Kozonak is the dessert of the moment – the main dessert of the Christmas table. Having a large amount of nutrients in its composition – ideally of good quality – the way of consumption and, above all, the amount in which we consume can be a problem, Ligia Alexandrescu, consultant in sports nutrition and nutrition education, explains to HotNews. .ro and nutrition communication. But do we have alternatives to the “classic” cake? Yes, the nutritionist’s answer.

The classic recipe for kozonak contains flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. And then 100 grams of kozonak, made according to the classic recipe, can bring us up to 500 kilocalories, says nutritionist Ligia Alexandrescu.

“This means that we can consume it, but it is good to consume it in the first half of the day, after we do sports or when we are preparing for physical activity, so that we consume these carbohydrates,” says the nutritionist.

However, there is also a lighter version, “just as tasty and not immediately noticeable on the scales.”

Ligia Alexandrescu, sports nutrition, food education and food communication consultant / Photo: HotNews.ro

How to cook kozonak that does not make you fat – advice from nutritionist Ligia Alexandrescu:

• We can replace regular wheat flour with gluten-free flour, which is sifted twice. Wheat gluten is responsible for bloating, possible constipation, water retention and even weight gain.

• As a type of flour, you can also use quinoa flour, potato flour, pea protein. All this can be used to get a fluffy and tasty bun.

• The downside of having gluten is, of course, the lack of fiber – when we remove gluten, we also remove fiber. But we can afford it for dessert once a year.

• Eggs can be included in a kozonak recipe because they are low in calories and add flavor – they give a beautiful yellow appearance, and in addition, they also give the dessert an extraordinary nutritional value.

• Butter should be unsalted to avoid water retention due to sodium intake.

• Sugar can be replaced – refined sugar with birch sugar, which also has a laxative effect and is very pleasant to the taste, does not change the taste of the cake.

Cozonac / Photo: Rusu Eugen Catalin | Dreamstime.com

“So, if we manage to reduce the calorie content of the ingredients, there is no doubt that kozonak can be consumed in a slightly larger quantity, and furthermore, it can also be consumed by people suffering from diabetes or gluten intolerance,” concludes Ligia Alexandrescu.

In terms of calories, “we are approaching 280 – 380 kilocalories per serving of kozonac prepared in this way, and it can also be consumed in the afternoon – of course, if you also exercise a little after consuming it”, says Ligia Alexandrescu more.

Photo: Dreamstime.com