social media? We asked the nutritional biologist Concetta Montagnese, researcher at the CNR Institute of Food Sciences. «Coconut water is that clear liquid contained in coconuts, fruits of the Cocos nucifera plant, in an early stage of maturation (no later than seven months), when it has not yet been absorbed by the pulp and when the nut is still green. The fruit – an oval drupe or a fleshy fruit, containing a single seed – must not be damaged: if it has these characteristics, it can contain between 200 and 1000 ml of liquid.”

What are the benefits of coconut water

The expert explains to us that coconut water is made up of 95% from water. «There are approximately 100 ml 2.5 grams of sugar: a modest amount. Coconut water is low in protein and fatwhich are almost absent, but it has a high content of potassium, sodium and magnesium and B vitamins and vitamin C. It contains no cholesterol, fiber, lactose or gluten. It is also suitable for celiacs and those intolerant to lactose.” Naturally, the benefits described are typical of the natural drink, that is, extracted directly from the walnut and bottled, without added sugars and artificial substances.

Coconut water is very thirst-quenching and, thanks to its rich potassium content, it is also a good rehydrator. In fact, it is used a lot by athletes: the low sugar content and the high quantity of potassium make it an ideal supplement after prolonged physical exercise. «There is a study conducted on a group of cyclists who used this drink during sports performances, explains Montagnese. «Even compared to other sports supplements, coconut water – to which sodium and carbohydrates had been added – gave very positive results.

Regarding health effects, studies have been conducted on rats which seem to demonstrate a beneficial effect on reduction of cardiovascular riskon the reduction of bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels and anti-inflammatory effects, “but targeted studies are needed to confirm these properties in humans too”.

Preliminary results of a study have shown that coconut water had anti-inflammatory effects in patients with ulcerative colitis (but always as an adjunct to therapy): «One hypothesis is that it has an important activity on the intestinal microbiotapromoting the growth of good bacteria”, says the nutritional biologist, who suggests trying adding it to smoothies or shakes, or to prepare porridge.

Does coconut water make you lose weight?

Many of the virtues attributed to it, however – from the ability to make people lose weight to that of increasing the sense of satiety – have not been scientifically proven.

What are the contraindications of coconut water?

Are there any contraindications? «Due to the nutrients it contains, intake should be avoided in cases of kidney failureand the Italian Kidney Foundation suggests its cautious use even in healthy subjects because it increases urinary potassium”, says Montagnese, “The key word is always the moderation: containing so many minerals, even coconut water could alter the balance of the body.”

Water and coffee: which before and which after? The expert answers – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Water and coffee: which one do you drink first and which one do you drink after? And then, is drinking water always necessary in this case? After all, when you go to a bar there are no rules: there are those who serve it (usually in the South) and those who don’t, or those who only serve it natural or only sparkling. Yet there is a rule. In fact, there is more than one rule. The first already clarifies many things: «A glass of water should always be drunk before coffee”says Mauro Illiano, professional taster, founder of “Napoli Coffee Experience”, member of the board of experts of the Slow Food Coffee Coalition and, among other things, editor of the first guide to Italian coffees and roasters.

When do you drink water with coffee?

First water and then coffee, therefore, and it is not a matter of taste or preference. «Water – explains Mauro Illiano – cleans the oral cavity. Except for the first coffee in the morning, provided it is drunk on an empty stomach, during the day coffee is often drunk after eating or drinking something else. With a little water you eliminate any possible contamination that could affect the tasting experience: you can perceive all the scents of the coffee, both through taste and smell.”

What is the purpose of water with coffee?

The tasting of coffee, in fact, is not limited to the moment in which we drink it: it continues afterwards, and also through the aroma of the blend as well as through its flavour. «After drinking coffee, its lipid part – which is the same that remains on the cup or on the walls of the spoon – also remains in our oral cavity and its scents then return retronasally, sometimes even for an hour. It is one of the many pleasures that coffee gives. Drinking it with your mouth clean from a sip of water is a simple way to not deprive yourself of it”, Illiano further points out.

Why shouldn’t water be drunk after coffee?

On the contrary, obviously, all this does not happen if water is drunk after coffee: «TheWater aids swallowing and therefore if you drink it after coffee it makes this pleasant sensation disappear says Illiano. However, if it often comes naturally to drink after drinking the cup, there is a reason: «It happens when the coffee is not good: it is burnt or too bitter for example. In these cases needing to drink is a natural and unconscious reaction: it serves to cleanse the mouth of unpleasant flavors and odors. It is precisely for this reason that it is often said that drinking water after coffee, when you are on the balcony of the bar, is rude towards the barista: he could interpret it as a way to tell him that he did not prepare us the cup we would have liked to drink .

Still or sparkling: which water to drink with coffee?

Among the things to know for optimal coffee tasting, there is also that What makes the difference is the water: when you drink it before coffee, it must be natural. «A low-mineral or sparkling water alters the approach to the palate, enhancing the hardness. That is: it makes the coffee taste more bitter if it is bitter, or more acidic if it already tends towards sour.”

Should chocolate be eaten before or after coffee?

Not just water, however: not infrequently, especially at the bar, coffee is served with chocolates or biscuits. What to do in these cases? «Except for particular pairing experiences between food and coffee, they should not be eaten before or after because they alternate the perception of the taste of the coffee: a very bitter chocolate can make the coffee perceived as less bitter than it actually is, and vice versa. A biscuit is even worse because it is generally very sweet: the shock of flavors that can result risks ruining the experience.”

Is drinking extra virgin olive oil bad for you? The expert answers – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

After water and turmeric, water and lemon and apple cider vinegar, the new trend, among people who are attentive to their health, seems to be that of drink extra virgin olive oil in the morning and on an empty stomach. A special elixir which, as videos and testimonials on social media assure, would be able to bring countless benefits to the body and even help us lose weight. But is it really like that? We asked the nutritional biologist Concetta Montagnese, researcher at the CNR Institute of Food Sciences.

The properties of extra virgin olive oil

The expert confirms that extra virgin olive oil is truly a very precious, indispensable food with multiple beneficial effects. Let’s understand together if drinking extra virgin olive oil actually has benefits. «It is a powerful anti-inflammatory, which helps us fight cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Rich in important monounsaturated fatty acids, including oleic acid, and polyphenols, in particular oleocanthal, it also contains lots of vitamin Ebeneficial for the immune system and the skin. Thanks to its antioxidant compounds, it helps cells stay younger”, explains the nutritionist. «Some studies have also associated a high consumption of extra virgin olive oil with the prevention of tumors.

The right quantities

To benefit from this anti-tumor effect, a consumption of more than 20 grams per day is recommended, which is equivalent to more than two tablespoons. And the protective effect seems stronger as the amount of consumption increases. However, we know that extra virgin olive oil is a very caloric food (100 grams contain around 900 calories): doesn’t it make you fat? «The Italian guidelines suggest taking some between 20 and 40 grams per day, two to four tablespoons“, says Montagnese, “because when we talk about a balanced diet we must not only refer to the number of calories, but also to the nutritional values and composition of the food. Extra virgin olive oil contains 99% fats, but mostly the good ones, which help keep the body healthy and are also essential for the correct functioning of the metabolism. This precious food it is therefore also indicated in cases of obesity and metabolic syndrome. If anything, it is its deficiency that is harmful: extra virgin olive oil is one of the cornerstones of the Mediterranean diet and cannot be replaced with any other type of food or condiment.”

In the morning on an empty stomach

However, it is not necessary to drink extra virgin olive oil in the morning and on an empty stomach, a practice that we see more and more often on social media. «To date, no study has shown that drinking oil in the morning is more effective than using it as a condiment in main meals. Its consumption, during the day, is certainly good for you and keeps the body healthy, but, more than taking it alone, combining it with some foods can help improve the absorption of important bioactive compounds (for example, antioxidants in tomatoes), with beneficial effects. It is somewhat fashionable to look for a magic potion for health, and therefore prepare elixirs to be consumed in the morning or on an empty stomach, but it is enough to consolidate the healthy habits of the Mediterranean diet – and use oil as a condiment, preferably raw, and in sautéed – to derive all the possible benefits”.

Gordon Ramsay Recipes