We love their simplicity and their comforting taste on the plate, sprinkled with parmesan or an Italian sauce. However, gnocchi purchased ready-made are far from being very healthy, as revealed by the magazine 60 million consumers. Gnocchi, friends or foes?
Fresh or to fry, plain or cheese flavored, ready in just a few minutes, gnocchi have won the hearts of the French. But according to the magazine 60 million consumers, the versions offered in mass distribution have nothing of the traditional recipe which only mixes potatoes, flour and a little salt.
Supermarket versions contain too many additives
Instead of the basic ingredients of potatoes and flour, 60 million consumers report ingredients from ultra-processing in the versions placed in the fresh section: dehydrated potato flakes, apple starch earth, emulsifiers, preservatives, acidity correctors…
“Worse: the gnocchi with cheese, bacon or tomato-mozza come in extended compositions (more than 10 ingredients in the extra cheese pan-fried gnocchi, from Lustucru)”.
Ingredients that have nothing to do there!
In other versions, such as the frozen gorgonzola and spinach preparation from Monoprix, the association also announces having discovered processed corn and/or rice starch, dextrose and milk proteins. “Three characteristic ingredients of ultra-processed foods, which we know are harmful to health” the magazine is surprised.
That’s not all: other incongruous ingredients call out, such as wheat semolina which gives a sandy appearance (and which has no place in a gnocchi) or rice flour, used to make the different gnocchi do not stick together.
As much sugar as in a donut!
Finally, the magazine reveals that when it comes to salt and sugar, brands have a heavy hand…
- Thus, the quantities of salt reach 1.4 g per 100 g for the Rummo recipe and 1.5 g for the pan-fried gnocchi from Monoprix. (While the daily dose recommended by the World Health Organization is 5 g of salt per “day” for an adult and 2 g for a child.);
- Certain references such as frozen gorgonzola and spinach gnocchi from Monoprix contain 8.2 g of sugar per 100 g, “as much sugar as a donut or a donut!” vsompare le magazine ;
- Others also have a quantity of fat, and more particularly saturated fatty acids, which can be cause for concern. Here again, the gorgonzola and spinach gnocchi from Monoprix contain 6.5 g per 100 g, the cheddar-bacon frying gnocchi from Lustucru 3.2 g, while those from Bonini only have 0.2 g.
NO to diets, YES to WW!
Might as well try some homemade gnocchi
Last argument to take into account, according to 60 million consumers, supermarket gnocchi are also 10 times more expensive than those made at home. These ultimately only require 600 g of flour for 400 g of mashed potatoes and a little salt. Shape by hand and cook for 20 seconds in boiling water!
