discovering Parma Ham's nutritional values
29.11.04
Parma, 29 November 2004 – The Parma Ham Consortium has just created an information booklet aimed at the medical sector, which analyses in a detailed way the King of Ham’s nutritional values. Starting from next week, the booklet will be distributed to all doctors’ surgeries in Italy together with a multimedia cd-rom. The cd-rom also contains a step-by-step guide to the ham’s processing secrets, a video that briefly re-enacts the fundamental processing stages, from fresh legs to branding. The research, conducted by the Experimental Station for Preserved Foods in Parma (SSICA) praises the nutritional value of Prosciutto di Parma, breaking the common myth surrounding the consumption of pork. “Among the various traditional foodstuffs that make up our diet, for years cold cuts have suffered the negative effects of a certain preconceived notion that has affected the whole of the pork sector. The misconception that it contains too much fat, in particular saturated fat and cholesterol, therefore high in calories, as well as being bad for health” says Professor Andrea Strata – Chair of Clinical Nutrition – Parma University who had an active role in the project’s fulfillment. The research carried out by the SSICA shows that these unjust preconceptions have no further reason to exist due to changes in the structure and bromatological characteristics of pork meat. During the last two decades, three factors have substantially and reliably turned the situation around: first of all the important changes in the selection of breeds, which has significantly modified the lipid content of pork; secondly, improvements within the animal feed industry with the adoption of dietetic elements in pig-breeding farms that are able to improve on the substantial bromatological variations already evident and lastly controls that are conducted throughout the production chain process, resulting in products that are scientifically controlled, not like those in the past, that are safe, healthy and of a high quality due to continuous quality controls. Currently 100g of Parma Ham has a calorie content of 280. After cutting off visible fat it only has 150 Kcal: a lot less than the 370 calories of product with fat and 210 calories of product after removing visible fat, reported in various food content tables up to a few years ago. The nutritional values of dry-cured ham and the fact that it is a simple food that hasn’t been manipulated in anyway (in fact all types of additive are prohibited during the processing phase, only salting is allowed!), that it is ‘easily digestible” as it is partially ‘pre-digested’ and is highly palatable makes it an ideal food, suitable for everyone – children, teenagers, the elderly, athletes as well as those who have to follow a hypocaloric diet - not only as a starter or snack but also, and especially, as a ‘main course’ meal in itself when lightness, completeness and high nutritional value are called for.
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