Nutritional value
The amount of truffle is small. One serving is 0.5 grams, which is only 1/10 of a teaspoon.
A serving of black truffle preserved in water and salt contains:
- Calories: 10
- Protein: 2 grams
- Fat: 0 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Carbohydrates: 0 grams
The exact nutrients in truffles depend on the type you eat, but they are all rich sources of amino acids and minerals, including:
- phosphorus
- copper
- manganese
- selenium
- Zinc
- Vitamins A, B, C, D and K
Truffles are also rich in natural compounds that can protect you from "free radicals"-these toxins can damage your cells.
Health benefits
In Africa and the Middle East, people use truffles as a medicine to treat skin and eye diseases. But it is not yet clear how effective they are.
Some studies that test very strong truffle extracts indicate that it may:
- reduce cholesterol
- Control blood sugar
- Protect your liver from damage
- Reduce systemic inflammation
- Fight against bacterial infections
- Help prevent cancer
Keep in mind that the amount of truffles you eat is much smaller, so this effect is unlikely.
risk
An allergy to truffle is very rare. However, it is important to only eat fresh truffles from known and trusted sources, such as those who live on truffle hunting. Some poisonous mushrooms may be confused with truffles. Only experts can distinguish them.
How to prepare and eat truffles
After being picked, truffles will begin to rot within 10 days. It is not a good idea to boil or freeze them to try to make them last longer. Freezing will destroy the texture of the truffle, while boiling will destroy its flavor.
Wash the truffles immediately after you get them. To do this, cut off any dead spots and brush off the dirt, then gently rinse and blot dry. Cover the truffles with dry paper towels and put them in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.
The smell and taste of truffles are so strong that a little bit goes a long way. If you grind or scrape a small amount on the food before eating, you will get a rich flavor. Try adding raw truffles to eggs, pasta, rice, sauces, chicken, and fish. You can also mix it into olive oil or butter.
Although you can buy truffle-flavored foods such as oil, pasta and even potato chips, these foods do not contain real truffles. Because truffles deteriorate so quickly, items with a long shelf life depend on the flavor of artificial truffles. One way to preserve truffles for later use is to grind them into butter and freeze them in small amounts.
