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L’alloro è una pianta aromatica ed officinale, l’alloro appartiene alla famiglia botanica delle Lauraceae ed il suo nome scientifico è Laurus nobilis. "Ampiamente diffusa nel bacino del Mediterraneo, la pianta dell’alloro si presenta generalmente come un grande arbusto sempreverde con foglie coriacee ed oblunghe, di colore verde lucente. I fiori sono primaverili di colore giallo e sono seguiti, in autunno, da numerose bacche nere, simili ad olive, ricche di olii essenziali. Per questo, oltre ad essere usato come pianta ornamentale, l’alloro è molto richiesto per le sue qualità aromatiche e fitoterapiche". Nella puntata odierna de 'Il Gusto della Salute', il team dell’Immunologo Mauro Minelli, docente di nutrizione umana e nutraceutica presso Lum, tratta dell’alloro esplorandone le proprietà benefiche su molteplici distretti dell’organismo, le caratteristiche nutrizionali, gli usi in cucina e le eventuali attenzioni da adottare nel consumarlo. "La storia dell’alloro parte da molto lontano e da sempre si associa al concetto di nobiltà insito già nel suo nome: Laurus nobilis. Nella mitologia era ritenuto albero sacro, dedicato ad Apollo, dio delle arti - ricorda Minelli - Le foglie d’alloro intrecciate in corone profumate, fin nell’antica Grecia servivano per ornare la testa dei migliori nelle gare sportive, nelle imprese di guerra, nelle competizioni di musica e poesia. E ancora oggi di corona di alloro si usa cingere la testa del neolaureato come simbolo di onore, di sapienza e di virtù". "Oltre che negli ambiti della cosmetologia, della fitoterapia e della gastronomia, l’alloro fornisce sostanze e micronutrienti preziosi anche sul piano nutrizionale. Dalle sue foglie è possibile estrarre liquori, tisane ed infusi ai quali vengono attribuite proprietà virtuose per il trattamento delle coliti e delle ulcere", conclude l'immunologo.
L’alloro è una pianta aromatica ed officinale, l’alloro appartiene alla famiglia botanica delle Lauraceae ed il suo nome scientifico è Laurus nobilis. "Ampiamente diffusa nel bacino del Mediterraneo, la pianta dell’alloro si presenta generalmente come un grande arbusto sempreverde con foglie coriacee ed oblunghe, di colore verde lucente. I fiori sono primaverili di colore giallo e sono seguiti, in autunno, da numerose bacche nere, simili ad olive, ricche di olii essenziali. Per questo, oltre ad essere usato come pianta ornamentale, l’alloro è molto richiesto per le sue qualità aromatiche e fitoterapiche". Nella puntata odierna de 'Il Gusto della Salute', il team dell’Immunologo Mauro Minelli, docente di nutrizione umana e nutraceutica presso Lum, tratta dell’alloro esplorandone le proprietà benefiche su molteplici distretti dell’organismo, le caratteristiche nutrizionali, gli usi in cucina e le eventuali attenzioni da adottare nel consumarlo. "La storia dell’alloro parte da molto lontano e da sempre si associa al concetto di nobiltà insito già nel suo nome: Laurus nobilis. Nella mitologia era ritenuto albero sacro, dedicato ad Apollo, dio delle arti - ricorda Minelli - Le foglie d’alloro intrecciate in corone profumate, fin nell’antica Grecia servivano per ornare la testa dei migliori nelle gare sportive, nelle imprese di guerra, nelle competizioni di musica e poesia. E ancora oggi di corona di alloro si usa cingere la testa del neolaureato come simbolo di onore, di sapienza e di virtù". "Oltre che negli ambiti della cosmetologia, della fitoterapia e della gastronomia, l’alloro fornisce sostanze e micronutrienti preziosi anche sul piano nutrizionale. Dalle sue foglie è possibile estrarre liquori, tisane ed infusi ai quali vengono attribuite proprietà virtuose per il trattamento delle coliti e delle ulcere", conclude l'immunologo.
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NewsTranscript
00:00The plant is always green, aromatic and officinal.
00:04Its dimensions can vary from that of a small shrub to that of a tree,
00:09which can reach up to 10 meters in height.
00:12It grows spontaneously along the coasts of the Mediterranean,
00:15but it is also grown in gardens and gardens.
00:18Its fruits, in the form of small buds and leaves,
00:21ovals and coriaceous, contain an essential oil,
00:25highly appreciated in cuisine, in cosmetology, in phytotherapy.
00:30It is the turn of gold in our section on the taste of health.
00:55Gold is used in the kitchens of many Italian regions,
01:05but especially in Sicily,
01:07so much so that the Ministry of Agriculture
01:10has introduced gold in the list of PATs,
01:13that is, traditional agri-food products,
01:16as a typical Sicilian product.
01:19In ancient times, gold enjoyed great fame,
01:22so much so that Empedocles had defined it as supreme among plants.
01:27But let's hear from Marco Renna.
01:36Gold is one of the oldest and best known plants,
01:40very well known both in ancient Greece and in ancient Rome as a symbol of value.
01:48And it was right there that it symbolized the moral values of loyalty and chastity.
01:55In Rome, in ancient imperial Rome,
01:58gold was a real symbol of glory and honor.
02:03With a crown of intertwined branches of gold,
02:07the head of the winning general,
02:11the one who had triumphed,
02:13or the one who wanted to become emperor,
02:17gold was not only used to recognize military merits,
02:23but also and above all those of sports.
02:26Let's think, for example, of those athletes
02:29who made fun of gold after a great victory.
02:33What to say about the use of gold from the point of view of drinks
02:39that have taken over today?
02:41Well, both in appetizers,
02:44which, for example, at the end of a dinner,
02:46in trattories and restaurants of a certain level,
02:50can not miss the Allorino,
02:53an excellent substitute for bitter digestives.
03:03Gold is known above all for its aromatic characteristics,
03:06but also for its very important beneficial properties due to its precious components.
03:11Both the bark and the leaves of gold are used,
03:14rich in essential oils, especially alkaloids,
03:17terpenes, triterpenoids, citric acid and flavonoids.
03:20Inside gold we can also find important essential micronutrients,
03:24such as iron.
03:26Just think that two tablespoons of chopped gold
03:29are able to satisfy 40% of the daily need for iron
03:33that an adult individual needs.
03:35Other minerals present inside are calcium and potassium.
03:39Among vitamins, the vitamin A content stands out above all.
03:42In the gastronomic tradition,
03:44leaves are used above all,
03:46chopped or whole, to flavor various appetizers.
03:49But also the barks are an important ingredient of some recipes,
03:53such as pork and wild rice,
03:56and are often also used to garnish very good focaccia.
04:00Finally, an important strategy in the kitchen
04:03is to add gold to appetizers,
04:05because through its particularly spicy and aromatic flavor,
04:09it allows to add less salt to dishes,
04:12which, as we know, is the main risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.
04:24The essential oil contained in the barks and leaves
04:27is composed of a series of aromatic substances,
04:30such as eugenol, limonene, geraniol, eucalyptol, and pinene,
04:36which gives the bark a wide range of beneficial properties,
04:40which we will now analyze in detail.
04:47The bark has an aperitif property,
04:49in the sense that it stimulates appetite,
04:52prepares the gastrointestinal system to receive food,
04:55thus favoring digestion.
05:01Therefore, the bark promotes digestive processes,
05:04relieves abdominal swelling and colic,
05:07also because it facilitates the expulsion of gastrointestinal gases.
05:14The essential oil of the bark
05:16certainly helps to fluidize and eliminate the bronchial catharsis,
05:21relieving the cough.
05:23The bark also has diaphoretic properties,
05:26in the sense that it certainly helps to modulate and regulate sweating,
05:32lowering, for example, the body temperature in the event of excessive fever,
05:37but in addition to the fever, in the form of pediluvia,
05:40it is also used in the event of excessive foot sweating.
05:48The preparations based on the bark
05:50The preparations based on the bark
05:52can be useful in alleviating muscle pain,
05:55but also joint pain in the event of rheumatism or arthritis.
06:00Moreover, they also seem to be particularly useful
06:04in alleviating injuries caused by trauma,
06:07such as hematomas or ecchymosis.
06:13The lauric acid contained in the bark
06:16is able to ward off insects, such as mosquitoes and parasites.
06:24Rather dated is the use of lauric acid in the cosmetological field.
06:29Lauric acid was used since the Mesopotamian times,
06:32we are talking about 2500 BC,
06:35to prepare perhaps the oldest known detergent,
06:39which is Aleppo soap,
06:41which is composed of macerated bay leaves associated with olive oil.
06:46Aleppo soap is used for very sensitive skins
06:50or in any case affected by pathologies,
06:52such as allergic dermatitis, psoriasis or skin irritations.
07:00The unmistakable scent of bay leaves
07:03is used in the kitchen to add a touch to some dishes,
07:08such as legumes, fish or meat, especially wild food.
07:12In addition to bay leaves,
07:14it is also possible to extract infusions, herbal teas or liqueurs.
07:22Although it is an edible plant,
07:24it is not advisable to taste the bay leaves,
07:27as with the chewing they release a strong bitter taste to the palate,
07:34which can cause nausea for several hours.
07:42The presence of latonis and squiterpenis in the bay leaves
07:46creates a form of cross-reaction,
07:49of cross-allergy with compounds such as margherita,
07:53ascensus, artemisia,
07:55so that people who should be allergic to the pollen of these plants
08:00must avoid the use and contact with bay leaves,
08:04which, among other things,
08:06does not lose its allergizing power even after cooking.
08:30Transcription by ESO, translation by —