With the most diverse aromas or tastes, filled with different kinds of cream or even plain, biscuits have been part of our lives since the first months of existence.
Considering the current trends that have as their objective the establishment of culinary habits and recipes that meet the needs of a healthy diet, even biscuits come with beneficial promises for the body: with fiber, rich in vitamins and minerals, or even fat-free. We can always find out how much truth is here if we know how to read the ingredients table correctly.
First of all, let’s review the main components of any biscuit recipe:
Wheat flour: in general, the wheat flour used in any food manufacturing process is white, obtained after the brown coating of the wheat grains has been removed, which is an important source of essential vitamins and fibers for healthy digestion. In addition, wholemeal flour, obtained from whole wheat grains, is what helps us maintain an optimal weight, unlike white flour, which causes the accumulation of fat deposits.
Hydrogenated fats: they are the most dangerous fats for the body (usually found in the form of margarine) because they increase the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, by increasing bad cholesterol (LDL).
Sugar: from the sweetest to the moderate ones, all biscuits contain significant amounts of sugar.
In addition to these 3 basic elements, in the composition of biscuits, we unfortunately also find dyes, flavors, or fillings, rich in sugar and unhealthy fats.
Below is the classic manufacturing process of the biscuits that we eat every day, rarely knowing what our morning snack contains:
Biscuits cannot be at the top of the list of healthy foods, recommended for those who follow a balanced diet. Beyond the fact that they do not provide essential nutrients for the proper functioning of the body, on the contrary, they can put our health at risk.
What options do we have? As is the case with other foods that we got used to when we were little and that are hard to give up (milk, jam, or pretzels), it is not so easy to forget the biscuits when we go shopping or when we stop at the store in on the way to the office: it is an ideal sweet when between meals, a slight feeling of hunger creeps in.
But we don’t have to put an end to anything; if we choose them carefully, the biscuits can be consumed without problems, of course in moderate quantities.
- digestive biscuits: they are usually less sweet and contain less white flour and a little more wholemeal flour.
- cereal biscuits: sometimes, beyond the promising label, we find visible traces of cereal flakes, wheat, rye, or even some seeds (sunflower, sesame, or poppy) in the package of biscuits. Unlike those based only on wholemeal flour, these are a bit more friendly for digestion.
However, no matter how healthy these options seem, we will never find a package of biscuits that can compete with a homemade biscuit recipe, which, although it seems impossible to achieve for some, the degree of difficulty is just an impression.
We can opt for biscuits with raisins, biscuits with almonds, or even biscuits with hazelnuts because in any recipe we will be able to decide for ourselves the amount of sugar, flour, or fat.
The first steps towards a healthy diet are easy to take. We have various alternatives at hand, but as natural foods are becoming more and more difficult to find, we must look for new solutions to ensure our healthy food. And let’s not forget to avoid excessive consumption, regardless of the food.
