pretzels

Generality

The pretzels are small foods with a savory taste, variable aroma (some are spicy), crunchy or crumbly texture, and a typical color of cooked bread crust (golden or hazelnut).

They could be defined as savory biscuits and belong to the food set of baked products (III fundamental food group)

The gastronomic function of the pretzels is mainly a savory snack or aperitif; they represent the finger food par excellence.

There are various types of pretzels. The most famous ones are commercial and packaged. On the other hand, they can be prepared at home, reproducing those "buy" or using a totally different recipe (almost always based on puff pastry).

Regarding the nutritional aspect, pretzels are considered junk food or junk food.

They bring many calories from fat and carbohydrates; in addition, they contain an excessive amount of sodium. They do not lend themselves to healthy eating, much less to clinical food therapies.

Commercial pretzels

Commercial pretzels, french fries in pouches, peanuts and pumpkin seeds (the latter two, toasted and salted), tortillas, cheetos (extruded, potato or peanut) and crackers, are the most popular snacks in Italy and in many other western countries.

In the East the habits are very different; just think that in Thai cuisine the most popular appetizers are cones made up of insects (grasshoppers, larvae, cockroaches etc.) and fried arachnids (scorpions, spiders, etc.).

Many wine experts use pretzels to neutralize the taste of the previous wine between one taste and another.

The most famous commercial pretzels come from German-Austrian origin; in the mother tongue they are called "Salzgebäck" or "Knabbergebäck".

There are various forms and recipes. They can be sold in packages containing only one type or mixed. They have a moderate cost. One of the most important companies in the pretzels trade is Kelly Ges.mbH

The most popular types of commercial pretzels are the "Salzbrezelchen" (very much reminiscent of pretzel or pretzel or pretzel bread) and the "Salzstangen" (cylindrical rod shape).

The mixture of commercial pretzels is mainly composed of wheat flour mixed with water, fine salt and sugar; most of the pretzels are fried or baked.

Outside they are salted further.

Ingredients and Conservation

WARNING! The following refers to the pretzels distributed by "Conad" and produced by "Kelly Ges.mbH".

Pretzels are very long-keeping foods. Once the package is opened, it must be closed (possibly in a hermetic way, so that it does not lose its friability) and kept in a dry, dark and possibly not warm environment.

The ingredients of the pretzels are mainly: wheat flour, salt, sugar, palm oil, malted wheat flour, raising agents (ammonium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium acid pyrophosphate), sesame seeds, fructose, whey in powder, poppy seeds, buttermilk powder, yeast, rye flour, cheese (milk, rennet, salt), maize dextrin malt, acidity regulator (sodium hydroxide), cumin, flavorings, acidifier (acetic acid).

Nutritional Features

WARNING! The following refers to the pretzels distributed by "Conad" and produced by "Kelly Ges.mbH".

NUTRITIONAL VALUES
Average values		Per 100 g of Product
Energy value		417.0 kcal
Grassi		14.0 g
	of which Saturi	5.4 g
Carbohydrates		61.0 g
	of which Simple	3.9 g
fibers		3.6 g
Protein		10.0 g
salt		3.0 g

The pretzels have a poor quality nutritional contribution.

As anticipated, they mainly contain cereal flour and seasoning and / or frying fats.

Being baked goods, they also fall into the III group of foods, but they have little to do with other exponents of this category, such as for example the insipid fresh bread (like the Marche row).

They bring many calories and very little water.

Energy comes mainly from carbohydrates, followed by lipids and finally proteins.

Carbohydrates are mainly complex (starch), unsaturated fatty acids and peptides of medium biological value.

The amount of fiber is abundant, but this is due to the lack of water that emphasizes the chemical concentration of all the other compounds; pretzels are not produced with "objectively" high residue flour.

Cholesterol should be absent or not relevant.

There is no sufficiently reliable information on the content of mineral salts and vitamins. It is conceivable that the concentration of thiamine (vitamin B1) is satisfactory. The only certainty is an excess of sodium from cooking salt (sodium chloride).

They contain gluten and lactose.

Savory snacks are not recommended for: