Misura's interview with Dr. Andrea Del Seppia

Let's talk about the topic with our nutritionist, Dr. Andrea Del Seppia.

Dr. Del Seppia, what are the origins of this spice?

Turmeric is a herbaceous plant with purple flowers that can reach one meter in height. Its scientific name is Curcuma longa and belongs to the same family as ginger. It is native to south-east Asia and is known in the West because its golden-colored spice is obtained from its rhizome (a particularly swollen root): precisely because of its intense pigmentation it is also called "saffron of indies".

Turmeric spice has long been used in the tradition of Asian countries and as an ingredient - in India it is mixed with other spices in the mixture of "masala" curry - and as a natural remedy; more recently it has also appeared on the western gastronomic and herbalist scene.

What are its nutritional properties?

The first benefit deriving from its habitual use is indirect: flavoring our dishes with turmeric reduces the daily intake of salt. Considering that in the western diet there is an excessive amount of sodium (abundant in salty foods), it is desirable to decrease the amount of salt we add to our dishes and instead use spices and aromatic herbs. Moreover, given that even in the food sector the eye also wants its part, a beautiful colored plate satisfies us more than one with a less exciting aspect, and not only visually!

The supply of turmeric in the daily diet has no influence on the daily energy intake: like all spices, being used in modest quantities, it has a low calorie content (calories are the unit of energy that a food It provides us). However, it has other nutritional properties that do not depend on the calorie content but on other factors such as its strong taste and its content in molecules that are beneficial to our body. It is curious to remember that curcumin (the active substance extracted from the rhizome of the plant), thanks to its intense yellow color, is used as a food coloring of natural origin and its presence is indicated on the label with the initials E100.

Can you describe the health benefits of consuming turmeric?

The health properties of this spice are mainly related to curcumin, a polyphenol that acts as an antioxidant as well as a natural anti-inflammatory.
This phytochemical compound has indeed been shown to reduce oxidative stress and protect us from free radicals (reactive substances that tend to damage our cells). The anti-inflammatory effect is due to the fact that the active ingredient of turmeric blocks some of the systems used by the body's cells to transmit inflammation. Therefore, the consumption of curcumin can be a good support to soothe, at least in part, the consequences of inflammatory processes.

Curcumin has also been studied for its antimicrobial potential, for its effects on metabolism and cholesterol levels.

This phytochemical compound could also be of help to athletes to attenuate, in some respects, muscle tenderness following an intense performance. Although a causal link has not yet been established [EFSA, 2017], curcumin appears to help maintain good joint function. Research has also shown the potential of this substance to help maintain skin health [Vaughn, 2016]. Finally, its antioxidant and anticancer capabilities have been investigated in some laboratory studies with promising results, but to date we do not have reliable and unequivocal data for this prevention or treatment activity on people.

How do you recommend using this spice in the kitchen?

The first advice for the use of turmeric is to always combine it with a small amount of black pepper that increases the bioavailability of curcumin. This powdered spice is excellent for flavoring vegetables: from very fast preparations, such as zucchini sautéed in pan, up to tasty ratatouille of summer vegetables (baked, too!), With which to season a healthy first course based on barley or spelled, ideal also for those who follow a vegan diet.

Turmeric is also strategic to give color to baked potatoes and is delicious with chickpeas and other legumes.

The fresh rhizome can be added to the centrifuged, with the care to grate it using gloves because of its intense pigmentation. The powder can be added to the dough for homemade bread, or, in the curry mixture, it allows us to prepare ethnic dishes, such as the very popular curry chicken.

Finally, we can use turmeric to prepare the traditional golden milk, the so-called "golden milk" of the Ayurvedic tradition: it is a preparation with antioxidant characteristics that is made starting from a creamy teaspoon of turmeric paste added to cow's milk or of vegetable origin with a little honey.

It is an interesting alternative to change the taste and color of your breakfast.

Misura's interview with Dr. Andrea Del Seppia

Let's talk about the topic with our nutritionist, Dr. Andrea Del Seppia.

First of all, what do we talk about when we discuss the topic "carbohydrates: simple sugars and added sugars"?

Carbohydrates are a class of nutrients that are the basis of a healthy and balanced diet and include both complex and simple ones. The guidelines for the Italian population suggest maintaining an overall contribution of between 45% and 60% of total daily energy revenues (SINU, 2014). The energy coming from simple sugars, those carbohydrates that are rapidly available but little satiating, should not constitute more than 15% of the total energy intake. For the maintenance of a good state of health, the indication is therefore to prefer "starchy food sources with a low glycemic index", ie whole grains (such as spelled and barley), products derived from wholemeal flour and legumes such as lentils, chickpeas and beans.

What do these last foods have in common and how do they differ from the sources of simple sugars?

They all share a high fiber content that allows them to lower the glycemic index, guaranteeing a slower absorption and, therefore, a more lasting satiety. On the contrary, simple sugars, although useful in case of need for an immediate energy supply, are not needed in large quantities for our diet.

Excessive consumption of confectionery products and sugary drinks can lead to an excess of kcal compared to our needs: just think that some cans contain up to 35-40g of simple sugars.

In the context of a balanced diet and to guarantee an ideal body weight in the long term it is necessary to keep the supply of rapidly absorbed sugars controlled: a portion of them will be introduced automatically with the consumption of beneficial foods such as 2 or 3 portions of daily fruits and, for those who consume them, dairy products like milk or yogurt. Not being able to reduce this sugar quota because these food sources include other fundamental nutrients that we cannot give up, we must pay attention to the added sugars, that is those contained in confectionery of various kinds and in sugary drinks.

What strategies can we use to reduce the daily intake of simple sugars?

In practice, there are some tricks that can be very useful. First of all, you can limit the sugars that come from drinks like soft drinks (cola-type sweetened soft drinks, etc.) and sugary spirits (cocktails based on fruit syrups, liqueurs, etc.). For the consumers of centrifuged and extracts, make sure that per person there is indicatively a quantity of fruit corresponding to 150g (about 1 portion, even mixed fruit) and the rest of the drink is made up of vegetables. In the case of juices and fruit juices, both homemade and commercial, it is better that they contain only the sugars naturally present in the fruit and that they are consumed in the quantity of a single glass (about 150-200ml). Speaking of drinks, we must also consider the sugar we add to herbal teas, coffee and tea, especially if we consume more cups a day.

The best advice is to make your taste buds unaccustomed to an excessively sweet taste: just a few weeks in which the table sugar added to the coffee is gradually reduced to be able to appreciate it bitter or with just a hint of sugar.

And when we talk about desserts?

In the preparation of homemade desserts, unless the sugar is an ingredient that guarantees the stability of the food over time (it is the case of syrups, jams and some creams), you can simply reduce the quantity provided in the original recipe. To make our confectionery preparations pleasant and fragrant by limiting the use of sugars and without using sweeteners of any kind, we can also use various spices: first of all cinnamon, vanilla and bitter cocoa. Also cardamom, saffron and tonka bean are perfect to give our recipes refined and exotic aromas.

How to shop?

At the supermarket it is necessary to get used to carefully read the labels of packaged foods, not only those of the ingredients, but also the nutritional tables referring to a single portion of the product we are about to buy. We will find indicated the carbohydrates item "of which sugars": considering that the sugars contained in a single portion of fruit are about 15g, it is good to stay below this quantity (even better if the sugar level is further lower) and choose , where possible, wholemeal products or those without added sugar. This indication will guide us in choosing snacks and fresh products such as yogurt, in which, often and unfortunately, we find more than 4 teaspoons of sugar (over 20g!): In this case, it is better to choose white, without added sugar (then containing only those 4-5g of sugar naturally present in the milk) and add a small portion of fresh diced fruit or dehydrated fruit with cocoa or cinnamon.

Misura's interview with Dr. Andrea Del Seppia

Let's talk about the topic with our nutritionist, Dr. Andrea Del Seppia.

Dr. Del Seppia, what are mineral micronutrients?

The "micronutrients" are substances necessary for our body in very limited quantities when compared to our "macronutrient" needs (ie, carbohydrates, proteins and fats), which should instead be taken in significantly larger quantities. Unlike macronutrients, micronutrients do not represent an energy source: this means that they do not supply kcal (the unit of measurement of the energy we introduce). In fact, micronutrients include vitamins and minerals: both are essential for our body to function optimally in each district. In the right grams, milligrams or micrograms, it is therefore necessary to include them in our diet to avoid health problems that are dangerous.

What are the most valuable and what functions do they perform within our body?

There are many minerals and there are many functions. Some play a structural role: it is the case of phosphorus (P), which in our body makes up salts together with calcium (Ca) and these salts constitute the structure of bones and teeth, mainly in the form of calcium phosphate that we find in the crystals of hydroxyapatite. This element is also a fundamental component of the phospholipids that make up the membranes of our cells (these are molecules in which lipids are joined to a phosphate group). The phosphate group is also essential for making energy available in the metabolic reactions that take place in the body, for which, as we shall see, the presence of magnesium (Mg) is also crucial.

Many of our enzymes would not work without the presence of copper (Cu) and without their action there could not be many chemical reactions essential for our health. Copper is an important element for the correct formation of red blood cells and is implicated in the maintenance of connective tissues. It is a precious micronutrient for the health of the skin and hair since it is involved in the processes of keratinization; however, too high an intake can damage the liver.

Magnesium is essential for the proper functioning of our muscles, both voluntary and cardiac; it also plays an important role in the nervous system and in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism. The function of magnesium is particularly valuable in the female environment for the management of premenstrual syndrome, moreover, due to its muscle relaxant function, it is useful for preventing muscle cramps in athletes and for regularizing intestinal function for those who need to regain their regularity.

Potassium (K), together with sodium, exerts a fundamental action in regulating the passage of liquids in our cells (from inside to outside and vice versa). Potassium comes into play in the functioning of the heart, skeletal muscles, and the nervous system. The contribution of this element must be increased in summer when profuse sweating causes us to lose potassium (in addition to sodium and chlorine).
Last but not least, manganese (Mn) which plays a salient role in the metabolism of the macronutrients mentioned above, protecting us from oxidation because it allows the functioning of enzymes that keep free radicals at bay.

How and in what quantities do you eat these minerals?

Phosphorus is found mainly in protein foods of animal origin, in particular in dairy products, but also in fish products and in offal (liver in the first place). It is also present in legumes and cereals, especially wholegrain; In healthy adults, the phosphorus intake recommended by SINU (Italian Society of Human Nutrition) is 700mg per day.

Copper (recommended intake of 0.9mg / day in adults) is well represented in seafood, dark chocolate, liver, nuts (cashews and peanuts in particular), mushrooms and beets.

Magnesium is present in good quantities especially in dried fruit (almonds, walnuts etc.), in whole grains, in their flours and in bitter chocolate. In foods cooked in water and in refined flours there is less than the corresponding foods consumed fresh or whole. The recommended daily intake of magnesium is 240mg.

As for potassium, instead, SINU suggests an adequate daily intake of 3.9g. This mineral, so important in this hot and sultry season, contrary to popular belief, is not only contained in bananas (which, among other things, if we choose the large ones have an abundant supply of sugar) but in general in the fruit: a example, the kiwis are very rich in the winter season, in summer ribes and melon, but it is also present in many vegetables consumed raw (spinach, rocket, fennel) or cooked without: the boiling, in fact, involves a loss of this precious nutrient proportional to the amount of water used. This underlines the importance of also varying cooking techniques so as not to have deficiencies of any kind. Potassium is also abundant in dried fruit and unrefined grains, in particular buckwheat and spelled.

While the dietary sources of manganese are mainly whole grains, almonds, hazelnuts, potatoes, pineapple and berries. The adequate intake of this mineral is very small, but by no means unimportant: 2.7mg for men and 2.3mg for women.