5 minutes
We are going to teach you how to prepare pinolillo at home, a drink with excellent organoleptic characteristics and a lot of antioxidants inside.
Pinolillo is a drink native to the Nicaraguan region that has several health benefits. It is prepared quickly and easily with few ingredients, and can be included in the context of a varied and balanced diet. In fact, we will teach you the recipe so you can enjoy it regularly.
Before starting, keep in mind that the best tool to guarantee a good state of hydration is water, but this does not mean that there are other drinks that can generate positive effects on the body.
An example would be coffee, with a significant content of phytochemical compounds with antioxidant capacity. Its intake is recommended by most nutrition experts.
Pinolillo ingredients
To make pinolillo like an expert you will need the following ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of cornmeal.
- 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder with no added sugar.
- 3 teaspoons of honey.
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice.
- A pinch of ground cloves.
- 1 cup of skim milk.
- 1 cup of cold water.
Keep in mind that honey can be substituted for another type of sweetener. As a general rule, it is recommended to prioritize natural ones such as stevia over artificial ones. The latter could be too aggressive and damage the composition of the intestinal microbiota in terms of density and diversity.
Step by Step
- Heat a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the cornmeal and heat while stirring until it is toasted.
- Once the previous process is finished, put it in the glass of a blender.
- Also add the cocoa powder, honey, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, milk and water..
- Process everything until you get a homogeneous and sparkling result.
- It only remains to serve to enjoy an authentic Nicaraguan pinolillo, although it is always advisable to let it cool for a while to enjoy it to the fullest. It can be easily kept in the fridge, as long as it is kept covered so that it is not contaminated with other aromas.
Benefits of pinolillo
The inclusion of pinolillo regularly in the diet could generate certain health benefits, although it is best to reduce its honey content or replace this ingredient with a natural sweetener.
Yes indeed, it will be essential to include it in the context of a varied diet and balanced to ensure that there is no deficit of essential micronutrients that conditions the proper functioning of human physiology.
Helps control blood glucose levels
Cinnamon is one of the spices with the most properties when it comes to stabilizing blood glucose levels. It has an antidiabetic power, as evidenced by a research published in the journal The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association. For this reason, it is usually used during the treatment of metabolic pathologies and when trying to promote weight loss.
It’s important to put attention on increasing insulin sensitivity is key to improving body composition status. Otherwise, the body would not be able to mobilize and oxidize lipids correctly, so there would be a tendency for them to accumulate in the subcutaneous adipose tissue, with the health problems that this entails.
Regulates blood pressure
One of the components of pinolillo is cocoa. This plant-based food has many health benefits. It stands out for the concentration in its interior of many phytochemicals with antioxidant capacity, elements that neutralize the production of free radicals and regulate inflammatory mechanisms in the body.
Among all the effects generated by cocoa, we must highlight the ability of the substance to help control blood pressure levels, according to a study published in the journal The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Thus, one of the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, which claims thousands of lives worldwide each year, is reduced.
It could help prevent complex pathologies
What is clear is that several of the ingredients in pinolillo generate antioxidant activity. The fact of reducing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species in the tissues is considered especially positive for health, since this is one of the mechanisms underlying a multitude of chronic and complex diseases. A regular intake of phytochemicals have demonstrated help in preventing them.
However, It should be noted that an excessive intake of these compounds could also have contraindications. For example, in the sports context a very high consumption of antioxidants would reduce the muscular adaptations after the activity. In any case, to reach these levels it is usually necessary to supplement, through food such a situation does not usually occur.
Improves hydration status
Maintaining the water balance in the body is essential, especially during the hot months. Fluids are lost daily that need to be replaced. Although the best method of carrying out this task is to drink water, infusions can be an effective help to avoid alterations at a physiological level.
Prepare pinolillo at home in a simple way
As you have seen, it is easy to prepare pinolillo at home, a drink that has several health benefits, as well as having excellent organoleptic characteristics. Variety is the key to a good diet, so It will be positive to combine this preparation with other healthy liquids such as coffee, the cocoa drink without added sugar or the infusions.
Finally, remember that keeping the body hydrated is necessary for it to function smoothly. If there is a fluid deficit, physiological alterations could be experienced that hinder the success of the chemical reactions that take place daily in the human body. Even a high water imbalance could end up causing death.
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