Tag: foods

Biotin, what it is used for and in which foods it is found – Italian Cuisine

Vitamin B8 strengthens skin, nails and hair and is good for muscles and brain. Here are the foods that contain it the most

During the change of season the body is particularly vulnerable. To cope with the discomforts and support the psychophysical well-being, never before in this period is it necessary an adequate intake of vitamins to be taken mainly with food. These include the B vitamins, such as vitamin B8, or vitamin H, called biotin. Let's see why with the help of the doctor Valentina Schirò, nutritionist biologist specialized in nutrition sciences.

Benefits for health and beauty

"Biotin is a vitamin from the B group. It is also called" beauty vitamin ". Indeed, it strengthens the hair. It counteracts the loss and improves its structure because it is directly involved in the follicular activity, in particular in the growth and synthesis of fatty acids, fundamental to protect the hair fiber. Moreover, it is essential for the production of keratin, the main component of the hair ", suggests the nutritionist Valentina Schirò. But there is more. «Biotin is an excellent ally of weight. This vitamin is indeed involved in the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, the mechanism that if burns efficiently burns the most . Furthermore, it is a friend of the nervous system. "This substance helps the body to extract energy and fight the feeling of tiredness and fatigue." It is also good for pregnant women. "It favors the assimilation of folic acid, indispensable for the growth and the correct development of the fetus".

Where to find it

"Vegetables such as cauliflower and spinach are good sources of biotin; but also oats, eggs, cheeses, mushrooms, legumes, nuts, seeds and many other foods. To encourage absorption at the table, do not miss the zinc (fish, seafood, etc.) and vitamin C (kiwi, citrus fruits, etc.). Attention instead to the consumption of alcohol and coffee, which ingested together with the foods that contain it inhibit the assimilation by the body .

Would you like to know more? Discover the other foods that are rich in biotin in the gallery

Sulfites: what they are and what foods they are – Italian Cuisine

First of all, a premise: when we talk about "sulfites", We refer to various substances, primarily sulfur dioxide, and then various types of sulphites. Sulfur dioxide (also called oxide, dioxide or sulfur dioxide) is a colorless gas with a pungent odor that has been proven toxic and allergenic effects. Sulfites are a category of chemicals (potassium bisulfite, sodium etc) and they come used as preservatives, to avoid oxidation.

Certainly sulphites in the imagination of all recall the wine. And indeed they are widely used for its preservation, by virtue of theirs property antimicrobials and antioxidants. They serve to give a certain stop to the development of bacteria and molds, to avoid the oxidation of the juice, to carry out a correct fermentation and – as regards the red – stabilize the color of the pomace, the sulphites are therefore artificially added. How, how much and when it depends, but in general the producers add them already when the grapes arrive in the cellar (in particular the sodium bisulfite).

Sulphites in wine are almost always present – although in recent years several niche producers have experimented and proposed the wine "without sulphites". The wording "without sulphites" is rare, since it means that these substances are completely absent. When there is no wording on the label, it means that sulphites can be present up to a maximum of 10mg / l. In all other cases, it will read: "Contains sulphites".

It should be noted that wine is the only food product of which the ingredients must not be shown on the label; this generally means that the producers have more margin to "make up" and, as regards the sulphites, that it is not mandatory to report their quantity on the label. This does not mean that there are no legal limits.

In Italy the legal limit it is 160 mg / l for reds, 210 mg / l for whites and rosés and 400 mg / l for sweet wines (with exceptions that allow the State to raise the maximum value in unfavorable years). IS in organic wine? Certainly they are present to a lesser extent: especially in Italy, often organic producers use less than those permitted by European legislation. The organic regulation provides for the thresholds of 100 mg / l for red wines, 100 for whites, 120 for sweet wines.

As can be seen, sulphites are found to a greater extent in White wine compared to the red one (because it deteriorates more easily), and basically the sweeter a wine is, the more it contains (since sweet wines, having not transformed all the sugars into alcohol, have a tendency to continue to ferment). Which already tolerates less than in non-organic wines, where the maximum limit is 150 mg / l for reds and 200 mg / l for whites, more for sweet ones (and with the various exceptions of the case).

A note: the absence of sulphites does not in itself guarantee the authenticity of the product. Moreover the grapes can autonomously generate sulphites and sulfur dioxide during the alcoholic fermentation phase, carried out by the yeasts present on the grape skin, in which the "grape juice" is transformed into wine. However, this can take place in minimal part (only up to a maximum of about 40 mg / l).

What are the side effects of sulphites? Headache, first of all, in subjects sensitive to these substances. Allergic reactions to sulphites are manifested by intakes of very low doses, especially in asthmatic subjects. Who is allergic to aspirin must be on the eye. And then someone also shows nausea, vomiting, hot flushes, hypertension, etc. Not only: the sulfur dioxide is connected to thedegradative action against vitamin B1, whose lack in humans can cause significant alterations to the metabolism of sugars (diabetes).

A scientific study published a couple of years ago found that sulphites are able to damage beneficial bacteria present in thehuman intestine. These bacteria are very important for the metabolic processes and the immune response of the organism and when they 'are not fit' this is the antechamber of the development of various diseases. In the research in question, conducted by Pusan National University in Korea, the effects of sulphite intake were evaluated even at doses lower than those considered safe by international agencies on four important species of intestinal beneficial bacteria, and their decrease due to these preservatives has been highlighted.

According to the calculations ofItalian Wine Union, "a 70 kg man has one acceptable daily dose of 49 mg of sulfur dioxide and you can drink a bottle of a quality red wine in a day, containing a maximum of 50 mg / liter of sulfur dioxide "(but we have seen that the allowed quantities are triple)." In any case, the dose of assimilated sulfur is underestimated, since in addition to the oenological sector, sulfur dioxide and its derivatives are used as an additive in many food fields and is found in many foods that we ingest together with the wine glass "- writes the UIV.

Exact. If we believed that sulphites were found only in wine, we were very far off … Sulfites are widely used by the food industry as preservatives. Their initials are various E … In particular sulfur dioxide is E220; the sulphites are E 221 – E 222 – E 223 – E 224 – E226 – E 227 – E228. The types of food they use go by dried fruit to stockfish and cod, from seasonings to juices, and the percentage of sulphites tolerated by the law changes according to the food. In addition to wine (and wine vinegar), the "rich" drinks are: fruit juices, beer and cider. Among the foods, the aforementioned dried fruit (and candied, glazed, etc.); there preserved vegetables (dried, frozen, pickled, in oil etc.) – including dried mushrooms and raisins), flour and potato flakes.

And be careful! We talked about wines and preserved foods: in reality sulphites are also used for preservation of fresh foods – one for all: the catch. And between this, one for all: i shrimp and shellfish. And in this case there is no obligation to indicate not only the quantity, but the very presence of sulphites. In meat foods, then, the law greatly limits the use of sulphites, but in any case it is good to pay attention to meat-based foods such as hamburgers and hot dogs.

Carola Traverso Saibante
April 2017
updated in April 2019

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Six delicious foods that have a very pungent smell! – Italian Cuisine

Don't be fooled by the unpleasant smell of these six foods from various parts of the world, their taste is delicious!

In the kitchen there are many factors that can greatly influence the sense of taste, think for example of how much we can influence the memories and emotions that food can evoke, as well as the stories we are told before eating. Among the many, one of the aspects of food that can best improve or worsen the perception and the expectation of taste, is the smell. A dish or an ingredient with a pungent or unpleasant smell is able to generate a negative impulse on our senses, even leading us to avoid tasting it. The only exception, in the case of the so-called taste of buying food, is that to make it appreciable and even enjoyable can be a prolonged and lasting exposure over the years, which leads the consumer to develop a positive perception. They are part of this category of These six delicious food smells from different parts of the world, so prejudice is really worth overcoming.

Chameleon plant

The so-called Houttuynia cordata or fish mint in English (fish mint), is agrass with a strong taste and fishy taste. Although little known by us, the chameleon herb is very widespread in Asia, especially in Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean and north-eastern India, where it is used for example to season grilled meats, noodle dishes, soups, salads or roulades. The tender roots can also be ground and added to chutney with dried fish, chilli and tamarind, while in some countries the dried leaves are used for tea.

Durian

This fruit is considered "the most smelly in the world" and it is even banned in some public places due to the intense and annoying smell, associated by many with pork meat, bad onions and even dirty socks. Thanks to her characteristic bitter-sweet and slightly spicy flavor, and due to its extraordinary nutritional and antioxidant properties, durian is however much loved throughout Southeast Asia.

Roquefort

Roquefort is a blue cheese from sheep's milk from southern France, famous throughout the world and particularly loved in combination with jams, compotes and chatneys. If at the sight it appears white and pleasantly creamy, with the distinctive veins distinctive of blue mold, both the smell and the taste have one strong acid and pungent component.

Smelly tofu

This recipe known in English as stinky tofu, is very well known in Asia where there are several variations. One of the most famous and appreciated is the Taiwanese deep-fried stinky tofu, a ubiquitous dish in night market stalls and restaurants. In Taiwan the tofu is fermented with a medicinal herb and then fried, it has a contrasting and pleasant taste, and is often served with pickled vegetables or with pork and a pinch of chili pepper. Its odor, which is felt in the distance, is nauseating for many unaccustomed tourists, and recalls the smell of rotten rubbish.

Kimchi

THE fermented foods they are a real craze of recent years, thanks to the widespread desire to rediscover genuine flavors and cooking methods and natural preservation. Among the most popular fermented foods of the moment, in addition to kombucha, kefir and Japanese miso, is the kimchi Korean, famous among other things for the high presence of lactobacilli, true cure for the well-being of the intestine. There are kimchi different recipes, all based on vegetables, but the base generally consists of garlic, onion, Korean pepper and horseradish leaves. This traditional dish is particularly feared for its bad smell, and for this reason it is kept at a safe distance from other foods.

Natto

Still remaining in the field of fermentation and oriental cuisine, another dish as smelly as it is good natto. This traditional japanese food it is the favorite breakfast of the Japanese people and consists of fermented soy beans accompanied by white rice or fish and dressed with soy sauce and spring onions. Although considered a great meal, both in Japan and in other countries, for many the natto remains difficult to eat, just for theunbearable strong odor as for the sticky and viscid consistency due to a sort of stringy jelly that comes to form with the fermentation process. In short, a food that really puts our senses to the test.

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