Gambas al-Jillo is a lump of fat, so why is it considered healthy?

Gambas al-Jillo is known as a healthy food among Spanish people. However, as anyone who's ever cooked it knows, gambas is loaded with fat. So why isn't it healthy?

 

The main ingredients for gambas are seafood, olive oil, and spices. First, pour olive oil into a pan, add garlic, bay leaves, basil, and chili peppers, and heat over low heat. After about 10 minutes, when the oil has fully infused with flavor, add the chopped cherry tomatoes, and finally, add the shrimp and cook until cooked. Serve with baguette.

 

Shrimp, one of the ingredients in gambas, has been accused of being high in cholesterol and bad for vascular health. It's true that shrimp is high in cholesterol. A typical 100g serving of shrimp contains 189mg of cholesterol, more than the equivalent amount of pork (73mg) or beef (90mg). However, dietary cholesterol doesn't significantly affect cholesterol levels in the body. This is because most of the body's cholesterol is endogenous, synthesized in the liver.

Besides shrimp, all the ingredients that go into gambas are healthy.

 

Olive oil, in particular, is largely comprised of unsaturated fatty acids, making it a staple in the Mediterranean diet, known as the "longevity diet." While excessive consumption of saturated fatty acids can clog blood vessels, unsaturated fatty acids, on the other hand, help unclog them. A study by the University of Edinburgh in the UK also found that the unsaturated fatty acids in olive oil inhibit the formation of carcinogenic proteins.

 

Garlic is also rich in minerals (356-705 mg per 100 g). The minerals found in garlic, such as potassium, phosphorus, and calcium, help build bones and teeth in the body and maintain blood pressure. Garlic also contains small amounts of riboflavin, a B vitamin that is beneficial for maintaining immunity and relieving fatigue.

 

Additionally, garlic contains allicin, a compound with antibacterial and antifungal properties. Consuming it can reduce the risk of infectious diseases like colds. In fact, a study of 146 adults in the UK found that those who consumed garlic extract for 12 weeks were approximately 64% less likely to develop a cold than those who did not.

 

However, caution is required when making gambas with commercial meal kits, as they can be high in sodium. In December 2022, the Seoul Institute of Health and Environment conducted a study on the sodium content of 100 popular meal kits, including budaejjigae (Korean army stew), bulgogi jeongol (Korean beef stew), jjambbong (Korean spicy seafood noodle soup), and gambas al-Jillo. More than half, or 51 products, exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline of 2,000 mg per day. Even one serving exceeds the daily sodium limit.

 

Even though the olive oil used in gambas is healthy, excessive fat intake is not good. A Seoul city survey found that three out of 22 gambas al-Jillo meal kits exceeded the recommended daily intake of fat (54g) set by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. When purchasing a gambas meal kit, look for one with a nutritional information label and choose one with the lowest sodium and fat content possible.

 

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Gambas oil is rich in unsaturated fatty acids

The Mediterranean diet is trendy these days,

 

Am I too old-fashioned?

I haven't tried gambas.

 

I didn't even think about cooking lol

 

These are ingredients I almost have at home, so I should give it a try.