Dangerous Food Additives That You Need To Know

In every food that we eat, there are food additives that you take without knowing the dangers it could bring you. These additives are being added in your food for preservation, flavor, coloring and other purposes. It is very risky to take those additives and we should avoid it if we can. Mostly these dangerous additives can be encountered in fast foods and can cause cancer. Here are the list of some additives that are dangerous to your health: 1. Sodium Nitrate (also called Sodium Nitrite) - this is a preservative commonly used in ham, bacon, luncheon meat, corned beef and more. 2. BHA and BHT - found in cereals, chewing gum, chips and vegetable oils. 3. Propyl Gallate - can be found in meat products.
4. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) - is used as a flavor enhancer for salad dressing, soups and in restaurant foods.

5. Trans Fats - can be found in restaurants and fast food chains.

6. Aspartame - can be seen in most diet foods and artificial sweeteners. 7. Acesulfame-K - this is the new artificial sweetener found in baked foods, desserts and chewing gums. 8. Food Colorings: Blue 1, 2; Red 3; Green 3; Yellow - the five food colorings that are linked with cancer in animal testing.

9. Olestra - this is a synthetic fat found in some potato chips.

10. Potassium Bromate - additives that can be found in breads, flour and rolls.

11. White Sugar - can be found inany food that contains sugar. 12. Sodium Chloride - commonly known as salt and can be found and most of our meals.



Read what Dr. Mercola has to say about these additives and get some tips and advice on how you can avoid it by checking out http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/06/24/12-food-additives-to-avoid.aspx

About the Author
Dr. Joseph Mercola is the founder of the number 1 Natural Health Information website and publisher of the FREE Mercola.com health newsletter.

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Molecular gastronomy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A classic example of molecular gastronomy is the investigation of the effect of specific temperatures on the yolk and white when cooking an egg. Many cookbooks provide the instructions of boiling eggs 3-6 minutes for soft yolks, 6-8 minutes for a medium yolk and so on. Molecular gastronomy reveals that the amount of time is less important to cooking the eggs than specific temperatures - which always yields the desired result.[1][2]Molecular gastronomy is a scientific discipline involving the study of physical and chemical processes that occur in cooking.[3] It investigates the mechanisms behind the transformation of ingredients in cooking, attempts to explain them, and investigates the social, artistic and technical components of culinary and gastronomic phenomena in general (from a scientific point of view).

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Information revealed through the practice of molecular gastronomy research can be applied by cooks to improve their cooking, as it explains various reasons why things happen when cooking - for instance, why a soufflé rises. Knowing this information can enable a cook to create the optimum conditions for the rising of a soufflé, based on the science behind the transformation of the ingredients during cooking.[4]

In addition to its use in explaining the "why" of how we already cook, molecular gastronomy also often reveals information that is helpful in creating new techniques, recipes and dishes. For example, cooks are often taught that water is the enemy of melted chocolate, causing it to clump when being tempered.[5] Molecular gastronomy reveals that in fact given the proper ratio of water and chocolate one can produce a "chocolate mousse" without the need for any other ingredients.[6][7]

Observations made through the scientific investigation of the social and artistic aspects of food and cooking (e.g. how the ways food is prepared and presented affect us), can be used by cooks to understand and enhance the enjoyment of food.

This type of information is typical of molecular gastronomy, which seeks to dispel culinary myths handed down over generations and provide scientifically accurate information about the process of cooking, as well as provide information helpful in enhancing our enjoyment of food, cooking and eating.[8]

Since molecular gastronomy investigates cooking, it involves cooking during its investigations. Though it is often mistakenly applied as a term to describe the food and cooking of experimental chefs who embrace science, even though chefs are generally not scientists and the food and cooking of a chef involves much more than science, it also involves skill, creativity, art, craft, nature, technology and tradition - to name but a few things.

Why Does the Diabetes Diet Need to be About Weight Loss?

Sticking to a diabetes diet is one of the most challenging aspects of living with diabetes. The diabetes diet is not a special food package but is a diet plan for healthy living. Since food affects blood sugar levels, a healthful diabetes diet is a key part of treatment.

The reasoning behind this nutritional principal is that eating habits that emphasize fiber will assist your body’s ability to reduce glucose absorption. It can be really difficult for many diabetics to change their long standing food choice habits, even though they know following a diabetes diet is good for their overall health, not just the control of their blood sugar levels.

This is a Lifetime Commitment

So you think that a diabetes diet will not allow you to eat foods you like and normally form part of your daily diet? Well, yes, in part this is true - but there are lots of food substitutions for diabetics out there - you just need to be introduced to them in a fresh way. This is were support comes in.

So you don’t want to face a lifetime of boring meals - that’s perfectly understandable, you want this diabetic diet plan to work for the long haul, so you’ve got to think ‘outside the box’. At present, you’ve been happy to order food in, and have it delivered directly to your door, so what’s the difference now? The difference is just that you need that food to be planned by someone who knows what you can and can’t eat - someone who has your weight goals in mind. You need a diabetic meal service, delivered to your door so you just have to heat and eat!

Using a diabetic diet delivery service can open up a whole new world of everyday meals. Think about it this way, you will know that the meal is correctly structured not only for you - a diabetic - but also for your weight loss goals. Your body will learn correct portion sizes and, within a few months, you will have an array of meals that you know you can prepare for yourself in the future using diabetic friendly ingredients. It’s all just a matter of ‘opening yourself up to the possibilities’ of the menu options.

The cost of such services can be offset by stopping you from ordering junk fast food, or from stacking your cupboards high with ‘little snacks’ you should not be eating in the first place! You may even find that you save money each month on food bills - while enjoying a delicious and controlled diabetes diet weight loss plan.

A diabetes diet plan will be prescribed by the nutritionists and doctors at the service. You will give your weight loss goals, and state your preferences. Often, diabetic versions of your favorite foods can be included, along with new foods to try. You could find new favourites to take into your future dietary lifestyle!

You know that weight control is your main goal, but you have an added problem to focus on too, namely the diet has to be specifically designed for a diabetic - a tricky combination. Take advantage of all the help you can find, nutristionists and doctors who can provide you with diabetes diet plans, and any service that makes this transition into your new lifestyle easier to cope with. If isn’t all doom and gloom, unless you want it to be!


About the Author:

For more information on finding a type 2 diabetes diet plan that is tailored to your personal weight loss goals, visit this popular website that provides advice and resources related to finding a diabetes diet

Coffee and 10 Health Facts

Coffee, like red wine, is a drink with both health benefits and dangers. Because coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant, it can increase the heart rate, boost adrenaline and up your cortisone levels. With this increased stimulation comes both pros and cons.
To learn more about the health impact of coffee, keep reading for 10 critical health facts about coffee.

1. Reduced Risk of Developing Alzheimer's Disease

A recent study published in the European Journal of Neurology shows that people who drank about 2 cups of coffee per day were less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease when compared to people who only drank a cup a day or less.

2. Better Cognitive Performance

There may be another reason why students guzzle coffee during late-night study sessions - those who drink coffee regularly often perform better on short term memory recall, verbal memory and logical reasoning tests.

3. Increased Constipation

While coffee is a stimulant and can therefore stimulate the bowels, it is also a diuretic, meaning it can dehydrate the body and contribute to constipation. However, alternative medical practitioners often prescribe coffee enemas to clear out the colon.

4. Antioxidants

Coffee contains a number of antioxidants, particularly methylpyridinium which is formed during the roasting process.

5. Increased Anxiety or Sleep Problems

People suffering from anxiety or insomnia should not drink large amounts of coffee or caffeine products, especially after noon. Because it's a stimulant, it can keep you up and give you coffee jitters if drunk in excess.

6. Reduced Risk for Parkinson's Disease

A recent study showed that heavy coffee drinkers, those drinking more than 3 cups a day, were less likely to develop Parkinson's Disease when compared to non coffee drinkers or light drinkers.

7. Increased Cholesterol

The health risk of increased cholesterol only applies to coffee brewed with a French press. Coffee made with a regular paper filter tends to trap the brew's natural oils, therefore not causing as high of a cholesterol risk.

8. Reduced Risk for Gout

Thanks to its diuretic and stimulant properties, regular coffee consumption has been shown to reduce the incidence of gout in men.

9. Stained Teeth

Coffee will stain your teeth. While this isn't a health risk, it can adversely affect your teeth and their natural enamel. No doubt your dentist will routinely remind you of this drawback.

10. Pain Killer

If you read the ingredients for many over-the-counter painkiller medications, you'll see they contain caffeine. This is because coffee and caffeine increase the effectiveness of these medications.

About the Author
For additional informative details on coffee and enticing flavors that explode your taste buds, please visit http://www.coffeetryst.com, a popular site with insights on coffee options, such as flavored decaf coffee, gourmet coffee gift baskets, and many more!

Build Your Knowledge On Hypertension

One-third of the Americans with hypertension don't even know they have it. To test for high blood pressure, as it's commonly called, the doctor will place a cuff around your arm and gently tighten it through a pump so it feels a bit like a python hugging your bicep. Yet most people don't continue with annual check-ups after their childhood due to the rising costs of medical care.
You may get severe headaches, have difficulty breathing at times, feel tired or confused, and suffer vision problems or chest pains. Before the condition progresses into something more serious, like congestive heart failure, you'd better get it checked out!

If you are hypertensive, then it can be caused by many lifestyle choices. For instance, a 2005 study found that women who took 500 mg of Tylenol each day for headaches or pains were more likely to develop high blood pressure than women who did not. Users of cocaine and amphetamines, as well as smokers, were also more at risk.

High body fat, high salt intake, low potassium intake, high cholesterol levels, inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption and high stress are often linked to hypertension as well. Health experts say that this condition isn't so cut-and-dry, that poor lifestyle choices aren't always the culprit. Some people are just at risk because they're aging, pregnant or born into a family with a history of high blood pressure. People with hypertension may have to undergo several tests to determine the severity of their situation. The most basic test of heart health is the old inflatable arm cuff we've been seeing at every check up for our entire lives, no big deal.

A urinalysis where you pee into a cup is a very non-invasive way of checking the blood for abnormalities. In rare cases, an electrocardiogram will measure your heart's electrical activity, but generally, the little tests are enough to determine whether your cardiovascular health is poor or not.

What are the dangers of high blood pressure, you may ask? If left unchecked over a long period of time, hypertension will inevitably take its toll on your internal organs. Blocked or ruptured blood vessels leading to the brain can cause a stroke and weakened or narrowed blood vessels can cause kidney failure.

Some people develop glaucoma from narrowed or torn blood vessels leading to the eyes, while others develop a thickened heart muscle from too much exertion, resulting in heart failure. Atherosclerosis or aneurysms happen when the arteries sustain damage and diabetes or heart disease are the result of metabolic failure. The good news is that, unlike cancer or other conditions, simply changing one's lifestyle can go a long way for the person with high blood pressure.

About the Author
Learn more about hypertension at Mike Selvon portal. While you are there leave is a comment at our nutrition blog, and receive your FREE gift.

How To Make A Vegan Cake

Do you have a strict vegan in the family who
has a birthday or celebration coming up that traditionally
calls for cake? If you’re not familiar with vegan dietary
practices, you might not know what vegans do not eat.
Even worse, you might have no idea how to replace what
they do not eat.

But don't worry. In a few short paragraphs, I’ll explain
exactly what you need to make the perfect cake
for your vegan friend or relative. And best of all, no one
will be able to taste the difference.

Let’s start with what strict vegans do not eat.
They do not eat eggs. They do not drink milk.
They don’t eat certain types of sugar. They don’t
eat butter. And they don’t eat frosting.

Eggs can be replaced by "EnerG Egg Replacer," which you
can purchase at many grocery stores. The box will explain
how much replacer to use per egg.

Cow’s milk can be replaced by organic rice milk, which
doesn’t contain any animal byproducts. You can buy rice
milk at your local grocery store, too.

Many vegans do not consume sugar, either, because it is
often whitened by animal bone char. You can avoid sugar
that is whitened by bone char by purchasing "unbleached"
sugar, sugar in the raw, or beet sugar. There are some cane
sugars, too, which were not whitened using bone char,
but they hard to distinguish from others, unless you know
the exact name brand.

Strict vegans will not eat food made with butter, either.
If your cake recipe calls for butter, you can simply
replace it with margarine or vegetable shortening.

In addition to butter, sugar, milk, and eggs, strict
vegans also will not eat dairy frosting. If your recipe
calls for frosting, you can look for a similar flavor of
"non-dairy" frosting or you can make your own, replacing
butter with margarine.

And there you have it: an ingredient replacement key
for your vegan cake. Simply follow the key, replace vegan
-unfriendly items on your recipe, and your cake will be
perfectly fit for even the strictest vegetarian!

Why Some Vegetarians Will Not Consume Sugar

Some vegetarians--usually strict vegans--will not consume
sugar. This is because sugar is often whitened with bone
char from cows.

If you are a vegetarian and you want to continue eating
products that contain sugar, but do not want to cause
suffering in the process, you have a number of options.

Your first option is to only consume products made with
beet sugar. There are two major sources of sugar in the
United States: beet sugar and cane sugar. Cane sugar is
often whitened with bone char from cows; in contrast, beet
sugar is never whitened with bone char.

So, if you want to completely avoid the bone char, you can
do so by eating only beet sugar. The only challenge--and it
is a big one--is finding out which foods contain beet sugar
and which foods contain cane sugar.

To make things more complex, you can also consume a number
of types of cane sugar, as long as you are willing to find
out what the source of the sugar is.

You can do this in a lot of cases by looking at the
nutritional panel on food before you buy it. If it says
fructose or dextrose, the sugar is from a plant source
(either beet or corn). If it says sucrose, it could be from
a number of sources, which could include bone char-whitened
cane sugar.

Now, if you are cooking with sugar, you can personally
verify that is bone-char free by purchasing from the
following companies, which have publicly-stated that they
do not use bone-char: Florida Crystals Refinery, Imperial
Sugar Company, Irish Sugar Ltd., Sugar In the Raw (which is
also less-refined), and American Crystal Sugar Company.

If you can’t find these brands, but want to avoid consuming
bone-char sugar if possible, you can avoid these brands,
which have publicly-stated that they do use bone-char:
Domino, Savannah Foods, and C&H Sugar Company.

Three Health Advantages Of A Vegetarian Diet

While many people lament the nutritional disadvantages
of a poorly planned vegetarian diet, few stress the
health advantages of adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet.
In this article, I will cover the major three nutritional
advantages of becoming a vegetarian.

The first major advantage of a vegetarian diet is
increased heart health. Vegetarians, on average, consume
more nuts (often as a supplemental form of protein). Nuts
contain "good" fats, such as omega-3 and omega-6. This
promotes good heart health by reducing "bad" cholesterol
and unclogging arteries.

In addition to nuts, vegetarians also consume more soy
milk (often to replace milk), which reduces "bad"
cholesterol and has been linked to good heart health.

The second major advantage vegetarians enjoy is increased
skin health. In addition to consuming larger quantities
of nuts (which contain healthful oils), vegetarians tend
to consume more fruit and vegetables, which are rich in
essential vitamins, including A and E, which are linked
to good skin health.

Fruits and vegetables also contain high amounts of fiber,
which helps flush toxins out of the body, further
contributing to better skin health.

The last health advantage vegetarians enjoy is an increased
natural consumption of antioxidants.

Antioxidants are foods that help prevent cancer by
destroying free radicals. Vitamin C and Vitamin E, two
strong antioxidants, are commonly found in vegetarian
meals.

Vitamin C can be found in berries, tomatoes, citrus fruit,
kale, kiwis, asparagus and peppers.

Vitamin E can be found in wheat germ, seed oils, walnuts,
almonds, and brown rice--all foods that are commonly a
part of a well-balanced vegetarian diet.

So what does this all mean for you as a prospective
vegetarian?

It means the popular mythology about vegetarian diets
is false. Not only can a vegetarian diet be nutritionally
sufficient, but it can also affect better skin
health, prevent cancer, and increase your
heart health.