Gazpacho: is it really healthy or not for the body?

How delicious is a gazpacho in the middle of a hot summer afternoon? Your answer will surely be Very, very delicious! No matter what your favorite gazpacho is, this refreshing meal is always good.

Especially because it helps us stay hydrated, satiated and full of energy at a time of year where we can lower our mood a bit due to the scorching high temperatures.

It also becomes a perfect excuse for an afternoon with friends on a terrace, a share with the family or to take advantage of the ingredients that this season of the year offers us, where vegetables and fruits are at their juiciest point and mature. But have you ever thought about how it may or may not benefit our health.

Will gazpacho be healthy for the body? Find out in the following article, where we will tell you all the properties and benefits of gazpacho consumption.

• It may interest you: "What is the best packaged gazpacho? The 9 best brands "

What is gazpacho?

The gazpacho consists of a cold and thick soup of vegetables typical of the Spanish summer season

and it is enjoyed as a main dish or as an aperitif. It is said that the origin of this dish comes from Andalusia in the 19th century, where farm workers drank hard bread. from previous days saved and softened with a kind of soup made with vegetables that ripened in summer and had hand.

Then, as time went by, more ingredients were added to the dish that made it more substantial. Like those coming from American lands and that little by little began to belong to Spanish cuisine. Becoming a form of union of gastronomic cultures.

The ingredients in the traditional Andalusian gazpacho are: olive oil, sherry vinegar, garlic, cucumbers, tomatoes, onion and green peppers, accompanied by loaves of stale bread or biscuits soda.

Types of gazpacho

However, the Andalusian gazpacho is not the only one that exists. With time and experiments in the kitchen, people have managed to replicate this refreshing dish with other ingredients that make it a varied and very interesting alternative to enjoy. We will show you some of those versions.

1. Green gazpacho

As you can guess from its name, it is a modification to the ingredients, choosing only those of greenish hues such as cucumber, celery, green peppers, spinach, basil and parsley You can even add yogurt or sugar to the mixture to obtain a gazpacho of the polar opposite to the traditional one.

2. White Gazpacho

As for this, the hue obtained is white, since pine nuts, almonds, apples, abundant breadcrumbs and eggs are taken as the main ingredients. This is considered one of the most substantial gazpachos of all and for this reason its consumption must be moderated.

3. gazpachuelo

This alternative to gazpacho was born thanks to the fishermen of the coast of Malaga, where the leading role is this time eggs and mayonnaise, leaving vegetables in the background and may even be completely out of the saucer. It is also considered a very heavy dish for constant consumption.

4. Pre-Columbian Gazpacho

It can be said that this is the original version of gazpacho, that is, the traditional dish as created by the peasants of the nineteenth century before the arrival of Columbus to America and brought with him typical ingredients of those regions. This dish was unveiled in 2010 by the restaurateur Ada Parellada who describes the following ingredients: watermelon o melon, cherries, cucumbers, radishes, raw almonds, ginger root, onion, garlic, mint, vinegar, olive oil and Salt.

5. Fruit gazpacho

This version takes fruits as the main ingredients over vegetables. Therefore, we can have a slightly sweeter and even fresher gazpacho. Ideal for dessert or on hot afternoons. It is usually made with a single fruit (preferably red fruits such as strawberries, watermelons and cherries) or all can be combined to create a kind of creamy fruit salad. There is also a version of melon and mint gazpacho, which are typical ingredients of the Spanish summer.

Is gazpacho healthy for the body?

The answer to this question will depend mainly on the ingredients that the gazpacho has and the frequency of its consumption.. But in general terms, gazpacho offers many advantages to our body, such as giving us energy or staying hydrated. It also consists of a substantial, varied and complete meal that we can add to a main menu without any inconvenience.

However, you have to be careful with the ingredients of the dish. Gazpacho has health benefits because it essentially consists of a mixed vegetable soup. But, by altering its composition and adding other heavier elements, it can go from being a healthy dish to something a bit destabilizing for our body health.

Thus it is important that you always choose to consume a traditional gazpacho made with olive oilWithout extra elements such as mayonnaise or if it is fruit, it does not have too much sugar, look instead for natural sweeteners such as stevia or unprocessed sweeteners.

Health benefits of gazpacho

Despite the care we must have when modifying the traditional gazpacho recipe and leaning towards the more healthy, there is no doubt of the benefits that these can bring to our body and even that they can help its functioning suitable.

Not only with the version of the traditional vegetable gazpacho, but with the inclusion of fruits to the mix.

1. Natural nutrients

Due to its composition, we can appreciate the intake of fresh and natural ingredients of the summer season, which Thanks to their level of ripeness and juiciness, they show greater properties such as antioxidants, moisturizers and vitamins. Helping the body's functions and strengthening the cells of the epidermis, which is very beneficial when it comes to fighting aging.

Another benefit that we obtain thanks to its nutrients is that gazpacho becomes a source of energy healthy, which helps us maintain a positive mood, reduce stress, avoid fatigue and fatigue.

2. It keeps us hydrated

As it is a typical summer meal and is served as a cold dish, it has refreshing properties that not only quench our thirst, but also which also helps prevent dry skin and dehydration of the body caused by high temperatures and exposure to Sun. So it becomes a great ally of water that we can also enjoy to feed ourselves.

3. Sun protection

As you already read, gazpacho contributes to our skin to gain extra protection against UV rays solar, which prevents the appearance of spots, burns, sunstroke and the development of cells carcinogenic. This is because its ingredients are rich in antioxidants and minerals that help us better withstand the heat of the season.

Another benefit to add is that we can maintain a beautiful tan without damaging our skin.

4. Strengthens the immune system

Thanks to the minerals, vitamins and nutrients that the ingredients of gazpacho have, we can enjoy an adequate immune system to combat any type of common cold or viral infections, when the colder seasons approach after the end of the summer. In addition, this speeds up our metabolism and improves the regulation of our body temperature, in a pleasant way to the palate.

5. It prevents illnesses

Gazpacho not only cooperates with the body to prevent colds, but also helps to keep our organs in perfect healthy harmony to perform their functions adequately. As it is rich in fiber, it benefits the digestive and intestinal system, with its minerals it helps cell oxygenation and prevents cardiovascular or hypertensive diseases, while with its vitamins it delays skin aging and cerebral.

6. Strengthens aesthetics

Due to the production of lycopene, vitamins and mineral salts, both from vegetables, and in its variant of liquid fruit salad, contributes to the strengthening and nutrition of skin cells, preventing their oxidation and the prevention of skin diseases. skin. Such as spots or cancer caused by exposure to UV rays. In addition, vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers have anti-inflammatory properties, which help reduce swelling and redness on the skin from the heat.

Another benefit that we cannot ignore is that it helps keep our skin beautiful, thanks to the fact that we can keep it constantly hydrated. Which is very important to monitor during the summer since, it is very easy for the body, during the summer it is more vulnerable in the loss of fluid.

So now you know, try to choose the most traditional gazpachos such as Andalusian, pre-Columbian or its fruit variant. Which are not only more refreshing and nutritious, but will help you not gain extra weight during The holidays will keep you active and protected from the tenacity of the sun, during high temperatures.

The important thing is that you can make this recipe with natural, fresh and light ingredients for the body, that bring benefits for your interior and exterior.