Joe Duggan (Reporter)
CATALAN nutritionists have revealed for the first time the health giving effects of traditional Mediterranean sofrito.
The sauce was examined by scientists at the University of Barcelona for its health-giving properties and carotenoids.
Its onion and garlic base make sofrito good for warding off cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and cancer, they found.
Its slow cooking time of around an hour also allows the onion to release licopeno, which helps cancer and type-two diabetes with the tomato producing carotenoids
Maria Lamuela Raventós, university researcher, said: “This is an innovative study because there is almost no scientific research covering the subject of cooking effects in health.
“Our objective was to evaluate how the sofrito home cooking process and synergies between different ingredients used in this sauce -such as extra virgin olive oil, onion and garlic- interact and increase the presence of these carotenoids”.
The study’s findings were published in Food Research International.
Have to make your own to avoid the rancid cheap oils in the prepared versions.