Yellow Bramata flour by R.Borgacci

What's this

What is coveted yellow flour?

Bramata yellow flour is a cereal-based food; in particular, it is a derivative of the starchy seeds produced by the annual herbaceous plant Zea mays - Family Poaceae (Gramineae).

Corn flour is mainly used for the production of pasta dishes; the polenta from Bergamo is famous - with a spoon or sliced ​​- made with long-cooked yellow flour.

From the nutritional point of view, due to its chemical characteristics, the bramata cornmeal falls within the III fundamental group of foods. Poor water - the seeds are dehydrated before grinding in order to increase their conservation - it is very caloric because it is rich in complex carbohydrates. Contains dietary fiber, mineral salts and specific vitamins. Note : like the other dry derivatives of starchy seeds, even the coveted yellow flour absorbs a lot of water during cooking, drastically reducing its caloric density.

The coveted yellow flour is not a real flour. According to the Italian regulations, in fact, this wording is strictly reserved for the product of grinding the seeds of Triticum aestivum - soft wheat. All the others are called "flours".

Did you know that ...

Bramata comes from hulling, which is the procedure used in rice to remove the husk - external woody integuments - and the germ from the seeds.

Nutritional Properties

Nutritional properties of coveted yellow flour

Rich in starch, and therefore in calories, it is a source of specific vitamins and minerals; it is a product that belongs to the III fundamental group of foods.

Energy is supplied mainly by carbohydrates, followed by proteins and marginally by lipids. Carbohydrates are mainly complex, peptides of medium biological value and unsaturated fatty acids.

The scalloped yellow flour contains a good concentration of dietary fiber - mainly insoluble. Instead, it is cholesterol-free, a nutrient contained exclusively in foods of animal origin. Furthermore, this flour is totally free of gluten, lactose and histamine; also the concentration of purines is low.

From the vitaminic point of view, the corned flour can be considered a good source of various water-soluble molecules of group B - especially niacin or vit PP, pantothenic acid or vit B5, folic acid - and retinol equivalent - carotenoids, provitamin A, responsible typically yellowish color. Note : being devoid of the embryo of the seed, it does not contain large concentrations of liposoluble vitamins - in particular, the corn germ shows very high concentrations of tocopherols / tocotrienols or vitamin E.

As far as minerals are concerned, the bramata yellow flour shows a reasonable level of potassium and mediocre quantities - but not negligible - of manganese, magnesium and zinc.

Diet

Yellow flour coveted in the diet

The coveted yellow flour lends itself to most diets. Raw it is very caloric but in cooking it absorbs water over 400% of the initial weight. In practice, if 100 g of coveted yellow flour contain 362 kcal, 80.8 g of starch and 12 g of water, when cooked it barely reaches 90 kcal, 20 g of starch and a good 400 g of water. Note : the sliced ​​polenta, grilled or baked, has a slightly higher energy density. It is therefore clear that, from cooked, it is not a very caloric food; in comparison, dry pasta is certainly more energetic - even after cooking. The corn flour polenta is therefore also recommended in the low-calorie slimming diet, for type 2 diabetes mellitus and for hypertriglyceridemia. Obviously, both the average portion and the frequency of consumption must be adapted to the situation. There are no known positive or negative implications related to metabolic pathologies of: hypercholesterolemia and primary arterial hypertension.

Containing proteins of medium biological value, the bramata yellow flour cannot be considered a good source of essential amino acids; to reach the same pool of peptides of animal origin, it is therefore necessary to combine it with meat, fish, eggs, milk derivatives, or simply with other plant-based foods that contain specific limiting amino acids (tryptophan and lysine) - a typical example they are certain legumes, like beans.

The lipids of the scalloped yellow flour are predominantly unsaturated polyunsaturated. Among these are also the essential alpha linolenic acid (ALA) - essential omega 3 - and linoleic acid (LA) - essential omega 6. Both have a beneficial metabolic impact - partly shared by monounsaturated oleic acid - and have a key role in the development and maintenance of organs and biological functions. On the other hand, the absolute quantity is objectively irrelevant and the food cannot be considered a significant nutritional source of ALA and LA.

The coveted yellow flour has a good fiber content, most of which are insoluble. Soluble and insoluble fibers have different effects on the body. The majority of these nutritional factors remain indigestible but the fibers are still necessary for the correct functioning of the organism and the maintenance of the general state of health. In fact, the dietary fibers: they increase the sense of satiety favoring the lowering of the energetic intake with the diet, they modulate the nutritional absorption by lowering the glycemic-insulin curve and reducing the absorption of cholesterol and bile salts, they nourish the intestinal bacterial flora that participates in maintaining a healthy mucosa, reduces fecal consistency and facilitates the evacuation - prevention and / or treatment of constipation / constipation, diverticulosis and diverticulitis, inflammation of the haemorrhoidal plexus, formation of anal fissures, the tendency to prolapse anal, etc. - promote the expulsion of toxic and / or carcinogenic waste from the intestinal lumen - reducing the risk for certain forms of cancer - etc. The coveted yellow flour, even if it is not of the integral type, participates anyway in the achievement of the recommended fiber ration, which is about 30 g / day. For the average content of dietary fiber, this food is not particularly contraindicated in case of diarrhea.

The coveted yellow flour has no negative implications in the diet against hypercholesterolemia; on the contrary, containing fibers, it can contribute to improving the general lipid profile.

Containing no gluten and being popular in Italy, the bramata cornmeal is among the most widely used cereal derivatives in the peninsula in the celiac disease diet. It has no contraindications even in the diet for lactose intolerance and histamine - two other "really" identifiable food intolerances.

The coveted yellow flour can be consumed easily even by those suffering from hyperuricemia and gouty attacks.

Since the B group vitamins mainly have the function of enzyme factors and cofactors, the coveted yellow flour can contribute, at least in part, to the correct development of cellular metabolic processes. Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants and, being retinol equivalent, are metabolic precursors of vitamin A - with an essential function for maintaining vision, for cell differentiation, etc. They are rarely lacking in the diet.

Potassium is an alkalizing mineral that is also essential for the conduction of the neuromuscular signal; it balances sodium function and is considered antihypertensive. Involved in the excretion of urine and also present in sweat and feces, it can be lacking in athletes, in those who sweat a lot, in those who use diuretics - for example in antihypertensive drug therapy - and in those who suffer from diarrhea. The long-cooked yellow flour is not considered one of the most potassium-rich foods but still contributes to achieving the recommended ration.

The average portion of longed yellow flour, to be used as a first course, is 80 g (about 295 kcal).

Kitchen

Yellow flour coveted in the kitchen

The bramata yellow flour is particularly suitable for the production of first courses and above all polenta - typical of Northern Italy, mostly from the Bergamo area. The classic recipe of polenta requires time and labor; different is for the instantaneous one, which can be obtained quickly by rehydrating the lyophilized powder. In truth, the traditional polenta process is not complicated, but rather boring. Boil a quantity of water equal to 4 times the weight of the flour, to be salted in a measure of 10 g per liter, and pour the whipped cornmeal to rain to prevent the formation of lumps. When the mixture is uniform, continue cooking for 35-40 minutes, stirring constantly with a spoon. Polenta with a spoon is excellent with any type of sauce; for example ragù, cheese fondue - especially from the mountain pastures - fish sauces - of calamari, codfish etc. - all kinds of mushrooms, game - hare, fallow deer, roe deer, chamois, deer, wild boar etc.

From the polenta to the cooled spoon they can also obtain slices similar to bread. These will be grilled or baked in the oven, to accompany melted cheeses, cold cuts, sauces - for example of mushrooms - fish soups etc.