Saturday, December 22, 2012

Is Pesto Fattening? 10 Things You Should Know

Is pesto fattening? How much calories in pesto are there? For starters, what is pesto anyway? Pesto, for lovers of Italian authentic cuisine, is simply basil sauce made by the infusion of basic leaves, oil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan. To add, it may also be a flavourful paste made by pureed spices and herbs, olives and tomatoes. Pesto is a versatile sauce. It can be used as a finishing sauce to pasta al dente, or a creamy addition to delectable bread. Pesto is definitely a winner for Italian pasta enthusiasts. However, for nutritionists and health experts, is pesto a good find? Are the calories in pesto worth consuming? Is pesto fattening?

Is pesto healthy? Here are 10 important things one has to know about that steamy sauce from Italy.

Is pesto fattening? One, when it comes to nutritional value, pesto is a sure winner. A minute one-fourth cup of the sauce can yield 15% of the recommended daily requirement of vitamin A, 20% of calcium, 6% of vitamin C, and 4% of iron. All of this is based on a healthy 2,000 calorie diet.

Two, with the stats stated above for pesto sauce, the benefits can be staggering. Vitamin A greatly supports good eyesight and beats away the risk of night blindness. Vitamin C, meanwhile, is an excellent antioxidant as well as a good tissue builder. To add, iron helps build up healthy red blood cells and calcium is essential in strengthening bones.

Three, apart from the basic nutrients, a one-fourth cup of pesto can give 6 grams of protein.

Four, another addition to the array of benefits, pesto sauce scores high in flavonoids, compounds that help maintain cells and aids the body from unwanted free radicals.

Five, when it comes to pesto, a variety of commercial brands emerged. However, do be careful with the brand you choose. Certain companies can put in a whopping 500 milligrams of sodium in one serving of the sauce. However, when you do choose to make homemade pasta sauce, of course, you can limit the number of times you sprinkle that salt in its container.

Six, a minute tip to make pesto sauce, simply blend in 3 cups of basil, one and a half cup of pine nuts, 4 garlic cloves, one-fourth cup of cheesy Parmesan, and top with 1 whole cup of olive oil. Blend in a sturdy food processor and before you know it, you got yourself a nice serving of pesto sauce.

Seven, there are many ways to brighten up pesto sauce. Top sauce into a cup of Greek yogurt, or add as sauce to a bowl of greens. The possibilities are endless.

Eight, is pesto fattening? When it comes to calories, one-fourth cup of the saucy goodness yields 270 calories – not much but you get to enjoy the savoury meal.

Nine, when it comes to fat content of homemade pesto sauce, it yields 23 grams.

Ten, when the fat content worries you, do not fret because the fat in pesto sauce is generally unsaturated – which might also pose as a healthy benefit. Now, with the question: is pesto fattening? It is not after all, it is a savoury meal with less the calories.