Generality
Pasta and beans is one of the traditional Italian dishes par excellence. This dish, in addition to being extremely widespread in almost all regions of the Bel Paese (of which each has one or more specific recipes), is similar to many international recipes, which marry the combination of cereals, legumes and vegetables.
Among all these variants, it is likely that the basic ingredients of pasta and beans uniquely include: semolina pasta, beans, vegetables, aromatic herbs, seasoning fat and, sometimes, ingredients of animal origin.
The regions in which pasta and beans seem to be more rooted are Lazio, Tuscany, Veneto, Lombardy and Campania.
Variants and Variables of Pasta and Beans
The pasta and beans preparation techniques are also different. Some originate a white dish, in which no acidity is perceived and sweetness prevails; others, on the other hand, prefer the strong and sour taste of tomatoes. Then there are liquid preparations (soupy) and other decidedly dense (characteristic obtained by simmering the beans for a long time and cooking the pasta inside).The choice of pasta is also very important; short or long, dry or fresh (with water and flour, or with eggs), wheat or spelled etc. Among the vegetables (in addition to tomatoes), onion, celery and carrots stand out above all; someone also adds a few pieces of potatoes, while others enrich with chicory. As for the aromas, they are commonly used: garlic, pepper, rosemary, sage, thyme, marjoram and parsley. The seasoning fats, necessary for the initial sauté (sometimes also used for the final seasoning), mainly include lard and olive oil. Other ingredients of animal origin, on the other hand, are pancetta, guanciale, cured meats, bones, sausage, eggs, cheese crusts and, of course, grated cheese.
As for the beans, the varieties used are different. Many believe that the "traditional" ones are borlotti and cannellini beans, belonging to the genus Phaseolus, Species vulgaris. In reality, these two types reached Italy only after the discovery of America, the continent from which they come; the real local beans instead belong to the Genus Vineyard (e.g. i from the eye). Nonetheless, today, varieties of Phaseolus vulgaris, type: Borlotti, Cannellini, Panzaredda, Tabacchino and Tuvagliedda.
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Nutritional Aspects
It is logical to deduce that, by virtue of the wide heterogeneity existing between the various recipes, pasta and beans can provide a nutritional contribution that is variable to say the least; however, some characteristics are common and can be shared. Below we will examine a pasta and beans WITHOUT ingredients of animal origin, with dry pasta, borlotti beans, a small percentage of celery, carrots, onion, garlic, tomato and enriched with extra virgin olive oil.
Pasta and beans is a 100% edible dish. It provides, on average, a high percentage of water, a very positive aspect in the diet of athletes and the elderly (two categories constantly predisposed to the risk of dehydration, especially in the summer).
Then, pasta and beans represent an "important vegetable protein source; vegans are well aware of this (who derive proteins only from foods of NON-animal origin). Thanks to the compensation of reciprocal deficiencies, the amino acid pool of this dish is almost comparable to that of meat and fish (even if the quantities are lower). This means that the essential molecules belonging to this group are all contained and in the right quantities, which determines a High Biological Value (the right ratio of beans: pasta it would be 1: 3). It is also true that legumes, therefore also beans, boast a not indifferent concentration of anti-nutritional agents; these are essentially trypsin and phytic acid inhibitors, which intervene by reducing protein digestion (trypsin inhibitors) and preventing the correct absorption of certain mineral salts (phytic acid and phytates). It should also be said that by properly soaking the legumes and / or eliminating the soaking water from the first cooking phase, almost all of the phytic acid and phytates are appropriately eliminated. Similarly, by means of heat treatment, trypsin inhibitors denature themselves, losing all anti-nutritional functions.
ATTENTION! The pasta and beans, containing wheat, therefore gluten, is NOT suitable for the diet of celiacs (GLUTEN-FREE diet).
Pasta and beans provide a significant amount of complex carbohydrates, or starch, but also dietary fiber. While the former have a purely energetic purpose, the latter acts above all as: promoter of the sense of satiety, modulator of absorption (reduces the glycemic index), prebiotic and "scavenger" of the intestine (protecting it from carcinogenic toxins). however, the excess of fibers can also play a discrete inhibitory (anti-nutritional) function on the absorption of ALL nutrients.
As far as lipids are concerned, pasta and beans contain a quantity directly proportional to the weight of the olive oil. By themselves, beans and pasta do not bring large percentages of triglycerides and the only noteworthy lipophilic component is composed of lecithin legumes and phytosterols. Lecithin, whose hypocholesterolemic effect is well known, can however also have a mild trypsin inhibitory effect. Overall, with regard to fatty acids, it is possible to define that the lipid profile of pasta and beans is "beneficial" for human metabolism, as it is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated chains.
With regard to mineral salts, pasta and beans have an excellent content of magnesium, potassium and iron; the contribution of other microelements is also not bad. This feature also makes pasta and beans particularly suitable for sports nutrition. The sodium content is naturally low, even if the final content mainly depends on the discretionary cooking salt (i.e. the added salt).
Last but not least, the vitamin profile. Pasta and beans is a food rich in molecules of group B even if, due to the prolonged cooking method, not all of them arrive intact in the finished dish.
The "simple" version of pasta and beans is a suitable food for any nutritional regimen. In particular, obese people (in suitable portions), subjects suffering from hyperlipemia (hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia), hypertensive subjects (provided that the discretionary salt is not used) and diabetics (in suitable portions) benefit from it. It should also not be missing in the sportsman's diet, even if for elite athletes it is often necessary to limit the intake of fiber with food; this is due to the fact that, having to comply with a very high energy demand, due to the equally abundant portions , often this nutritional element becomes excessive.
As anticipated, thanks to the high biological value protein content (but also iron), it is an extremely useful recipe in the vegan diet.
The average portion of pasta and beans (cooked and served) can range from 300 to 500g.
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