At the AbanoRitz, the kitchen has a fundamental role, and it always had it. It is personally followed by the director, Ida Poletto, and before her by her mother.
The Hotel counts three bars, one in the hall, one by the swimming pool and another one in our Midnight Vintage Club, and three restaurants: White Gloves, our table d’hôte, Il Brutto Anatroccolo (the Ugly Duck), a tiny à-la-carte restaurant, and the Easy Barbecue, a rich buffet with grilled meat and fish in our garden park.
Eating is one of the pleasures of life, there are no doubts about that, and one thing is for sure: at the AbanoRitz you eat healthy and good. It is one of our principals, we don’t mess it up! Moreover, if somebody is interested, there is also the possibility to have a personalized diet, after a specialist medical examination; although it is really a torture to give up the pleasures of the table. For this reason, we really liked how doctor Chiara Manza was able to re-elaborate some healthy and balanced diets by adding some food that is normally considered “not healthy”.
Chiara Manzi is an italian nutritionist, as well as the founder of the European Academy of Culinary Nutrition, a university teacher and….a kitchen lover.
“…. I believe the time has come to absolve those foods or those cooking methods that have long been unjustly “accused”. The Mediterranean diet, which does not exclude any food or macro-category, is nowadays considered as the best alimentary regimen, and since 2010 it is even included in the list of UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. With Culinary Nutrition, we have a sort of evolution of this type of diet. In fact, recent studies have shown how by combining the ingredients in a certain way and following a specific way of cooking, we can eat everything we like without depriving ourselves of anything, including pizza, fried food and chocolate”.
Interesting this last point, don’t you think? The thing is simple: it is all in changing some habits in the kitchen in order to gain in well-being, without giving up on our favorite plates. The scientific basis, on which Chiara Manzi is basing her own idea, are showing that the nutritional properties of food and recipes are actually depending from few, simple factors:
- from how it is been cooked;
- from the amount it is been consumed;
- from how it is combined to other ingredients;
- if it is consumed as part of a balanced diet.
So, here we are with the 10 foods to which we can finally say yes with a lighter consciousness:
- Definitely yes to pasta and pizza
Carbohydrates are often seen as the devil, above all if made with refined flour. Wholemeal products remain preferred since they are rich in fibers, but of course, it is not always possible, The solution? Add to our preparations some long chain inuline: a non-digestible soluble fiber (usually found in power), that improves the intestinal microbiota and it does not change the taste. In this way, the plate will be rich in fibers, tasty and with a lower glycemic impact.
2.Oil, a cure.all if used sparingly
Extra virgin olive oil is a vegetable fat, but there is not only one kind. This oil, for example, is rich in monounsaturated fat that protect the heart and the arteries, in vitamin E that helps against cellular aging, and in polyphénols that improve the intestinal macrobiote, It is anyway better not to exaggerate with it, but to use it in the right quantity.
- The good side of cooking
There is a rumor that raw food is healthier than the cooked one: false. Only few ingredients are risking to lose part of their nutrients while cooking, but the others, for example, are less nourishing if eaten raw (like tomatoes and carrots).
- Eggs and the false myth of cholesterol
It is said that eggs make you fat and increase cholesterol level: luckily this is a false myth that has been debunked by different researchers of the Sidney University. It looks indeed that we can consume up to 12 eggs a week without gaining weight or cholesterol. Moreover, they have a high biological proteins level and important micronutriments such as vitamin A, B12, folic acid, iron, calcium, phosphorus and potassium.
- Chocolate to get stronger
Chocolate, above all the if dark chocolate (from 70% and above), it is absolutely not harmful for the diet; actually, it is rich in flavonoïdes which regulate the blood and lymphatic micro-circulation, help to protect the small venous vessels and the liver, and they strengthen the immune system. The only care is to not take it together with dairy products, because the casein prevents the intestinal absorption
- Everything that is fried is good and… healthy as well
Roll of drums…. frying preserves the vitamins really good while cooking. In order to fry in a healthy way, though, it needs to be plentiful of oil (1 liter every 100 gr of product) and at a constant temperature of 170°C. Before frying, it is better to leave the product to cool down in the freezer; in this way it will not absorb all the fat, therefore when we will take it out of the oil it is better to dry it out couple of times with paper towels.
- Turmeric and black pepper, the weight loss combo
Turmeric has many properties, among which it helps with lowering cholesterol, inhibition of fat cells and with the mood. It is hard though for the intestinal absorption: the problem is easily solved thanks to the piperine, which is contained in black pepper, that stimulates the intestinal villi improving the absorption. So? It can be very beneficial to add those spices to the breading or to the jam.
- Less lactose, more well-being
For the different preparations, above all for sweets, but in general also for the single consumption, it is better to choose dairy free products; this because they contain the same nutrition values of normal milk but they are naturally sweeter, so they help us with adding less sugar to the recipe.
- Erythritol, a natural sweetener
Erythritol is a natural sweetener obtained by the fermentation of natural sugar in fruits and other products of vegetable origins. It has zero calories, no taste and it does not have laxative effects as most other sweeteners.
- Inuline, the friend of every dish
We already spoke about inuline in the first point. It is the chicory fiber, it is able to lower the recipes glycemic index reducing fat and carbohydrates absorption. Moreover, it improves the density of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in our intestine thus reducing the burden of harmful bacteria. First and second courses and desserts… by adding a dose of Inuline Excellence we will immediately have a plate richer in fibers, healthier and more suitable to every diet.
