Food poisoning can be very unpleasant.  It can also be quite deadly.  There are some things you have to remember in order to avoid eating poisoned or stale food.  It does not matter if you are eating out or eating at home.  You can fall victim to food poisoning, so it is definitely a good idea to take note of these tips.

Understand Food Poisoning and Its Causes

Basically, this happens when you ingest food or drink contaminated with bacteria, parasites, chemicals or toxins.  To be specific, this is actually caused more by ingestion of food contaminated with toxins or chemicals.  Generally, however, the term is commonly used to describe sickness caused by ingestion of contaminated food or drink.

There are many causes of food contamination.  Foods may be contaminated from the very first start.  Fruits and vegetables that have been grown using fertilizers and chemicals have the potential to be contaminated.  Never eat fruits or vegetables without washing them first.  Improper food hygiene can definitely cause food contamination.

Learn the Tips and Tricks on How to Prevent Food Contamination

Bacteria and viruses are everywhere, so it is easy to get your food contaminated with these things.  Therefore, it is important that you observe proper food hygiene in order to minimize or eliminate possible contamination.  You should have a dedicated approach to correct food preparation and hygiene during food processing and food preparation.  There should also be proper food storage.

You need to make sure that areas used for food processing are clean and free from dirt, viruses or bacteria.  Cross contamination can easily occur, so make sure that you use the right tools and equipments.  For instance, if you have wooden chopping boards, make sure that you have two, one to use for chopping meat and the other to use for chopping fruits and vegetables.

Foods should be stored properly as well.  Do not mix raw meat with fruits and vegetables.  This can result to cross contamination.  Try to discover what foods can be cause cross contaminations.

You should also be very careful when preparing food.  Often, contamination occurs during this stage.  Make sure that you wash your hands before you handle foods.  The kitchen implements and spaces should be clean and wash thoroughly before using them.

These are just a few of the things that you can do in order to avoid food poisoning.  In truth, care should be exercised right from the start.  You need to learn how to shop with care.  You should make it a habit to check expiration dates especially of raw foods like meat and poultry products.  You should also make sure that grocery items are correctly separated.  Do not mix food items like fruits and raw meat.  Store food items properly.  Foods that should be kept in the freezer should be stored in the freezer immediately.

By doing these simple things, you will be able to protect yourself, your family or your customers from food poisoning.

Image Credit : indianwomenshealth.com

Popularity: 2% [?]

Currently 1 comment - But what do you think?

Perhaps, you have tasted white rice or brown rice, but have you enjoyed a black rice recipe?  Black rice is one variety of rice that is grown or cultivated in Asia.  Sometimes referred to as “Indonesian Black Rice”, it is basically rice that is not milled.  The black husks are left alone and this method accounts for the color of this particular variety.  The color, however, makes this particular variety considerably popular especially among chefs who are always eager to experiment with “exotic” ingredients.

It is also sometimes referred to as “Forbidden Rice”. This is probably because this rice originated in China and back then it was only consumed by the emperor and his favorites.  Not everyone was allowed to eat it.  Of course, nowadays, it is cultivated all over Asia and people have different names for it.  It is also a popular ingredient for many local delicacies.

Not surprisingly, black rice is used to create exotic desserts.  The fact that it is rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals is an additional benefit.  It goes well with other ingredients especially fresh fruits.  You can create black rice syrup from this variety and you can use the syrup to create even more sumptuous desserts.

Is it really black?  The name is fairly descriptive because it appears to be black.  Actually, once you soak or cook it, it changes its color to burgundy or purple.  Its color is due to its high iron content.  It has a unique quality, however, of affecting the color of other ingredients, like coconut milk, that are mixed with it.  If you have ever traveled to Asia and have tried eating sticky rice like purple rice pudding, then you have tried black rice.

Black rice tends to sticky.  This is one thing that distinguishes it from other variety.  It tends to be glutinous as well.  Unlike white or brown rice, it has a sweet, rich and strong flavor.  Unlike white rice, it is also rich in fiber since it is not milled and the bran is left alone.  It is also packed with other vitamins and minerals.

It takes a while to prepare and cook this rice variety.  You should consider sinking or soaking it first if you would like to hasten the cooking time.  Ideally, it should be consumed within three months from purchase in order to prevent spoilage.  It should also be kept under refrigeration.  A cup of black rice needs to be cooked with two cups of water for at least 30 minutes if soaked.  If not, you may have to cook it for at least an hour.

Image Credit: buzztab.com

Popularity: 1% [?]

Currently 0 comment - But what do you think?

Perhaps, you have heard of a macrobiotic diet, but what is it really?

Basically, the word “macro” roots from the Greek word “macros” which means long while the word “biotic” comes from the Greek word “bios” which means life.  Thus, macrobiotic means “long life”.  The diet, however, as developed by George Ohsawa, a Japanese educator who believes that the key to optimal health is a simple lifestyle and diet.

Although it was Ohsawa who invented and developed the program, it was Michio Kushi who expanded on the theory and even opened an institute in Boston.  It was also Kushi who published countless books on macrobiotic diet.  He and his wife popularized the diet program in the United States and the rest of North America.

This type of diet involves ten stages which are progressively restrictive in nature.  In fact, by the time you reached the last stage of this diet program, you will only be eating brown rice and water.  Not surprisingly, this program has been highly criticized by nutritionists and experts.  Due to its extremely restrictive nature, diet counselors no longer recommend this program to their clients.

If it is that restrictive, why are there people that follow this program?

In truth, people who are interested with this program are people who are actually seeking a holistic type of diet, one that fully integrates physical, mental, spiritual and planetary health.  But does it really do that?

Basically, this diet program is a low-fat, high-fiber diet.  In fact, it is practically a vegetarian type of diet because it emphasizes on the consumption of grains and vegetables instead of meat or fish.  It also advocates consumption of soy products.  This is why it is rich in phytoestrogen.

Are there people who benefit from the Macrobiotic Diet?

Yes, there are.  This type of diet, albeit restrictive, is often recommended for people suffering from cancer and other life-threatening or chronic diseases.  This type of diet is actually followed by many cancer patients.  The diet’s high phytoestrogen content helps reduce cancer-related risks.  Of course, if you are suffering from cancer, it is best that you consult your physician first before you adopt this program.  The effectiveness of this program varies from one person to another.  There is no assurance that this diet program can help cancer patients.  The positive reviews and claims of patients remain unsubstantiated.

What are the guidelines for this diet?

• Whole grains make up 50-60 percent of the meal.  Whole grains may vary from brown rice, barley, rye, corn, millet, buckwheat and others.
• Vegetables make up 25-30 percent of the meal daily.  Vegetables has to be steamed, baked, boiled or sautéed.  One can choose to eat up to 1/3 raw vegetables daily.  Beans like tofu, natto and tempeh should cover 10 percent of the daily food intake.  Seeds and nuts should be lightly roasted and should be eaten in moderation.
• Soups from fermented soybeans are advised.  One has to consume 1-2 cups or bowls of soups every day.
• Meat, poultry and eggs should be avoided.  Fish or seafood may be eaten several times in a week.  They may be mixed or consumed with ginger, mustard, horseradish, wasabi and daikon.
• Fruits like apples, peaches, grapes, melons, pears, apricots and berries may be consumed several times a week.  Tropical fruits, however, are to be avoided.
• Desserts, though generally avoided, may be consumed 2-3 times a week.  People in bad health, however, are not advised to consume desserts.  Advised desserts consist of naturally sweet foods.  Honey, chocolate, molasses and other similar sweeteners are to be avoided.
• When cooking, one is advised to use unrefined vegetable oil like dark sesame oil, light sesame oil, mustard seed oil and corn oil.  One can use condiments consisting of shoyu, natural sea salt, umeboshi vinegar, grated ginger root, brown rice vinegar, fermented pickles, sliced scallions, umeboshi plums, gomashio and roasted seaweeds.

Take note that this guideline may require modifications depending on age, season, activity, healthy, climate and gender.  You might notice, however, that the macrobiotic diet seems to recommend ingredients that you would not normally use, buy or consume.  It emphasizes on consumption of fiber-rich whole grains, beans and vegetables.

This diet program is low in saturated fat but is high in phytoestrogen.  This is perfect for women with hormonal imbalances.  This helps regulate premenstrual syndrome and prevents risks of breast cancer and endometriosis.  This also helps women deal with menopause.  These are the strengths of this diet.  However, you need to remember that this is also considered to be quite restrictive.  It does not promote consumption of foods that are rich in protein, iron, magnesium, Vitamin B12 and calcium.  So, you may have to get supplements for these nutrients if you are interested in trying out the macrobiotic diet.

Image Credit: steadyhealth.com

Popularity: 8% [?]

Currently 0 comment - But what do you think?

There are many good sources of protein and walnuts are one of them.  Of course, aside from protein, they are also rich in other nutrients including fiber, Vitamin B, Vitamin E, magnesium and Omega 3 fatty acids.  In fact, they contain higher amounts of fatty acids as compared to other nuts.  They also have high content of plant sterols.   Indeed, your heart will benefit greatly from your regular consumption of superfoods walnuts.

What are the Health Benefits of Walnuts?

Nuts, in general, are actually rich in plant sterols, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.  These fats are far from being unhealthy.  In fact, they are the good fats.  They help lower LDL cholesterol or the bad cholesterol.  Superfoods walnuts, in particular, have the highest content of Omega 3 fatty acids as compared to other nuts.

Decades of studies show that regular consumption of walnuts significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension.  The elasticity of the blood vessels is significantly improved. Risks of plaque accumulation or blood clots are reduced.  It also helps lower bad cholesterol and C-Reactive Protein or CRP, the presence of which is a pretty good indicator of a person’s risk of suffering from heart diseases.  Eating 1.5 ounce of walnuts a day significantly reduces one’s risk of heart ailments.

Walnuts as Superfoods

Walnuts have emerged as a superfood because of the numerous health benefits that they offer.  Studies compared it to olive oil and its health benefits.  It has been noted that walnuts are more effective in preventing arterial oxidation and inflammation.  Older people will benefit largely from including superfoods walnuts in their diet.  This will help improve their motor and behavioral skills.

Consumption of Superfoods Walnuts

Although they are healthy, it is important that walnuts be taken in moderation.  Like other nuts, they are packed with calories which if taken excessively can be harmful to one’s health.  Do not just add them to your diet.  Instead, you should replace fatty foods in your diet with walnuts.  Just make sure that you eat them in moderation.  That is about 20 walnut halves.  You can add them to your dishes.  Instead of eating cookies, why not cracked open some walnuts and have them for snacks instead.  The next time you make your own homemade pizza, you can add walnuts as toppings instead of layering pepperoni.  You can sprinkle walnuts in your breakfast cereal as well.

Image Credit: muaythaitrainingcamps.com

Popularity: 1% [?]

Currently 0 comment - But what do you think?