Cereals are very important foods in our diet: there are many, yet most people vary little and tend to always consume the same ones.
Which of the cereals and pseudocereals to be cooked, mentioned in this article, do you usually consume or at least from time to time?
Brown rice
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There are many types of rice on the market but is the integral one, in all its forms, to guarantee the body a greater number of nutrients. There is no single type of brown rice.
For example, the Venere black rice it is a brown rice, and then there is the brown basmati rice or the common brown rice. Each type of brown rice has its own characteristics, in general, however, brown rice is richer in minerals and fibers than refined rice.
Brown rice it is a highly digestible food and is suitable for those who want to lose weight as it gives a greater sense of satiety, it is low in sugar and has a lower glycemic index than the refined one.
It is rich in niacin and contains a good amount of selenium and manganese. It can be consumed often, even every day, better if combined with a seasoning based on seasonal vegetables.
Rice does not contain gluten.
Orzo
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L'barley è rich in minerals, especially phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, silicon and calcium. It also provides B vitamins and vitamin E.
It is very rich in fiber and helps to preserve good intestinal function.
It can be prepared in many ways, for example it can be used instead of rice to cook dishes similar to risotto, to be combined preferably with seasonal vegetables or it can become themain ingredient of meatballs or summer salads.
Contains gluten? Yes, and therefore it cannot be consumed by celiac people.
Read also Barley, 3 vegan recipes >>
Farro
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Il farro it is a good source of minerals, vitamins, proteins and fiber, but its main quality is the richness of selenium. It belongs to the Graminaceae family and contains gluten.
Like barley, it can be cooked in many different ways: soups, salads, meatballs or farrotto, a preparation similar to risotto. Again, the advice is to combine spelled with seasonal vegetables.
It costs more than other cereals because the production costs are quite highthe. The best ideas for cooking spelled and introducing it into your diet are found in traditional Tuscan cuisine, especially in the typical dishes of Garfagnana.
Oats
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Unlike other grains such as wheat and barley, even when processed, oats retain the bran and germ, the parts of the grain in which the greatest amount of nutrients is concentrated.
Oats contain beta glucan, a soluble fiber that acts as a kind of sponge, as iIt traps food-sourced cholesterol in a sticky non-absorbable gel that runs through the intestine.
Oat grains contain approx il 60-70% of starch and other carbohydrates (carbohydrates); the 14% protein and only the 7% fat. Oats also contain B vitamins, pantothenic acid, enzymes, calcium, phosphorus, various trace elements and an alkaloid, theavenin, with a toning effect, energetic and rebalancing of the nervous system.
It is easily digested and brings few sugars.
Oats are mainly themain ingredient of porridge, but it can be used in many different ways, for example to prepare meatballs and soups.
Buckwheat
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Il buckwheat it does not belong to the Graminaceae family and therefore it's not exactly a cereal, however, it is assimilated to this category for its nutritional characteristics, shape and cultivation techniques. It does not contain gluten.
When used in the kitchen, for the preparation of soups or cold salads, buckwheat must be peeled, i.e. freed from the black cuticle. Buckwheat flour, on the other hand, is obtained by grinding the grains with the whole cuticle; that is why it is gray in color.
It differs from "real" cereals for very high biological value of its proteins which contain, in optimal proportion, the eight essential amino acids, including Lysine.
Mile
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Il millet it is a cereal that, for many years, has been known primarily as bird food. Lately, however, there has been one revaluation, also by virtue of the numerous properties.
It is a extremely digestible cereal, which therefore is also very good for children, the elderly, convalescents, pregnant women and in all those cases in which there is some digestive difficulty; is very good for beauty of skin and hair.
Before cooking the millet it is necessary wash it thoroughly, rinsing it carefully. After washing it can be cooked in boiling water and used in a thousand preparations, from meatballs, croquettes, soups. The shelled millet does not contain gluten.
Amaranth
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THEamaranth, like buckwheat, it is a pseudocereal and does not contain glutinAnd. It is rich in high quality protein and has a high lysine content. AND easily digestible and provides a lot of fiber.
Amaranth can be prepared in so many different ways and is a valid one alternative to corn in the preparation of popcorn.
It can be cooked like common cereals, i.e. boiled and then used in the preparation of many different recipes, from soups to meatballs. It is advisable combine it with vegetables and not to foods rich in proteins, for example eggs and dairy products, because it already contains a high quantity.
Read also Three recipes with millet >>
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