Do you have questions about nutrition? Send them to us at comer@lavanguardia.es, our nutritionist Aitor Sánchez will solve all your doubts.
Good morning. How many grams of chia a day are necessary? (Alfredo Gaston, reader)
Hi Alfredo,
We especially qualify the word “necessary” here, because neither chia seeds nor any other food are essential. If you talk about that convenience or that need for different reasons, we will try to review them.
Chia seeds, flax seeds or nuts are especially recommended in 100% vegetable diets or those in which fish are not consumed. In that case we can take them not exceeding 25 grams per day. We can choose to take them a couple of times a week or daily, as you like.
Here there is no established minimum because we do not have enough data to mark it. This recommendation is made as a preventive measure, and to guarantee a supply of omega-3 from ALA, which our body later transforms into EPA and DHA.
On the contrary, we do mark a maximum amount of these seeds, because due to their great capacity to form gels and thicken, if we abuse their amounts and exceed these figures, we could generate compaction within our intestine.
Hello. I would like to know if the kuzu is as beneficial as they say. I also have doubts about its preparation and conservation. In some information consulted they indicate that it should be boiled for five minutes, in others that it should not be cooked. Once cooked, can it be kept in the fridge for a day? Thank you. (Gloria Espejo, reader)
Hello, Gloria,
Kuzu comes from the root of a plant, Pueraria lobata, and it must be recognized that it is becoming very fashionable, especially among herbalist circles.
As for its properties, some are attributed to it around the world of health (I anticipate that a little exaggerated) and other culinary ones.
Let’s start with the latter, kuzu can be used to thicken liquids, broths, infusions… Something that we can achieve with very few grams of this ingredient. Also, unlike flour, it tends not to make lumps, so the preparations are much cleaner and more homogeneous. Another advantage is that it is 100% vegetable and gluten-free, so it can be used in diets with these characteristics.
The cooking time is indicated by different uses and recipes. Just like, for example, it can happen with flour, if we seek to maximize its thickening properties we must heat it for those minutes that you mention to facilitate its dissolution and gel formation. Regarding conservation, we can store it in the fridge for one day without a problem.
Regarding its health properties, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties are attributed to it. As we always do in these cases from the office, it is important to remember that, even if a product has these characteristics, the importance lies in a prolonged and sustained consumption of antioxidants and not in a sporadic intake of superfoods taken from time to time.
In short, we can take kuzu if we feel like it, it can be useful and interesting, but let’s not expect miraculous results either.