La, a typical drink of the Valencian Community and which is normally taken in the summer months, is made with water, sugar and tiger nut (an edible tuber).
It is rich in minerals and vitamins, phosphorus, and and E, and is ideal to withstand high temperatures and recover the liquids that are lost when sweating.
A drink that per 100 grams provides 100 calories (without lactose, casein and gluten), so it is suitable for all types of and improves intestinal health, according to research by the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC).
This is clear from a study in collaboration with the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA) and published in the journal .
Although the trial has only been carried out in a fairly small sample, about 35 people, it could indicate the hitherto unknown benefits of this product, which is usually accompanied with a very typical sweet: .
In just 3 days, the bacterial populations of all the volunteers shifted towards healthier microbial patterns.
Of course, the researchers highlight, to benefit from all the properties of tiger nut milk, it must be natural, unpasteurized and without added sugar.
The fact that the intestinal microbiota improves is due to:
“It is a product rich in resistant starch, in oleic acid (like olive oil) and provides antioxidants (polyphenols) present in the tiger nut, where it is obtained.”
To reach this conclusion, the participants drank 300 milliliters of horchata during three days. And when analyzing the feces of the volunteers, it was found that three profiles of microorganisms changed after the consumption of horchata.
“In just 3 days, the bacterial populations of all the volunteers changed towards healthier microbial patterns, similar to those promoted by the Mediterranean or vegetarian diet”, explains the main author of this research, Gaspar Perez.
Why is the intestinal microbiota so important?
According to Pérez, three bacteria increased significantly after consuming horchata for three days in a row.
Akkermansiawhich experts associate with weight loss,
christenellaceae, Clostridials and faecalibacteriumwhich helps control glucose,
bifidobacterium and Lachnospira.
“These are species that already existed in the digestive system of the volunteers, but that the consumption of natural horchata has encouraged, and improving the profile of the intestinal microbiota of the people who participated in the trial”.
The gut microbiota It is essential to maintain optimal health. Specialists assure that its alteration has direct consequences with non-communicable diseases such as:
And, despite the fact that horchata has always been associated with diuretic, digestive and even antidiarrheal properties, there is no scientific evidence that it has a “power” to cut diarrhea or other popular benefits.
“The possible explanation of the observed changes could be linked to the high content of insoluble starch granules in the horchata of relatively small size (6-11 µm) with a moderate to high proportion of amylose (up to 19-21%), as well as its compact structure”, is specified in the study.
Sugar-free tiger nut horchata
It is essential that in order to improve the intestinal microbiota, the horchata does not contain added sugar. because it is a Refreshing drink which is already sweet:
-
“It is naturally sweet as it contains 9.2–13.0 g sucrose/100 mL of variable small amounts of glucose and fructose.”
The (WHO) recommends that sugar intake never exceed 5% of total daily calories. This recommendation is not only for the free (the added in ultra-processed foods), but also for sugars naturally present in syrups, honeys or fruit juices.