F:\Lesson 4 Legumes, Mushrooms, Protein

Dietetics and Nutrition in the Mediterranean

By Dr. Alberto Fatticcioni

Legumes in the Mediterranean Diet

Everywhere in the Mediterranean, simple, legume dishes are served as starters, first courses, main courses and side dishes. In the Mediterranean Diet, the use of legumes is very common, and usually, legumes are present everyday in the form of different recipes. The most important legumes in the Mediterranean Diet are beans, chickpeas, lentils, peas and fava beans.

Mediterranean diet rulesThe Mediterranean diet is principally a plant based diet. Everyday the “mediterranean way” consists of: • vegetables (at least 300-400 g a day) • fruit (at least 4 pieces or 400 g a day)• legumes and pulses• grains, pasta and/or bread (mostly wholemeal and unrefined) • olive oil and nuts• an abundant use of herbs and spices• water (more than 2 liters per day)• wine during meals ( maximum 2 glasses per day )

Legumes Legumes are the seeds of the plants of the Fabaceae (or Leguminosae) family. The term legume, is derived from the Latin word legumen (with the same meaning as the English term), which is in turn believed to come from the verb legere "to gather." The history of legumes is tied in closely with that of human civilization, appearing early in Asia, the Americas (the common Phaseolus bean in several varieties), and Europe (broad beans) by 6,000 BC, where they became a staple, essential for supplementing protein where there was not enough meat.

Legumes The history of legumes in the Mediterranean Diet has ancient roots. A remarkable sign of their status in the ancient world is the fact that each of the major legumes known to Rome lent its name to a prominent Roman family: Fabius comes from the fava bean, Lentulus from the lentil, Piso from the pea, and Cicero from the chickpea. No other food group has been so honored.

Legumes Legumes are generally excellent sources of a number of nutrients, including protein, fiber, iron, various B vitamins, folic acid, carbohydrates in the form of starch, fats, minerals and antioxidants.Legumes are the cheapest and healthiest protein source in the food’s world.

Legume Seed

Water Protein Fats Carbohydrates

Common bean

14 22 2 61

Fava bean 14 25 1 58

Black-eyed Pea

14 24 1 60

Soybean 10 37 18 34

Lentil 14 25 1 60

Chickpea 14 21 5 61

Pea 14 24 1 60

Lupins 10 30 10 50

Composition of Dry Legumes

Legumes and Protein

Legumes are 20 to 25% protein by weight, which is double the protein content of wheat and three times that of rice. For this reason, legumes are called "vegetarian's meat". While legumes are generally high in protein, and the digestibility of that protein is also high, they are often relatively poor in the essential amino acid methionine. Grains (which are themselves deficient in lysine) are commonly consumed along with legumes to form a complete protein diet for vegetarians.

Legumes and Aminoacids

Legumes contain relatively low quantities of the essential amino acid methionine. To compensate, the Mediterranean Diet serves legumes along with grains, which are low in the essential amino acid lysine, which legumes contain. Thus a combination of legumes with grains forms a well-balanced diet for vegetarians. Common examples of such combinations are pasta and beans “pasta e fagioli” and emmer wheat and legume soup “zuppa di legumi e farro”.

Legumes and Health

Legumes are very healthy. They have significant nutritional and health advantages for consumers. They are the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people of different ethnicities; legumes have been associated with long lived food cultures such as the Japanese (soy, tofu), the Swedes (brown beans, peas) and the Mediterranean people (lentils, chickpeas, beans).In the Seven Countries Study, legume consumption was highly correlated with a reduced mortality from coronary heart disease.

Fava Bean Vicia faba, the Broad Bean, Fava Bean, is a species of legume (Fabaceae) native to north Africa and southwest Asia, and extensively cultivated elsewhere. Broad beans have a long tradition of cultivation in Old World agriculture, being among the most ancient plants in cultivation and also among the easiest to grow. It is believed that along with lentils, peas and chickpeas, they became part of the eastern Mediterranean diet in around 6000 BC or earlier. They are still often grown as a cover crop to prevent erosion because they can over-winter and because as a legume, they fix nitrogen in the soil.

Fava Bean

Fava Bean Fava beans are rich in L-Dopa, a substance used medically in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. L-dopa is also a natriuretic agent, which might help in controlling hypertension. Some also use fava beans as a natural alternative to drugs like Viagra, citing a link between L-dopa production and the human libido .

Fava Bean Usually, fresh young fava beans are eaten raw, with pecorino cheese. This, with whole grain bread and seasonal fruits can be a very good and healthy breakfast. The young leaves of the plant can also be eaten either raw or cooked like spinach.

Fava Bean Recipe

A typical Mediterranean healthy recipe for fava bean is “Koukia me Anginares” “Fava Beans with Artichoke” (pages 319, 320 Mediterranean Diet Cookbook), where the ingredients are artichokes, fresh young fava beans, onions, dill, mint leaves, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper.

Fava Bean Recipe

A typical Mediterranean healthy recipe for fava bean is “Fava Beans Roman Style” (pages 318, 319 Mediterranean Diet Cookbook), where the ingredients are fresh young fava beans, are cooked with prosciutto (ham), onions, thyme, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper.

Peas A pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the legume Pisum sativum. Each pod contains several peas. The species is used fresh, frozen or canned, and is also grown to produce dry peas. The wild pea is restricted to the Mediterranean basin and the Near East. The earliest archaeological finds of peas come from Neolithic Syria, Turkey and Jordan. In Egypt, early finds date from ca. 4800–4400 BC in the Nile delta area, and from ca. 3800–3600 BC in Upper Egypt.

Peas

Peas According to etymologists, the term pea was taken from the Latin pisum. In early times, peas were grown mostly for their dry seeds. In modern times, however, peas are usually boiled which breaks down the cell walls and makes the taste sweeter and the nutrients more bio-available. Along with fava beans and lentils, these formed an important part of the diet of most people in Europe during the Middle Ages.

Peas Recipe

A typical Mediterranean healthy recipe for peas is “Peas Roman Style” (pages 318, 319 Mediterranean Diet Cookbook), where the ingredients are fresh young peas, are cooked with prosciutto (ham), onions, thyme, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper.

Chickpea The chickpea (Cicer arietinum) (also garbanzo bean, Indian pea, ceci bean, Bengal gram) is an edible legume of the Fabaceae family, Faboideae subfamily. Chickpeas are one of the earliest cultivated vegetables. 7,500-year-old remains have been found in the Middle East. The name chickpea traces back through the French chiche to Latin cicer (from which the Roman cognomen Cicero was taken).

Chickpea

Chickpea Domesticated chickpeas have been found in the aceramic levels of Jericho along with Cayönü in Turkey and in Neolithic pottery at Hacilar, Turkey. In southern France Mesolithic layers in a cave at L'Abeurador, Aude have yielded wild chickpeas carbon dated to 6790±90 BC. By the Bronze Age chickpeas were known in Italy and Greece. In classical Greece they were called erébinthos and eaten as a staple, a dessert or consumed raw when young.

Chickpea The Romans knew several varieties such as venus, ram and punic chickpeas. They were both cooked down into a broth and roasted as a snack. The Roman gourmet Apicius gives several recipes for chickpeas. Carbonized chickpeas have been found at the Roman legion fort at Neuss (Novaesium), Germany in layers from the 1st century BC, along with rice. Ancient people used chickpeas for medical uses such as increasing sperm and milk, provoking menstruation and urine and helping to treat kidney stones. Wild cicers were thought to be especially strong and helpful.

Chickpea Chickpeas are a helpful source of zinc, folate and protein. They are also very high in dietary fiber and hence a healthy source of carbohydrates for people with insulin sensitivity or diabetes. Chickpeas are low in fat and most of this is polyunsaturated.

ChickpeaRecipe

A typical Mediterranean healthy recipe for chickpea is “Provencal Chickpea Soup” (pages 141, 142 Mediterranean Diet Cookbook), where the ingredients are dried chickpeas soaked overnight, leeks, onion, ripe red tomato, extra-virgin olive oil, orange zest, fennel seeds, salt, black pepper and country style bread.

ChickpeaRecipe

A typical Mediterranean healthy recipe for chickpea is “Chicken and Chickpea Soup from Southern Spain ” (pages 142, 143 Mediterranean Diet Cookbook), where the ingredients are dried chickpeas soaked overnight, chicken stock, chicken parts, garlic, carrots, celery stalks, ripe red tomato, extra-virgin olive oil, leeks, potatoes, ½ cup long-grain rice, mild red chili pepper, hot peperoncino, prosciutto (ham or jamon serrano), 2 hard boiled eggs, salt and mint leaves.

ChickpeaRecipe

A typical Tuscan Mediterranean healthy recipe cooks chickpeas in the usual way until soft, flavoured with garlic and rosemary, then enriched with tomatoes cooked in oil, thickened with some of the chickpeas passed through a sieve, finish cooking with some home- made tagliatelle pasta, and serve with more olive oil and pepper.

ChickpeaRecipe

A typical Tuscan Mediterranean healthy recipe is “Baccalà e Ceci” “Salt Cod and Chickpeas”. In two separate marble basins the salt cod and the chickpeas are soaked overnight. They are cooked separately, aromatised with celery, carrot, and onion, and served together, dressed with extra-virgin olive oil. The neutral flouriness of the chickpeas contrasting with the concentrated saltiness of the fish and the richness of the oil.

ChickpeaRecipe

Dried chickpeas can be made into a flour which can be used in many ways. The “Farinata”, “Torta di Ceci” or “Cecina” are typical in Liguria and Tuscany. Are made by mixing a smooth batter of chickpea flour and water and letting it sit for an hour or so, then pouring a very thin layer of it into a shallow baking tin with plenty of oil and baking in a hot oven for about 10 minutes until golden; it is eaten hot. This is best made in a really hot oven and eaten freshly cooked as a street snack.

LentilThe lentil (Lens culinaris), is an ancient legume, known to the ancient Greeks and Romans. The plant likely originated in the Near East, and has been part of the human diet since the aceramic (non-pottery producing) Neolithic times, being one of the first crops domesticated in the Near East. With approximately 26% of their calories from protein, lentils and generally any legumes have the third-highest level of protein, by weight, of any plant-based food after soybeans, and are an important part of the diet in many parts of the world.

LentilLentils contain high levels of proteins and are an essential source of inexpensive protein in many parts of the world for those who adhere to a vegetarian diet or cannot afford meat. Lentils are deficient in two essential amino acids, methionine and cystine. Apart from a high level of proteins, lentils also contain dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B1, and minerals. Health magazine has selected lentils as one of the five healthiest foods. Lentils are often mixed with grains, such as rice, which results in a complete protein dish. Lentils are one of the best vegetable sources of iron. This makes them an important part of a vegetarian diet, and useful for preventing iron deficiency.

Lentil

LentilRecipe

A typical Mediterranean healthy recipe for lentils is “Lentil and Chickpea Soup with Greens” (pages 145, Mediterranean Diet Cookbook), where the ingredients are small lentils and dried chickpeas soaked overnight, red chili pepper, chard or spinach, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, salt and lemon juice.

LentilRecipe

A typical Mediterranean healthy recipe for lentils is “Pellegrino Artusi’s Lentils with Aromatics” (pages 258, 259 Mediterranean Diet Cookbook), where the ingredients are brown lentils, onions, garlic, bay leaf, carrot, parsley, celery stalk, chicken stock, extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper.

LentilRecipe

A typical Mediterranean healthy recipe for lentils is “Cumin-Scented Lentils and Rice” (pages 259, 260 Mediterranean Diet Cookbook), where the ingredients are brown lentils, yellow onions, bay leaf, long-grain rice, ground cumin, extra virgin olive oil, salt and black pepper.

Bean

The common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, is an herbaceous annual plant domesticated independently in ancient Mesoamerica and the Andes, and now grown worldwide for its edible bean, popular both dry and as a green bean. The leaf is occasionally used as a leaf vegetable. Beans, pumpkin and maize constituted the "Three Sisters" that provided the foundation of Native American agriculture.

Bean

The protein, vitamins (thiamine, vitamin B6, and folic acid), carbohydrate (starch), mineral (iron, potassium, selenium, molybdenum) and dietary fiber content of beans makes them an ideal complementary ingredient in pasta, maize, polenta, or vegetable soup. The common bean has been developed into many hundreds of varieties of different sizes, shapes, seed coat colors, color patterns and flavours. The most common bean in Italian Mediterranean cuisine are cannellini and borlotti.

Bean

Beans were brought to Italy from the New World in the early 16 th century, to join Vigna Unguiculata, fagioli dall’occhio, black-eyed beans, which had been cultivated since Roman times. These early black-eyed beans originated in Africa and spread to both the Far East and the Mediterranean, were enjoyed by the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, and became a staple food for the Romans.

Black Eyed Bean

Black Eyed Bean

BeanRecipe

A typical Mediterranean healthy recipe for beans is “Turkish Beans with Potatoes, Celery Root and Carrots” (pages 252, 253 Mediterranean Diet Cookbook), where the ingredients are white beans, onion, bay leaf, garlic, potato, celery root, carrots, parsley, extra virgin olive oil, salt and black pepper.

BeanRecipe

A typical Tuscan Mediterranean healthy recipe for beans is “Fagioli con Tonno”, “Fresh Beans and Tuna Salad” (pages 78, 79 Mediterranean Diet Cookbook), where the ingredients are fresh beans, best quality tuna packed in olive oil, capers, onion, bay leaf, parsley, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and black pepper.

BeanRecipe

A typical Tuscan Mediterranean healthy recipe for beans is “Beans with Olive Oil and Aromatics” (pages 248, 249 Mediterranean Diet Cookbook), where the ingredients are cannellini beans, onion, garlic, sage, bay leaves, black peppercorns, hot chili pepper, parsley, extra virgin olive oil, salt and black pepper.

Grass Pea

Lathyrus sativus, grass pea, cicerchia, is a legume Fabaceae family, commonly grown for human consumption and livestock feed in Asia and East Africa. It’s an ancient legume and now in Italy is cultivated only in Marche, Umbria, Abruzzo and Lazio.

Grass PeaGrass Pea is usually used in soup with other legumes (beans, fava beans, lentils, chickpeas).

A typical Mediterranean healthy recipe for grass pea is “Grass Pea with Shrimps” (pages 248, 249 Mediterranean Diet Cookbook), where the ingredients are grass pea, shrimps, onion, garlic, hot chili pepper, parsley, extra virgin olive oil, salt and black pepper.

SoybeanThe soybean (Glycine max) is a species of legume native to East Asia. The plant is classed as an oilseed rather than a legume. It is an annual plant that has been used in China for 5,000 years to primarily add nitrogen to the soil as part of crop rotation. Traditional nonfermented food uses of soybeans include soymilk, and from the latter Tofu and tofu skin or yuba. Fermented foods include shoyu or soy sauce, miso, natto, tempeh, Ketjap among others. The oil is used in many industrial applications. The main producers of soy are the United States (32%), Brazil (28%), Argentina (21%), China (7%) and India (4%).

SoybeanSoybeans were a crucial crop in eastern Asia for a long time. They remain a major crop in China, Japan, and Korea. Soy was first introduced to Europe in the early 1700s and in the U.S. in 1765, where it was first grown for feed. Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter in 1770 mentioning sending soybeans home from England. Soybeans did not become an important crop outside of Asia until about 1910. In America, soy was considered an industrial product only and not used as a food prior to the 1920s. Soy was introduced to Africa from China in the late 19th century and is now widespread across the continent.

Soybean

Soybeans are rich in protein. For this reason, soy is a good source of protein, amongst many others, for vegetarians and vegans or for people who want to reduce the amount of meat they eat.

Soybean

According to the US Food and Drug Administration:“Soy protein products can be good substitutes for animal products because, unlike some other beans, soy offers a 'complete' protein profile. ... Soy protein products can replace animal-based foods—which also have complete proteins but tend to contain more fat, especially saturated fat—without requiring major adjustments elsewhere in the diet”.

Soybean

The role of the soybean in human nutrition is somewhat overrated, because soybean is very important in agribusiness and for this reason we can find a lot of scientific research about its nutritional properties.

Mushrooms

Edible mushrooms are used extensively in cooking, in many cuisines (notably Chinese, European, and Japanese). Though mushrooms are commonly thought to have little nutritional value, many species are high in fiber and provide vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, cobalamins, ascorbic acid. Though not normally a significant source of vitamin D, some mushrooms can become significant sources after exposure to ultraviolet light, though this also darkens their skin. Mushrooms are also a source of some minerals, including selenium, potassium and phosphorus.

MushroomsMany species of medicinal mushrooms have been used in folk medicine for thousands of years. The use of medicinal mushrooms in folk medicine, is best documented in the East. Medicinal mushrooms are now the subject of study for many ethnobotanists and medical researchers. The ability of some mushrooms to inhibit tumor growth and enhance aspects of the immune system has been a subject of research for approximately 50 years. International mushroom research continues today, with a focus on mushrooms that may have hypoglycemic activity, anti-cancer activity, anti-pathogenic activity, and immune system enhancing activity. Recent research has found that the mushrooms produce large amounts of vitamin D when exposed to UV light.

Mushrooms

Most mushrooms that are sold in supermarkets have been commercially grown on mushroom farms. The most popular of these, Agaricus bisporus, is generally considered safe for most people to eat because it is grown in controlled, sterilized environments, though some individuals do not tolerate it well.

Several varieties of A. bisporus are grown commercially, including whites, crimini, and portobello

Mushrooms

The edibility of mushrooms may be defined by criteria that include:

1. absence of poisonous effects on humans 2. desirable taste 3. aroma.

By some accounts, less than 10% of all mushroomsmay be edible.

Mushrooms

Mycophagy, the act of consuming mushrooms, dates to ancient times. Edible mushroom species have been found in association with 13,000 year old ruins in Chile, but the first reliable evidence of mushroom consumption dates to several hundred years BC in China. The Chinese value mushrooms for medicinal properties as well as for food. Ancient Romans and Greeks ate mushrooms, particularly the upper class. The Roman Caesars would have a food taster taste the mushrooms before the Caesar to make sure they were safe

Boletus Edulis - Porcini Boletus edulis, commonly known as porcini or cep, is a basidiomycete fungus, and the type species of the genus Boletus. Widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere across Europe, Asia, and North America, it does not occur naturally in the Southern Hemisphere.

Prized as an ingredient in various foods, B. edulis is an edible mushroom held in high regard in many cuisines, and is commonly prepared and eaten in soups, pasta or risotto.

Boletus Edulis - Porcini The mushroom is low in fat and digestible carbohydrates, and high in protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Available fresh in autumn in Central, Mediterranean and Northern Europe, it is most often dried, packaged and distributed worldwide. Keeping its flavour after drying, it is then reconstituted and used in cooking. Boletus edulis is one of the few fungi that is sold pickled. The fungus also produces a variety of organic compounds with a diverse spectrum of biological activity, including the steroid derivative ergosterol, a sugar binding protein, antiviral compounds, antioxidants, and phytochelatins, which give the organism resistance to toxic heavy metals.

Boletus Edulis - Porcini In Mediterranean Cuisine, Boletus edulis, is "the wild mushroom par excellence”. The flavour has been described as nutty and slightly meaty, with a smooth, creamy texture, and a distinctive aroma reminiscent of sourdough. Young, small porcini are most appreciated by gourmets, as the large ones often harbor maggots (insect larvae), and become slimy, soft and less tasty with age. Porcini are sold fresh in markets in summer and autumn in Central and Mediterranean Europe, and dried or canned at other times of the year, and distributed worldwide to countries where they are not otherwise found.

Boletus Edulis - Porcini

They are eaten and enjoyed raw, sautéed with butter, ground into pasta, in soups, and in many other dishes. Porcini risotto is a traditional Italian autumn dish. Porcini are a feature of many cuisines, including Provençal, and Viennese. Porcini can also be frozen—either raw, or first cooked in butter. The colour, aroma, and taste of frozen porcini deteriorate noticeably if frozen for periods longer than four months.

Boletus Edulis - Porcini In the vicinity of Borgotaro in the Province of Parma in northern Italy, Boletus edulis, have been recognised for their superior taste and officially termed “Fungo di Borgotaro”. Here, these mushrooms have been picked for centuries, and exported commercially. However, due to recent trends in the globalization of mushroom trade, most of the porcini commercially available in Italy or exported by Italy no longer originate from Italy. Porcini and other mushrooms are imported into Italy from various locations, especially China and eastern European countries; these are then often re-exported under the "Italian porcini" label.

Boletus edulis, freshNutritional value per 100 g

(3.5 oz)Energy 342.4 kJ

(81.8 kcal)Carbohydrates 9.23 g

Fat 1.70 gProtein 7.39 g

Thiamine (Vit. B1) 0.105 mg (8%)Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.092 mg (6%)

Niacin (Vit. B3) 6.07 mg (40%)Pantothenic acid

(B5)2.64 mg (53%)

Vitamin B6 0.051 mg (4%)Folate (Vit. B9) 290 μg (73%)

Vitamin C 4.21 mg (7%)Calcium 1.195 mg (0%)

Iron 0.739 mg (6%)Phosphorus 22.26 mg (3%)Potassium 203.3 mg (4%)

Zinc 4.172 mg (42%)

Boletus Edulis - Porcini

A comparative study of the amino acid composition of eleven Portuguese wild edible mushroom species showed Boletus edulis to have the highest total amino acid content, about 2.3 g per 100 g of dried mushroom. This total includes a full complement of 20 essential and nonessential amino acids. Analysis of the free amino acids (that is, those not bound up in protein) revealed glutamine and alanine to be the principal amino acids (each about 25% of total compounds); a separate analysis concluded that lysine is another predominant compound.

Boletus Edulis - Porcini Whole fruit bodies also contain about 200 mg of vitamin D per 100 g dry weight. The relatively high ergosterol content of the fruit bodies can make the mushroom nutritionally pragmatic for vegetarians and vegans, who would otherwise have a limited intake of vitamin D from foods of animal origin. Furthermore, fruit bodies are rich in the antioxidant compound ergothioneine. Porcini were thought to have anticancer properties according to Hungarian research conducted in the 1950s, but later investigations in the United States did not support this.

Boletus Edulis - Porcini

Boletus edulis fruit bodies contain about 500 mg of ergosterol per 100 g of dried mushroom. Ergosterol is a sterol compound common in fungi. Additionally, the fruit bodies have about 30 mg of ergosterol peroxide per 100 g of dried mushroom. Ergosterol peroxide is a steroid derivative with a wide spectrum of biological activity, including antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity, and cytotoxicity to various tumor cell lines grown in laboratory culture.

Boletus Edulis - Porcini

Recipe

A typical Mediterranean recipe for porcini is “Gratin of Mushrooms and Potatoes” (pages 325, 326 Mediterranean Diet Cookbook), where the ingredients are dried porcini, fresh commercial mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes, grated parmigiano reggiano, mozzarella cheese, extra virgin olive oil, salt and black pepper.

Boletus Edulis - Porcini

Recipe

A typical Mediterranean healthy recipe for porcini is “Risotto con Funghi Porcini”, “Risotto with Dried Wild Mushrooms” (pages 229, 230 Mediterranean Diet Cookbook), where the ingredients are dried porcini, vegetable stock, rice (carnaroli, vialone nano or arborio), onion, grated parmigiano reggiano, extra virgin olive oil, salt and black pepper.

Truffle

A truffle, tartufo, is a fungal fruiting body that develops underground and relies on mycophagy for spore dispersal. Almost all truffles are usually found in close association with trees.There are hundreds of species of truffles, but the fruiting body of some are highly prized as a food. The 18th-century French gastronome Brillat-Savarin called these truffles "the diamond of the kitchen". Edible truffles are held in high esteem in French, Spanish, Italian and Croatian cooking, as well as in international haute cuisine.

Truffle

White Truffle

The White truffle or Alba Truffle (Tuber magnatum) comes from the Langhe area of the Piedmont region in northern Italy and, most famously, in the countryside around the city of Alba. It is also found in Croatia, on the Istria peninsula in the Motovun forest alongside the Mirna river. Like the French black truffles, Italian white truffles are very highly esteemed. The white truffle market in Alba is busiest in autumn; in December 2009 white truffles were being sold at 10,200€ per kilogram.

White Truffle

The Tuber magnatum pico White truffle is mostly found in northern and central Italy, while the Tuber borchi, or Whitish truffle, is found in Tuscany, Romagna, the Marche and Molise. Neither of these is as aromatic as those from Piedmont.

Black Truffle

The Black truffle or Black Périgord Truffle (Tuber melanosporum) is named after the Périgord region in France and grows exclusively with oak. Production is almost exclusively European, with France accounting for 45%, Spain 35%, Italy 20%, and small amounts from Slovenia and Croatia. The largest truffle market in south west France is at Lalbenque in Quercy. These markets are busiest in the month of January when the black truffles have their highest aroma. As of December 2009, black truffles were retailed at 3,490€ per kg.

Truffle

The truffle is aroma par excellence. Truffles go well with risotto, polenta (cornmeal), potatoes and various kind of gnocchi (pasta). A very small white truffle, shaved over fresh egg makes a wonderful meal.The appeal of the aroma of truffles is nature’s way of getting certain animals to eat them and so spread spores in nature. Another factor in the appeal of truffles is the presence of UMAMI flavour, and why the combination of truffle and parmesan is so agreeable.

ProteinProteins are complex compounds that are made of different connected amino acids, which uniquely contain nitrogen. Body proteins are constantly changing, with new proteins being made and old ones broken down. In nutrition, proteins are broken down in the stomach during digestion by enzymes known as proteases into smaller polypeptides to provide amino acids for the organism, including the essential amino acids that the organism cannot biosynthesize itself. Aside from their role in protein synthesis, amino acids are also important nutritional sources of nitrogen.

Protein

Proteins like carbohydrates contain 16.8 kilojoules (4 kilocalories) per gram as opposed to fats which contain 37.8 kilojoules (9 kilocalories) and alcohols which contain 29.4 kilojoules (7 kilocalories). The liver, and to a much lesser extent the kidneys, can convert amino acids used by cells in protein biosynthesis into glucose by a process known as gluconeogenesis.

Protein Quality

Protein quality is determined by the presence (or absence) of essential amino acids. It is “essential” that we receive these amino acids from food because we are not capable of manufacturing them. Non-essential amino acids can be synthesized, so it is not “essential” that we consume foods that contain them. Most foods contain both non-essential and essential amino acids, but it is the presence of a comprehensive set of essential amino acids that makes a high-quality protein.

Amino AcidsEight amino acids are generally regarded as essential for humans: phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine, methionine, leucine, and lysine. Additionally, cysteine (or sulphur-containing amino acids), tyrosine (or aromatic amino acids), histidine and arginine are required by infants and growing children. Essential amino acids are so called not because they are more important to life than the others, but because the body does not synthesize them, making it essential to include them in one's diet in order to obtain them.

Essential NonessentialIsoleucine AlanineArginine*

Lysine AspartateMethionine Cysteine

Phenylalanine GlutamateThreonine Glutamine

Tryptophan GlycineValine Proline

Histidine* SerineTyrosine* AsparagineLeucine Selenocysteine

Protein sourceLimiting amino

acid

Wheat Lysine

Rice Lysine

LegumesTryptophan or methionine (or

cysteine)

MaizeLysine and tryptophan

Amino AcidsComplete proteins contain a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans. Animal sources such as meat, poultry, eggs, fish, milk, and cheese provide all of the essential amino acids. Near-complete proteins are also found in some plant sources such as quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth. Soya appears as lower in methionine and cysteine. It is not necessary to consume plant foods containing complete proteins as long as a reasonably varied diet is maintained. By consuming a wide variety of plant foods, a full set of essential amino acids will be supplied and the human body can convert the amino acids into proteins.

Protein Intake

Most people consume far more protein than they need. The non-athlete (average) adult requirment for protein is 0,8 grams per kilogram of body weight. A non-athlete person who weighs 180 lb (1 kg = 2,20 lb 180/2,20= 82 kg) needs 66 g of protein per day (82 kg*0,8g= 66). At 4 kilocalories per gram, this is about 264 kilocalories from protein per day. Usually in the Mediterranean Diet the recommended intake of protein is 12-15% of total calories.

Recommended Protein Intake

Infants: 2,2 grams per kg of body weight.

Children: 1,0-1,6 grams per kg of body weight.

Adults: 0,8 grams per kg of body weight.

Adult athletes: 1,5-2,0 grams per kg of body weight.

Carbohydrates and fats are the gasoline for our body, proteins are the most important building block for the body.

Protein Functions

Enzymes and protein synthesis. There are hundreds of unique tissues and enzymes that are proteins.

Transport nutrient to the right place. Proteins make “smart” carriers, enabling nutrients to go to the right tissues.

A source of energy. The carbon in protein provides the same amount of energy per unit of weight as carbohydrates (4 kilocalories per grams)

Protein Functions

Hormone production. Hormones control many chemical activities in the body, and these are made of unique proteins (for instance testosterone)

Fluid balance. Protein helps to control the fluid balance between the blood and surrounding tissues. This helps people maintain blood volume and sweet rates during physical activity.

Acid-base balance. Proteins can make an acid environment less acidic and alkaline environment less alkaline.

Protein Functions

Growth and tissue maintenance. Protein is needed to build and maintain tissue. This is one of the reasons why the protein requirement for growing children can be double that of adults and slightly higher for athletes.

Synthesis of non-protein, nitrogen-containing compounds. The compound phosphocreatine is a high-energy, nitrogen-containing compound that can quickly release energy over a short duration for quick-burst activities.