Today, perhaps, it is impossible to find a person who does not know the taste of semolina. This is one of the first courses given to babies. This is a traditional breakfast or snack in all kindergartens and schools. In tsarist times, this porridge was available only to nobles – as a divine delicacy. In the Soviet years, it turned into food for the masses – as one of the cheapest products. Well, it seems that there is no other more controversial mess than this. Nutritionists of different scientific schools argue about the benefits and dangers of semolina. So what is semolina, what are its benefits and harms – now we will find out.
What makes semolina
Of course, semolina is not biblical manna from heaven, as some people sometimes “authoritatively” claim. This porridge did not “fall on the head” of mankind, but, as historians suggest, was first prepared from wheat grains by the inhabitants of the Middle East ..
Yes, it is wheat that serves as raw material for semolina. In other words, semolina porridge is the same flour, but coarser. According to technology, a grain of semolina is equal to about a quarter of a millimeter. Coarser groats – 3/4 millimeter grains.
But, in addition to the diameter, the quality of the wheat used also affects the type of semolina. Durum grains produce porridge labeled “T”, softer grains – “M”, but the wheat mixture will eventually turn into white porridge labeled “MT” farmer-online.com… By the way, sweet dishes are better obtained from semolina of the “T” brand; it can also be added to different types of minced meat. The “M” brand product is usually used for puddings, cereals and casseroles.
The nutritional value
Almost 70% of the total composition of semolina is starch .… In addition to it, cereals include vitamins of group B, E, PP, iron. Although it is fair to say that this porridge is not the leader in terms of the amount of minerals and vitamins.
Nutritional value of 100 g semolina .:
In addition, the chemical composition of the porridge includes fluorine, chromium and molybdenum. And the B vitamins are represented by folic acid, thiamine, riboflavin and pyridoxine.
Semolina porridge: what is useful and who suits
Researchers have been arguing about the beneficial properties of semolina for several years. Some talk about the exceptional benefits of the product, others argue that semolina is not a necessary food for healthy people. But in order to understand what is more from semolina – harm or benefit, it is important to analyze how it affects the organs and systems of the body.
The special consistency and chemical composition of semolina contribute to the fact that, when it enters the body, it accelerates the healing of injuries. This applies to microcracks in the intestines, as well as small ulcers in the stomach. The enveloping effect of porridge is useful for gastritis. Researchers have determined that this product is able to soothe pain, cramps and inflammation of the digestive system. But this effect is given only by semolina, boiled in water, without sugar or salt. In addition, semolina promotes the elimination of toxins and toxins from the body. ..
It is known that potassium, which is part of semolina, improves kidney function. People with a diagnosis of renal failure on their medical records should pay attention to semolina. This product is on the allowed list for them. ..
The high energy value of semolina makes it an excellent choice for people experiencing fatigue and weakness. This high-calorie porridge provides energy to fight fatigue.
Some studies suggest that semolina is beneficial for older people. There is an assumption that this croup prevents the onset of cancer, reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke, and also prevents the onset of symptoms of dementia.
Among other useful properties of semolina, the following are noted. .:
- strengthening immunity;
- improvement of the nervous system;
- activation of brain activity;
- improvement of blood circulation;
- increasing physical performance;
- strengthening bones and teeth.
So, having dealt with the useful properties of semolina, we can summarize who this product is suitable for:
- patients with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- persons with kidney pathologies;
- patients suffering from heart disease;
- people with disorders of the nervous system;
- those whose profession requires increased workload;
- persons with anemia.
Due to the presence of folic acid, which is necessary for the healthy development of the fetus, and other important vitamins and minerals, this product is recommended to be included in the diet of pregnant women.
Possible harm and contraindications
During the Soviet era, semolina porridge became an indispensable dish in all kindergartens and schools. Once nutritionists noticed: children with a lack of weight on semolina get better pretty quickly. So they fed all the children with porridge, which was cooked in a matter of seconds, but cost a penny. But today nutritionists say that this was a mistake, because semolina can also be dangerous.
Proponents of this theory believe that this dish is not suitable for the daily diet of healthy children, since it is a very high-calorie food. Groats are composed of so-called fast carbohydrates with a high glycemic index. .… This means that after a semolina meal, glucose levels rise rapidly in the bloodstream, but also quickly decrease, causing sharp surges in sugar.
The second danger of semolina is phytin. It is an organic salt that makes it difficult for calcium to be absorbed. Therefore, if you feed babies day after day with semolina, as a result, you can bring a healthy child to obesity or rickets. .… In addition, against the background of calcium deficiency, the heart and other organs suffer.
Semolina (especially seasoned with sugar, butter, cream, or high-fat milk) is not the best choice for diabetics. High calorie content can cause hyperglycemia. Because of calories, it is undesirable to get carried away with this cereal and overweight people.
Another danger from the frequent use of semolina – constipation, since it contains almost no fiber.
This product is also contraindicated in persons with a gluten allergy (celiac disease) .… It is because of the high content of gluten (gluten) in semolina porridge that nutritionists advise not to feed babies under three years old with it. And older children should not be given semolina more than 2-3 times a week. ..
How to choose cereal
The taste and consistency of the finished semolina not least of all depend on the quality of the raw cereal. Today semolina is not in short supply, as in tsarist times, and you can buy it even in the smallest shop. Dozens of manufacturers offer their “most delicious” semolina, although not all of them are. Here are some tips on how to choose the right semolina.
Today, this cereal, as a rule, is presented in two forms: packaged in the manufacturer’s branded packaging and by weight. The latter is more prone to dampness. The consequence of improper storage is a bitter or sour taste in the finished porridge. Sometimes such a product may smell like mold and dampness. Hence the advice: when buying semolina by weight, it will be superfluous to smell it.
A serious danger of porridge is bugs, flies, moths and other insects that can carry diseases. And having brought such uninvited guests into the house, in the future it will take a long time to get rid of them. And porridge with “livestock”, of course, is no longer good for food.
The tightness of the packaging minimizes the risk of mustiness, mold or insects. Therefore, before buying, you must carefully check the integrity of the porridge bag.
Secrets of making porridge without lumps
Many people love semolina porridge, but not everyone is delighted with the cooking process. More precisely, not so much from cooking, but from not always a successful result, since often the finished porridge gets lost in lumps and burns. But if you know a few secrets of the classic preparation of semolina, then cooking it will become much more pleasant.
So, the first thing is to keep the proportions. To make the porridge of medium density, you need to take 500 ml of milk and 4 tablespoons (tablespoons, of course, and preferably with a slide) of cereal. If you are making sweet semolina, you will need one tablespoon of sugar in addition to the main ingredients. A more dietary option is with salt.
To make the porridge a homogeneous consistency, you first have to boil the milk. And only after boiling, you need to pour the cereal very slowly into it. It is important to constantly stir the mixture. It is necessary to bring the porridge to a boil, then turn the fire to a minimum, add sugar or salt, a little butter and stir again. In short, the main secret of creamy semolina porridge without lumps is constant stirring. However, there is nothing difficult in this, because until the semolina is completely ready, it will take no more than three minutes from the moment the cereal falls into the milk. The finished dish must be removed from the heat, covered with a lid and allowed to “rest” for a minute or two.
A few tips:
- If you replace the milk with cream, you get a very tender creamy porridge.
- The calorie content of the dish will be lower if the milk is diluted with water or replaced with it completely (however, in this case porridge will lose its taste).
- Liquid semolina for small children will turn out to be correct if the portion of cereal is halved.
- Finished semolina can be “improved” with slices of fruit, berries, dried fruit, cinnamon or chopped chocolate.
- You can add airiness to the finished porridge by adding butter to it and whisking the mixture with a whisk.
Guryev porridge
There is another variant of semolina porridge, which compares favorably with the usual semolina from the school cafeteria. This is a glorious Guryev porridge. Its recipe appeared at the beginning of the XNUMXth century, when semolina was only a delicacy of the bourgeoisie. So, the then Finance Minister of the State Council, Count Guryev, somehow paid a visit to his comrade Major Yurisovsky. The latter, knowing about his friend’s addiction to delicious food, ordered Zakhar Kuzmin, his serf chef, to cook something like that in order to surprise the count. And the chef prepared semolina porridge with nuts, dried fruits and creamy foam for dessert. They say that after the meal, the count bought the serf for an unimaginable amount at that time and made him his personal chef, and the porridge has since been called Guryev’s [8].
Guryev porridge recipe
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- milk – 1,25 l;
- semolina – half a glass;
- nut mix – approximately 300 g;
- sugar – a glass;
- jam (strawberry or cherry) – half a glass;
- butter – 2 tbsp. l .;
- spices (cardamom, star anise);
- lemon peel.
Pour boiling water over the nuts, peel them, fry in a pan and knead in a mortar, adding a little warm water. Meanwhile, pour the milk into a cast iron bowl and send it to the oven (oven). As the liquid warms up, a foam will appear, which should be removed in a separate dish. Put the remaining milk on the stove and boil semolina in it (without lumps). You should get a rather thick porridge. Add chopped nuts, butter, sugar, spices to it. Put the porridge (about 0,5-1 cm) on the bottom of the enamel bowl. The second layer is foam. The third is porridge again, which is also covered with foam. Make as many layers as possible. Mix the last part of the porridge with the jam. Then send the dish to the oven preheated to 30 degrees for 100 minutes. Serve with nuts and jam in the dish in which it was baked.
Semolina is perhaps the most controversial porridge. Our grandmothers are outraged, listening to modern nutritionists: they say, children were raised on semolina and it did not harm anyone. Young mothers reread with fright what harm semolina can cause. It is probably difficult to unequivocally answer which side is the truth. And most likely, she, as always, is somewhere in between. And a bowl of semolina certainly won’t hurt if it is part of a balanced diet.
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