There is a lot of advice out there about what we should eat and drink and how much exercise we should get. But it’s hard to know what advice about healthy eating we should take.
Should we eat fatty foods? Should we eat whole grains?
Healthy food doesn’t need to be boring, and we don’t have to consume the same fresh fruit and veggies every day to maintain a balanced diet.
But we do need to stay away from processed foods as these can be high in saturated fats.
This article will look at polenta, a delicious side dish that is an excellent replacement for potatoes, brown rice, refined grains, and whole grains.
How Is Polenta Made?
Polenta is a boiled cornmeal dish that was traditionally mixed with various grains.
It can be eaten warm as a porridge or cold as a creamy polenta. Another technique to cook polenta is to shape it into a loaf. From here it can be baked, fried, or grilled.
Cooking polenta is an easy task. When cooking ground cornmeal, you can easily turn it into a paste by adding a little water. From this base, you can add in extras like sweet corn.
Is Polenta Healthy?
Polenta is an excellent food as part of a balanced diet. Eating it has many nutritional benefits.
First, eating a small amount of cooked polenta instead of whole grains can promote healthy growth.
What’s more, polenta is high in fiber. Fiber is beneficial for many reasons.
It can help you feel full after eating, may aid in weight loss, and may reduce your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.
So, it may be one of the healthier foods in your diet. However, it’s essential to watch your portion size, as one cup contains about 200 calories.
Therefore, it can fit into a healthy diet as long as you control your portion size and don’t overdo it.
There are many healthy recipes online which use it as part of the meal.
What Ingredients Does Polenta Contain?
In Italy, polenta is most commonly made with four main ingredients: salt, cornmeal, butter, and parmesan.
Supermarkets stock a lot of different types of polenta. This can make it even easier to include it in your diet.
Yellow Cornmeal
Yellow cornmeal is fine to coarsely ground grain cornmeal.
Yellow corn, which has a high starch content and a unique corny texture, is used to make the bulk of yellow cornmeal, particularly that sold in stores in the United States.
Cornmeal is stone-ground or steel-rolled. Going through this process makes cornmeal shelf-stable. It also helps produce a finer grind and eliminates germ and bran.
Yellow cornmeal is part of the complex carbohydrates group, so it is digested more slowly than other carbs. Cornmeal is a gluten-free alternative because it is not full-grain.
Water
Water helps nutrients and oxygen travel all around your body.
In polenta, the water is needed to help the ingredients stick together.
Butter
Butter contains nutrients like calcium, which helps strengthen bones, as well as compounds that may aid weight loss. However, it also contains saturated fats.
Butter can be included in a low-carbohydrate diet, which can help people maintain their weight or lose weight more quickly than a low-fat diet.
Parmesan Cheese
Parmesan cheese is a hard Italian cheese with distinct nutritional properties.
Some even consider it a functional meal, claiming that its ingredients can help people live longer or lessen their risk of disease.
Its nutritional highlights include high protein and calcium, and it is easy to digest.
This well-known Italian cheese is traditionally created using a thousand-year-old manufacturing process that results in its distinct flavor and texture.
Salt
Salt, or sodium chloride, is utilized as a flavoring agent, as well as a binder and stabilizer. It also serves as a food preservative.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This oil is healthier than other cooking oils due to it being high in heart-healthy fats and antioxidants.
Extra virgin olive oil may help prevent or ease inflammation, heart disease, breast cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
Nutritional Facts
Plain polenta, without grated cheese or cream, has a low calorie count and includes only trace levels of vitamins and minerals.
A 3/4-cup (125-gram) serving cooked in water has the following nutrients:
- 80 calories
- 17 grams carbohydrates
- 2 grams protein
- <1 gram fat
- 1 gram fiber
Precooked polenta is also available in a tube. The nutrition information is the same regardless of the form, as the ingredients are merely water, cornmeal, and possibly salt.
There are some downsides to this dish. It isn’t keto-friendly and is high in carbs, which also means that it can lead to increased blood sugar if consumed regularly.
Nutritional Table
Per 100g of polenta, according to the USDA:
|
Calories/Nutrient |
Amount |
|
Calories (Kcal) |
58 kcal |
|
Net Carbs (g) |
12.5 g |
|
Fiber (g) |
0.6 g |
|
Sugar (g) |
0.25 g |
|
Fats (Total) |
0.28 g |
|
Protein (g) |
1.12 g |
|
Cholesterol (mg) |
0 mg |
High in Vitamins and Minerals
Manganese, phosphorus, and zinc are just a few of the vitamins and minerals found in polenta.
Manganese helps bone and wound healing. Together, calcium and phosphorus help to build strong bones and teeth. Zinc is important to maintain a healthy immune system.
Low in Protein
Like rice as an alternative to refined grains, polenta is frequently used as a side dish or a base for other dishes. It’s low in protein and fat.
Polenta is a great dish to pair with meats, seafood, and cheese to round out a meal.
Low in Fats and Cholesterol
Polenta has a low fat content and can be part of a heart-healthy diet.
If you want to cut down on saturated fat, make polenta using water, plant milk, or broth instead of dairy milk, and don’t add cheese or butter.
A Word From Our Nutritionist
Polenta is a simple side dish that goes well with a protein source or veggies of your choosing. It is an excellent supplement for whole grains.
It’s heavy in complex carbohydrates, which keep you fuller for longer but can increase blood sugar levels, yet it is low in calories.
It’s also naturally gluten-free, making it a great option for consumers that want to buy gluten-free foods.
Purchasing whole-grain cornmeal and creating your own polenta helps your body source new thiamin and magnesium.
Furthermore, it may have certain health benefits and promote healthy gut bacteria.
It’s high in carotenoids and other antioxidants, which protect your eyes and may lower the risk factors for certain diseases.
Conclusion
Polenta can be a brilliant side dish to add to your healthy eating diet. It is a great companion to oily fish and steamed vegetables.
As with any food, remember that overeating polenta can be a bad thing. While it is undoubtedly nutritious, if you make it at home with lots of added butter and oil, the calories can really pile up.
Check out our website to find out more information about different types of cooked grains and their health benefits, and find some great tips to get you eating healthy.
