Arepa: what it is, benefits and healthy recipes

Arepa is a food made from pre-cooked cornmeal or ground dry corn and, therefore, it is an excellent food that can be included in various meals throughout the day, such as breakfast, lunch or dinner. This type of food is very typical of Venezuela and Colombia, being another option to replace bread.

This food is an excellent source of energy and, despite being a carbohydrate, can be included in the menu of a healthy diet.

To obtain the best benefits, one should try to increase its fiber content, choosing fillings that are low in fat and that include healthy foods. Thus, a good option is to add oats, flax seeds or even some chopped vegetables, such as carrots or even beets to the recipe.

See also a tapioca recipe to replace bread.

Benefits of arepa

The main benefits and advantages of eating arepas are:

• Have low amount of sodium, being ideal for those who need to eat a low salt diet; Not containing gluten, presenting itself as an excellent option for people with celiac disease or with gluten intolerance; Being a source of energy, for containing a good amount carbohydrates; do not need to be prepared with oil, reducing the amount of fat; have fibers, being excellent for the functioning of the intestine; do not have chemical substances such as preservatives, dyes or flavorings.

In addition, arepa is a very versatile food, as it can be combined with different fillings, serving for different meals of the day, as well as for different preferences.

Nutritional information

In this table it is possible to find the nutritional information for each 100 grams of arepa:

For every 100 grams of corn flour
Energy	360 calories
Lipids	1.89 g
Carbohydrates	80.07 g
Fiber	5.34 g
Proteins	7.21 g
salt	0.02 g

Arepas have an intermediate glycemic index and, therefore, increase the blood sugar level moderately. For this reason, the ideal is to increase its fiber content, adding, to the arepa mass, grated vegetables or oats, for example. These foods in addition to producing greater satiety also help to control blood glucose.

In some places it is even possible to find whole corn flour, which can be another way of preparing the arepa in a healthy way.

Recipe for making arepas

The recipe for making arepas is relatively simple, since it is only necessary to mix cornmeal, water and salt. It is recommended that each arepa has between 60 to 90 grams and the ideal is that it is consumed once a day.

Arepas can be stuffed with simple foods, like grated white cheese, but they can also be stuffed with meat, when they will be used for lunch or dinner, for example.

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cup of water; 1 cup of pre-cooked cornmeal; 1 spoon (of coffee) of salt; 1 spoon (of soup) of oats, flax or chia (optional); grated carrots, beets, peppers or zucchini (optional).

Method of preparation

Pour the water into a container and then add the salt, stirring, until completely dissolved. Then you must add the corn flour little by little, stirring until you get a smooth dough. The dough should rest for about 3 minutes.

If the dough is too dry or hard, you can add a little more water. On the contrary, if it becomes too soft, you can add a little more flour.

Finally, divide the dough into 5 portions and form small balls, which must be kneaded until you get discs about 10 cm in diameter. To cook the arepa, it is advisable to place on a metal plate over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown.

Healthy arepas fillings recipes

Various types of fillings can be used to fill the arepas. Some of the healthiest are:

1. Papiada reigns light

Papiada is one of the most popular fillings in Venezuela and Colombia prepared with avocado and mayonnaise. However, to make it healthier, mayonnaise can be replaced with plain yogurt, for example.

Ingredients

• 1 Kg of chicken; Pulp of 2 medium ripe avocados; 1 natural yogurt; ½ chopped onion; 1 garlic clove; ½ lemon; Salt and pepper to taste.

Method of preparation

Put the water and a pinch of salt in a pan and bring to a boil. Then add the chicken until cooked. Remove the chicken and let it warm. Shred the chicken into small pieces, removing the bones and skin.

Using a mixer or blender, beat the pulp of the avocados, the onion and the clove of garlic until it forms a homogeneous paste. Finally, add the shredded chicken, yogurt, lemon, salt and pepper to taste.

2. Scrambled eggs with tomato

This is another of the most typical fillings for the arepas that is quite simple to prepare and healthy.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe and diced tomato; ½ chopped onion; 4 strips of chopped green pepper; 3 eggs; salt and pepper to taste; Corn oil.

Method of preparation

Place a few drops of corn oil in a frying pan and add the onion and peppers, browning over medium heat. Then add the tomatoes and mix. Add beaten eggs, salt and pepper to taste, mixing until completely cooked.

3. Vegetarian

This filling is a great option for those who are vegetarian or even vegan , since it is made from vegetables, not including products of animal origin.

Ingredients

• 100 grams of chopped chives; 2 ripe and chopped tomatoes; ½ minced onion; ½ minced garlic; 1 pinch of cumin; 2 tablespoons of olive oil, corn or sunflower oil; salt and pepper to taste.

Method of preparation

Place a few drops of corn oil in a frying pan and add the onion, chives and cumin, browning over medium heat. When the vegetables are transparent, add the tomato and bring everything back to the fire for another 10 minutes.

Finally, add the salt and pepper to taste, mixing for another 10 minutes until the mixture turns into a thick sauce.