NAVARRA GOURMET

Haute cuisine and health. Are they really compatible?

GASTRONOMY & HEALTH. Moderator Jordi Estadella

(Xavier Pellicer. Restaurante Abac. Barcelona. Eduardo Alegría. Consultant at the Cardiovascular Department, University Clinic of Navarre.)

Healthy haute cuisine

Is haute cuisine compatible with a healthy lifestyle? Yes, if it is more focussed on enjoyment than eating one's fill and if it is more vegetable than fat based. That is the conclusion reached by Xavier Pellicer, chef at the ABAC in Barcelona, and Eduardo Alegría, consultant at the University Clinic of Navarre cardiovascular department, during the fifth round table on gastronomy and health held at the Navarre Gourmet - Enjoy Vegetables Congress.

The expert gave a talk on coronary artery disease, in other words cardiovascular-related disorders. This condition, which is the principal cause of death in Spain, is related to a number of lifestyles (as well as genetics), such as a sedentary lifestyle, smoking and poor nutrition. The death rate from this disease is falling "and although its incidence is clearly lower than in other countries, its prevalence is increasing", according to this expert.

Alegría attempted to banish some food-related myths and fallacies, such as women being immune to these disorders and that the Mediterranean diet serves to prevent their occurrence. "All this is untrue, this disease has a greater incidence in women, although it appears 10 years later than in men", he affirmed.

“We are not eating correctly”, he declared and, to illustrate this, he indicated that a half-hour walk burns 50 calories whilst eating a hamburger and fries accounts for 1,500 calories. "The only way to lose weight is to follow a hypocaloric diet, in other words one which provides less calories than those consumed. And harmful ingredients should be avoided such as salt, saturated fats, alcohol and refined oils", he recommended.

The doctor advised eating one or two portions of vegetables a day, at least one of pulses a week and, in order to lose weight, the hydrocarbon intake would need to be reduced. Fish can be eaten three days a week and it is important to limit consumption of red meat. He also recommended eating three to four pieces of fruit a day, two or three dried fruits and reducing one's sugar intake. With regard to wine, he explained that it was "better to drink a little than nothing at all" but with no excessive drinking.

“Gastronomy is compatible with a healthy lifestyle if it is based more on enjoyment than on eating one's fill, if natural foods are used and if vegetables are used as garnish, instead of potatoes, for example", he explained.

In line with these ideas, the chef from Catalonia prepared a "very healthy dish" based on vegetables. First he prepared a "Spring salad" a dish created in the form of a herb garden, with miniature vegetables and roots on a crispy vegetable base, in which potatoes make a comeback. "We are enhancing the flavour of the vegetables by themselves, without adding anything else, and maintaining their freshness", the chef explained, who also added some St George's mushrooms to the recipe.

He then prepared a highly nutritious dish of "Maresme-grown peas, salt cod tripe and morel mushrooms", a type of sizzling dish with chives. The chef explained that his menus "always includes a spoon dish" and that "everything on the plate should be edible, so as not to distract one's attention from the main point of the dish".

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