Tag: consume

How much sugar does my child consume? The sugar meter tells you! – Italian Cuisine

A new online tool is born to compare how much sugar our children consume with how much they should consume to avoid health risks

Excessive consumption of sugar in the diet can cause health problems. According to the Larns (Reference Intake Levels for the Italian Population) drawn up by the Sinu (Italian Society of Human Nutrition), the consumption of sugars (those naturally present in foods and those added) should be limited to quantities of less than 15% of the energy introduced daily, while a high intake, i.e. greater than 25% of the total daily energy, is to be considered potentially risky for the development, for example, of obesity is diabetes. In this sense, the most at risk are the children, more subject to the consumption of baked goods, sweets, juices, ice cream For this reason, nutritionists and pediatricians engaged in the service of Grana Padano Nutritional Education, the sector of the Grana Padano Consortium that has been promoting and disseminating the principles of balanced nutrition for over ten years, have devised a tool which allows you to calculate sugar that every day is consumed compared to what one should consume, also proposing healthy alternatives with less sugar.

Sugarometer, a tool for pediatricians, schools, families

The sugar meter can be used by smartphone, tablet or PC and is already available at this link. The program, supporting a pediatricians, schools and families, it can be used by the doctor and dietician as part of the food anamnesis, in the classroom as a teaching tool and in the family to guide the parent towards a more responsible choice of food for their children.

How the sugar meter works

With a simple click on the foods that are consumed daily and after indicating the quantity, the tool adds up the simple sugars consumed in a day from males and females from 2 to 17 years, measuring both the sugar naturally present in the food, and the added sugars during the processing of baked goods, ice creams, creams, etc., such as sucrose and fructose. After displaying the sum of the teaspoons of sugar consumed in a day, the program la compare with the amount of sugar you should be taking instead according to the Larn benchmarks. The sugar meter does not just warn about the excessive consumption of sugars, but also provides a free pdf manual that offers healthier alternative foods with less sugar, including simple recipes to make at home, as well as useful notes to learn more about the food and its consumption limits.

Beware of added fructose

An 8-year-old male child should on average consume no more than 7-8 teaspoons of sugar in a day, including that naturally contained in the food. According to the experts it is fine favor the sugar naturally contained in food, for example fructose in fresh fruit or lactose in milk, but you have to limit the added amount and to sweeten prefer honey. It is also important to limit the consumption of beverages and foods formulated with fructose and high fructose corn syrups, as well as reducing the use of fructose such as sweetener.

"In addition to the excessive consumption of sugar, a big problem that we have been observing for a long time, in recent years the intake of fructose added to drinks and foods has increased," explained the professor Claudio Maffeis, Full Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Verona. «This contributes to the appearance of fat liver and the increase in circulating levels of lipids and has been indicated as one of the factors that promote excess weight and metabolic syndrome. So good there fresh fruit, but pay attention to sucrose (commonly understood sugar as well as disaccharide, ie glucose + fructose) which is usually added to drinks and foods, to fructose used to sweeten some drinks and to fruit juices or packaged foods .

Hazelnuts: all the benefits, how many to consume and why – Italian Cuisine

Consumed in the right quantities, they help you stay fit and healthy. They are amazing sources of good fats, fiber and minerals. That's why they should never be missing at the table

In recent years, several studies have shown that consuming nuts regularly reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes, overweight, obesity, male infertility and many other ailments. One of the varieties to be favored at the table are hazelnuts. Tasty and crunchy, they are among the varieties most produced in Italy. They have the advantage of having so many health benefits. "Thanks to the richness of micro and macronutrients, consumed in the right doses (maximum 40 grams per day), they are an excellent ally to stay away from hunger pangs and drops in energy and concentration", says the nutritionist Valentina Galiazzo, a specialist in clinical biochemistry, who explains here what benefits they have for the figure and health.

Take away the mood swings

Hazelnuts are perfect for recharging energy in the morning as soon as you wake up or as a snack. "They provide good amounts of magnesium, a mineral that counteracts the action of stress hormones and promotes relaxation. Then they have calcium and potassium, which relax the body and mind adds nutritionist Valentina Galiazzo. "In addition, they are a source of tryptophan, an amino acid precursor of serotonin, the neurotransmitter par excellence that regulates mood. The ideal is to choose those sold unroasted and with the whole shell. They ensure greater quantities of Omega 3 and Omega 6, essential fatty acids useful for the functioning of the nervous system and for emotional balance ".

They fight aging

Hazelnuts are exceptional sources of antioxidants. "They provide vitamin E, which hinders the formation of free radicals, responsible for premature aging," says the nutritionist. «The Omega 3 they are rich in, on the other hand, have a positive effect on cognitive functions. In fact, they keep neurons and brain cells healthy and, consequently, remove the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases .

They are good for circulation

«Hazelnuts are sodium-free and rich in phytosterols and fats, mostly monounsaturated, capable of lowering bad blood cholesterol (LDL) and increasing levels of the good one (HDL). They are also a good source of flavonoids, antioxidant substances that help keep the walls of blood vessels elastic and stay away from high blood pressure, stroke and heart attack, keeping the cardiovascular system healthy ", explains the expert.

They help keep fit

A handful of hazelnuts is ideal for appeasing an appetite after hours. The fibers they are rich in are excellent for quenching nervous hunger and sudden craving for sweets. «On the one hand they give satiety. On the other hand, thanks to the prebiotic action, they feed the beneficial bacteria of the intestine, favoring the production of hormones that regulate hunger. The essential fatty acids they contain also have an additional advantage: by virtue of their anti-inflammatory action they help to stay away from the extra pounds , says the nutritionist.

They counteract fatigue

"Hazelnuts are rich in B vitamins, in particular vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and B9, which help to counteract physical and mental fatigue". Consumed as a snack after physical activity, they promote muscle recovery. «Thanks to the richness of magnesium, potassium, iron, phosphorus, copper and calcium they also have excellent remineralizing properties.

In the gallery, you can find tips on how to combine them at the table to get full of all their benefits

The great book of peels, how to consume 100% fruit and vegetables – Italian Cuisine

And neither the external parts of the fennel or the rind of the pumpkin should be thrown away. The new book by environmental scientist Lisa Casali explains why (and health has to do with it too)

If they told you that the peels and rinds of fruits and vegetables are rich in nutritional properties, often more than pulp itself, would you be willing to question your eating habits and change your cooking method? It is the challenge launched by The great book of peels (Gribaudo) and its author Lisa Casali, environmental scientist and blogger, who wants to unleash a revolution from our tables to those of restaurants through the supermarket shelves.

Why consume (also) the skins

"Why do we discard 50% of every fruit or vegetable we buy?", "Are these parts really inedible or are they dangerous for our health?", "And what would happen if we ate them?". Lisa Casali started asking these questions in 2005 and hasn't stopped since. In recent years he has experimented and written a lot, giving himself and giving us (not a few) answers. But if until now the question revolved mainly around theenvironmental impact and to moral question – or consuming even the less noble parts of fruit and vegetables helps to fight the climate changes and it food waste – this book also investigated the health implication of this good practice.

The book is based on three key principles: more vegetable ("The more our diet is based on food of plant origin, the greater the contribution we are making to the fight against climate change, the reduction of environmental impact, the consumption of water"); more technical ("Knowing the techniques to enhance the properties of each ingredient is a precious secret to avoid wasting anything and get the most out of what we eat"); less waste ("Using everything and wasting nothing, not even a peel, is not just a question of saving, but also means not depriving ourselves of the richest parts of phyto-compounds and fibers, which play an important role in our well-being and health").

Rich skin, you can stick it in!

And here is the discovery. With the help of Other consumption, Lisa Casali analyzed the properties of some of the fruits and vegetables most commonly used comparing the pulp with the peel and i conventional products with organic ones. The presence of phytocompounds, organic compounds useful to the body because they perform, for example, antioxidant or anti-inflammatory actions, and then of vitamin C, polyphenols, fiber and much more.

An apple a day (but with the peel)

What turned out? Take, for example, the apple: from the analyzes it emerged that the apple peel is richer than the pulp in both vitamin C (+ 700% in the conventional, + 359% in the organic), and polyphenols (+ 68% in the conventional, + 74% in the organic), and fiber (+ 209% in the conventional and + 320% in the organic). Not insignificant percentages therefore that should lead us to no longer peel an apple when we eat it or in any case to reuse the peels for example by doing, as the book suggests, candied chips or one purifying herbal tea. And if we want to be really thrifty we don't even throw away the core (we can throw it in the centrifuge) and i seeds (with which to prepare a liqueur).

Why not peel the carrots

Again, analyzing the carrots, it has been discovered that, for both organic and conventional products, the part of the skins is richer in polyphenols than the heart and that also the fiber content it is greater in the skins than in the heart and is slightly greater in the organic than the conventional.

Organic and Italian fruit and vegetables whenever possible

For the problem pesticides, which mainly concerns the skins, the author's advice is to wash fruit and vegetables well with water and to choose them, when possible, from organic producers and of Italian origin (from the analyzes the foods with the greatest presence of pesticide residues were found to be fruits, in particular those of foreign origin).

Pumpkin ravioli with zest and seeds

For each ingredient in the book there are a descriptive sheet, the results of the analyzes and then many tips and recipes for use it 100% without wasting even a peel!

Here is the pumpkin ravioli recipe to use rind of the pumpkin, which contains more carotenoids and fibers than the pulp, and seeds.

Ingredients

300 g of pumpkin peel (preferably Violina)
2 eggs
100 g of flour 00
100 g of durum wheat semolina
1/2 l of cooking water (or broth)
2 tablespoons of shelled pumpkin seeds
80 g of cottage cheese
4 tablespoons of grated cheese
1 pinch of nutmeg
60 g of butter
Sage leaves
salt and pepper

Method

1. Form a fountain with the flours, break the eggs in the center and start working with a fork; proceed kneading with your hands until you get a soft and elastic dough. Let it sit for about 30 minutes.
2. Cut the zest into sticks, cover it with the broth and cook for about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, toast the pumpkin seeds in a pan.
4. After the time necessary for cooking, drain the pumpkin and blend it. Add the ricotta and 2 tablespoons of grated cheese. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and leave to cool.
5. At this point, roll out the dough with a rolling pin or a sheeter.
6. Place half of the dough on the work surface and brush it with very little water: you will need it to make the two overlapping sheets stick well.
7. Arrange teaspoons of filling on the pastry, well spaced, then close by placing the other pastry on top, press well around the filling to seal the edges well and cut with a toothed roller or a pastry cutter.
8. Cook the ravioli in boiling salted water for a few minutes.
9. Melt the butter with the sage leaves in a pan.
10. Drain the ravioli and sauté them in butter.
11. Top with the remaining grated cheese and a sprinkle of pepper.