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Mini guide

Experience the Langhe during pregnancy

A few pointers for enjoying the Langhe with a baby bump at one of life's most exciting times.

  • 1

    Some advice

    Whether at home or at a restaurant, approach meals with serenity. ↝

  • 2

    Cheeses

    A good source of protein and calcium, choose seasoned ones to be on the safe side. ↝

  • 3

    Tasty temptations

    Hazelnuts, honey and jams improve your mood, just consume them sparingly. ↝

  • 4

    Mind and body

    Give yourself the proper relaxation and spend some time outdoors-it's good for you. ↝

The Langhe offers food and wine traditions and enchanting landscapes, all waiting to be discovered. If you are planning a trip to this part of the Piedmont during your pregnancy, you are in the right place.

We have prepared a series of suggestions for you to give you the opportunity to experience the territory without worries, in one of the most magical moments of life.

To make your experience a memorable one, in this mini-guide we give you some practical tips for enjoying the culinary delights of tradition in a safe and satisfying way. We know that it is important to pay attention to nutrition to ensure the well-being, yours and your child’s.

We also offer easy and ecstatic itineraries for you to explore the Langhe without excessive effort or stress, allowing you to fully enjoy the beauty of the landscapes and historic villages.

Have a safe journey, and may your adventure be as unforgettable as the moment you are having!

Let’s start with food

Some tips for approaching meals with peace of mind, whether at home or at a restaurant.

  • 1

    Always communicate your pregnancy so that the kitchen can take the necessary precautions.

  • 2

    Eat fresh vegetables and fruits every day to get your fill of vitamins and minerals!

  • 3

    At home, consume raw vegetables and fresh seasonal fruits, as long as they are washed thoroughly under running water.

  • 4

    Outside the home, choose cooked vegetables. On the other hand, if you are not receptive to Toxoplasmosis, indulge in raw vegetables without fear.

  • 5

    Avoid consumption of raw or undercooked meats, including cold cuts and sausages such as ham and raw salami, bresaola, raw sausages, and bacon.

  • 6

    Choose well-cooked fish and eggs: cooking inhibits pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella.

  • 7

    Avoid large fish as they tend to accumulate significant amounts of toxic substances, chief among them mercury.

  • 8

    Abstain from alcoholic beverages, limit carbonated and sugary drinks, and avoid drinks (and foods) that contain artificial sweeteners.

  • 9

    Consume coffee and tea in moderation for caffeine content, preferring decaffeinated or decaffeinated products if possible.

The Castelmagno DOP cheese on display at the Alba market 1
Castelmagno d'alpeggio DOP (mountain pasture Castelmagno) 2
Ageing 3
1. Cheeses at the Alba market

The choice is wide and you can choose your favourites.
2. Castelmagno d'alpeggio DOP (mountain pasture Castelmagno)

It is produced in huts from the beginning of June until September
3. Ageing

Forms rest in a suitable environment

Cheeses

They are gluttonous and many kinds are produced in Piedmont

During pregnancy, protein and calcium requirements increase; the latter plays a key role in the formation of the baby’s bones and teeth.

Consuming cheese, especially aged cheese, provides a good source of animal protein and calcium.

They also represent a cultural heritage to be known and safeguarded. Choose those from small-scale artisanal producers that preserve the land and biodiversity!

Green light then to cheeses, as long as they are consumed in moderate quantities and frequency (as a main course, no more than 2 times a week).

Lactose

Are you intolerant?

Aged cheeses are found to be more digestible because of the aging process and are also well tolerated by those who are lactose intolerant. Did you know that normally a cheese aged for 3-4 months does not contain lactose?

1
Bollito misto 2
1. Vitello tonnato

You’ll be eating the best traditional dishes!
2. Bollito misto

The healthiest way to eat meat. You can accompany it with sauces or season it with a few grains of coarse salt
3. Agnolotti al plin

One of the tastiest first dishes in the tradition of lower Piedmont
Agnolotti al plin 3

Meat

If you do eat some, here are some tips to regulate yourself better

Meat can be classified into white or red, and it is always a good idea to alternate between the two.

White meat is more digestible and contains less saturated fat. Included in this category are chicken, turkey, rabbit and pork, as well as veal, lamb and kid.

Red meat has a higher iron content but is higher in saturated fat. Included here are: adult beef, horse, buffalo, goat and sheep.

If you are not immune to Toxoplasmosis always cook meat thoroughly and remember that the only cold cuts allowed are mortadella and cooked ham.

Inform yourself about the origin of the meat you buy: whenever possible, favor organic meat or meat from non-intensive farms, where the animal’s diet and lifestyle are as natural and healthy as possible. Be willing to spend a little more to get a high-quality product!

Eat healthy

Keep it light

Be careful with offal (heart, liver, kidneys, brain, spleen, lungs, tripe, and sweetbreads) because they contain high cholesterol contents. Also limit consumption of preserved meat because it is generally high in salt and additives, such as nitrates and nitrites. Avoid precooked industrial products, canned meat and frozen breaded meat.

In the farms you can find delicious products 1
Crystallised honey 2
Fruit compotes 3
1. In the farms you can find delicious products

Also perfect for a different, healthy gift
2. Crystallised honey

Ensures a quality product, as it is not subjected to thermal processes that tend to destroy its most noble components
3. Fruit compotes

When combined with bread, they are great for breakfast or a tasty snack

Dolci alternative

Concediti un dolce in compagnia per migliorare il tuo umore!

Hazelnuts

Hazelnut belongs to the category of oily nuts and offers you a good supply of plant-based protein and mineral components such as calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and potassium. It is also particularly rich in vitamin E, known for its antioxidant properties and useful for the immune system, bones, muscles, and skin.

Do not avoid this valuable food in fear that it will make you gain weight: its fats are called "good" fats, as they participate in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Only advice, choose hazelnuts au naturel and not with salt added. They are great on their own as a snack and perfect for making sweet and savory recipes. Whenever possible, make the desserts yourself or favor artisanal productions with few ingredients and quality.

If you want to satisfy your sweet tooth with a hazelnut cream, choose one that features hazelnuts as the first ingredient and includes cocoa butter as the fatty substance.

Honey

It has a lot of sugar, but it is also rich in minerals, vitamins and substances with antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Use it as a premium sweetener, in hot or cold beverages, or combined with bread, rusks, dry cookies, or yogurt. Use it in your pastry recipes by substituting it for various types of sugar (including brown sugar).

Choose the liquid product when you buy it directly from the source in the first few months after harvest (May to September-October) or when you want acacia, chestnut or honeydew honey (honeys with very slow crystallization).

In all other cases, prefer it crystallized to be sure it is quality, as it is not subjected to thermal processes (which ensure its liquid state, but tend to destroy its nobler components).

Jams

Why not take a step back, ditch the packaged snacks and enjoy a sweet start to the day or a healthy snack of bread and jam?

You will certainly gain in health. But remember that jams should be consumed in moderate amounts because they are high in simple sugars.

Prefer extra jams and compotes, where the fruit component is favored over the amount of sugar.

Companies For a mouthwatering refueling

Big White Bench, Vezza d'Alba - Getting on the bench
1
Panorama - La Morra e Vigneti
2
3

Let’s finish with the benefits for mind and body

If your pregnancy is progressing smoothly, devote moments to the outdoors, even better if in contact with nature, or escape for a stay to discover the Langhe.

Discover the territory

Stroll through the small towns of Langhe and Roero, relax and keep fit

If you stop in the Langhe, visit the many villages and take advantage of simple walks.

The benefits are many; walking allows muscle tone to be maintained, promotes blood and lymphatic circulation, and can help reduce the risk of swelling in the hands and feet.

In addition, you will learn to breathe correctly, and this is very important in preparation for childbirth.

Your baby will also benefit from your activity by feeling gently rocked.

In short, pregnancy can be an opportunity to bring you closer to an active lifestyle or to solidify good habits.

So, explore new spaces, especially those immersed in nature, maybe do it as a couple or with your loved ones: give yourself moments of serenity, away from the stress of daily life and the anxieties of pregnancy.

In this way you can stay fit and enjoy the relief that movement brings to mind and body.

Pregnancy on tour

€ 432

per person

Three days of relaxation to spend with lightness and serenity one of the most important and unforgettable moments of your life, among tastings, activities and discovery of the territory. All services will be booked for you, you just need to think about enjoying the moment!

Discover the package
Langa astigiana e Monferrato sono territori autentici, patrimonio mondiale UNESCO

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