Calorie content, benefits and harms of sunflower halvah

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

Everyone knows and loves halva, but they don't know if it's he althy. In our country, the most popular recipe based on sunflower seeds. Therefore, let's figure out what are the benefits and harms of sunflower halva.

History of Halva

In the distant past, namely in the 5th century BC, the halvah recipe was invented in Iran. Nobody knows exactly how she got to Russia. One of the versions says that it first appeared in Odessa, where the Greek confectioner Kazi began to make it. He had a factory there, which produced about 800 kg of various types of halva a day, which were successfully bought up by the sweet tooth of the whole country. Customers could try honey, nut, chocolate, Karaite with almonds, sugar halva. The second version of the appearance of halva in our country is associated with the merchant Sviridov, who was told this recipe by a Greek wife named Medea. I wonder what were the benefits and harms of sunflower halva in those days? Unfortunately, there is no answer to this question.

In the East, by the way, halva is still kneaded only by hand. In these countries, it is made from almost any improvisedproducts, including corn, semolina, wheat, carrots, sweet potatoes (yam). In Russia, it is made mechanically, and we know only a few of its types: walnut, peanut, sunflower, sesame, combined halva. Add variety to the product with vanilla or dip the finished treat in chocolate.

Halva recipe

The recipe for this oriental sweet is no longer a secret, so only lazy people don't know it. Meanwhile, it is very simple: first, the main ingredient is crushed (seeds or nuts), then caramel is added and beaten until a fluffy homogeneous mass is obtained. In order for halva to melt in the mouth and have an ideal fibrous-layered structure, a foaming agent (licorice root) is added to the syrup. All components of the treat are natural, so it is not on the list of prohibited foods for children.

Halva at home

This delicacy can be prepared at home. Here is the prescription. You will need three cups of sunflower seeds, two cups of flour, 200 ml of water, 100 grams of sugar, 100 ml of vegetable oil and vanilla.

Toast the seeds in a frying pan without adding sunflower oil. After that, pass them through a meat grinder several times. Fry the flour, also without adding oil, in a pan until golden brown, stirring constantly. Pour sugar into the prepared pan, add vegetable oil and vanillin to it, bring to a boil. Pour the seeds and flour into a bowl. Take the form, cover it with oilcloth or oiled paper, on itput the resulting mass and put it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to solidify.

Benefits and harms for children

What are the benefits and harms of sunflower halva for children? The basis of the product are seeds and nuts, which contain B vitamins that help strengthen immunity and improve memory, vitamin A is necessary for the child for vision and growth, vitamin E has a beneficial effect on the heart.

Children of preschool age are not recommended to give this oriental delicacy. The thing is that the teeth of babies are still very sensitive and vulnerable, and halva particles can get stuck in them. In addition, the oral mucosa may be injured. In addition, the baby can easily choke on it.

For older children, this he althy product is allowed, but its use should be limited, the average serving should be about 10-15 grams per day. Of course, if your child is not allergic to seeds or nuts. However, the daily use of halvah is undesirable, it is better to alternate sweets, for example, today let them enjoy marshmallows, tomorrow they treat themselves to marshmallow, and the day after tomorrow they will taste oriental sweetness.

Sunflower halva: benefits for adults

Vitamin E, which is present in halva almost in excess, protects the body from premature aging, including heart attacks. B vitamins have a beneficial effect on the general condition of the body, without it we would always grumble, were unhappy about andwithout it, we would have insomnia, we would have struggled with fungal skin diseases, including dandruff, as well as acne.

There is an opinion that sunflower halvah is bad for bones, but in fact it is a myth. On the contrary, vitamin D in its composition helps to strengthen bones, as it helps the body absorb calcium. Magnesium, on the other hand, has a beneficial effect on the heart and nervous system, normalizes blood pressure and helps build muscle mass.

Halva as a remedy for diseases

Seeds are considered an excellent tool for the prevention of various heart diseases, in particular myocardial infarction, have a healing effect in liver diseases. In addition, some scientists believe that the seeds help reduce the risk of malignant diseases. Specialists conducting research in this area have found that sunflower seeds are able to inhibit the development of tumors in such organs as the mammary glands, ovaries, intestines, skin, and lungs. The test subjects were chickens, which were subjected to the experiment for a year. Sunflower seeds were added to their diet daily, as a result, the number of tumors decreased in the experimental subjects. Now doctors are faced with the task of identifying a similar effect of seeds on the human body.

Harm from Halva

Sunflower halva - good or bad for the body? Like any sweet, halva is useful only in small quantities. Its calorie content, as well as the calorie content of the nuts or seeds included in it, fluctuates around 500units per 100 grams. From which it follows that the abuse of this delicacy will lead to excess weight. It contains molasses, which can adversely affect the he alth of people with diabetes. In addition, halva is an allergen. Therefore, it should be used with caution by sensitive people.

What products go with sunflower halvah? The benefits and harms of this delicacy have already been discussed above. In general, halva belongs to heavy foods, therefore it is not recommended to eat it for those who have any disorders in the digestive system. It is not combined with chocolate, cheese, meat and dairy products. It is better to eat it separately from everything else, for example, like a melon. We found out that the benefits and harms of sunflower halvah are determined by the state of he alth and moderation in use.

The right choice when buying

Truly tasty and he althy halva can be bought by studying a number of subtleties. A quality product is light, crumbles a little. She should not "cry" and be covered with a dark coating. The moisture that has come out on the surface indicates a violation of the rules of the cooking technology, that is, they either put an excess of sugar or went too far with seeds. If the product is in a puddle of oil, storage conditions are violated. Halva does not tolerate temperatures above 18 degrees. Carefully inspect the product, it should not contain husks from nuts or seeds. This is exactly what high-quality sunflower halvah should look like.

Benefits and harms also depend onpackaging. When choosing a halva, pay attention to the packaging. Long-term storage halva is "hidden" in a vacuum. Sealed in this way, it is able to lie on a store shelf for six months. The loose analogue has the shortest shelf life, its feature is rapid drying and the acquisition of a bitter aftertaste. In a cardboard package, halva can lie for about 60 days. Remember, this oriental sweet easily absorbs odors, so it is recommended to store it in foil.

Here is such an amazing sweetness - sunflower halva! The benefits and harms, calorie content of this delicacy were discussed in this article. You can talk about this product endlessly. But how can you refuse it? If there is a distrust of halva from the store, then everyone can cook it at home. Although it will taste a little different, it will be completely natural.