Tag: blood

Do strawberries raise blood sugar? – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

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It is true that the strawberries they raise blood sugar? When it comes to fruit and blood sugar levels, there are many false beliefs, as are the doubts that revolve around the topic. So whether strawberries raise blood sugar is a question that arises not only among those who suffer from diabetes or have the problem of high blood sugar, but also those who simply want to keep their blood sugar levels under control, which can fluctuate over time. increase the risk of being overweight and of a series of disorders and diseases, including type 2 diabetes. Strawberries, in season from April to July, are first and foremost a functional food with numerous health benefits, as highlighted by a review by Education. But do strawberries raise blood sugar? We turned the question to Francesca Berettanutritional biologist, author of the book Belly down… cheer up!.

What is the glycemic index of strawberries?

«The consumption of strawberries, like all fruit, raises glycemia, i.e. the level of sugar in the blood because it contains sugars, including fructose. However, you shouldn’t worry too much about this effect because strawberries have a low glycemic index” explains nutritionist Francesca Beretta. «By eating strawberries, blood sugar levels will rise very slowly, without glycemic peaks, therefore without the rapid variations which, over time, make you gain weight and create health problems, including diabetes. This fruit in fact has a glycemic index of 25 and therefore a slightly lower impact on blood sugar levels even than many other seasonal fruits such as apricots and plums. This is due to the presence of fibers which slow down the absorption of sugars and allow the slow release of energy.”

Can those suffering from high blood sugar eat strawberries?

«Absolutely yes says nutritionist Francesca Beretta. «The belief that diabetic people cannot eat fruit is false. Even those who suffer from high blood sugar can eat fruit, as long as they do so in the right quantities and preferring varieties with a lower glycemic index, such as strawberries, which are among the fruits that least raise blood sugar levels and can therefore be consumed without problems.”

How many strawberries can you eat every day?

“The guidelines for healthy eating they recommend the consumption of three portions of fruit a day, approximately equal to 300 or 400 grams” says nutritionist Francesca Beretta. «The ideal would be to rotate the different seasonal varieties to ensure excellent diversity of nutrients. Let’s say that you can easily consume up to 3 ounces of strawberries a day, which corresponds more or less to around twenty fruits.” The health benefits? Strawberries, as highlighted in several studies, are a mine of antioxidants that help counteract oxidative stress and inflammatory states. In fact, they contain a high quantity of anthocyanins, pigments responsible for their red colour, polyphenols, ellagitannins and flavonones. Recently published research has highlighted that strawberries are a useful source of vitamin C and folic acid and may help improve the antioxidant potential of low-density lipoprotein, also known as bad cholesterol, in healthy young women.

When to eat strawberries?

Is it better to eat strawberries for breakfast, after meals, or as a snack? In reality, any time of day is the right time to consume fruit, including strawberries. «Personally I recommend consuming them as snacks between one main meal and another. In fact, strawberries have a good satiating power, due to the large quantity of water and fibre, and provide very few kilocalories, around 30 per 100 grams. They are also good at the end of a meal. A couple of strawberries are an excellent solution to quench the craving for dessert that may appear at the end of lunch or dinner.”

How to combine strawberries at the table to avoid raising blood sugar levels?

«Fortunately, strawberries have a low glycemic index. This means that the impact on blood sugar is very small. To tone it down further, you can consume strawberries as a snack together with some hazelnuts, almonds or walnuts. The fats and proteins in nuts will help maintain the glycemic curve, without forming peaks.”

sweets with April fruit Strawberries raise blood sugar

Strawberry and rhubarb tart with lime panna cotta

Strawberries triumph in this tart, with the addition of some nuances of rhubarb and the citrus note of lime: our recipe waiting to be discovered

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Strawberry creme brulee

This dessert is a spring variant of creme brulee to which we have added a delicious strawberry puree

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Strawberry filled cake

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Triple strawberry and hazelnut donut

Ode to strawberries and their goodness, we put them in the donut dough, in the icing and also as a garnish

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Burrata with salad and strawberry sauce

Have you ever tried the combination of burrata and strawberries? The time has come to take a chance

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Spelled cake with frangipane and strawberries

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Vegan dessert with cocoa and strawberry foam

A super delicious vegan plum cake, which will amaze you with its softness and fresh strawberry foam

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Strawberry soufflé omelette, sorbet and hazelnut crumble

Even more frothy and irresistible, try chef Paolo Griffa’s soufflé omelette recipe, follow his advice and you will create an exceptional dessert

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First fruits, pea and strawberry crumble, mayonnaise

With this dish of first fruits, pea and strawberry crumble, mayonnaise, bring spring to the table and a salad with an original shape and taste: the recipe

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How to lower blood sugar quickly – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

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Blood sugar is an important indicator for health and how to lower blood sugar quickly for many it has become an imperative. This value, which indicates the levels of sugar present in the blood, when it is too high increases the risk of suffering from various disorders that threaten the correct functioning of the body. «High blood sugar over time increases the risk of overweight, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease. And it even contributes to the development of many other very serious pathologies, including liver and breast cancer” explains the nutritionist Valentina Galiazzo.

In various experiments it was seen that even High blood sugar levels can affect emotional well-being, increasing the risk of suffering from insomnia, anxiety and depression. And they also pose a threat to brain health. In one study recently following a high glycemic index diet has been associated with greater brain accumulation of beta-amyloid, a protein that increases the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s. But in addition to limiting the consumption of sweets, ice cream, sweets, packaged snacks, crackers, white bread and many other refined products at the table, the consumption of which is known to favor changes in blood sugar, how can you lower your blood sugar quickly?

Expert advice on how to lower blood sugar quickly

1. Start the day with a lower carbohydrate breakfast

The first thing to do is to avoid all those products that favor changes in blood sugar from the first meal of the day. «Away with biscuits, breakfast cereals and fine baked goods. Also say no to fruit juices and nectars, rich in rapidly absorbed sugars which cause a peak blood glucose and insulin, suggests nutritionist Valentina Galiazzo. «Also be careful not to overdo it with fruit jams and compotes, which in addition to fructose can contain added sugars which can contribute to blood sugar spikes. Better to prefer instead fresh fruit rich in fiber called pectins like apples and apricots and instead consume very sugary varieties such as mango, grapes and bananas in small quantities. And finally, make breakfast less carbohydrate-rich by choosing foods rich in proteins and healthy fats.” What if you can’t give up the sweet taste? «Instead of table sugar and sweeteners, it is better to choose spices such as cinnamon which increase the taste of drinks without affecting glycemic levels.

2. Starters? Yes, but green

A valid strategy to keep sugars under control in main meals is to consume vegetables, raw or cooked, as the first course, which are the fundamental pillars of the Mediterranean diet. «To contribute to the daily requirement of fibre, which has a positive effect on blood sugar levels, you should consume at least a couple of 100 g portions every day says nutritionist Valentina Galiazzo. «Greens and greens provide soluble fibre including inulin which, once it reaches the digestive system, creates a kind of gel that slows down the absorption of sugars by the intestinal mucosa, reducing their impact on blood sugar levels.”

3. Which foods to prefer at the table

What other foods to put in your shopping cart to lower blood sugar? To counteract the amount of glucose absorbed and the speed with which it occurs, it is also essential to choose good sources of carbohydrates, essential nutrients for the body to be consumed in small quantities. «They are useful Whole grains, especially those in grains which provide complex carbohydrates and fibre, but also antioxidants and essential fatty acids, which help control blood sugar. The latter are also present in fish, which is a source in particular of essential Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats” says the expert. «Finally, beans, chickpeas and lentils, especially dried ones, can be useful for lowering blood sugar, says the nutritionist. «They provide amylose and mucilage which help slow down the assimilation of sugars. Their consumption in several studies is associated with a lower risk of high blood sugar and type 2 diabetes” says the expert. «Saturated fats should instead be sipped. So, in addition to red meat, there are also cheeses and cured meats. Consumed in excess, they are associated with a greater risk of experiencing hyperglycemia.”

An example of a menu to keep blood sugar under control

Breakfast: toasted wholemeal bread topped with ricotta, apple slices and cinnamon, a bitter coffee.

Snack: a handful of walnuts or almonds.

Lunch: raw vegetable dip, baked sea bream with aromatic herbs, endive with lemon and extra virgin olive oil, toasted wholemeal bread.

Snack: seasonal fruit salad with flax seeds.

Dinner: green salad dressed with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice, spelled with lentils.

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Foods that raise blood pressure: here are the unsuspected ones – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

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Sedentary lifestyle, stress, smoking, alcohol, but also a shopping cart with too many foods that raise blood pressure and therefore very careless about the health of our body. These are the main causes of high pressureor the increase in blood pressure, a problem which according to the National Congress of the Italian Society of Arterial Hypertension involves approximately 17 million people throughout Italy. Here are the foods that raise blood pressure, the consumption of which should not be exaggerated for the good of our heart and our arteries.

Label and sodium

Certainly among the foods that raise blood pressure there are those that contain excessive quantities of sodium. In products such as cured meats, sausages, raw ham and hamburgers, this element is used both as preservative and to prevent contamination. A similar argument applies to the frozen chicken and for those industrially derived foods, such as nuggets breaded, which can contain approximately 600 mg of sodium per 100 grams. Before buying them at the refrigerated counter, therefore, it is important to read the label carefully, to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Watch out for the soup

According to research from a few years ago byAmerican Heart Associationeven the unsuspected ones soups based on vegetables can contribute to worryingly raising blood pressure levels. But in this case a clarification is necessary: the reference from the AHA, a US non-profit organization that works to reduce deaths caused by heart problems and strokes, founded in 1915 and based in Dallas, is aimed in particular at soups already ready sold in the supermarket, often rich in sodium. You need to be decidedly more relaxed about those prepared at home. The advice, also in this case, is to check the nutritional values of the package or jar before purchasing.

Soy is better

To be consumed in moderation for the sake of our balance, furthermore, there are also the coffeealthough a very recent Italian study claims that coffee does not raise blood pressure, sugar, chocolate, honey and licorice: all foods that raise blood pressure if ingested in large quantities. To improve circulation, remembering to constantly keep blood pressure levels under control, the American Heart Association finally recommends replacing some carbohydrates refined with foods rich in soy or milk proteins.

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