What are the benefits of spiralizing?
Admittedly, we first thought spiralizing was just another fad when the clean eating brigade relentlessly Instagrammed the hell out of courgetti but, with supermarkets increasingly stocking pre-made spiralized veg, we're coming round to the fact that it's definitely here to stay.
For those that don't know, the spiralizer, originally devised by the Japanese, is a kitchen device. It slices the likes of carrots, cucumbers and courgettes into long thin ribbons to be used in all sorts of salads and dishes.
The gadget has long had a large celebrity following mainly due to the fact that it's an easy way to replace carbs but in recent years it has reached the mainstream largely through the influence of bloggers.
Ali Maffucci, the author of Inspiralized, made her name through her blog dedicated to the technique. She famously lost 11 kg (24 pounds) in three months by replacing pasta, bread, potatoes and rice with spiralized vegetables. Healthy eating gurus Hemsley & Hemsley have released their own spiralizing machine and bloggers including Deliciously Ella and Madeleine Shaw use the technique in countless recipes.
But, what actually are the benefits of incorporating spiralized vegetables into your diet plan? Why not just cook a sweet potato rather than slice it? We sat down with nutritionist and Piccolo Plates co-founder, Bella Awkwright to find out. Here, she lists why we can all benefit from the technique:
Spiralized veg is naturally low in calorie, low in carbohydrate, low in sugar, high in fibre AND unprocessed. Incorporating it into your diet not only offers a wealth of health benefits but can assist you in maintaining a steady weight.
Many spiralized recipes use raw vegetables, so people are automatically encouraged to eat them in their natural state. By consuming vegetables such as carrots, courgettes, beetroot and sweet potato raw, dietary fibre and water is retained, which not only helps to keep you fuller for longer and maintain energy but also keeps your digestion regular.
Spiralizing encourages people to be more experimental and versatile with their vegetables which in turn makes eating larger amounts of vegetables more appealing. With so many recipes books dedicated purely to the spiralizing technique, it's easy to find the dishes you love to eat.
Spiralizing is incredibly quick. For those working long hours and don't feel like cooking when they get home, they can have a nutritious meal in a matter of minutes. With a good spirilizer such as the Lurch Attila Hildmann model, you can slice a whole bowl of courgetti in under 2 minutes.
Spiralizing can be very helpful for those who have food sensitivities or subscribe to a vegan, gluten free or vegetarian diet. Pasta is a wheat based food so for those with diagnosed conditions such as celiac disease spiralising vegetables offers a easy and healthy alternative.
Shop our pick of the best spiralizers below:
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The electronic one
When it comes to kitchen gadgets the two things I need them to do is deliver what they promise and be easy to clean. Morphy Richard's Spiralizer Express ticks both boxes.
The machine comes with two blade options and creates either ribbons or spaghetti in seconds. You simply push your chosen veg (I like to use courgette, carrot, cucumber or sweet potato) down the food chute using the plunger and it all collects in a removable bowl.
All the pieces can easily be removed to be washed and when you want to store it away in a cupboard they all compact together.
The fact that it's electronic means it's at least three times faster to make your veg and because the machine is relatively heavy, you don't have to worry it will slide about - something I've found a nuisance with countless hand-held models.
So, if you don't mind spending a little more money, you want to introduce more vegetables into your diet and you want some quick, easy and efficient - this is the spiralizer you should invest in. It's one of the best electronic ones out there.
Morphy Richards Spiralizer Express, £49.99, Morphy Richards
The all-rounder: Lurch Attila Hildmann
The Lurch Attila Hildman is a fantastic all-round spiralizer.
It comes with a range of blades so that you can pick the width of your noodles and play with shapes depending on the desired presentation.
The blades pack neatly into a built-in draw so you don't have to take up extra kitchen space and the device is incredibly easy to use thanks to its handheld rotator that allows you to adjust the slicer to the length of your vegetable.Lurch Attila Hildmann Spiralizer, £34.50, Amazon
The functional one: Cuisique
The USP of the Cuisique model is that it collects the noodles once spiralized into a pot unlike many of its competitors. This
significantly reduces mess and makes it quicker to throw your veg into salads or hot dishes.
Cuisique Spiralizer, £30, Amazon
The bargain: Lakeland
A more labour-intensive spiralizer, the Lakeland's stainless steel hand-held grater may be harder work but you can't beat value for money when it's priced around £3.
You can't vary the size of your noodles and it doesn't work so well on tougher vegetables such as sweet potato but it's a great model to get an introduction to spiralizing with. If you don't like it, you won't have lost much, will you?
Avaliable in Lakeland
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The easy grate: Lurch 1 Piece Spiralo
This model is vertical as oppose to many others that are horizontal. This makes it simpler to spiralize as you can apply greater pressure due to the fact that you will be rotating the vegetable against the blade from above.
Lurch Spiralizer, £23, Amazon
