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10 foods to never freeze. If you care about health and taste buds – Italian Cuisine

Thanks to the freezing of foods, we save time and avoid waste. But not everything can be frozen!

Freezing food is a very convenient method for keep longer foods or dishes that otherwise should be consumed in a short time. Across the freezing process so we have the opportunity to savor our favorite products even out of season, organize dishes to bring to the table even when there is no time to cook, preserve pre-cooked or cooked dishes to avoid deterioration or even waste.

But the practice of freezing food is not so obvious and it is necessary to follow very specific rules so as not to make gross mistakes and even compromise one's health.

First rule: freezing is not the same as freezing

Still many fall into the trap of thinking that these two practices are the same thing. It is not so, they are two different procedures and let's see why.
The freezing of a food is obtained through the home freezer, while the freezing can be done only with professional tools and therefore concerns only industrial foods.
Freezing means reaching a temperature close to -15 ° in a long time (about 24 hours). During this period of time, large ice crystals form and subsequently the breakdown of the cellular structures of frozen food occurs. Hence, once thawed, the product will have a softer and less compact consistency. While with deep freezing, cooling to very low temperatures (even -80 °) takes place in very short times and the ice crystals that are formed are tiny, so much so that once thawed the food maintains the same consistency as the fresh one.

Clarified this important difference, let's see together what are the 10 foods that should not be frozen and why.

Green leafy vegetables

In general, what influences the shelf life of a food is the quantity of water and fat content: the more these two elements are present, the less well preserved a food is.

That's why among the foods that would be better not to freeze we find green leafy vegetables, such as lettuce. The reason? Being rich in water once frozen they lose many of their characteristics and when thawed they are less tasty and above all less fragrant.

Cucumbers, onions and tomatoes

Ditto as for green leafy vegetables. Cucumbers, onions and tomatoes are water-rich vegetables that can't stand freezing. If you need to keep them in the freezer then it is better to cook them first and then store them in special containers.

Potatoes

Keeping them in the freezer does not make much sense since they are a vegetable that, fresh, can be kept for a long time without the need for special precautions. Freezing potatoes, whether raw or cooked, has the disadvantage of making them very pasty once thawed. Always remembering the difference between freezing and freezing, if we really want to have a stock in the freezer then let's buy them directly frozen.

Watermelon, pineapple and melon

As with the vegetables we just mentioned, this type of fruit is particularly rich in water and freezing does not help its taste. And to our palate!

eggs

Here the problem is objective, raw eggs put in the freezer burst. It is therefore impossible to think of freezing them. If, on the other hand, we want to keep boiled eggs in the freezer, it is good to know that once thawed their consistency will be particularly chewy. Better to eat them fresh, don't you think?

Egg-based sauces

The advice not to keep the sauces in the freezer is valid for any type, in particular for those based on eggs. To lose is the consistency, and unfortunately also the taste.

Only fresh fish!

Fish can be frozen as long as it is fresh. Being a very delicate food there is a risk that, while waiting to be frozen, it will be contaminated with bacteria and parasites. In addition, before freezing any type of fish it is good to clean it carefully, removing the bowels and possibly also the scales.

Fried foods

Any fried food, if not consumed immediately after cooking, loses crispness and assumes a soft texture. This happens at room temperature but the same happens if we decide to freeze it and then thaw it. The fried must be eaten immediately, any preservation of it alters its flavor and quality.

Milk and cream

As for eggs, these are also two foods that should be eaten fresh, indeed very fresh, to fully enjoy their flavor and goodness. By freezing them the result will be a product with a grainy consistency, decidedly not very inviting.

Sausages

The meats processed and stuffed through the freezing process lose flavor and consistency. To better preserve them the practice of vacuum.

Finally, the last trick to never forget: thawed foods can no longer be refrozen. Here it really affects your health.

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Microbiota, what it is and how to take care of it – Italian Cuisine

We hear it more and more often: the microbiota is a precious ally for our health. Me to keep it healthy you need to know and respect it. Like? With the advice of an expert nutritionist

«The microbiota is the set of bacteria that live in our intestines. A simple definition only apparently, the one that gives us Francesca Guidetti, nutritionist. Because things get complicated immediately. In fact, bacteria and fungi are added to bacteria, of which very little is known. The rest of the microbiota "we started talking in 2014 – explains the doctor. Since then it has been understood how the microbiota affects the whole well-being of the body. Bacteria are selected from what we eat, drink and breathe. Among the best known and studied "good" bacteria, so much so as to be produced by pharmaceutical companies, there are i bifidobacteria and lactobacteria, but for each strain there are many families .

A small people with a delicate balance

A real population, therefore, in which everyone is different and is in charge of a particular action. «Depending on how they develop, the bacteria themselves make us feel good or make us sick. In fact, there are bacteria designed to digest sugars, others to break down proteins and so on. If I eat mainly carbohydrates, the bacteria capable of digesting sugars take over. Thus situations can arise dysbiosis, with consequent intestinal problems and not only. In fact, it has been discovered that the intestinal bacterial flora controls the flora of the rest of the body. " In practice, an imbalance in the intestinal bacterial flora can have repercussions everywhere, leading to dermatitis, bronchitis or other problems.

The second brain

Without forgetting that the intestine is our second brain, capable of gathering emotions and fears, and connected directly to the brain, the real one. "The brain intestine axis, connected by vagus nerve (but also from the circulatory stream and the lymphatic system), it is capable of modifying the intestinal flora. An example? I feel down: bacteria are "hungry" for sugars and tell me to eat sweet food making me feel sad. Likewise, if I get used to eating sweets, after an hour that I don't eat them, I will feel down again. " There are countless implications that the microbiota has on our everyday life. Aspects of which until recently nothing was known: «it is a Pandora's box that has opened. We still have to study a lot, but it is a study that will prove to be a winning weapon: we are what we eat, and this has been known for centuries ".

Hence the need to take care of our microbiota every day. With the advice that Dr. Guidetti leaves us.

The decalogue of the microbiota

1. First rule is the variety. Vary the foods, including carbohydrates, proteins and vegetables.

2. Alternate proteins: half vegetable and half animal.

3. Alternate the vegetables, not only based on seasonality and color, but also based on where they are purchased. Let's buy them in different places, because they are of different origin. In fact, depending on the soil in which they grow, they will have absorbed different substances: thus we will avoid accumulations, even those of heavy metals.

4. Cut down on carbohydrates, which favor the overgrowth of some bacterial strains.

5. Absolutely no to exclusive diets, like the vegan one.

6. Gluten: yes, 3 times a week.

7. Animal feed, such as meat, eggs, etc.: yes, provided that it comes from safe breeding, outdoors, not "in battery". This avoids the accumulation of omega-6 which increase inflammation.

8. Lactic ferments: those contained in yogurt arrive to us to a minimal extent or do not activate. Better the fermented foods, like kefir, which are excellent prebiotics.

9. Fruit: yes, because it also has a prebiotic function, that is to encourage the development of the bacterial flora. But without exaggerating because it is sugary, especially apples, pears, bananas.

10. No to plastic containers: they have been shown to release microplastics that stimulate the development of bacterial toxins. Better the glass.

Advanced panettone? We take care of the recycling (sweet or salty) – Italian Cuisine

At each invitation a new panettone is opened, some slices are eaten and the rest is put away, for the next morning or not to know what to do with it! He always has some at home, and especially after having eaten a little "in purity", he no longer feels like it.

So then it is better to cook it, using it as a base for other recipes. Here are our recipes of cakes and desserts based on panettone, perfect for Christmas, New Year's Eve or for invitations with friends, up to San Biagio!

Our recycling recipes

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