Re-Organize Your Diet. Paolo Diacono – Paulus Diaconus

onwards we try to carry the weekly challenge on to the end of each chapter.

Chapter 2

      Carbohydrates (what are they and what do they do?)

      Complex carbohydrates

      Gluten

      Fruit and honey

      Simple carbohydrates

      Challenge n°2

      â€œWe don't know either where our food comes from or where it ends up, we are provisional carriers, distracted consumers and most of the time not aware of it, the ultimate goal is our immediate satisfaction”

      Paola Maugeri

      (My life at zero impact)

      Carbohydrates

      As already seen, whether it is a Mediterranean, oriental or vegetarian diet, a healthy diet is based on carbohydrates which are our the most important source of energy and should constitute 50-60% of what we eat.

      During digestion all carbohydrates are broken down and transformed into glucose, which is simple sugar.

      This, through hormones like insulin, is carried to the blood and it gives us the energy we need.

      The level of sugar in the blood (so called glycaemia) must remain constant to avoid ailments and health issues in the future, for example diabetes.

      Carbohydrates can be divided into two types: complex (starch) and simple carbohydrates (sugars).

      Complex carbohydrates release sugars into the blood in a slow and gradual way, giving us constant energy, meanwhile simple carbohydrates have a fast release and cause our energy levels to fluctuate rapidly, making them go up and down very quickly, creating a dangerous escalation for our health.

      Complex Carbohydrates

      Our diet must be based on complex carbohydrates.

      We are talking about whole wheat cereals, even better if in the form of grains, as a whole, so to maintain their nutritional properties, otherwise lost in the process of refining.

      Grain, or wheat, that we normally consume as pasta, bread and pizza, is the main cereal in our diet and it is an optimum food to be consumed wholemeal because the refining process that produces white flour impoverishes the nutritional value of the wheat.

      Moreover grain is full of minerals and anti anaemic agents.

      On the other hand, being the most popular, it is also the most manipulated type of grain, so it is advisable to insert in the diet varied types of organic and wholemeal wheat.

      There are many types of cereals and it is important to vary them each day, because there are many different nutritional values that complement each other giving our body all the necessary nutrients.

      In addition, if we eat the same food every day a form of addiction is created which causes less nutritional advantages because our body becomes too accustomed to it, with the risk of becoming intolerant in the future (such as with gluten-rich foods).

      Every cereal contains optimum nutritional values, is rich in minerals and vitamins and has good quantities of protein.

      Rice, also well known, is better as wholemeal, is good for losing weight and is easily digestible, likewise quinoa, a cereal with a high protein content and rich in calcium and millet which is cleansing and rich in minerals.

      Spelt is suitable for sporty types as it contains few calories but helps to increase muscle mass and it invigorates muscles, as oats do, which are a great strengthener. Also we have barley which is refreshing and beneficial to the nervous system, and then there is rye which stimulates the metabolism and is energising.

      Amaranth, good for the heart and liver, buckwheat (that, in spite of the name, is not actually a grain but for its characteristics is associated as one) is warming and mineralising.

      Last but not least we have kamut, which is an ancestor of wheat, and maize, another well-known cereal, with relaxing properties that is used mainly to make polenta flour or sweets, and to make gluten-free pasta, as rice, millet, amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat can also do.

      Recent developments have also shown that also oats are to be considered gluten-free although up to not long it was considered to be a cereal containing some gluten likely due to the fact that when it was cultivated it became contaminated with wheat, rye and spelt

      Dehusked or pearled grain?

      Pearled grain goes through a kind of process of refinery that takes away the outermost coat, while the ones that are de-husked are simply picked as they come, and so they are to be preferred to pearled grain.

      If however we consume food coming from farms that use chemical fertilizers (to be avoided in any case!) it is better to favour the pearled grain as most of the chemical residue is found on the external husk.

      Another advantage of pearled grain is that it does not require soaking as other types of cereals do.

      Gluten

      The graph shows the average amount of gluten content of various cereals. Wheat contains the greatest quantity.

      Gluten is the wheat protein. The name comes from gluten which means 'glue' and it is the gluey part of the grain, the part that with a bit of water holds the flour together during the preparation of bread and pizza.

      Some cereals without gluten might state on the package “May contain gluten” due to the fact that it is produced industrially in a factory where other types of cereal are also produced and runs the risk of coming into contact with other grains or flours that do contain gluten, for example a production line that works on other cereals.

      For those who are intolerant even to the tiniest contact, this can bring about nasty side effects such as cramps and intestinal pains.

      Then there are those who are not so sensitive to the ingestion of this protein in tiny amounts, but if taken in regularly they can be left feeling tired, drowsy and bloated.

      Even those who do not have an intolerance should however reduce consumption, because consumption every day year in year out increases the risk of becoming intolerant.

      If we have to avoid gluten, we should not only be aware of food containing this protein, such as crackers, bread sticks and rusk, but also anything with a breaded covering such as cutlets of meat or fish, fried food and even many vegetarian foods that are usually prepared with soya or wheat.

      Not to forget beer, which contains malt in other words barley and certain liquors. We need to be careful with puddings, biscuits, certain types of ice cream and yoghurt and try to find gluten-free alternatives or prepare delicious dishes.

      It could be trying to start with, but there are always more and more gluten-free products coming onto the market, clearly marked as such on the packaging, so you don't have to waste time at the supermarket, and once you have got the correct product in your hand things are a lot more simple.

      Even if we are not gluten intolerant it is best to limit its consumption but not cut it out altogether.

      Honey and Fruit

      Fruit can also be considered a carbohydrate as it contains fructose, which is a sugar that is naturally present in it. Fructose consumption does not cause glycemic peaks, because like all natural things it is balanced. However it is best not to exaggerate its consumption and, if we had to choose between the two we would include it with the complex carbohydrates.

      On the other hand honey is assimilated rapidly, it has excellent properties but high quantities of fructose, so it is best not to have too much of it. It is, however, certainly better to use than sugar.

      Simple Carbohydrates

      Simple carbohydrates rapidly release