73 / 76
DEC. JAN. 2018
XIII
that it releases the sugars slowly and
gives the feeling of satiety long after
eating it. As a result, a nice ice cream
in the mid-afternoon satisfies until
dinner and helps you avoid other
caloric snacks. Here too moderation is
important: eating 1 kg of ice cream in
one sitting does the body no good, but
a cup of ice cream is fine as a snack.
What is more, ice cream is made with
milk and therefore contains vitamins
and beneficial substances: calcium,
phosphorus, vitamin A, vitamin E,
magnesium, milk proteins. Chocolate
ice cream is the richest in vitamin A,
while fruit flavours are the lightest and
contain less calories.
Beer
Beer is good. Exactly this: according
to various research, a pint of beer
helps prevent heart disease such as
angina and heart failure. This is due
to the presence of vitamin B6, which
works as a coenzyme and helps the
metabolism and formation of amino
acids. Lager is also an excellent source
of vitamins, minerals and potassium;
on the other hand, it is poor in sodium,
therefore indicated for those who have
kidney problems and helps to prevent
kidney stones. Beer also acts against
free radicals and is therefore good for
the skin and helps against the ageing of
the epidermis. Moderation is essential,
however, when it comes to beer: if
one’s intake exceeds one litre of beer
per day, the negative effects outweigh
the positive ones.
Wine
Red wine helps the blood? The
properties of wine are many, but
among them one is certainly not that
of containing iron. Instead, wine is
particularly rich in polyphenols, a
class of vegetable pigments of which
antioxidant properties are known;
in addition, the presence of alcohol
influences the degree of extraction
of these compounds from the plant
matrix and their absorption in the
gastrointestinal tract.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate is a product that
contains many antioxidants and that
fights free radicals: for this reason,
it helps against the aging of the skin
and prevents wrinkles. Like ice cream,
dark chocolate has a low glycaemic
index and releases the sugars slowly
in the body: this is why chocolate with
more than 70% of cocoa inside it is a
great snack to avoid hunger attacks
and to encourage satiety. It is good
to have a few squares of chocolate a
day (two or three are ideal), because
the chocolate also contains fats and
therefore is very caloric. White and
milk chocolate should be avoided
whilst dieting, both of which have a
percentage of cocoa too low to give
benefits.
Fruit
It bloats, ferments and causes
fattening. There is nothing further
from the truth. There are many
reasons to finish lunch or dinner with
a fruit. First, its acidity facilitates the
absorption of the iron contained in
vegetables. In addition, it accompanies
digested food protecting it from
oxidative damage. It is rich in fibre
and water and therefore facilitates
intestinal transit. In addition, its sour
taste gives the body the signal of end
of meal and promotes clean teeth.
AT PAGE 46
IN THE PANTRY
Allergens, instructions
for use
From meal planning to menu
preparation: practical advice to
correctly manage this problem
By Elena Consonni
Crustaceans or peanuts, eggs or
dairy products... the list of those
who suffer (or think they suffer)
from one of these and other food
allergies is getting longer. To protect
these people, even when they eat
out, Regulation 1169/2011 on the
provision of information to consumers
was also introduced for those who
administer food, with the obligation
to communicate which allergens are
contained in the menu dishes. And
so the topic of allergens has come to
the fore even if the management of
this problem falls within the HACCP
protocols, as it poses a safety risk to
the consumer.
How is it done? Is it enough to “just”
indicate in the menu to ask the waiting
staff, or perhaps it is better to deal
with the question differently?
“In my opinion, a restaurateur must
first ask himself how he is going to
address the issue,” says Marco Valerio
Sarti, food technologist and consultant
in Milan – if it is sufficient only to
fulfil the obligations to read (and
then incorporate the management
of allergens in the HACCP plan