Annabel Grossman
MOST people with high blood pressure will be warned to avoid salty foods at all costs, but it seems that one dish could be the exception to the rule.
Scientists from the University of Barcelona have found that, although it has high levels of salt, eating gazpacho can actually lower blood pressure.
The experts believe that the rich mix of healthy ingredients in the traditional Spanish cold soup – including tomato, cucumber, garlic and olive oil – can reduce the risk of hypertension in consumers by up to 27%.
Professor Rosa Lamuela, coordinator of the study, said the finding was ‘an unexpected one’ due to the high level of salt content in the traditional gazpacho recipe.
“Gazpacho highly contains carotenes, vitamin C and polyphenols,” added researcher Alexander Medina-Remon.
“The final balance of the bioactive elements of gazpacho and its salt content makes it to be cardio-healthy; in other words, at the end, the positive effect of all the ingredients that contribute to the reduction of arterial pressure prevails over salt’s effect.”
What a wonder drug gazpacho would be WITHOUT the salt….
stefanjo,
the recipe calls for white pepper as well, which is something I never use, only whole black peppers in my kitchen and I’ve never used salt either. Gazpacho is a perfect example of the wonderful cuisine of north Africa brought over by the civilizing Semitic peoples – the reason for salt is that in hot climates when you exercise or do hard physical work you need to replace natural salts lost through sweating.
In Timbukto salt was once very valuable being vital to take in food in that climate.
Very different is Gazpacho Manchego created by the Germanic invaders and can be sampled just across what was the old borders between Semitic Granada and lands lost to the Germans – it’s a thick winter broth made of meat, beans and potato – very tasty but fattening.
I must say that I’ve never tasted a ‘salty Gazpacho’in Andalucia. Not yet anyway. I always add a bit more to mine lol.