Chocolate makes us happy. It is popular, everyone knows it, and it is not prophecy. It is enough to smell it or talk about it and our mood changes. And this is because science assures us that it connects with certain molecules we produce, endorphins (the so-called "happiness hormones") and serotonin, and then they generate a sensation of well-being, pleasure, and emotional relaxation.

The pistachio tree has spread like a green tide across the Catalan countryside, specifically in the Segarra-Garrigues and Urgell valleys. It's a tree with a broad canopy, the kind that provides ample shade and is beautiful to behold. But it's not its visual appeal that has tripled its production in ten years, but rather the fact that the pistachio is an emerald, a precious stone with only benefits and one possible drawback. Before mentioning them, let me share the figures that demonstrate the love our farmers have for pistachios: in 2015 they produced 310 tons; this past year, 2015, 638.

Canned cod liver is found alongside cans of sardines, mussels, and cockles. The Catalan brand Dani, based in Vilassar de Mar, sells it for €2.80 and is one of the companies that produces it. Company representatives explained to me that sales of this product "have grown significantly" in recent years, even though "cockles remain the undisputed queen, followed by mussels." In fact, they decided to produce it because they saw a market opportunity to offer "a high-quality product with a very strong gastronomic identity." They further explained that, to prepare it, "they use exclusively North Atlantic cod, scientifically known as cod."Gadus morhua", and that it is "the quintessential species, the most appreciated in the world of gastronomy and the one that offers the best organoleptic and nutritional characteristics."

High-protein yogurts are trending. You'll see them on every refrigerated shelf. They're more expensive than usual and are designed and marketed to seem like the healthiest yogurts in the world. But let's take it one step at a time, because yogurts, by definition, have always provided protein to our bodies; therefore, if a product contains more protein, we should consider whether we really need it.

Legumes can be eaten just like a plate of Italian pasta. Given the lack of traditional stores selling cooked legumes, or the lack of time to soak and then boil them at home, the food industry has stepped up and invented legume pasta. In this case, the industry is adapting to the demands we, as a society, should place on them to produce good, high-quality products.

People with lactose intolerance can eat fermented cheeses, and they're very lucky that there are many that are: Serra, Garrotxa, or blue cheese. And more. From abroad, there's Brie, Parmesan, Gruyère, Manchego, and many others. If a cheese is fermented, it means that bacteria like Lactobacillus have survived and managed to transform the lactose in the milk into lactic acid, which is a very different story, to the point that people with lactose intolerance can eat it.

For ten years, a Catalan yogurt brand has used the slogan "It all starts within" to highlight the nutritional benefits of consuming their products. And it's true, yogurts are fermented foods, and eating them improves your gut microbiota, making it strong and thriving, like a dense, green forest. The denser the microbiota, the better, because viruses won't be able to penetrate it and, therefore, won't harm your gut. The good news is that we could have carried out the same campaign with olives from our olive groves. Olives, like yogurts, kefirs, cheeses, gherkins, pickled foods, and pickles in general, are fermented foods and, therefore, provide billions of active bacteria to our bodies.

The insect called cochinealThe plant that typically lives on prickly pear cacti is used by the food industry as a coloring agent for cooked ham, cured sausage, mortadella, chorizo, and also yogurts and strawberry candies. Because if we were to read the labels cochineal (Dactylopius coccusPerhaps we would think twice before buying all these products; there are other, permitted, alternatives: E-120, carminic acid, or carmine. And incidentally, that same component, carmine, is also used in cosmetics to create red lipsticks.

If you're someone who swims in the sea, you surely know that there's a fear that spreads like the heat to our beaches: the fear of stinging jellyfish, those that can leave a sting if you accidentally bump into them as they drift with the ocean currents. In our country, chef Carme Ruscalleda requested permission to cook in the European Union in 2013 and 2014. She had first eaten them in 2003 in Japan at a Chinese restaurant, and she had liked them; especially the texture, which reminded her of the cartilage on a chicken wing. The taste also stood out to her because it was sweet. And, as if that weren't enough, Ruscalleda researched their nutritional properties: eating jellyfish can reduce cholesterol and improve joint function, as well as maintain healthy skin and hair.

It's a common, everyday conversation that always comes up when calçotadas return. Are there enough calçots for all the calçotadas held in homes, farmhouses, and restaurants? In an era of free movement of food entering our markets from all over the world, the question is more relevant than ever. Is it possible that our farmers work themselves to the bone to cultivate the best calçots in the world, but those sold in markets come from other countries and haven't undergone the same quality controls as ours? The answer, at least according to the data, is no. We eat Catalan calçots.

It is an eternal debate, which has pitted Italians against the rest of the world. Pasta, undercooked or well cooked? Al dente Or soft? Hammered or spoon-shaped? Science has spoken, and dispelled any doubts: the less cooked it is, the better, because it will be healthier. Sinking your teeth into the pasta, chewing it thoroughly to digest it, is good because then the glycemic index doesn't rise rapidly, and this is essential for the body, and for having energy in the long term, too, says nutritionist Anna Grífols.

Tomato sauce is a very popular product. It's great for making a quick sofrito, for topping macaroni that we don't want to eat plain, and for any other dish where we want to add flavor. The food industry knows we're a big consumer, which is why they produce all types, sizes, formats, and flavors. If you don't believe me, just look at the shelves of your usual supermarket: jars of tomato sauce line up right next to them. Which one do we choose? Without thinking too much, or perhaps after careful consideration, we look at the price that's easiest to afford, and probably also at what's advertised with the right words. homemade either craftsmanwhich leads us to believe it will be the best. However, according to dietitian-nutritionist Anna Grífols, we should take a closer look at the ingredients. Otherwise, we might end up taking home a jar of tomato sauce that has everything but the main ingredient: tomatoes. To begin with, then, in the list of ingredients, which are written in order of quantity from highest to lowest, the first ingredient should be tomatoes. Only tomatoes. If it's called concentrated tomato sauce, it means there's very little of it because it comes from tomatoes that have been cooked for hours to concentrate the tomato, and then diluted with water. "This is how the food industry reduces production costs," notes Anna Grífols. More jars can be filled from the same tomato if it's concentrated, that is, if it's diluted with water. "If for whatever reason we can only buy one jar of concentrated tomato sauce, the advice is to choose one with a small percentage of tomato; ideally 25% or less," recommends the dietitian-nutritionist.