PROPERTIES AND BENEFITS
The fruit and vegetables grown by Agri Italia are mainly winter crops, with radishes at the heart of the business. The range is completed with Butterhead Lettuce and Lollo Verde, together with Kohlrabi. Spring and summer crops mainly focus on Dumara watermelon, grown in a protected environment.
The following section mentions some of the healthy properties of our products:
RADISHES
(Raphanus sativus). These come from the Crucifer family. Radishes are good for liver and kidneys as well as for muscle relaxation, and the nervous system. Radishes have only 11 calories for 100 grams. They mostly consist of water and their nutrients include iron, phosphorous, calcium, B group vitamins, vitamin C. and folic acid. Radishes have diuretic and purifying properties and their ability to aid sleep has been known since ancient times.
Radishes have numerous other healthy properties that are used above all in plant therapy. They help to relax the muscles and nervous system; in the form of herbal teas they can be used to calm coughs and against respiratory infections; radish seeds are a mild laxative. Traditionally, in ancient times they were used as a natural remedy against fever.
WATERMELON
The watermelon comes from the Cucurbitaceae family. It is an excellent diet food because it has very few calories, while it still satisfies the appetite. The properties and benefits of dumara watermelon: watermelon has a high water content, over 90% of the whole fruit. Its most important nutritional content is lycopene, an anti-oxidant and therefore it is useful in the prevention of tumours and against free radicals.
Watermelon also has a high fibre content, as well as proteins, sodium, potassium, iron, calcium, carbohydrates and vitamins from the groups A, B1, B2 and C. It is a fruit that quenches the thirst, is diuretic and purifying. It is good for the liver and kidneys as well as being very enjoyable on a particularly hot day. Its mineral content is also a great help in combatting that typical summertime fatigue.
Watermelon is very useful for calorie-controlled diets, as it has a very low calorie count (20 calories per 100 grams of flesh) but it is also very filling and completely free of fat. Watermelon is good for the heart, liver, kidneys and respiratory tract as well as being one of the most effective foods against cellulite.
LETTUCE AND LOLLO VERDE
These are able to rehydrate the human body as well as helping the digestive system and circulation. Lettuce has numerous positive effects, including aiding digestion, thanks to its excellent fibre content (inulin, consisting of fructose chains) that make it easy to digest.
This reserve oligosaccharide also has a “prebiotic action” because, as an ally of the digestive system, it reduces the production of intestinal gas, thanks to its ability to reduce the amount of harmful bacteria and to increase the amount of Bifidobacteria (friendly bacteria).
It helps the whole body thanks to its good mineral levels (iron, calcium, phosphorus, copper, sodium and potassium), vitamin A and vitamin C, which are recommended when the body needs a supplement of these micronutrients.
It also helps the circulation, since it has a particular molecule, glucocin, which makes it particularly suitable for persons suffering with diabetes, since it has a hypoglycemic function (lowers glucose levels in the blood).
Letuce and Lollo verde are also good for calorie control with just 15 kcal per 100 g. Their fat composition is almost zero while their complex carbohydrates, represented by non-digestible fibre – make it good for persons who are overweight.
KOHLRABI
This belongs to the Cruciferous family and is not related to any form of turnip or beet: the rabi is the bottom part of the stem, which is very large and can be eaten either cooked or raw.
Few glycols, few proteins but a lot of fibre, minerals and vitamins. The cabbage contains sulphur, calcium, selenium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, copper, sodium, B vitamins – including folic acid – and vitamin C, which also helps to boost vitamin E absorption.
The fibres help the gastrointestinal tract, while its anti-inflammatory properties have been proven, as have its anti-oxidant properties, which slow down cell ageing. All of the parts of the plant, including leaves and inflorescences, and therefore, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower, are recommended for their capacity to prevent tumours of different types, from the lungs to the colon.