Summer time is a time of year when we want to feel fit but at the same time it is full of temptations and convivial moments. The long summer days entice us to stay outside longer for an apericena or to tour our beautiful region for an informal dinner at the countless festivals full of typical and local dishes. A first tip is to combine convivial moments with motor activities if possible: e.g., stop at the festival after hiking in the mountains, apericena after a jog with friends, or wake up early the next morning and start the day with a nice walk or jog before a light breakfast!
Often outside the home it is difficult to choose among the countless proposals,you can however decide to control at least the most dangerous foods, which are alcohol, sweets, and fried foods. A good strategy is to always choose vegetable-based preparations (not fried) as a first course and to never miss a protein-based dish (meat fish cheese not too fatty), the latter will help us to get full sooner and keep blood sugar more stable should we decide to add a first course or a sweet treat to follow.
A piece of advice, at the festival try to limit fried foods, they are the most caloric foods and often cooked with basa quality oils, it is easier to find grilled foods of excellent quality also from a nutritional point of view .
What are some typical dishes of our region that should not make us feel too guilty?
- Ostrich (Pozzuolo del F.): red meat, tender and lean, low in fat, low in sodium, rich in Omega3, protein, iron and vitamins, excellent when combined with vegetables or as a topping for gnocchi and noodles .
- Crayfish (Amaro): delicious and tasty dish rich in protein (88%), fat (22%) low in carbohydrates, excellent grilled or with tomato sauce paired with polenta.
- Cjarsòns (Sutrio) agnolotti made of potato dough with a ricotta filling mixed with a very rich variety of ingredients: spices, dried fruit, raisins, oriental herbs, aromatic herbs, they are a very tasty dish rich in carbohydrates, I suggest pairing it with protein such as fresh ricotta or ham.
- Berries ( Forni Avoltri) low-sugar fruit excellent for ending a large meal or accompanied with sugar-free cream or whole yogurt , for a post-walk snack.
- Fasolari ( Marano) excellent opportunity to eat fresh fish, to also fish preparations that are not exclusively fried .
- Frico (Carpacco) if you don't have problems with triglycerides, a frico now and then, prepared with typical cheeses and potatoes and accompanied with fresh or grilled vegetables, can be a good dinner within a balanced nutritional plan, in this case I don't recommend adding a sweet treat at the end of the meal , unless you are planning to do intense physical activity the next day.
(Article by Dr. Giusto Cristina - nutritionist biologist)
