Tag: Vegetable

Cucumbers: from ancient history to many varieties – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

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Before being included in the eighteenth century in Linnaeus’ classifications as Cucumis sativumthe cucumber, defined by Lorenzo the Magnificent as «aperitif and healthy, is cited with the name of «cedriuolo (from citrusdue to its slightly acidic taste) by Pietro Andrea Mattioli, the famous botanist of the sixteenth century, who, being also a doctor, saw it as a purifying agent, anti-inflammatory And diuretic (today we know that it contains iron, calcium, phosphorus and vitamins B and C) and understood its benefits also «for external use, to refresh the skin and reduce wrinkles, redness and puffiness (such as: bags under the eyes!). It is not for nothing that it is a main component in many lines of beauty products.

From a nutritional point of view, beyond the most common uses – preserved, like the classic and always welcome pickled gherkin, or in Greek tzatziki – it is an essential component of fast food sandwiches, and with a good scientific basis: the cucumber combined with wholemeal bread, thanks to the tartaric acid it contains, it moderates the absorption of carbohydrates which often turn into fat. And then, very low in calories but rich in fibre and water, and therefore very filling, it is the king of summer diets.

(Historical research by Marina Migliavacca and Valeria Nava)

Know the ingredient: Cucumber varieties

Cucumbers belong to the family of Cucurbitaceaesuch as pumpkin, courgette, melon and watermelon. They have in common the fact that they grow on an annual, creeping herbaceous plant, covered in hair and equipped with tendrils, those curls that serve to firmly anchor themselves to supports or to the ground. All fruits are called peponids and contain a large quantity of seeds in the central part. Also suitable for growing in pots, as long as they have good exposure to the sun and without stagnant water, they grow well at a temperature between 15 and 25 °C. Let’s get to know the types of cucumber now.

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A typical variety of Puglia, which the region itself, in collaboration with the University of Bari, has chosen to protect through projects for the promotion of horticultural agro-biodiversity. It is distinguished from other cucumbers by its more rounded shape and its striped rind, sometimes similar to that of watermelon. It is very sweet and more digestible than other varieties because, like the Barattiere (n. 5), it belongs to the species Cucumis melo (that of melon) and is free of the molecule that makes cucumbers difficult to digest.

Minute

As the name suggests, this variety of cucumber is small in size, contains few seeds and is very crunchy.

Telegraph

Even more than 30 cm long, it is completely devoid of thorns on the skin but may present some small protuberance (tubercle). With a very delicate flavor, it is easily digestible. Choose those that do not exceed 3 cm in diameter: they are particularly sweet.

Snack

Small in size, to be nibbled even as a snack, as the name suggests. It does not peel.

Barrater

Another variety from Puglia, also known as Tondo di Fasano. It is not really a cucumber because it is of the same species as melon, of which it also has the shape. Buy those no bigger than a baseball. Crisp and very fresh, it is perfect for adding a twist to a mixed fruit salad.

Marketer

The most classic of cucumbers. Like all varieties, it has refreshing and purifying properties. It is rich in vitamin C and mineral salts and low in calories. It is also used in cosmetics for its ability to soften the skin.

Kiwano

Its scientific name is Cucumis metuliferus. It comes from the African continent and has been known for centuries. The plant has the same characteristics as the others, that is, it is a climber with yellow flowers and hairy leaves; the fruit instead has a leathery rind, orange in color when it is at the right stage of ripeness, provided with pointed protuberances, for this reason it is also called horned melon. The pulp inside is composed only of seeds covered in mucilage, the effect is similar to that of the passion fruit. The flavor is particular: a cross between that of cucumber and that of lemon with hints of banana.

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Dr. Longo’s Longevity Diet: How to Do It in Summer – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

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Choosing carefully the foods we eat is a health strategy against age-related diseases and tumors. Professor Valter Longo, specialized in the longevity diet, explains to us that scientific evidence promotes a mainly vegan diet, with the addition of fish 2 or 3 times a week and with plenty of seasonal vegetables, whole grains, legumes and good fats, starting with extra virgin olive oil.

Romina Cervigniscientific director of the Valter Longo Onlus Foundation, suggests some precautions to be able to adhere to the key nutritional principles of Longevity Diet even in summer.

Valter Longo’s Longevity Diet for Summer

1. Seasonality

It is important to always respect the seasonality of products, especially fruit, vegetables and fish. Always eating seasonal foods means ensuring a diet that varies from month to month and that respect the territory and the rhythms of nature.

2. The fruit

The Longevity Diet recommends a daily intake of 150 grams of fruitor about one medium-sized fruit per day. It is important that it is well cleaned and that it is seasonal, to ensure the optimal content of vitamins, mineral salts and other nutrients. In summer the variety of fruit is very rich: apricots, melon, watermelon, peaches, plums, medlars, cherries, strawberries, prunes, figs, raspberries and blueberries.

3. The fish

The Longevity Diet recommends consuming it 2 or 3 times a week. The best choice that the consumer can make, from the point of view of nutritional composition, is certainly blue fish small size such as anchovies, mackerel, sardines, pilchards and anchovies: thanks to their small size, these types of fish tend to accumulate lower levels of methylmercury than larger ones.

4. Fats

For the Longevity Diet, the quality of the fats introduced is very important: it is best to favour quality mono and polyunsaturated fats, such as those contained in fatty fish (e.g. salmon or sardines) or in the nuts and in theextra virgin olive oilto the detriment of saturated fats and especially hydrogenated and trans fats.

5. Night fasting

Respecting a 12-hour night fast – useful for synchronizing the circadian rhythm, improving metabolism, having more mental energy and triggering autophagy, a mechanism that allows you to eliminate diseased cells and regenerate healthy ones -, even in summer is not an impossible mission. It is true that the days are getting longer and dinners out or parties increasebut in these cases, in order to reconcile the end of dinner with the time of breakfast the next day, it is possible, for example, postpone breakfastdrinking two glasses of water in the morning, as soon as you wake up, with a coffee or a sugar-free herbal tea, and then, later, 12 hours after the previous meal, introduce the solid food source.

The fasting mimicking diet (in the warm months)

Professor Valter Longo also developed the fasting mimicking diet. This is a 5-day low-calorie nutritional protocoldesigned to be carefully balanced in all its macro and micronutrients, which are appropriately distributed to constitute a strong caloric restriction, necessary to induce the body into a state of ketosis, useful for cellular regeneration and cleansing. Since it is a clinically tested protocol, it is necessary to consume, in order and without additions, all the foods present in the protocol. Since the fasting mimicking diet provides a caloric intake of 1150 kcal on the first day and indicatively of 800 kcal from the second to the fifthAnd It is also not recommended to practice strengthening physical activities and/or do it during the warmer months, otherwise you may experience some side effects, such as a feeling of tiredness and exhaustion, a slight headache, especially in the eye area, sometimes accompanied by a slight feeling of nausea, or a drop in blood pressure.

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Vegetable and fruit salad recipe – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

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Try the fruit and vegetable salada light and refreshing dish for the summer, to end a day in style lunch or one dinner with the family, but also ideal for a snack or afternoon tea.

The important thing when preparing it is to choose fruit and vegetables right maturation following the correct seasonality of the ingredients. We opted for peach, watermelon, raspberries, blackberries, pepper, carrot, celery and courgette which we completed with one spiced syrup And White chocolate.

Discover other fruit and vegetable recipes perfect for your summer:

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