Donuts are the most sought after on a fat Thursday. A statistical Pole eats 2-3 donuts on this day. Bad luck is to abstain from eating donuts on a fat Thursday. However, are the donuts he althy? What are the nutritional values ​​of donuts? Are donuts fattening?

Donutsare spherical cakes - usually yeast - stuffed and fried in fat, although some people know other types of donuts, such as cheese donuts, homogenized cheese donuts or potato donuts. Currently, gluten-free donuts are also popular.

Donuts - donut history

Donutswere known even in the times of the ancient Romans. Initially, they were very fatty balls of bread dough stuffed with bacon. Probably the idea to add sugar to donuts came from North Africa. The donuts were sweetened following the Egyptian recipe, and as is well known, Arabs are known for very sweet treats.

One of the legends that explains where the donuts came from in the form we know today is a story about a Berlin confectioner who dreamed of serving in the Prussian army. Due to his rather poor he alth, he was not drafted into the army, but was appointed a military cook. With joy, the confectioner prepared yeast sweets with filling, in the shape of cannon balls.

The tradition of frying donuts in Poland has been known since the 19th century. In the beginning, they were quite hard balls of dough stuffed with bacon. Some still fry donuts in lard according to the old tradition. In many homes it is even believed that only sweets prepared in this way taste really good.

Donuts - types of donuts

Donuts don't look and taste the same everywhere - there are many types of donuts and ingredients used in their preparation. In Western Europe, mainly German regulations are used. Our pastries differ from their frying time: Western donuts land in fat only for a few dozen seconds, so they are not so greasy. In turn, donuts similar to ours are eaten in Israel - there the tradition of frying yeast dough balls was brought by Polish Jews.

In Silesia, on the other hand, kreple is eaten - the name comes from the German Krapfen, meaning dough fried in oil. Therefore, rustic donuts can sometimes be confused with Russian pancakes. At our westernersneighbors are very popular Berlin donuts.

How to distinguish them from other donuts? First of all, thanks to the light stripe. Mainly stuffed with marmalade, but also with chocolate or toffee. They are covered with powdered sugar or icing.

Once upon a time, completely different donuts were popular in Poland - with pork fat or bacon.

In the USA, traditional donuts are donuts, resembling our "donuts" - they have a hole in the middle, and instead of filling, they are poured with colorful, fruit toppings. Spanish donuts, the so-called sockets, is prepared from steamed dough (such as on a puff). French and Viennese donuts look similar. Turkish donuts (lokma) are mini balls made of very sweet dough and covered with sugar syrup. They are so small that they can be used for one bite.

In Hungary you can try farsangi fánk - donuts without filling, served on a plate decorated with fruit preserves. In the Netherlands, the delicacy is oliebollen, for the preparation of which yeast dough is needed. It looks like pancakes. It is not stuffed with marmalade, but raisins, cranberries and apple slices. English donuts, on the other hand, are homogenized cheese donuts.

Donuts - are donuts he althy?

Donuts are most often made of white flour, which is highly processed carbohydrate that has little nutritional value. In addition, donuts are deep-fried, and the one used in confectionery is mostly partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. They are a source of trans fats, which increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and numerous inflammatory diseases. Besides, donuts are hard to digest and provide only empty calories.

However, donuts should not hurt us if we only reach for them from time to time. In any case, choose the best quality donuts. How to recognize such?

  • sprinkles - it's better to choose those without sprinkles in all colors of the rainbow
  • filling - its color should be similar to the color of the fruit it is made of, so e.g. strawberry should be the color of strawberries. It is better to choose donuts with low-calorie fruit jam, not chocolate or toffee. Those with the addition of fruit have slightly less calories
  • packaging - better not to choose the packed ones

The cheapest donuts from discounters or large stores contain emulsifiers, raising agents, acidity regulators, flavors, hardened fats, dyes and preservatives. Thanks to these ingredients, donuts can look the same for a week as they do right after baking. That's why it's better sometimespay a little more and buy a donut from a proven pastry shop.

GOOD TO KNOW :How many calories do donuts have, and how many faworki?

How to check if a donut is fresh and well done? Press it with your finger. If it goes back to its original shape, it means it's fresh.

Worth knowing

Donuts - nutritional value of donuts with a hole, donuts (in 100 g / in one piece, approx. 45 g)

  • Energy value - 426/192 kcal
  • Total protein - 5.20 / 2.34 g
  • Fat - 22.90 / 10.30 g
  • Carbohydrates - 50.80 / 22.86 g
  • Fiber - 1.5 / 0.7 g

Vitamins

  • Thiamine - 0.233 / 0.105 mg
  • Riboflavin - 0.198 / 0.089 mg
  • Niacin -1.512 / 0.680 mg
  • Vitamin B6 - 0.027 / 0.012 mg
  • Folic acid - 70/32 µg
  • Vitamin A - 10/4 IU
  • Vitamin B12 - 0.24 / 0.11 mg

Minerals

  • Calcium - 60/27 mg
  • Iron - 1.06 / 0.48 mg
  • Magnesium - 17/8 mg
  • Phosphorus - 117/53 mg
  • Potassium - 102/46 mg
  • Sodium - 402/181 mg
  • Zinc - 0.44 / 0.20 mg

Fatty acids

  • saturated - 5.926 / 2.667 g
  • monounsaturated - 12.697 / 5.714 g
  • polyunsaturated - 2.909 / 1.309 g
  • cholesterol - 32/14 g

Data Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference

Category:

What do you eat