Turkish delight: benefits and harms to the body

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Turkish Delight is a famous oriental sweet. It can often be found on store shelves and markets. As a rule, it is served in the form of small sliced \u200b\u200bpieces, after sprinkling them with plenty of powdered sugar. By the way, it is for its appearance that this sweetness got its name. Indeed, in a literal translation from Turkish, this means "a convenient piece." An interesting feature: this sweet has become so beloved in the East that many people bring it with them as a sweet souvenir. It comes in all colors and flavors, with various fillings.

Sweets composition

The main components of Turkish Delight are starch, water and sugar. Starch for this sweetness should be slightly boiled in water, because in a frozen form it provides a characteristic soft texture of a confectionery product. It is sugar that gives it a dessert and sweet taste.

The listed ingredients are the only ingredients for white delight. But any otherthe appearance of this sweet differs in taste and color; for this, food additives, synthetic and natural dyes are added to it.

Initially, all kinds of fruit juices were used to make Turkish Delight. Sugar and starch were added to them, obtaining original sweets with an unforgettable taste. Often they were filled with peanuts or nuts. Sometimes honey was added. Turkish delight with rose petals was considered especially exquisite. It was a real delicacy.

We emphasize that all the components that make up this sweet can withstand a certain time in order to obtain a product with the appropriate properties and quality.

Benefits of Delight

Many rightly consider Turkish delight, the photo of which is in this article, a very useful sweet. In many ways, this is true. Sweetness is even called a sweet battery for the body. After all, honey is often found in Turkish delight - a generous source of energy for the brain and muscles.

Starch also benefits. It is a simple sugar, which are collected in long chains. In the body, they are broken down, releasing a large amount of energy needed by a person.

An even greater benefit from Turkish delight, which is a nut or fruit variety. But there is one condition: natural juice must be used. If the sweetness contains flavorings and dyes that are diluted with water, then there will be little sense from this.

Good mood

Rose petals, nuts andnatural juices contain certain vitamins and minerals that are very beneficial for the body. It is only necessary to take into account that some of the nutrients in natural juices can be destroyed after heat treatment. But nuts are more stable in this regard, so this Turkish delight is considered the most useful.

By the way, another interesting aspect. Lukum, like any other sweet, cheers up a person. There are both physiological and psychological prerequisites for this. The fact is that sugars, which are part of Turkish delight, lead to the release of a large amount of serotonin into the blood. It acts on the nerve endings in the brain, promotes its activity and improves mood.

But there is also harm

But it is worth noting that there is also harm that Turkish delight brings. It is, after all, sugar. And although it makes the sweet taste pleasant, but in large quantities it can lead to negative consequences. Turkish delight is strictly contraindicated for people who suffer from diabetes.

It should be noted that the increase in blood sugar does not occur immediately, moreover, with a certain amount of starch, this level may decrease slightly.

Besides, if you eat a lot and often this oriental delicacy, then you may have problems with your teeth. Although this sweetness is not as dangerous for enamel as kozinaki or lollipops, it should also be feared due to the large amount of powdered sugar that accumulates in the mouth.

In addition, Turkish delight containscarbohydrates, which are quite easily digested, so this sweetness should not cause serious metabolic disorders. Therefore, it will be very difficult to provoke diabetes or obesity due to its excessive use. But if you actively combine Turkish delight with other sweets, such as chocolate, cakes, buns, then sad consequences cannot be avoided.

Harmful Substances

Another thing that should alert fans of oriental sweets is that, unlike in the old days, now manufacturers are increasingly adding many harmful and even unsafe ingredients to Turkish delight. First of all, these are food additives and all kinds of dyes. This can be seen in both domestic and foreign manufacturers. Even in Turkey, which is considered the birthplace of Turkish Delight, E-components can often be found in the composition of sweets.

If we summarize everything, we will come to the conclusion that it is impossible to unequivocally consider Turkish delight a useful or harmful product. This is a gastronomic pleasure, which has its advantages and disadvantages. Almost everyone can eat it, but it must be done in moderation. Otherwise, you will no longer feel its unique taste characteristics, and only harm will be done to the body. Moreover, it is best to choose natural Turkish delight, eat it a little, enjoying every bite. Then it will definitely have a positive effect on your he alth and overall emotional state.

Legend of Oriental Sweetness

SSince ancient times, it is customary to drink Turkish delight with tea or fruit juices. The most interesting thing is that there is a special legend dedicated to him. It says that once upon a time in the East there lived a very capricious ruler who loved sweets most of all in his life. However, he was so demanding that no one could please him.

But he had a court confectioner, whose name was Ali, who did not leave hope to receive approval and praise from his master. One day he prepared a wonderful delicacy for him, taking syrup from rose petals, adding spices, honey and crushed almonds to it. He gently warmed the mixture and poured some starch into it. When the dish thickened, let it cool, and then cut it into small pieces. Arranged beautifully on a golden platter, sprinkled with powdered sugar and served to his master.

Almost for the first time in his life, Vladyka was delighted. Turkish delight turned out to be tasty and soft, he called it "tender pieces". Turkish delight soon came to the taste of all the eastern nobility. They even began to keep it in special boxes, attributing a divine origin.

Varieties of sweetness

Nowadays, there are a large number of varieties of this sweet, which mainly differ in the composition of the product. The classic Turkish delight recipe includes sugar, which can be replaced with molasses, starch, nuts and water. To improve the taste, you can add natural juices, spices, dried fruits and zest.

It differs in form and composition. Most often it happens in the form of various figures, rolls and cubes. Turkish delight can also be whole ortwo-layer.

In terms of composition, one of the most popular is considered to be with nuts, fruit or flower filling. Deserved love is also enjoyed by white oriental sweet without additives or honey delight.

How to spot a good Turkish Delight?

Quality delight, as a rule, is not difficult to distinguish. It should be as transparent as possible, which indicates that it is made from good starch. When choosing between sweetness sprinkled with coconut or powdered sugar, the former is considered much he althier.

It is not recommended to buy a product that is too tight. This is evidence that the technology in its preparation was not observed. If the dessert is good, then it should have a delicate gelatinous consistency.

At home

Few people know, but you can cook homemade Turkish delight. This is not a difficult recipe at all, which will require you to take one glass of water, sugar and powdered sugar, as well as 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla and a little citric acid.

Start cooking Turkish delight at home by making syrup. To do this, mix sugar and water thoroughly. After that, add gelatin, citric acid and vanillin. Cook until thick, and then let cool.

The finished mass is poured into molds, and the already frozen Turkish delight is cut into small rectangles, rolled in powdered sugar. This sweet is best stored in a cardboard box.

Recipe for experienced chefs

If youIf you are ready to spend enough time mastering the Turkish Delight recipe at home, then take this method into service. It will need the following ingredients:

• juice and zest of orange and lemon;
• one and a half glasses of water;
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar;
• 2/3 cup starch;
• scarlet food coloring.

So, cooking according to this recipe for Turkish delight at home requires a pot with thick walls. The zest of an orange and a lemon is placed in it and poured with a mixture of their juices. Powder and water are also sent there.

The mixture is boiled over low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, it must be constantly stirred and finally brought to a boil. At this point, set the minimum fire and leave for five minutes without stirring.

In parallel, combine the dye and starch and pour half a glass of clean water. Only warm water should be added to gelatin, it should swell enough in a quarter of an hour.

The container is placed in a water bath, it should be constantly stirred. The main thing is that the gelatin does not boil. Then combine all the ingredients together and cook over medium heat. The mass should turn out to be a glossy shade.

When this happens, carefully remove the zest, pour the future sweetness into containers. For 6 hours, the form with Turkish delight is placed in the refrigerator. The finished sweet is sprinkled with powdered sugar, cut and served.