Tag: olive

Is drinking extra virgin olive oil bad for you? The expert answers – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

After water and turmeric, water and lemon and apple cider vinegar, the new trend, among people who are attentive to their health, seems to be that of drink extra virgin olive oil in the morning and on an empty stomach. A special elixir which, as videos and testimonials on social media assure, would be able to bring countless benefits to the body and even help us lose weight. But is it really like that? We asked the nutritional biologist Concetta Montagnese, researcher at the CNR Institute of Food Sciences.

The properties of extra virgin olive oil

The expert confirms that extra virgin olive oil is truly a very precious, indispensable food with multiple beneficial effects. Let’s understand together if drinking extra virgin olive oil actually has benefits. «It is a powerful anti-inflammatory, which helps us fight cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Rich in important monounsaturated fatty acids, including oleic acid, and polyphenols, in particular oleocanthal, it also contains lots of vitamin Ebeneficial for the immune system and the skin. Thanks to its antioxidant compounds, it helps cells stay younger”, explains the nutritionist. «Some studies have also associated a high consumption of extra virgin olive oil with the prevention of tumors.

The right quantities

To benefit from this anti-tumor effect, a consumption of more than 20 grams per day is recommended, which is equivalent to more than two tablespoons. And the protective effect seems stronger as the amount of consumption increases. However, we know that extra virgin olive oil is a very caloric food (100 grams contain around 900 calories): doesn’t it make you fat? «The Italian guidelines suggest taking some between 20 and 40 grams per day, two to four tablespoons“, says Montagnese, “because when we talk about a balanced diet we must not only refer to the number of calories, but also to the nutritional values and composition of the food. Extra virgin olive oil contains 99% fats, but mostly the good ones, which help keep the body healthy and are also essential for the correct functioning of the metabolism. This precious food it is therefore also indicated in cases of obesity and metabolic syndrome. If anything, it is its deficiency that is harmful: extra virgin olive oil is one of the cornerstones of the Mediterranean diet and cannot be replaced with any other type of food or condiment.”

In the morning on an empty stomach

However, it is not necessary to drink extra virgin olive oil in the morning and on an empty stomach, a practice that we see more and more often on social media. «To date, no study has shown that drinking oil in the morning is more effective than using it as a condiment in main meals. Its consumption, during the day, is certainly good for you and keeps the body healthy, but, more than taking it alone, combining it with some foods can help improve the absorption of important bioactive compounds (for example, antioxidants in tomatoes), with beneficial effects. It is somewhat fashionable to look for a magic potion for health, and therefore prepare elixirs to be consumed in the morning or on an empty stomach, but it is enough to consolidate the healthy habits of the Mediterranean diet – and use oil as a condiment, preferably raw, and in sautéed – to derive all the possible benefits”.

Recipe Dark cakes with olive oil, the recipe – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

THE Dark cakes with olive oil I’m a spoon dessert which is prepared easily and quickly. Fans of chocolate they won’t be able to resist this dessert whose peculiarity lies in soft heart which is revealed once the spoon is sunk in.

The dough is based on dark chocolate, olive oil, flour, icing sugar, cocoa and eggs. About 10 minutes in the oven are enough to cook the cakes and, in our recipe, we suggest accompanying the dessert with a English cream.

Curiosity: do you know that the first chocolate cake with a dark heart it was invented in 1981 by Michel Brasone of the legends of French gastronomy, and which was based on chocolate and coffee?

Also discover these recipes: Cocoa cake with a soft centre, Chocolate cake, papaya compote, Chocolate cakes with hazelnut heart.

Tagliatelle recipe with black truffle and extra virgin olive oil – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

L’Umbriawith its green hills and centuries-old woods, is the undisputed homeland of black truffle, a true jewel of nature, hidden in the depths of the earth, guardian of a unique aroma and flavour. It is a place where the culinary tradition and the nature they meet, creating harmonies of flavors that you absolutely must try at least once.

Now, imagine capturing the essence of this land and bringing it directly into your kitchen. The tagliatelle with black truffle and extra virgin olive oil they are a triumph of these flavours: the richness of trufflethe liquid gold ofoil and the pasta fresh homemade create a combination of taste and tradition.

If you are ready to take a trip to the flavours of Umbria, to immerse yourself in the charm of a recipe rich And refinedthen sharpen your pasta scissors… It’s time to start this culinary adventure among the scents and tastes of the land of truffles!