Many people have the preconception that fresh produce is better than their frozen counterparts because they have the most nutrients. This holds true if you are eating vegetables and fruits freshly picked after they have fully ripened. The problem with most produce in grocery stores is that they are picked before fully ripening so that they stay firm during their long trip from the farm to the store. This means that they have fewer vitamins than produce seen at some farmer's markets.
Now let's look at frozen foods. Take one of my favorites for example: frozen green peas. I throw them into my fried rice not only because they are incredibly convenient, but I also know that their nutritional value is not far off from fresh green peas. This is because we have much more sophisticated methods of freezing fruits and vegetables. Frozen vegetables are picked when they are ripest (yum), immediately lightly blanched, and frozen at 0 degrees F or below. This retains most of the nutrients so that when you cook them, they are still very healthy.
So go ahead and buy those frozen peas! Eating frozen fruits and vegetables still gives you plenty of nutrients and are super convenient. Not to mention, they are delicious.
Sometimes you also have to freeze leftovers. What is good to know about freezing your own food in the freezer? Here are some tips:
1. Make sure you freeze the food at 0 degrees F or below to ensure that the microbes are inactivated. The microbes continue to increase in number when the food is stored above 0 degrees F, leading to food spoilage. That's why the freezer prolongs the shelf life of food much longer than the refrigerator does.
2. Food frozen right when they are at their peak will taste better than food frozen when they are starting to decrease in quality. So try freezing them as soon as possible.
3. Use freezer bags to prevent freezer burns. It seals the food tight to prevent air from going in. Freezer burns do not make the food inedible but they make it dry and is caused by contact with air. It usually makes meat look grey and unappetizing.
For more details and tips, check out the USDA's website on Freezing and Food Safety.
So just eat, be happy, and share your thoughts!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Spicy Foods
Apparently, spiciness comes from a chemical called capsaicin found in chili peppers. Three things happen when we consume this chemical: pain receptors in our mouth are activated, our bodies heat up, and our metabolism increases. Our bodies are tricked into thinking that we are hot, so we start sweating and turning red. The more capsaicin we eat during a meal, the hotter our bodies believe we are. The effects of capsaicin keep increasing as we eat spicy foods. More pain receptors are activated and that leads to wanting a drink.
Why is drinking milk better than other drinks at calming the effects of spiciness? Many people drink water but find that it does not help. This is because spiciness is oil based, and oil and water don't mix. The spicy oil stays in your mouth, repelling the water trying to wash it down your throat. Milk has a protein called casein that pulls the capsaicin away from the pain receptors in your mouth. The milk essentially washes away the pain so you can continue on with your meal. Other dairy products such as yogurt and ice cream also help. Here is a web page with some other ways to Cool Burns from Chili Peppers.
Whether your tolerance is low or high on the range of spiciness, just eat, be happy, and share how you deal with spicy foods.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Why Vitamins Can't Replace Fruits and Veggies
So I have a friend who just doesn't eat fruits and vegetables. It's all meat, eggs, meat, bread...oh yeah and meat! He claims that it's okay because he takes a multivitamin pill every day. However, I'm quite doubtful that this makes up for the loss of nutrients. So I decided to dive into this and find out for myself!
Vitamin supplements are mass-produced and sold in drugstores and supermarkets across the nation. They are so common that several generic brands of vitamins can be seen sitting next to the name brands. The raw ingredients inside each pill are no different in the quality. In fact, there is no difference between synthetically produced vitamins and vitamins derived from natural plant and animal products. Most companies use synthetically produced vitamins because they are cheaper, so why the price differences? What separates them is how the ingredients are put together and delivered into the body. You might be thinking, why does it matter how they are packed together as long as the vitamins enter the body? Two words: stomach acid. Your stomach is so acidic that the vitamins will be destroyed and wasted before they can do any good for you. That's why the most effective nutrient supplements have an outer coating called enteric coating to keep the stomach acids from destroying the nutrients. The nutrients can then enter the intestines before dissolving in the bloodstream with the most effective absorption. So when you see the bottle saying, "Now better absorption!" it is likely that the pills have better coating to bypass the stomach. There are also different coatings that determine if the vitamins are absorbed slowly or all at once. For more detailed information behind how a vitamin pill is made, check out How Vitamin is Made.
So why don't we all just take vitamins with enteric coating? Sorry, but most vitamins don't have it because it's costly and not everyone can afford them. It is difficult to find vitamins with enteric coating, but you'll have an easier time finding this coating on other supplements such as fish oil. You can see such a product on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kirkland-Signature-Enteric-Coated-softgels/dp/B002RL8FDO.
With the varying levels of vitamin absorption, the safest bet is to still eat fruits and vegetables. Vitamins lack the fiber and antioxidants that fruits and vegetables have. I am not saying that people should only eat these naturals foods, but that they should not leave them out. In fact, many people need to take vitamin supplements because they still don't get the full amount of nutrition from their diet. Vitamin supplements are meant to be exactly what they are, supplements, not replacements for food. So the best option is to eat a balanced diet that includes lots of fruits and veggies and take vitamins to fill in what you may still be lacking.
Now if you come across some one like my friend who relies on vitamin pills, you can feel like an expert and tell them why they're not doing enough for their bodies. So just eat, be happy, and share your thoughts!
Vitamin supplements are mass-produced and sold in drugstores and supermarkets across the nation. They are so common that several generic brands of vitamins can be seen sitting next to the name brands. The raw ingredients inside each pill are no different in the quality. In fact, there is no difference between synthetically produced vitamins and vitamins derived from natural plant and animal products. Most companies use synthetically produced vitamins because they are cheaper, so why the price differences? What separates them is how the ingredients are put together and delivered into the body. You might be thinking, why does it matter how they are packed together as long as the vitamins enter the body? Two words: stomach acid. Your stomach is so acidic that the vitamins will be destroyed and wasted before they can do any good for you. That's why the most effective nutrient supplements have an outer coating called enteric coating to keep the stomach acids from destroying the nutrients. The nutrients can then enter the intestines before dissolving in the bloodstream with the most effective absorption. So when you see the bottle saying, "Now better absorption!" it is likely that the pills have better coating to bypass the stomach. There are also different coatings that determine if the vitamins are absorbed slowly or all at once. For more detailed information behind how a vitamin pill is made, check out How Vitamin is Made.
So why don't we all just take vitamins with enteric coating? Sorry, but most vitamins don't have it because it's costly and not everyone can afford them. It is difficult to find vitamins with enteric coating, but you'll have an easier time finding this coating on other supplements such as fish oil. You can see such a product on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kirkland-Signature-Enteric-Coated-softgels/dp/B002RL8FDO.
With the varying levels of vitamin absorption, the safest bet is to still eat fruits and vegetables. Vitamins lack the fiber and antioxidants that fruits and vegetables have. I am not saying that people should only eat these naturals foods, but that they should not leave them out. In fact, many people need to take vitamin supplements because they still don't get the full amount of nutrition from their diet. Vitamin supplements are meant to be exactly what they are, supplements, not replacements for food. So the best option is to eat a balanced diet that includes lots of fruits and veggies and take vitamins to fill in what you may still be lacking.
Now if you come across some one like my friend who relies on vitamin pills, you can feel like an expert and tell them why they're not doing enough for their bodies. So just eat, be happy, and share your thoughts!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)