Qualitaly_108

DEC. JAN. 2019 XVI AT PAGE 56 QI FEEL GOOD AT THE TABLE Pasta: between false myths and things to know Consumed at the right times of the day and chosen with a lower percentage of gluten, pasta should not be banned from our tables. In fact... By Barbara Panterna* Pasta is a food based on flour of different types/extraction typical of the various regional cuisines of Italy. Historically it has very ancient origins, already known in 8000 BC when man began the cultivation of cereals, but it is the result of two different and independent cultures: the Italian one, gradually spread in throughout the West and in the Mediterranean and that of China , spread throughout the Far East. But it was in the Middle Ages that the first workshops for the working of pasta were born. It is definitely one of the favourite foods of Italians, so much so that abroad we are called “spaghetti eaters”. We can find it of different forms such as rigatoni, bucatini and penne that represent the first hollowed pasta born in central and southern Italy, or stuffed in the form of tortelli, ravioli and agnolotti most widespread in central and northern Italy. The intrinsic culinary imagination of our nation has allowed us to cook it in a thousand different ways, with special sauces that have made it famous all over the world (“bolognese”, “carbonara”, “amatriciana”), or to transform it into stuffed cannelloni, lasagna and in any way you prepare it, the pasta served at the table always manages to gratify our palate, so much so that many people consume it every day, both at lunch then at dinner, also because it is a practical dish to prepare. Obviously, as with all things, excesses are always harmful but pasta should not be demonized as has happened in recent years (see the pervasion of hyper-protein diets where pasta, in all its forms and types, is banned from the table). Personally, I think it is right to eat it during the week, although not every day and never on consecutive days; avoid it in the evening if you do not practice sports or if you have to lose weight as it is a food rich in sugars. For this reason I recommend to use it in a single dish, maybe paired with fish and vegetables and always seasoned with extra virgin olive oil (e.g.: linguine allo scoglio, with salmon and zucchini, with prawns and artichokes, with pesto, swordfish and cherry tomatoes) to reduce the glycaemic index and eat it always after consuming a plate of raw vegetables such as arugula, valerian, celery, fennel for example, as their high fibre content immediately provides us with a sense of satiety that will make us reduce the portion of pasta accordingly. Personally I recommend those with a low or medium glycaemic index that made with wholemeal flour, barley or spelt or even better quinoa characterized by a high protein content compared to traditional pasta – about 15 g/100 g of product -, iron and other trace elements or buckwheat (also with a decent protein content and rich in potassium and magnesium at around 320 kcal); naturally gluten- free (protein found in some cereals is difficult for our body to metabolize) are to be preferred when you have an irritable colon or you have intolerances gastroenteric disorders such as abdominal bloating, meteorism, etc. It is better to consume it at lunch if you lead a fairly sedentary lifestyle, so that the sugars contained in it will be used by our body during the working day; I would recommend it at dinner only for sportsmen or for those who perform demanding activities with extraordinary schedules, in this case it is always better to choose with a low glycaemic index, not exceeding certain doses (of course these are calculated based on body weight and the kind of physical and working activity carried out) and maybe gluten-free as it will be more easily digestible by the body. I would avoid corn only (with about 357 kcal, 89% carbohydrates and low protein content) or rice only (containing complex sugars – starch – in large quantities and higher calories (364 kcal with about 83% of carbohydrates and poor protein content), sticky and with less tendency to preserve its cooked state. It’s always better to choose them mixed with other cereals and pseudo cereals e.g.: corn, rice and quinoa or rice, amaranth and quinoa etc. From the nutritional point of view , pasta is generally a food with high energy density: about 350 Kcal/100 g of product. The traditional dry pasta contains a small amount of lipids, a modest amount of protein (represented by peptides of medium biological value including gluten responsible for serious gastroenteric disorders in those prone) and almost 87% of carbohydrates. The amount of fibre (beneficial for our health) is negligible if we talk about refined pasta, instead it reaches satisfactory levels if we opt for organic wholemeal. ______________________________ *Dr. Barbara Panterna is a medical surgeon with Post-graduate specialisation in human nutrition obtained at the State University of Milan. She is active in food education and geriatrics and a teacher/trainer for the Lombardy region in first aid and microbiology courses. She is the author of several articles of medical/ scientific character and novels available on Amazon books. She recently published though Passi Editore: Stories of Ordinary Gynaecology, distributed in Italy by Bayer Pharmaceutical. She carries out her medical activity in Milan as a private practice. ______________________________ MAGAZINE