HOW to make a mix of low glycemic index flours for a good Neapolitan pizza for patients with diabetes

Unlocking the secrets of Neapolitan pizza: A concise review of wood-fired, electric, and gas pizza ovens

This review explores the Neapolitan pizza baking process in a traditional wood-fired oven, employing visual color analysis and IR thermal scanning to detail heat exchange mechanisms. During cooking, the oven floor temperature in the pizza area decreased proportionally to the pizza's mass, whereas the free area maintained a constant temperature of 439 ± 3°C. An IR thermal camera indicated that the oven dome temperature reached approximately 480°C with a weak flame and 500°C with a strong flame. The pizza's bottom achieved a maximum temperature of 100 ± 9°C, facilitated by the Pizzaiolo's skill in lifting and rotating the pizza for uniform cooking. Top temperatures varied: up to 180°C for white pizza and 84°C and 67°C for tomato and Margherita pizzas, respectively. IRIS electronic eye analysis revealed more browning and blackening on the pizza's top compared to its bottom, with peaks of about 26% and 8% for white pizza, respectively. Rapid baking is pivotal in Neapolitan pizza-making, necessitating precise heat and mass transfer management to influence sensory attributes. European Commission Regulation No. 97/2010 mandates wood-fired ovens for true Neapolitan pizza, but environmental concerns prompted the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana to certify gas or electric ovens when wood-fired ovens are impractical. Operating costs vary: liquefied petroleum gas ovens are the costliest, with costs ranging from €5.38 to €6.19/h, whereas natural gas and electric ovens have operating costs between €2.70 and €4.10/h. At €0.15/kg, firewood is the most economical, supporting traditionalist views. However, natural gas and electric ovens present competitive costs under stringent antipollution laws, making them viable alternatives.

Do Body Composition and Values of Selected Nutritional Status Indices Influence the Glycaemic Index Values of Vegetarian Dishes? A Pilot Study in a Group of Older Women

An ageing population brings with it the need for public policy to respond to the demands and health needs of this group of people. The ageing process has been shown to be associated with changes in body composition. These mainly concern a decrease in muscle mass and an increase in body fat. Body composition and other indicators of nutritional status are important factors differentiating carbohydrate management. Glycaemic index (GI) values may be affected by differences resulting from individual metabolism. The rate of carbohydrate digestion is also influenced by a number of factors, including the degree to which the product is processed, the structure of the starch, and the presence of protein, fat and dietary fibre. Available studies do not provide information on the glycaemic response following the consumption of specific products by older people with varying BMI and body composition. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the body mass index (BMI) values of women aged 50-80 years on the glycaemic response after eating vegetarian meals and the influence of selected indices of nutritional status on their GI values. It has been shown that the areas under the glycaemic curves after the consumption of the tested foods, both traditional and modified, are higher in the group of overweight and obese women. Nevertheless, the GI of meals consumed by those with a BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m² is lower than that of foods consumed by women with normal values of this index. In the group of women with BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m², on the basis of an analysis of the obtained correlations, it was observed that the GI value of modified products depends on the percentage of body fat (FM%) (p = 0.0363) and the percentage of fat free mass (FFM%) (p = 0.0363), and, in the case of traditional products, also on the percentage of total body water (%) (p = 0.0133). In the group of women with a BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m², significant correlations were only found between the GI of modified foods and the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) (p = 0.0363) and the ratio of waist circumference to height (WHtR) (p = 0.0369) indices. The GI values of food set solely with the participation of young, healthy people should not be the basis for the nutrition planning of all groups of people.

Blood Sugar, Haemoglobin and Malondialdehyde Levels in Diabetic White Rats Fed a Diet of Corn Flour Cookies

The purpose of the study was to analyse the chemical composition of corn cookies containing different types of sugar and fat, and determine their effect on physiological parameters in diabetic rats. The experimental animals were studied using a randomised block design with seven groups of rats. The test groups were as follows: group 1, negative control rats (normal) fed standard; group 2, positive control rats (diabetic) fed standard; group 3, diabetic rats fed wheat cookies; group 4, diabetic rats fed C1 corn cookies; group 5, diabetic rats fed C2 corn cookies; group 6, diabetic rats fed C3 corn cookies; and group 7, diabetic rats fed C4 corn cookies. The tests on the rats revealed that the cookies had significant effects on blood sugar, malondialdehyde (MDA) and haemoglobin levels as well as body weight parameters. Corn cookies containing crystalline coconut sugar and virgin coconut oil (VCO) were effective at lowering blood sugar and MDA levels while increasing haemoglobin and body weight in diabetic rats. Significantly, after four weeks on this diet, rats with diabetes mellitus were in the same overall condition as normal rats. These findings suggest that these cookies may be gluten-free functional foods suitable for diabetics. These findings suggest that diabetics can safely consume maize cookies.