Tag: precious

The importance of water in nutrition: a precious resource – Italian Cuisine

L’waterfall it is an essential resource for life, not only for our bodies, but also for the entire planet. The complex relationship between water and food reveals how this fundamental element directly influences our health, agriculture, the environment and the economy.

Water as an essential component of our body and the planet

L’Water makes up over 50% of our body, playing a crucial role in all biological processes. Not only our organism, but also the entire Earth is influenced by water, which covers most of its surface. This vital element is omnipresent, but not infinite. Its responsible management is essential to ensure the well-being of present and future generations.

Water in agriculture: a precious and often wasted resource

Agriculture is the sector that absorbs the majority of freshwater resources, constituting 70% of overall consumption. However, this usage is often inefficient. Sprinkler irrigation, widely used in large agricultural areas, requires large quantities of water, with a significant portion evaporating before reaching the soil. Furthermore, water collection and reuse are not common practices, while the use of pesticides, fertilizers and antibiotics in agriculture can cause pollution and contamination of water resources.

Food waste and its impact on water

In addition to the inefficiency in water management in agriculturefood is often wasted. Every year, 30% of the food produced is thrown away, wasting water equivalent to the water needs of New York City for the next twenty years. This double waste, of food and water, is unsustainable and requires greater awareness.

Drought, floods and the climate crisis: additional challenges

There climate crisis further complicates the relationship between water and nutrition. The drought is considered a kind of imminent pandemic, with 1.5 billion people already under water stress, a figure set to rise to 47% by 2030. Furthermore, phenomena such as worsening droughts in Italy and rising sea levels in the Pacific Islands affect food production, threatening food security.

Economic and political aspects

Water is also the subject of economic and political dynamics. Large corporations, the mining industry and international trade often undermine sustainable water management for the benefit of private interests and profit. In many cases, local communities, often poor and poorly educated, suffer the consequences of these dynamics.

L’Water is a fundamental resource for human life, agriculture, the environment and the economy. Its responsible management is essential to ensure the survival of present and future generations. World Food Day on 16 October, dedicated to water, invited us to reflect on how we can preserve this precious resource and guarantee a sustainable future for all. Awareness of water-related challenges and the adoption of virtuous policies and behaviors are imperative to address these complex challenges.

A precious cover – Italian Cuisine – Italian Cuisine

Here we are. Here we are with the September issue. The "director" of this month is Antonia Klugmann. An extraordinary chef with an intimate, intelligent, contemporary cuisine that goes straight to your heart.
L’Argine restaurant in Vencò in the province of Gorizia tells us about his world, among the Collio vines. He reveals his family recipes, sometimes easy, sometimes difficult, always captivating. And then ideas for cooking meat or fish with fruit as is customary in this central European part of Italy. And then you will notice the cover that, as my grandmother would have said, "sberlucicca". It was created by Sara Shakeel, a Pakistani artist who "illuminates" monuments, objects and people with a generous dose of talent and diamonds. In this shot by Monica Vinella she worked on corn leaves in the field right in front of Antonia's restaurant, a way to tell the world that green is precious, so precious. Our adventure continues, intense, exciting, compelling.
The journey is as beautiful as the finish line. We cook friends and friends. Enjoy your meal, as always.

Pumpkin flowers: delicious and rich in precious properties – Italian Cuisine

Excellent in batter, delicious in the oven, versatile with pasta: the courgette flowers they are a real delicacy in the kitchen and are popular with young and old.
Thanks to their delicate taste, they marry in fact with many dishes and have various useful features for our health.
We deepen them with Valentina Bolli, dietician, who explains in detail why they are healthy and suggests how to prepare them to best enjoy them with an eye to lightness.

Excellent source of hydration

Bolli warns "Primarily they contain a very high percentage ofwater about 94% "therefore represent a good source of hydration for our body and for this reason they are very suitable for summer season, in which our body most needs water and minerals.

Good iron content

As for minerals, compared to other vegetables, says the dietician "they boast a significant amount of iron, or 2 mg. per 100 g of flowers, which is a very important mineral for transporting oxygen in the blood and maintaining the proper functioning of the immune system. Obviously we are talking about a comparison with other vegetables, proteins of animal origin always remain the best in terms of richness and bioavailability ".
They also have a quantity of football (39 mg vs. 21 of zucchini) better than zucchini, which is very important for healthy teeth and bones.

Benefits for skin and eyesight

Pumpkin flowers also contain a significant amount of vitamin A, or 252 mg per 100 grams (unlike courgettes that do not have the same characteristic).
Vitamin A protects Skin and the cell membranes, but also preserves the view (like tomato). Thanks to the content of carotenoids, has a powerful antioxidant and anti-aging action.

They are low in calories

Finally, adds Bolli "The interesting aspect is that I am low calorie (12 calories per 100 g) and which, combined for example with other vegetables, such as courgettes, carbohydrates and proteins, represent a complete dish ".

Not just in batter

In addition to the well-known batter version, which is certainly the most delicious but also the most caloric, they lend themselves well in many other preparations in the kitchen.
"With the pasta for example, accompanied by the right amount of Parmesan Cheese (50 g per person) are a perfect dish from a nutritional point of view ". Or they can be cooked in the oven, in a thousand appetizing and captivating ways. Suggest stamps “They can be stuffed for example with ricotta, which is a low-fat cheese, with the filling of the same zucchini and enriched with aromatic herbs, or even with meat.
In this case they go, combined with carbohydrates, they represent a tasty and inviting second course.

If you can't resist frying

If, on the other hand, you allow yourself a sin of gluttony and you prefer the fried version, it is good to follow some makeup to make them lighter.
Suggest stamps "It is important, for example, to use a oil with a good smoke point, such as that of peanuts, changing it every time and dry the courgette flowers when they are cooked to remove excess oil ".
Alternatively, one can also be used lighter batter.
“You can take inspiration for example from Tempura, the famous Japanese fry and prepare one light batter, with rice flour, also suitable for celiac and sparkling water to add ice. In this way, however, they are greedy but a little lighter. "

Elisa Nata
June 2018
updated August 2019

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