Interesting facts about desserts. Interesting facts about sweets that you did not know

All the best things in our lives taste sweet. And all the most harmful too. We most often begin to pay attention to the harm of sweets closer to summer - when the onset of the beach season is on the nose. It is then that we begin to reproach ourselves for the immoderate addiction to chocolates. But let's see, was it worth denying yourself small pleasures?

Myth 1. Sweet is a friend of the brain

A piece of sweet in the middle of the working day will not be superfluous - absolutely for sure. Since brain cells feed exclusively on glucose, they are very sensitive to its content in the blood. A malnutrition gray matter is instantly reflected in his work. However, one should not think that quantity in this case turns into quality. Rather, on the contrary, an excess of sweets will cause drowsiness and will only affect work “in the negative”.

Myth 2. Sugar is a vitamin of joy

"White" death, - the doctors will authoritatively declare. “But what a pleasant one!” Opponents will exclaim. But at the same time, tea lovers with three tablespoons of sugar should know that sugar first of all reduces the reserves of vitamin B1 in the body. The less vitamin B1 - the greater the likelihood of neurasthenia, depression, fatigue, muscle weakness. How do you like this perspective?

Myth 3. Sweeteners help you lose weight.

Although artificial sweeteners are virtually calorie-free, there is still a fierce debate about their health effects. So, for example, there are studies proving that due to the use of sweeteners, immunity is reduced. And members of the British Parliament even announced their intention to ban the use of aspartame, since it allegedly contains carcinogens. There are other rather controversial publications that indicate that certain sweeteners are added to the diet of pigs to increase their appetite. So - you think: is it worth giving up sugar and switching to such an “alternative”.

Myth 4. Chocolate: tasty, but harmful

We hasten to please lovers of black delicacy. His successful rehabilitation is carried out in Lately more and more professionals. So, at the annual conference of the European Association of Cardiology, information was heard that 100 grams of dark chocolate improve the functioning of blood vessels in an adult for at least three hours and protect blood vessels from the damaging effects of free radicals.

So the next time you reach for a chocolate bar, don't beat yourself up for being weak. Perhaps you subconsciously care about your health.

Myth 5. Chocolate constipation

Many chocolate lovers are seriously afraid that after a gastronomic banquet they will face a painful retribution in the form of constipation. Perhaps if you don’t eat anything other than chocolate, then it will be so. But if you eat right, you can not deny yourself a little joy.

Myth 6. Banana fast food

Banana is ideal for a quick snack: it is perfectly digestible, is a source of potassium (which is especially useful for cores), helps to remove excess fluid from the body, and quickly satisfies hunger.

At the same time, nutritionists are extremely wary of banana excesses, mercilessly placing them next to white bread and other prohibited foods. Moreover, due to a fair amount of sucrose (and the absence of fructose and glucose), bananas are contraindicated in patients with diabetes.

Myth 7. These healthy dried fruits

Nutritionists are unanimous: almost all useful material. However, the qualitative side of the issue is not at all equal to the quantitative one: dry fruits are a more concentrated version of the “live” ones. That is why the main thing in the absorption of dried fruits is moderation and accuracy. So, for example, it is recommended to eat no more than 4-6 dates per day.

Myth 8. Sweet - only for dessert!

In fact, sweets can play the role of a kind of anti-aperitif, calming the "wolf" appetite. If you miss another meal, start your meal with a piece of chocolate, a couple of sweets, a piece of cake, ice cream. This will speed up the saturation of the blood with glucose, reduce the feeling of hunger and save you from overeating.

Do you want to learn a lot of interesting things about sweets? Which candy went to space and returned to earth, and which candy is the biggest? These and others amazing facts about candy - in our article "10 amazing facts about candy".

old, good oat cookies- Well, who knows. This taste is familiar to almost everyone who was born in the USSR, and even now this species cookies are known to modern gourmets. However, few people know about the amazing facts about him:

Black candies with spicy taste anise is both a delicacy and a medicine from licorice. Find out what they are made of and the most popular species in five facts.

Water is an important source of energy for the body. It enriches the cells with oxygen and renews them daily, preventing obesity. It is believed that every day you need to drink at least 2 liters of fluid. Apart from clean water, scientists also advised to include in the diet a few more drinks rich in vitamins and nutrients.

We bring to your attention a number of interesting and little known facts about sweets from all over the world!

Marzipan is a mixture of almonds ground to a powder with powdered sugar as elastic paste. Marzipan sweets and decorative elements can be colored or glazed (sugar, chocolate and lemon glaze), or left unglazed.

Do not believe that eating sweets is harmful. There are sweets that are very useful. Of course, in a reasonable amount.

After all, it's true that sweet men are very rare. If you offer a woman to choose her favorite food, she will most likely take a chocolate bar, a piece of cake, fruit. And the man? He will put meat, sausage or sausages on a plate. Scientists have proven that female body sweets are often just necessary, this is due to the effect of the sex hormones estrogens on brain tissue and blood sugar levels.

Chocolate in the life of mankind appeared a very long time ago, about 3000 years ago. Then the Maya civilization laid the foundation for the cultivation of the cocoa tree and the production of chocolate, which at that time had the name " kakawa". Gorky and flavored drink from crushed and heated cocoa beans mixed with water, they called the drink of the gods.

Delicacies in Japan are not only sweets and pastries, but fruits and nuts. The Japanese learned about cooked sweets only at the end of the 8th century, after the appearance on the tables of court Chinese confectionery, which were made from a mixture of glutinous rice and wheat flour.

None festive feast can't do without dessert. Dessert is the finishing touch to a wonderful picture of the holiday, adored by all children and expected by many adults. Dessert is a word borrowed from French. Literally, dessert - "cleared off the table." According to the rules of etiquette, it is served at the end of the meal, completely removing other food and utensils from the table.

Exactly french cuisine enriched the world huge amount recipes for delicious cakes, sauces, biscuits and creams, which are organically included in culinary traditions other countries of the world. For example, eclair - a cake with cream, is so fond of in Germany that it is called "coffee bar" or "hare's paw" there, and most Germans consider this cake an asset German cuisine. In the post-Soviet space, eclair is a synonym for "custard". So we paid tribute to the filling of the product, because the first eclair was just from custard. The biscuit is also a gift from France. Can't imagine more convenient dough for cakes than biscuit. It was his unique opportunity attach culinary product beautiful correct shape without loss palatability, allowed chefs around the world to make cakes not only delicious, but also stunningly beautiful.

Continuing and developing the tradition French desserts inhabitants of Austria, and Viennese cuisine has become known for its sweet dishes. The famous Viennese cafes served cakes with whipped cream, a variety of jellies and mousses created according to special recipes who preferred to keep it secret. First Apple strudel- dough roll apple filling was baked in Austria and served with coffee with cream. Now they bake strudel with all kinds of fruit and berry fillings, and, literally, there is no such country that would not have its own own recipe strudel.

For development culinary passions Europeans were strongly influenced by the Ottoman Empire in its time. It is especially noticeable in the Balkan countries. Desserts from Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia are characterized by a large number of nuts, honey and raisins. competition biscuit dough here is sandy. And, of course, not a single meal ends without fruits (fresh or dried). In Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, several dozen recipes for making halva are known. Incredibly popular in these countries are such delicacies as baklava and Turkish delight. Turkish delight requires starch and syrup. Baklava is a sweet dish based on dough, nuts and honey, and there are more than a hundred recipes for its preparation. Croatia will definitely surprise you walnut cake With chocolate icing, while Bulgaria is characterized fruit salads seasoned with yogurt.

In conclusion, a few rules of etiquette.

Before dessert is served, all dishes are removed and the table is set again. If necessary, they change the tablecloth and put out a tea or coffee service.

The cake is cut into pieces and put on plates with a special spatula, but cookies, sweets and cakes can be taken with your hands.

Fruits are served in a vase, and everyone takes the fruit himself and peels the peel and seeds with a knife over his plate. Apples and pears are cut into quarters with a special dessert knife.

Looks very nice dessert table, served with special dishes: multi-level vases for cookies and sweets, cake stands, bowls for ice cream and jelly.

Do not believe that eating sweets is harmful. There are sweets that are very useful. Of course, in a reasonable amount

• Marmalade

Marmalade in German "marmelade" means jam. In Europe, marmalade became known after the Crusades to Asia. It is she who is historical homeland goodies. Useful marmalade thought to be due to its pectin content and sometimes agar-agar ( vegetable substitute gelatin). Pectin reduces the risk of cholesterol disease and takes care of the skin. Agar-agar has a positive effect on the liver and removes toxins from the body. Also, real marmalade does not contain fat.

• Chocolate

According to one version, the name of the favorite product of the sweet tooth comes from the Aztec word "xocolātl" - the name of a drink made from cocoa beans, literally meaning "bitter water". The birthplace of chocolate is South America.

Chocolate is very useful: this sweetness regulates the work digestive system, removes toxins from the body, it is also a source of antioxidants and iron. Chocolate supports mental activity and improves mood. Even the smell of chocolate calms and relieves stress.

Thanks to high content flavonols in cocoa beans daily use small portion dark chocolate can protect the skin from negative impact sun rays and consequently slow down the aging process. However, researchers warn we are talking specifically about dark chocolate, in case of use milk chocolate no such effect occurs.

Eating dark chocolate can improve blood flow, reduce the risk of blood clots, and even protect against bowel cancer. Swedish scientists have found that people who suffer from heart disease can reduce the risk of death from heart attack by 70% by using dark chocolate at least twice a week.

ABOUT useful properties dark chocolate has been known for a long time. In particular, it has been proven to protect against stress, chronic fatigue syndrome and improve mood. Danish doctors also came to the conclusion that bitter chocolates can help you lose weight, as they create a feeling of satiety for a long time and allow you to eat less.
Chocolate also stimulates the heart and brain more than kissing. Under the “high” from eating chocolate, the heartbeat doubles, and all parts of the brain experience prolonged and intense stimulation.

• Zephyr

The origin of the marshmallow is not exactly known until now. Some believe that the marshmallow was invented in Greece and named after the god of the light wind Zephyr, others believe that the birthplace of this delicacy is the East and it is a relative of Turkish delight and nougat. Marshmallow, like marmalade, contains pectin, as well as protein, phosphorus, iron and a lot of carbohydrates. Marshmallows, in comparison with other sweets, are low-calorie: in 100g - only 300 calories. Marshmallow is recommended for toddlers and teenagers as it stimulates brain activity.

Honey is the oldest sweetener. Historically, Russia has been among the world's largest honey producers. But at the moment she has lost her position. In the world, honey is produced in China, France, Kazakhstan, Greece and Australia. Everyone has long known about the beneficial properties of honey: it contains fructose and glucose, minerals - potassium, magnesium, calcium, sulfur, chlorine, sodium, phosphate and iron. Honey is rich in vitamins B1, B2, B6, B3, B5 and C. Honey contains something like natural energy: It allows you to exercise longer. In addition, honey heals wounds and treats anemia.

• Wagashi

Traditional japanese dessert. Exotic, like sushi. Cooking wagashi from natural products: legumes (mainly red beans - adzuki), rice, different kinds sweet potato, agar-agar, chestnuts, various herbs and teas. There are more than 25 types of this dessert and its preparation requires special skill. In the upper strata of Japanese society, it was considered a sign good manners serve sweets of various exquisite forms for tea drinking. IN modern society the aesthetics of the wagashi remained unchanged.
Wagashi have a less sweet taste than the sweets familiar to Europeans. They may even seem quite savory to people who are not used to them.

The word "candy" comes from 16th-century European apothecary jargon. This word, derived from the Latin confectum("manufactured"), candied fruits were called, which in those days were considered one of the types of medicines.

An interesting fact: in medieval Italy, it was customary to shower newlyweds with small candied pieces of fruit, which were called "confetti". Over time, sweets were replaced with pieces of multi-colored paper, to which this name “migrated”.

An interesting fact: a study by American sociologists showed that people who treat their colleagues with sweets are more successful in their careers than their “greedy” competitors.

In the first half of the 19th century in Russia, even the richest and noblest ladies stole sweets from various celebrations. This was explained by the fact that confectionery factories did not exist yet, sweets were prepared by home confectioners who jealously guarded their secrets, so this delicacy was literally worth its weight in gold.

A paradox: the name of the most common sweet - chocolate - comes from the Aztec word "chocolatl", which translates as "bitter water".

An interesting fact: in Europe of the 16th-17th centuries, a real “chocolate mania” was observed among aristocrats. Many believed that chocolate has an almost magical effect on the body. Sometimes even adultery was attributed to him: there is a case when a court lady justified the birth of a black child with her excessive passion for chocolate.

The largest box of chocolates was made by confectioners from Master Food for international competition cooks. In a box 2.5 by 1.5 meters there were about 8 centners of chocolates.

In Belgium chocolate candies are very expensive: about 30-35 euros per kilogram. The fact is that almost 90% of this delicacy in the country is made by hand. unique recipes- hence the high prices.

The largest candy "truffle" in the world was made in 2008 in Germany. This giant sweet weighing 196.3 kg was created by confectioners from Halloren Chocolate Factory.

The largest toffee in the world was made in Norway. This delicacy weighs more than 1.5 tons.

In 2004, confectioners from the Dutch company Mieke Stortelder created the longest candy in the world - a strawberry candy over 2 meters long.

A box of the world's most expensive candy, Lake Forest Confections, costs about $1.5 million. True, their high price is mainly due to the design of the box, which uses diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and rubies.

The largest gummy bear was prepared by specialists from the Gummi Bear Factory. The height of this "candy" was 1.7 meters, and the weight was 630 kilograms.

An interesting fact: in English-speaking countries, the word marmalade designate exclusively jam / marmalade from citrus fruits. The usual marmalade is called there a cumbersome phrase candied fruits jelly.

It turns out that there is an analogue of Bertie Botts sweets from the Harry Potter books on sale. Bean Boozled gummies also have the most different tastes, both familiar fruity and very strange, for example, vomiting, rotten egg and skunk excretions.

The first space lollipops were the famous Chupa Chups. In 1995, cosmonauts from the Russian Mir station asked for some candy to be delivered to them. Chupa Chups were found to be the most suitable for weightlessness and delivered to the space station.

Another very interesting fact is connected with Chupa Chups: the logo for these lollipops was designed by Salvador Dali himself!

Japanese schoolchildren take Kit Kat chocolates with them to exams, believing that they bring good luck. The fact is that their name is consonant with the Japanese expression "kitto katsu" - "definitely win."

Interesting fact: there is a "space halva". Asteroid No. 518 is called “Halva”, as the astronomer R. Dugan, who discovered it, adored this oriental sweetness.

The famous Chinese fortune cookies that are widely sold in the US actually have nothing to do with China. A similar biscuit was used during religious ceremonies in Shinto shrines in Japan in the 19th century, arriving in the United States in the early 20th century with Japanese emigrants. Since the American government imprisoned all Japanese (including bakers) in filtration camps during World War II, the Chinese began to mass-produce fortune cookies. That is why Americans now associate this delicacy with China.