It is believed that all of the sweets are harmful: they contribute to the completeness and spoil your teeth. And yet there are many delicacies and useful properties. For example, familiar to paste in moderation useful for pregnant women and the elderly, adults and children: it contains vitamins, minerals, fiber and valuable vegetable oils.

History goodies

Interestingly, the word "paste" is used to refer to several types of sweet dishes. The Indian and Pakistani cuisine this dessert is made from milk and vegetables, such as carrots, pumpkin, and some varieties of mung bean. The Turkish cuisine delicacy called halvah on a "cotton candy" - the thinnest strands of solidified sugar syrup. Generally, Turkish halvah has the form of small lumps. In the Balkan countries, halva - a dessert made of semolina or wheat, rice, corn flour.

The most widespread paste from nuts or oilseeds (sesame, sunflower, hemp). Rodina a variety of halva - Persia. The history of this dessert begins in the V century BC. And at all times at the dessert were devoted fans. At the beginning of the XX century in the American astronomer favorite delicacy even named an asteroid.

Features dessert

The composition of halva on the basis of nuts or seeds comprises three main components: sugar, nut mass and a foaming agent. The role of the latter are the usual soap root (so-called root kolyuchnika), licorice root or marshmallow root, in the home is often used beaten egg white. Foam needs to give special delicacy of the fiber structure.

Typically added to a sugar starch syrup, at home often use honey. These additives help to slow down the process of crystallization of sugar to make the caramel mass halva softer and more ductile.

Taste halvah depends from any nuts or seeds it is made. In addition, the mass is sometimes further enrich aromatic and flavoring additives, which include cocoa, vanilla Vanilla: sweet tenderness , Coconut, candied fruit, chopped pistachios.

In the Balkan countries, as well as the Middle East and Central Asia is widespread tahini (sesame) paste. For its production are used, ground sesame seeds. This paste has a characteristic smell of sesame, light gray-cream color and slightly bitter taste.

Sometimes sesame seeds combined with ground peanuts, and sometimes prepare halva only from ground peanuts. In this case, the mass has a pleasant pinkish-beige color and mild flavor.

In eastern European countries most widespread sunflower halvah made of sunflower seeds. This kind of halva smells of sunflowers, has quite a dark greenish gray color and rich taste.

Walnut paste is considered to be the most expensive and delicious. For their production, you can use almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios. Taste, aroma and appearance of walnut halva depends on the raw material from which it is made.

Use halva

All types of halva contain in their composition vegetable oils rich in vitamin E, and fiber, which helps cleanse the body. The halva contains a lot of folic acid. This material is especially useful for pregnant women - not for nothing that in ancient times halva regaled women in harems.

Sunflower halva rich in vitamins B1, beneficial to the nervous system. In addition, it helps to reduce the level of cholesterol in blood vessel walls to strengthen, improve skin, hair Hair: structure, characteristics of growth and development   and nails.

Sesame halva contains large amounts of minerals - calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, phosphorus, manganese, and vitamins. It is useful for heart and blood vessels, prevents the development of some cancers, improves skin condition. This type of halva is used as a preventive measure from headaches of vascular origin.

Peanut halva rejuvenates the body, it is good for the heart, bones and brain. It contains large amounts of antioxidants, and in addition, reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood.

Rich in trace elements almond paste has beneficial effects on the heart and blood vessels. Pistachio halva rejuvenates, gives strength and courage.

Harmful treat

Halva such a useful and tasty that I want to make it the basis of the diet. But, unfortunately, it brings the body a treat in addition to the obvious benefits even harm. Like many oriental sweets Eastern sweets , Halva has a very sweet, even cloying taste. This is not surprising: after all sugar delicacy contains up to forty-five percent. This means that eating halva is very harmful to the teeth. As a little treat viscous consistency, it remains of a long time remain on the tooth enamel, destroying it. Preferably after eating halva immediately brush your teeth or at least rinse your mouth thoroughly, to avoid the development of caries.

Halva caloric surpassed even chocolate - a hundred grams contains 500-570 calories dessert. In this candy a lot of fat, and although these fats of plant origin, abuse them still not worth it. Especially harmful combination of sugar and fat for those who want to lose weight or saves figure. They have the best halva only in limited quantities.

Also paste is harmful for those suffering from diabetes, diseases of the pancreas. We do not have a lot of halva recommended for those who suffer from diseases of the liver and biliary tract. Of course, you have to give up halva with allergies to any of its components. Finally, we should not have halva in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: a large amount of fiber, which is contained in this sweet, irritates the intestine.

Maria Bykov

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