After a dinner in a pizzeria it can happen that you come across intestinal problems or be prey to an indomitable thirst. In most cases, by choosing serious pizzerias and pizza makers, the problem can be circumvented. But here is a list of reasons that explain this annoying phenomenon in detail.
Malaise, thirst and swelling can occur after enjoying one of the pillars of our Mediterranean diet, Pizza.
These increasingly frequent symptoms have been studied but the result is not unique. In fact, the faults are often attributed to incorrect or incomplete leavening but, as we will see, this is not the only factor to take into account.
The pizza dough is made from simple ingredients: flour, brewer's yeast, water, salt.
Especially yeasts and gluten can create problems in particularly sensitive individuals. In this case the best option is to choose the gluten-free pizzerias increasingly common in Italy.
The presence of allergies or intolerances can be ruled out with specific medical tests. However, if the problems arise only after eating pizza in certain places or with home dough no symptoms are found, then the cause must be sought elsewhere.
It has happened to everyone at least once in their life to spend a pleasant evening out for dinner and then face an endless night of intestinal pain and insatiable thirst. The first thing that comes to mind is that the pizza was not well risen.
And in part it is true.
In order for the pizza to be digestible and above all to avoid annoying thirst after the meal, it is important to respect the maturity of the dough which, through a series of enzymatic processes, allows the starches of the flour to be transformed into simple sugars.
A Proving adequate instead allows the dough to increase in volume and develop carbon dioxide thanks to certain chemical reactions.
The two phases require very long times (up to 72 hours) which are often not respected due to work and organizational needs, to the detriment of the customer.
Even cooking is of fundamental importance in the success of a highly digestible pizza. An undercooked and chewy dough is in fact rich in active yeasts which, once ingested, continue the fermentation process, causing the typical sense of swelling.
If the leavening phase is respected and cooking is carried out in a workmanlike manner, nighttime thirst can be justified by the presence of salt and particularly savory condiments.
Pizza is a popular dish but so noble that it deserves the use of top quality ingredients. When this doesn't happen, we come across the ailments listed above.
Choosing one is very important flour suitable among those available on the market. Many different types in fact, each with its own percentage of protein and gluten which determine its digestibility.
For example, the choice of a strong flour which makes the dough robust and the use of additives which shorten the processing times certainly contribute to the production of an indigestible pizza.
Another very important aspect is the freshness of ingredients used to season pizza. Low-quality cured meats and industrial products, for example, contain high percentages of salt and preservatives which help to stimulate thirst.
Furthermore, if the goal of the pizza maker is to cut costs and reduce time in the kitchen, probably instead of mozzarella cheese will use the famous blocks of melted cheese. In this case there will be no repercussions on digestion but the taste will certainly be penalized.
The basic rule for savoring the raw materials of pizza is do not exceed with too elaborate condiments. Together with salt these are the others responsible for night thirst.
Another good rule at the table is chew slowly to aid digestion. Furthermore, people prone to swelling should avoid beer, even if it is the perfect match, because it is rich in yeasts which can increase night-time symptoms.
There is good news though, malaise and thirst will cease once digestion is complete. In the meantime, the only solution is to carefully choose pizzerias that respect the fundamental rules of leavening and maturation, the raw materials and above all their customers.
