Tag: feel

5 good reasons to choose it (and feel good) – Italian Cuisine

Pizza with vegetables? Great idea because vegetables help you eat less pizza and stay fit and healthy. Here are all the benefits and the best strains to choose from

Good the four seasons or the ham and mushrooms, and the pizza with vegetables? There Pizza it is one of the most popular dishes of Italian cuisine in the world. Prepared with the right ingredients, it can be consumed once a week even if you need to lose weight. "Prepared with quality ingredients, pizza can be considered to all intents and purposes a complete single dish because it provides complex carbohydrates, fats and proteins", explains the nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino.

The ideal is to improve the nutritional profile add the vegetables instead of ingredients rich in saturated fat such as salami and ham. "Thanks to the richness of fibers, vegetables allow to reduce the impact of this dish on health and on the figure". The benefits are multiplied if the vegetables are in season, raw or steamed. "Compared to grilled ones, they better preserve vitamins and antioxidants, precious for the body". Alternatively, frozen ones are fine too. "Compared to fresh ones that often remain in the refrigerator for many days, they ensure a higher content of vitamin C, which is involved in various functions of the body, because they are frozen as soon as they are picked". Let's see in detail with the help of the expert why to choose the pizza with vegetables and which varieties to choose to make it healthier and lighter.

Pizza with vegetables

Why choose pizza with vegetables?

They increase satiety

If you are on a diet or need to get rid of a few extra pounds, pizza with vegetables is an excellent strategy for feel full earlier and eat less. "Vegetables provide soluble fiber which, once ingested, absorb a lot of water in the stomach and form a sort of gel that slows down the absorption of carbohydrates from the dough and lipids from the filling," says the expert. Fiber also gives you satiety. "They modulate the rise in blood sugar after a meal and counteract the exaggerated production of insulin, a hormone that stimulates the desire for other food".

They reduce the effects of sodium

The ingredients used to fill pizza such as mozzarella (but also ham, anchovies, salami, cheeses) are rich in sodium, which in excess stimulates thirst and increases the risk of high blood pressure, retention and swelling. «Adding vegetables to pizza allows you to make sure potassium and magnesium, two minerals that favor the elimination of excess sodium, thus reducing the negative effects on the figure and on health. The vegetables also provide a lot of water, which is useful for the proper functioning of the metabolism and the elimination of waste substances produced during metabolic processes, "says the nutritionist.

They help keep away from cholesterol

Vegetables are one of the main sources of fiber and antioxidants, substances that have a cholesterol-lowering action. "They are able to reduce the absorption of cholesterol, including that present in mozzarella and cheeses. Thanks also to the richness of niacin, a B vitamin, they favor the metabolism of fats, protecting cardiovascular health .

They facilitate digestion

The pizza dough, especially if it has not risen well, can be difficult to digest. "The addition of vegetables enriches the dish with antioxidant molecules, which have a double advantage: they stimulate the production and flow of bile, improving liver work and facilitating digestive processes, counteracting swelling and a sense of heaviness", explains the nutritionist.

They help you sleep better

Do you suffer from insomnia after eating pizza? Vegetables added to the filling can be excellent allies to counter the problem. “Vegetables provide a whole range of substances that facilitate relaxation. Among these, the B vitamins stand out, which favor the production of serotonin and melatonin, the hormones that regulate the sleep-wake rhythm and relaxing minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium ”, explains nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino.

In the gallery 5 varieties of vegetables to add to the pizza to make it lighter and more digestible

Our pizzas with vegetables

4 easy recipes to feel full – Italian Cuisine

How can you feel full and satisfied without ingesting excess calories? We have come up with 4 really easy recipes for you, even very quick ones, under 200 calories

How to go about feel full without overdoing it? Doctor explains it to us Giorgio Donegani, food technologist and expert in nutrition and food education: “It's called hypothalamus and it is the center that, in our brain, regulates the mechanism of hunger and satiety. It would be enough to listen to his signals to keep us in shape easily, but how to listen to him in the face of goodies? It is therefore advisable to stop the inevitable excesses by focusing on the so-called "low calorie" foods, which make you feel full with few calories. Fiber and protein are the winning mix: whole grains, fruit, vegetables, with a fair share of meat, preferably white, fish and shellfish… ".

So how can we fix it in the kitchen? To neutralize the calorie surplus of lunches and dinners without going hungry, the chef and nutritionist have studied these clever mixes for you.

Frost of Orange, Green Apple and Dates / 195 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 GLASSES
300 g blood orange juice
50 g sugar
10 g gelatin in sheets
16 pitted dates
2 green apples
orange zest

METHOD
Bring 50 g of water to a boil with the sugar; turn off, add the soaked and squeezed gelatin and let it melt.
Pour it into the orange juice and put the mixture to cool in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
Break the jelly with a spoon and place it in glasses, alternating it with the chopped apples and dates.
Complete with sliced orange peel.

Brown rice and mixed salad / 200 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 GLASSES
160 g chicken breast
100 g brown rice
50 g baby spinach
50 g curly salad
shallot
shelled pistachios
lemon – apple
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

METHOD
Put the rice in a saucepan with 250 g of water, a chopped shallot, a tablespoon of chopped pistachios, a pinch of salt and a drizzle of oil. Cook it for 35 'from the boil, then let it rest for 10' covered. Finally, season it with a little lemon juice and pepper. Cook the diced chicken breast in a pan with a thin layer of oil for 4-5 '; salty.
Arrange the glasses by alternating the salad, spinach, chicken and rice.
Decorate with a star cut out of an apple slice.

Semolina, turnip greens and octopus cream / 200 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 GLASSES
200 g milk
200 g boiled turnip greens
150 g boiled octopus
100 g semolina
2 anchovy fillets
1 shallot
red onion – chilli – salt
dill – bay leaf – extra virgin olive oil

METHOD
Dilute the anchovy fillets in a pan with 4 teaspoons of oil, add the chopped shallot and chilli to taste.
Add the boiled turnip greens, wet with a ladle of water and let them flavor.
Also add the chopped octopus and stew for 5-6 '.
Bring the milk to the boil with 250 g of water and a bay leaf.
When it boils, remove the bay leaves, add a drizzle of oil and sprinkle with semolina.
Add salt and cook, stirring for 5 '.
Let it cool down.
Alternate balls of semolina, octopus and turnip greens in the glasses, filling with a little cooking sauce.
Complete with onion rings purged in water and dill.

Kale and Fennel Salad with Pear / 95 calories per serving

INGREDIENTS FOR 4 GLASSES
150 g fennel
130 g purple cabbage
100 g heart of cabbage
100 g cauliflower in small tufts
70 g celery
1 pear – lemon – sugar – vinegar
extra virgin olive oil – salt – pepper

METHOD
Thinly slice the fennel and celery and soak them in cold water.
Finely chop the cabbage, add salt and let it drain for 1 hour.
Squeeze it and season with a drizzle of vinegar.
Season the cauliflowers with salt and lemon and the thinly sliced cabbage with oil and pepper.
Melt a spoonful of sugar, with a pinch of salt, in a pan; when it begins to darken, add the pear cut into 8, with the peel, and roast it for 1 'per side.
Compose the glasses alternating all the ingredients.

natural ingredients to feel better – Italian Cuisine

Cold remedies: how to relieve symptoms due to seasonal ills using natural ingredients at their best

With the arrival of autumn and winter it seems that there is no escape, the seasonal cold returns with its annoying symptoms (stuffy nose, runny nose, sore throat, cough, etc). However, it is possible to feel better with the help of natural remedies which can speed up healing and relieve symptoms.

This advice must absolutely not replace the opinion of the attending physician.

Colds: the importance of prevention

First of all, we all know, today more than ever: prevention is better than cure. When the first cold starts it is good cover yourself adequately before going out, especially using scarves to ward off bad sore throats. It is especially important ventilate closed environments, avoid heavy jump in temperature or a climate that is too dry.

To avoid any contagions from viral influences, thepersonal hygiene plays a fundamental role, through a frequent hand washing. Finally, it is good to avoid contact with other people who show flu symptoms.

Cold remedies: what to eat and what not to?

Adequate nutrition can exert beneficial effects on the immune system, promoting the relief of symptoms.

In the presence of a cold it is ideal to consume first simple meals and easily digestible, avoiding alcohol and caffeine, which can hinder the healing process. Green light at hot drinks, such as broth, soups, herbal teas, hot milk. Of course, bring to the table the richest types of fruits and vegetables C vitamin: the citrus fruits, such as lemons, oranges or grapefruits, i berries, i Kiwi, i peppers, i broccoli, i cabbages, i cauliflower he spinach.

Among the essential ingredients we also havegarlic, considered a natural antibiotic, the onion, with decongestant properties, the chili pepper, capable of acting in case of a blocked nose, it ginger, useful against inflammation and nausea.

Fundamental rule: hydrate yourself as much as possible, drinking a lot water.

Cold remedies: natural ingredients to feel better

Cold remedies: get better naturally

Among the most effective cold remedies are i fumigations, also called fumenti, which can help clear the upper respiratory tract. Just boil the water in a pot, add essential oils and breathe in the steam released, covering the head with a dry cloth, so that it doesn't despair. Essential oil witheucalyptus it has balsamic, expectorant and anti-inflammatory properties. There mint it can help decongest thanks to its balsamic power. Alternatively, the bicarbonate it is a good disinfectant.

In addition to fumigations, gargling is also useful, to relieve pain and irritation in the throat, and nasal washes with saline solutions, to promote breathing.

As we said, hot drinks are a lifesaver in case of a cold. The best herbal teas are those based on ginger, lemon, mint, thyme, rosemary. And to sweeten infusions or hot milk, you cannot miss the honey, a classic grandmother's remedy to calm coughs. In particular, eucalyptus honey is the best against seasonal ailments.

Lemon balm, echinacea, and dog rose are other plants with useful beneficial properties, to be taken in the form of extracts, syrups or supplements.