Tag: calories

Polenta: quantity, properties and calories – Italian Cuisine

How much to eat? How to combine it at the table? Here are the nutritionist's tips to avoid making mistakes

Soft and tasty. Polenta is a typical dish of the culinary tradition of the regions of Northern Italy. Consumed without exceeding in quantity, it is a valid alternative to pasta, bread and whole grain cereals. "If it is prepared with simple and not very elaborate ingredients it can be eaten without risking gaining weight", explains the nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino, which here suggests what properties it has and how much and how to eat it to make it an excellent ally for shape and health.

The property

"From a nutritional point of view, polenta is rich above all in complex carbohydrates, in particular in starches, but it has a high glycemic index so to guarantee slow-release energy from this food it is necessary to combine it with a protein source and above all with fats, preferably of vegetable origin , explains the expert. To increase its satiating effect, the ideal is to combine it with seasonal vegetables. For example, polenta and broccoli seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, ensures a formidable mix for health. "This dish provides antioxidants including sulforaphane, which thanks to its powerful protective action, defends cells from oxidative damage".

How much to consume: quantity and calories

Polenta has a caloric intake similar to that of bread, pasta and cereals. «One hundred grams can exceed 300 calories. The advice is to consume a portion of maximum 70 grams and avoid combining it within the same meal with foods that contain sugars. For example, eating a plate of polenta and bread (but also potatoes, rice, pasta, pizza) promotes weight gain. Furthermore, if this habit is perpetrated and one is predisposed, the risk of the onset of diseases such as diabetes increases ".

How to eat it

Polenta itself is a simple dish. It is prepared with water and corn or buckwheat flour. However, attention must be paid to the condiments. “Those that are too fat and high in cholesterol (sausage, stew) should be limited. On the other hand, the association with lean meat of chicken, turkey or rabbit is very good. Even the combination with fish (sea bream, hake fillets) is perfect, because thanks to the healthy fats and complete proteins it provides, it is able to increase the satiating capacity of the dish. It limits the body's absorption of sugars and the secretion of insulin and lowers the glycemic index ", explains nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino. To improve the nutritional profile of polenta, the classic combination with mushrooms and legumes is also promoted. "Mushrooms are an excellent source of minerals, vitamins and fibers of which polenta is poor. Legumes rich in lysine combined with polenta provide proteins complete with all essential amino acids. Combined without exaggerating with polenta and a portion of vegetables, it ensures a complete, energetic and nutritious meal .

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How many calories does the grape contain? – The Italian kitchen – Italian Cuisine

The grape is among the fruits with more calories: but it does not affect our weight and brings many benefits to the body. If eaten without overdoing it, of course

THE'grapes it is a typical autumnal fruit and concludes our meals especially in the months of September and October, when, having reached full maturity, it is left to be enjoyed in all its variations. Whether white, black or pink, the grape has many beneficial properties for the body, even if it is often demonized for its calories. And so, in front of a bunch of grapes, we stand there, undecided and perplexed, asking ourselves the usual question: will make you fat?

How many calories?

Grapes are certainly among the fruits more calories that we find from the greengrocer, because every 100 g they bring 60 calories, which become 300 for raisins. But if it has the bad reputation of being high calorie, perhaps not everyone knows that the grape also has the fat burning properties. Thanks to the resveratol, contained in the peel, it manages to regulate the production of adiponectin and a speed up metabolism. Aren't you convinced? Then know that the calories present are due almost entirely, as much as 95%, to the presence of sugars: but good sugars, different from the refined ones.

How much grapes can you eat?

Of course, there is not a precise amount of how much grapes can be eaten to avoid gaining weight, because different factors come into play, such as lifestyle, to give an example. In short, just use common sense and do not overdo the portions. A good rule would be to eat the right amount to satiate the sense of hunger without exceeding. However, if you really want advice, we say that, as a general rule, grapes can be consumed safely everyday, but never more than a bunch. Best if eaten as a snack between meals rather than at the end of lunch or dinner. In the case ofraisins, instead, the rules are stricter: considering that it is really high-calorie, it is allowed just a few grains per day.

Prefer white grapes

If you want to keep your weight at bay, it is recommended to consume theWhite grapes because it is less caloric than other varieties, it contains less fat and it is very rich in water, which gives a sense of satiety and, at the same time, hydrates the body.

The beneficial properties

In its berries it contains many beneficial properties for the body, which is why it should not be eliminated from the diet. It's a natural anti-wrinkle because thanks to the presence of antioxidants it slows down cellular aging. Has a anticarcinogenic power, avoids infections, takes care of the intestine and prevents cardiovascular diseases.

Lose weight without reducing calories: the clock diet – Italian Cuisine

The food program was studied by the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and requires that all three main meals be consumed within six hours

Diets are not for you, why can't you reduce the number of calories you eat each day? It is a common problem: the failure rates of diets, according to statistics, are around 95%. But now new research has identified a "secret" for burn excess fat without changing the amount of calories on the plate. According to the study conducted by the Italian researcher Eleonora Poggiogalle of Pennington Biomedical Research Center in the USA with the team of Eric Ravussin and Courtney Peterson (and currently at La Sapienza University of Rome), the secret is to consume the three meals of the day over the span of just six hours.

The diet of the clock: times
We start at 8 am with breakfast, have lunch at 11 and have dinner at 14 in the afternoon. In the 18 hours between the last meal and the first of the following day, however, fast. This "clock diet" also determines the decrease in appetite, and therefore can be followed without too much effort and without even having to reduce the amount of sugar and fat ingested. It is a diet balanced: it provides 50% of carbohydrates, 35% of fats and 15% of proteins, which however must be taken strictly in the first part of the day.

The experiment
To demonstrate the efficacy of this food program, scholars have asked overweight patients, aged 20 to 45, to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner over 12 hours, from 8 to 20, for four days in a row . For the next four days, however, the time frame for meals was reduced from 8 to 14. In this second phase, the researchers found a reduction of ghrelin levels, the hormone responsible for increasing the "sense of hunger". The key factor was the 18-hour fast, which allows for optimize fat disposal without adverse health effects.