March / April 2012

March / April 2012
May/Junel 2011
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The Power of Chefs
The shopping basket is the window to your soul. You are what you eat. So have you looked at
your shopping basket lately?
Good food costs more because it costs more to produce. In the last four decades, people
have been brainwashed with the idea that food is cheap and plenty. So this started all the
problems we have today: the cruelness of factory farming, antibiotics and growth
hormones in animal feeds, GMOs, waste pollution, etc., which led to the rise of many health
issues that didn’t exist before, e.g. teenage obesity, type 2 diabetes in children, autism,
ADHD, fertility problems, among other things.
Fortunately, for the past 15 years or so, the elite chefs around the world have led the way in reversing the trend by
using nature’s finest ingredients sourced locally. Fresh ingredients such as vegetables, eggs, milk, chicken, pork, beef,
and seafood are procured from small farms located within a few kilometres’ radius of the restaurant.
While some people might harbour negative views on the rise of the “celebrity chefs”, I believe they have done a fantastic
job not only in raising awareness on the joy of cooking and elevating the importance of the kitchen back into our lives (the
family that eats together stays together) but more importantly, these celebrity chefs have very successfully promoted the
idea of eating better through the use of the finest quality and freshest ingredients sourced from local farmers.
The power of chefs as motivators in changing the way we eat has been highlighted with the successful work of world
famous chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Gordon Ramsay, and Daniel Boulud to name a few. Here in the Philippines, we have
our own Gaita Fores (Cibo), Cyril Soenen (Brassiere Cicou), Stephanie Zubiri (chef & journalist), and Colin MacKay (Sala
Bistro) leading the way in teaching and inspiring people in their approach to sustainable food. They know that by starting
with fabulous raw ingredients, they have a real chance of creating something truly sublime and memorable.
Sophisticated, educated diners are also pushing this trend a step further. They have a desire to return to simpler
ingredients and move away from heavily processed foods. And this extends the idea beyond geography to include other
important attributes such as “seasonal”, “traditional”, and “authentic”, especially as it relates to global cuisines.
Next time you go to a restaurant, ask where their produce, meat, and seafood come from. If they don’t know, don’t
bother! Same with shopping at the supermarkets. Ask where their vegetables, eggs, chicken, pork, beef, fish, milk, etc.
come from and how they are grown and processed. By educating ourselves and demanding to know how the food ends
up on our plate, we can slowly but surely turn back time and have food as nature has intended it to be.
Finally, here’s a food for thought : Eat less but eat better….and always drink (wine) generously!
Best of health,
[email protected]
We digest it for you... The Healthy Options Lifestyle News Digest tracks all the
medical and nutrition journals, research, conferences, and newsletters. Then
we summarize what is essential for you to know to get better and stay healthy.
The Healthy Options Lifestyle News Digest is in no way intended to replace the
knowledge and/or diagnoses of health care professionals. Always consult with
your physician whenever a health problem rises requiring expert care.
editorial
staff
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To empower people to take control of their health.
May / June 2012
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1
you are what you eat
Antibiotics in Food Animals: FAQ
By Daniel J. DeNoon
Food animals get 80% of the antibiotics used in the U.S. -- mostly
in ways that can lead to the growth of drug-resistant superbugs.
Emerging drug resistance in bacteria is one of the world’s greatest
health threats, according to the CDC, the FDA, the World Health
Organization, and a wide range of medical professional societies.
These groups cite “strong evidence” that many of these hardto-treat germs arise in food animals and spread to humans. For this
reason, the FDA argues strongly against unwise -- “injudicious” -- use
of antibiotics in livestock. Yet over 80% of animal antibiotics are used
in these ways.
In January 2012,the FDA prohibited some uses of the cephalosporin
class of antibiotics in food animals. But these antibiotics make up less
than a fraction of 1% of the 15,000 tons of antibiotics used in U.S. food
animals each year. Here are some answers to the important questions
raised:
Why are antibiotics used in food animals?
There are two main reasons: to promote animal health, and to
make animals grow faster.
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The FDA has no problem with the antibiotics used to treat disease
in animals. And it has no problem with antibiotics used under the
direct supervision of a veterinarian who is treating specific animals.
But over 80% of antibiotics used in food animals is put into their
feed or water by livestock producers, almost always on a herd-wide
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basis. This makes animals put on weight faster even if they don’t eat
more food.
Such “production use” of antibiotics is what the FDA, in its June
2010 guidance to the industry, deemed unwise or “injudicious.”
How can antibiotics given to animals create drug-resistant
germs?
If you get an antibiotic prescription from your doctor, you’ll be
warned to take every single one of the pills exactly as prescribed. That’s
because the last few pills mop up the most drug-resistant germs. If
you take too low a dose, the most resistant germs remain.
The same thing happens in animals. Veterinarians treat sick animals
with appropriate doses of antibiotics. But when antibiotics are used
to make animals grow faster, they are given at low doses over long
you are what you eat
periods of time. That’s a recipe for growing drug resistant bacteria in
food animals.
Can drug-resistant bacteria in food animals find their way
to humans?
There are some researchers, such as an expert panel of the Institute
of Food Technologists, who say the odds are low that any of these bugs
will find their way into humans. But in testimony before Congress, the
USDA, the FDA, and the CDC all said that the use of antibiotics in food
animals leads to infections with drug resistant bacteria to humans.
In a letter to Congress, 14 health groups, including the American
Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics said,
“overuse and misuse of important antibiotics in food animals must
end, in order to protect human health.”
The World Health Organization has also warned that overuse of
antibiotics in food animals can lead to drug-resistant infections in
people.
Didn’t the FDA ban use of one antibiotic in food animals?
In January 2012, the FDA banned certain uses of cephalosporin
antibiotics in food animals effective April 5, 2012.
The ruling prohibits giving food animals the kinds of cephalosporins
used to treat disease in humans or in pets. Exceptions allow off-label
use by veterinarians to treat specific diseases, and allow the use of an
older cephalosporin called cephapirin, which is not used in humans.
Cephalosporins are not one of the antibiotics used to increase
animal growth.
Cephalosporins are important human drugs introduced in 1964.
They are often used to treat pneumonia. Cephalosporins are also
used to treat ear, skin, urinary tract, and other infections.
In 2010, U.S. meat and poultry producers used 27 tons of
cephalosporins. That sounds like a lot, but it’s only a fraction of the
14,600 tons of antibiotics used in food animals that year.
One consumer group called the FDA action a step forward -- but
only a baby step.
Will the FDA ban use of other antibiotics in food animals?
There is no indication that the FDA plans to ban food-animal use
of other antibiotics already approved for such uses.
Antibiotics have been used for what the FDA now calls “injudicious
uses” since the 1950s. In the now famous Swann Report, U.K.
researchers in 1969 concluded that feeding low-dose antibiotics to
animals posed a health risk to humans.
The U.S. government formed its own task force to look at the
issue. In 1977, the FDA issued a formal finding that all animal use
of penicillins and low-dose animal use of tetracyclines should be
banned.
But the FDA never acted on this finding. Environmental groups
filed a lawsuit to force FDA to act. The FDA asked for more time. On
December 22, 2011, the FDA finally withdrew its 1977 finding.
Meanwhile, in 1999 and 2005 environmental groups filed citizen
petitions demanding that the FDA ban non-health-related antibiotic
use in food animals. In November 2011, the FDA issued a statement
saying it was “concerned” about injudicious food-animal use of
antibiotics -- but that the petitions were denied.
What is the FDA doing about its concerns over antibiotic
use in food animals?
The FDA says it takes too long and costs too much to formally ban
unwise use of antibiotics in food animals. Instead, in a formal response
to the citizen petition to ban such use, the FDA said it would ask the
food industry to voluntarily stop “production use” of antibiotics.
That strategy is outlined in an unusual “draft guidance to industry”
issued in June 2010 but not yet made final. Entitled “The Judicious
Use of Medically Important Antimicrobial Drugs in Food-Producing
Animals,” the paper chronicles over 40 years of scientific and
government reports linking antibiotic use in food animals to drugresistant infections in humans.
The guidance stresses two main principles:
Antibiotics important to humans should be used in food animals
only when necessary for the animals’ health.
Use of these antibiotics in food animals should require the oversight
of a veterinarian.
But the document makes it clear that the FDA expects industry to
follow this guidance voluntarily. How has it worked so far?
The FDA says that it hasn’t worked yet because the guidance hasn’t
been finalized.
“There is no estimated time frame, but moving forward with
strategies for implementing the recommendations outlined in the
draft guidance is a priority for the agency,” the FDA wrote in January
2012. “FDA intends to finalize the draft guidance (Guidance #209) in
the near future as well as issue additional, more detailed guidance on
implementing the recommendations.”
Avinash Kar, a spokesman for the Natural Resources Defense
Council, one of the environmental groups that had petitioned the
FDA, is dubious.
“The FDA have followed the strategy of voluntary action by
industry for the last three-and-a-half decades. We don’t see it working
better now,” Kar says.
The American Meat Institute, which represents the food-animal
industry, declined to comment.
May / June 2012
Source: WebMD Health News, reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD
www.
.com.ph
3
you are what you eat
What are Genetically Modified (GM) Foods?
By Ian Murnagham BSc (hons), MSc
Genetically modified (GM) foods and genetically engineered
crops have become a controversial and heated topic over the last
several decades, with no likely end to the debate in sight anytime
soon.
The term itself is used to describe food crops that have been
modified through a specific range of techniques, which ultimately
give the crops completely new or improved qualities.These qualities
could include improved resistance to pests or they may involve
increasing the nutritional value of the food.
Understanding Genetically Modified Crops And Foods
For some, the concept of a genetically modified food can seem
very unusual, primarily because it is seen as meddling with nature.
However, the uses are thought to be beneficial to humans for a
number of reasons.
By genetically modifying foods, technologists can insert the
gene from one organism into another organism that does not
normally carry that gene.The organism’s genes may be sourced from
one or more other organisms, depending on the desired effects.
One example is the use of bacteria. If a specific kind of bacteria
had a protein that could eliminate the larvae from insects, the use
of genes from this bacteria into a crop can mean that the crop has
a natural resistance to that insect. In this way, farmers can reduce
costs and improve crop yields by handling pests without having to
use toxic pesticides and herbicides.
Getting A Sense Of The Controversy Behind Genetically
Modified Food
If you consider the struggles of growing crops each year, only
to have all of the farmer’s hard work destroyed by uncontrollable
pests or weather conditions, you can begin to appreciate how
some people strongly support the use of genetically modified food.
However, the process is not without controversy.
As you read more about the process of genetic modification, you
will begin to learn that the consequences are not always positive
ones. When changes are made to an organism, the results are not
always completely predictable, which in some cases could cause
issues to human health or the health of the environment and the
delicate ecosystem. For instance, there is the potential for allergies
to occur when foods are genetically modified.
If you are severely allergic to peanuts and a gene from peanuts
was inserted into an apple, you might eat the apple thinking
that there is no allergy issue. Yet, you could suffer from a major
immunological reaction as a result of the genetic modification.
On the other side of the issue are those who cite global problems
such as poverty. By improving the nutritional quality of a food---for
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instance, increasing a nutrient in a staple food for a specific country
---the idea is that micro nutrient deficiencies can be alleviated. In
that same light, others believe that instead of genetic modification,
we should be focusing on ways to simply improve access to a broad
range of nutritious foods.
Additional issues relating to genetically modified food include
the concern that this technology could negatively impact the
environment. The biodiversity in the environment is a real issue that
could be affected by the production of genetically modified foods.
Issues To Think About
Genetically modified foods have the potential to be many
different things but their use and support vary throughout the
world. One of the most important reasons to think about genetically
modified foods is that their production and consumption can affect
you – the consumer.
By becoming informed and educated, you can consider all of the
different aspects of this issue, which will allow you to make the best
political and personal choices regarding the role that genetically
modified foods will play in your life.
Source : geneticallymodifiedfoods.co.uk
May / June 2012
www.
.com.ph
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you are what you eat
Most Common GM Foods
By Ian Murnagham BSc (hons), MSc
to maintain their quality for longer periods of time. A tomato will
be modified so that it does not have a substance that would cause
non-GM tomatoes to become rotten and degraded. In this way, the
process of genetic modification improves the quality of tomatoes
and allows them to remain on shelves for longer periods of time
while still staying fresh and appealing.
Other commonly modified types of food include potatoes and
rapeseed. Sugar cane is another GM food that is resistant to some
pesticides.
Sweet corn is one of the GM foods that produce a toxin that kills
insects, which serves to reduce problems with pests. Yet another
commonly modified food is rice. Rice has been called ‘golden rice’
due to it being modified to contain high levels of vitamin A.
Choosing Wisely and Shopping Effectively for Health
There are a number of common genetically modified (GM) foods
currently on the market.
Depending on where you live and the labelling laws around GM
foods, you might want to avoid some of these foods unless they are
specifically labelled as being free of GM ingredients.
Types of GM Crops
At present, the two main types of GM crops being grown are
ones that tolerate herbicides and ones that are toxic to certain kinds
of pests.
In the first case, a GM crop is engineered to tolerate a herbicide
that kills all other plants and weeds. In this way, the GM crop does
not have to compete with other plants for nutrients, water and light.
The idea is that there will be higher yields from the GM crops if all
other competing plants are eliminated.
In the second example, a GM crop is engineered to produce a
specific toxin that kills the pests who feed on it. This is commonly
done for the cotton plant, although some GM foods are also
engineered to produce the toxin as well.
While some people do not care whether the foods they consume
are genetically modified or not, others are deeply concerned about
GM foods, their health, and any potential negative effects to the
environment.
If you do choose to avoid GM foods, you can look for labels that
cite that the food is free of GM techniques. Some supermarkets
completely avoid the sales of any GM products, which means they
are a good way to do all of your shopping in one place while ensuring
you don’t purchase GM products.
Unfortunately, it is becoming more difficult to avoid GM foods
in the sense that GM seeds are easily transferred into neighbouring
farms. Organic farmers have become quite frustrated with the
presence of GM seeds in their fields because it jeopardises their own
organic designation and livelihood as organic farmers.
For consumers, choosing to support or avoid GM foods is a
personal decision. Whatever choice you make, try to ensure that the
decision is an educated and informed one for your health and the
environment.
Common GM Crops
Soybeans are a commonly modified food. One type from
Monsanto is resistant to herbicides. The herbicide resistant gene is
removed from bacteria and then inserted into soybeans.
Corn is another common GM food. It is engineered to be resistant
to specific pesticides and tolerates amounts that would typically
affect the crop.
Tomatoes are frequently genetically modified types of food,
although the modification of tomatoes is somewhat different than
some of the other crops. GM tomatoes will generally be engineered
May / June 2012
Source : geneticallymodifiedfoods.co.uk
www.
.com.ph
7
you are what you eat
Beef: Grass-Fed is Better
cholesterol, and calories. It also has more Vitamin E, beta-carotene,
Vitamin C, and a number of health-promoting fats, including
Omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).
The CLA Bonus
Meat and dairy products from grass-fed ruminants are the richest
known source of another type of good fat called conjugated linoleic
acid (CLA). When ruminants are raised on fresh pasture alone, their
products contain from three to five times more CLA than products
from animals fed conventional diets. A steak from the most marbled
grass-fed animals will have the most CLA because much of the CLA
is stored in fat cells.
CLA may be one of our most potent defenses against cancer. In
laboratory animals, a very small percentage of CLA—a mere 0.1% of
total calories—greatly reduced tumor growth.There is new evidence
that CLA may also reduce cancer risk in humans. In a Finnish study,
women who had the highest levels of CLA in their diet, had a 60%
lower risk of breast cancer than those with the lowest CLA levels.
Switching from grain-fed to grass-fed meat and dairy products places
women in this lowest risk category.
Factory Farming
Raising animals on pasture is dramatically different from the
status quo. Virtually all the meat, eggs, and dairy products that you
find in the supermarket come from animals raised in confinement
in large facilities called CAFOs or “Confined Animal Feeding
Operations.” These highly mechanized operations provide a yearround supply of food at a reasonable price. Although the food is
cheap and convenient, there is growing recognition that factory
farming creates a host of problems.
Back to Pasture
Since the late 1990s, a growing number of ranchers have stopped
sending their animals to the feedlots to be fattened on grain, soy and
other supplements. Instead, they are keeping their animals home
on the range where they forage on pasture, their native diet.
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Unnatural Diets
These new-age ranchers do not treat their livestock with
hormones or feed them growth-promoting additives. As a result,
the animals grow at a natural pace. For these reasons and more,
grass-fed animals live low-stress lives and are so healthy there is no
reason to treat them with antibiotics or other drugs.
Animals raised in factory farms are given diets designed to
boost their productivity and lower costs. The main ingredients are
genetically modified grain and soy that are kept at artificially low
prices by government subsidies. To further cut costs, the feed may
also contain “by-product feedstuff” such as municipal garbage,
stale pastry, chicken feathers, and candy. Until 1997, U.S. cattle were
also being fed meat that had been trimmed from other cattle, in
effect turning herbivores into carnivores. This unnatural practice is
believed to be the underlying cause of BSE or “mad cow disease.”
More Nutritious
Animal Stress
A major benefit of raising animals on pasture is that their products
are healthier for you. Compared with feedlot meat, meat from grassfed beef, bison, lamb and goats have less total fat, saturated fat,
A high-grain diet can cause physical problems for ruminants—
cud-chewing animals such as cattle, dairy cows, goats, bison, and
sheep. Ruminants are designed to eat fibrous grasses, plants, and
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you are what you eat
shrubs—not starchy, low-fiber grain. When they are switched
from pasture to grain, they can become afflicted with a number
of disorders, including a common but painful condition called
“subacute acidosis.”
Cattle with subacute acidosis kick at their bellies, go off their feed,
and eat dirt. To prevent more serious and sometimes fatal reactions,
the animals are given chemical additives along with a constant, lowlevel dose of antibiotics. Some of these antibiotics are the same ones
used in human medicine. When medications are overused in the
feedlots, bacteria become resistant to them. When people become
infected with these new, drug-resistant bacteria, there are fewer
medications available to treat them.
Caged Pigs, Chickens, Ducks and Geese
Most of the nation’s chickens, turkeys, and pigs are also being
raised in confinement. Typically, they suffer an even worse fate than
the grazing animals. Tightly packed in cages, sheds, or pens, they
cannot practice their normal behaviors, such as rooting, grazing, and
roosting. Laying hens are crowded into cages that are so small that
there is not enough room for all of the birds to sit down at one time.
An added insult is that they cannot escape the stench of their own
manure. Meat and eggs from these animals are lower in a number
of key vitamins and Omega-3 fatty acids.
Environmental Degradation
When animals are raised in feedlots or cages, they deposit large
amounts of manure in a small amount of space. The manure must
be collected and transported away from the area, an expensive
proposition. To cut costs, it is dumped as close to the feedlot
as possible. As a result, the surrounding soil is overloaded with
nutrients, which can cause ground and water pollution. When
animals are raised outdoors on pasture, their manure is spread over
a wide area of land, making it a welcome source of organic fertilizer,
not a “waste management problem.”
The Healthiest Choice
When you choose to eat meat, eggs, and dairy products from
animals raised on pasture, you are improving the welfare of the
animals by helping to put an end to environmental degradation,
helping small-scale ranchers and farmers make a living from the
land, helping to sustain rural communities, and giving your family
the healthiest possible food. It’s a win-win-win-win situation.
May / June 2012
Source: Pasture Perfect by Jo Robinson
www.
.com.ph
9
you are what you eat
5 foods that should have a place in your diet
By Maureen Callahan
Bad reputations tend to stick, even with foods. Continued
negative press about a fruit, vegetable, or beverage is enough reason
for many of us to banish it. Or maybe we indulge on occasion, but
with a measure of guilt.
Take avocados and peanuts, for example. Not too long ago
they wore a big scarlet “F” for too much fat. Yet as peanuts and
avocados sat languishing on many people’s bad-for-you lists,
researchers discovered that the fat in these two foods, mostly the
monounsaturated kind, is extremely good for the heart--and for the
health in general. And the good news didn’t stop there. Researchers
continue to uncover disease-fighting chemicals or new health roles
for these foods.
For the common mushroom, the “bad” reputation is a tad
subtler. It’s not perceived as unhealthy. But it is often dismissed as
diet food, low in calories but with little to brag about nutritionally.
Truth is, scientists are finding that mushrooms contain powerful
compounds that boost immune function and may fight cancer.
Now that scientists are looking beneath the surface at mushrooms,
avocados, and peanuts--as well as once-maligned eggs and coffee—
redeeming qualities for each of these foods are coming to light. They
have nutritional respect and deserve a place at your table. All five
are easy to enjoy on their own, or try them in delicious recipes.
When Mattes offered a group of volunteers seven different snack
foods (including peanut butter, rice cakes, pickles, and almonds),
study participants reported that peanut butter or peanuts were
much more filling snacks than rice cakes or pickles and tamed hunger
for much longer. Sure, peanut butter is high in fat and calories, but
if a small amount can quell hunger, that might explain why dieters
seem more satisfied with weight-loss plans that include the spread.
But dieting or not, Mattes says a tablespoon or two of peanut
butter is all it takes to net a world of benefits for both the heart and
waistline. And don’t obsess about peanut butter being a source of
trans fats. A study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture finds no
detectable trans fats in a standard 2 tablespoon serving.
2. Eggs
1. Peanut Butter
Misconception: Eggs are high in dietary cholesterol, so they don’t
have a place in my heart-healthy diet.
Misconception: This creamy spread is an indulgence best enjoyed
occasionally because it’s high in fat and calories.
Why it’s good for you: At least five major studies confirm that
eating peanuts can lower risk for coronary heart disease. So it’s no
leap to think that peanut butter confers the same benefits. “Suffice
it to say that eating peanut butter or peanuts has been associated
with lower total cholesterol, lower LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol, and lower
triglycerides, all of which are associated with lower cardiovascular
disease risk,” says Richard Mattes, Ph.D., R.D., a professor of nutrition
at Purdue University. Even better, these health benefits seem to
occur without also promoting weight gain. One reason could be
that peanut butter is a stick-to-the-ribs kind of food.
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Why they’re good for you: Eggs contain a variety of substances that
appear to promote good health. Choline, a nutrient that is critical
to brain function, is one example. Eggs are one of the richest food
sources of choline. Scientists at the University of North Carolina find
adding choline to the diets of pregnant animals improves memory
performance in their offspring. It may seem like a leap to apply this
finding to people, but researchers are already encouraging pregnant
women to eat eggs and other choline-rich foods (such as beef liver)
during pregnancy.
Eggs are also being studied because they contain lutein and
zeaxanthin, antioxidants that may keep eyes healthy and ward off
the leading cause of blindness and macular degeneration. A recent
report in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that we look at the egg as
a whole package. Eggs are inexpensive, contain the highest-quality
protein on the planet, and are loaded with small amounts of vital
nutrients, including folate, riboflavin, selenium, B12, and choline. At
75 calories apiece, eggs are also a nutrient-dense food that makes
a smart and low-calorie contribution to any menu.
you are what you eat
3. Coffee
Why they’re good for you: A lot of attention centers on the fact that
avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, the heart-healthy kind.
Yet scientists are now more interested in the active compounds in
avocados that might help prevent cancer. One recent study found
that those compounds can inhibit the growth of prostate cancer
cells in the laboratory. While conducting the study, these researchers
found avocados are loaded with a variety of antioxidants, including
familiar disease-fighting compounds such as lutein, beta-carotene,
and Vitamin E.
Misconception: The only thing you get from drinking coffee is a
caffeine buzz.
Why it’s good for you: The average cup of coffee has hundreds
of different chemical compounds. Maybe that’s why news reports
about coffee vacillate between lauding its health benefits and
labeling it harmful. Still, the benefits of coffee seem to outweigh
the negatives.
Some Arizona researchers recently discovered that caffeinated
coffee helps improve memory in older adults. A new study from the
United Kingdom suggests that small amounts of coffee consumed
throughout the day can increase alertness and improve performance
on all kinds of tasks, including those that require hand-to-eye
coordination and attention to detail. Preliminary studies suggest
regular coffee drinking may lower risk of Type 2 diabetes. A new
report in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that
people who drink a daily four to six cups have a 28% lower risk of
developing this illness than folks who drink less than two cups each
day. Researchers arrived at those numbers by pooling the results of
nine different studies from the United States and around the world.
Speculation is that caffeine deserves the credit, though it could be
an antioxidant phenolic compound called chlorogenic acid. If you
drink several cups, spread them throughout the day to prevent the
jitters, and avoid coffee late in the day, which can interfere with sleep.
4. Avocados
Misconception: I shouldn’t eat avocados because they’re high in fat.
Another recently discovered benefit is that avocados help the
body absorb phytochemicals from other foods. Researchers from
Ohio State University recently reported that pairing avocados with
salsa or salad allows for better absorption of antioxidants in those
foods. The lycopene in tomatoes or the beta-carotene in carrots may
be better absorbed if there’s a slice or two of avocado in the bowl.
Scientists suspect that the fat content of avocados helps the body
absorb these antioxidants.
5. Mushrooms
Misconception: Mushrooms are a low-calorie food with little
nutritional benefit.
Why they’re good for you: They may be 90% water and have only
18 calories per cup, but mushrooms are getting serious scientific
attention. Laboratory reports and animal studies show that
compounds in mushrooms may do everything from bolster immune
function to suppress breast and prostate cancers to decrease tumor
size. And now, Penn State researchers find that mushrooms, from the
humble button to the giant portobello, harbor large amounts of an
antioxidant called L-ergothioneine. The scientific buzz is that fungi,
for the moment, are the only foods that contain this compound.
While scientists work to figure out how these findings will
translate to dietary advice, there are plenty of reasons to enjoy
mushrooms. Clare Hasler, Ph.D., a well-known expert in functional
foods and executive director of the Robert Mondavi Institute for
Wine and Food Science at the University of California, points out that
mushrooms offer a healthy helping of the blood pressure-- lowering
mineral potassium. “Most people might be surprised to learn that
while orange juice is touted as one of the highest potassium foods,
one medium portobello mushroom actually has more potassium,”
she says. “And five white button mushrooms have more potassium
than an orange.”
Source : articles.cnn.com
May / June 2012
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.com.ph
11
you are what you eat
10 Reasons to Support Organic in the
21st Century
By Allan Greene, Bob Scowcroft and Sylvia Tawse
3. Protect Future Generations
Before a mother first nurses her newborn, the toxic risk from
pesticides has already begun. Studies show that infants are exposed
to hundreds of harmful chemicals in utero. In fact, our nation is now
reaping the results of four generations of exposure to agricultural and
industrial chemicals, whose safety was deemed on adult tolerance
levels, not on children’s.
According to the National Academy of Science, “neurologic and
behavioral effects may result from low-level exposure to pesticides.”
Numerous studies show that pesticides can adversely affect the
nervous system, increase the risk of cancer, and decrease fertility.
4. Build Healthy Soil
Monocropping and chemical fertilizer dependency has taken a toll
with a loss of top soil estimated at a cost of $40 billion per year in the
U.S., according to David Pimental of Cornell University. Add to this an
equally disturbing loss of micro nutrients and minerals in fruits and
vegetables.
Feeding the soil with organic matter instead of ammonia and
other synthetic fertilizers has proven to increase nutrients in produce,
with higher levels of vitamins and minerals found in organic food,
according to a study by the Organic Center State of Science Review.
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1. Reduce The Toxic Load: Keep Chemicals Out of the Air,
Water, Soil and our Bodies
5. Taste Better and Truer Flavor
Buying organic food promotes a less toxic environment for all living
things. With only 0.5% of crop and pasture land in organic, according
to USDA that leaves 99.5% of farm acres in the U.S. at risk of exposure
to noxious agricultural chemicals.
Scientists now know what we eaters have known all along: organic
food often tastes better. It makes sense that strawberries taste
yummier when raised in harmony with nature, but researchers at
Washington State University just proved this as fact in lab taste trials
where the organic berries were consistently judged as sweeter.
Our bodies are part of the environment so supporting organic
agriculture doesn’t just benefit your family, it helps all families live
less toxically.
Plus, new research verifies that some organic produce is lower in
nitrates and higher in antioxidants than conventional food. Let the
organic feasting begin!
2. Reduce, if Not Eliminate, Farm Pollution
6. Assist Family Farmers of all Sizes
Industrial agriculture doesn’t singularly pollute farmland and
farm workers; it also wreaks havoc on the environment downstream.
Pesticide drift affects non-farm communities with odorless and
invisible poisons.
According to Organic Farming Research Foundation, as of 2006
there are approximately 10,000 certified organic producers in the U.S.
compared to 2,500 to 3,000 tracked in 1994. Measured against the two
million farms estimated in the US today, organic farming is still tiny.
Synthetic fertilizer drifting downstream is the main culprit for dead
zones in delicate ocean environments, such as the Gulf of Mexico,
where its dead zone is now larger than 22,000 square kilometers, an
area larger than New Jersey, according to Science magazine.
Family farms that are certified organic farms have a double
economic benefit--they are profitable and they farm in harmony
with their surrounding environment. Whether the farm is a 4-acre
orchard or a 4,000-acre wheat farm, organic is a beneficial practice
that is genuinely family-friendly.
lifestylenewsdigest
you are what you eat
7. Avoid Hasty and Poor Science in Your Food
Cloned food. GMOs and rBGH. Oh my! Interesting how swiftly these
food technologies were rushed to market, when organic fought for 13
years to become federal law. Eleven years ago, genetically modified
food was not part of our food supply; today, an astounding 30% of
our cropland is planted in GMOs. Organic is the only de facto seal of
reassurance against these and other modern, lab-produced additions
to our food supply, and the only food term with built in inspections
and federal regulatory body.
8. Eating with a Sense of Place
Whether it is local fruit, imported coffee or artisan cheese, organic
can demonstrate a reverence for the land and its people. No matter the
zip code, organic has proven to use less energy (30% less on average),
is more beneficial to soil, water and local habitat, and is safer for the
people who harvest our food. Eat more seasonably by supporting your
local farmers market while also supporting a global organic economy
year round. It will make your taste buds happy.
9. Promote Biodiversity
habitats. Native plants, birds and hawks return usually after the first
season of organic practices; beneficial insects allow for a greater
balance, and indigenous animals find these farms a safe haven.
As best said by Aldo Leopold, “A good farm must be one where the
native flora and fauna have lost acreage without losing their existence.”
An organic farm is the equivalent of reforestation. Industrial farms are
the equivalent of clear cutting of native habitat with a focus on high
farm yields.
10. Celebrate the Culture of Agriculture
Food is a ‘language’ spoken in every culture. Making this language
organic allows for an important cultural revolution whereby diversity
and biodiversity are embraced and chemical toxins and environmental
harm are radically reduced, if not eliminated.
The simple act of saving one heirloom seed from extinction, for
example, is an act of biological and cultural conservation. Organic is
not necessarily the most efficient farming system in the short run.
It is slower, harder, more complex and more labor-intensive. But for
the sake of culture everywhere, from permaculture to human culture,
organic should be celebrated at every table.
Visit an organic farm and you’ll notice something - a buzz of animal,
bird and insect activity. These organic oases are thriving, diverse
May / June 2012
Source: Organic Trade Association, Organic Farming
Research Foundation and Fresh Ideas Group
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.com.ph
13
you are what you eat
My Paella Story
By Romy Sia
Seafood paella (paella de marisco) replaces meat and snails with
seafood and omits beans and green vegetables.
Mixed paella (paella mixta) is a free-style combination of meat,
seafood, vegetables, and sometimes beans.
Most paella chefs use calasparra or bomba rice for this dish. Other
key ingredients include saffron, olive oil and pimenton (Spanish
paprika).
The Spanish chef Alberto Herraiz wrote a delightful book, Paella,
where he shares his recipes, passion, and knowledge about paella.
The following is quoted from his book.
“The expression ir de paella (to go
for a paella) has become synonymous
in colloquial Spanish with “to have
fun”. It literally means “to go to a
particular place in order to cook a
paella”. This is usually during the
weekend, in the open air, at a house
in the countryside. The paella would
be cooked over a paellero, a type
of barbecue designed especially
for cooking the dish. Traditionally,
men take charge of everything,
from making the fire to the cooking.
Indoors in the kitchen, it is the
paellera --the women--who make
the preparation.”
Like most people, I have eaten paella but it has been a forgettable
experience for me. It was not awful nor was it bad Paella, I just never
really got into it. Until I watched a travel show recently (in UK) and
saw how authentic paella is cooked outdoor on a giant pan over a
wooden fire! Now that got me going and the rest is history.
Well, not quite. Right after watching the program, I suddenly had
this intense craving not only for paella but also to know more about
it. Here’s what I have learned from the various books I have read so far.
Paella is a Valencian rice dish that originated in its modern form
in the mid-19th Century in Valencia, on the east coast of Spain.
Many non-Spaniards view paella as Spain’s national dish, but most
Spaniards consider it to be a regional Valencian dish. Valencians, in
turn, regard paella as one of their identifying symbols.
There are three widely known types of paella:
Valencian paella (paella valenciana) consists of white rice, green
vegetables, meat, land snails, beans and seasoning.
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In Valencia, paella is associated with Sundays and Feast days.
Elsewhere “paella day” varies. In Catalonia and Barcelona, it is
Thursday. Strictly speaking, the name “paella” only applies to the
Valencian version. It is not correct to call other versions of the dish
“paella”; instead they are known as arroz en paella, which literally
means “rice cooked in a paella pan.”
In Spain, a recipe for paella is an ancestral legacy passed down
from generation to generation. As with all traditional dishes, there
is a great deal of inherited knowledge involved. Each generation of
cooks follows the same procedures instinctively. The way vegetables
are prepared, the right time to add the stock, and the choice of
seasonings: none of these things hold any mystery for them.
The basic constituents of paella are as follows: rice is cooked in a
paella pan with a fish or chicken stock, seasonings and at least three
or four main ingredients (meat, fish or seafood, vegetables), which
are added to flavour the rice.
continued on page 17....
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.com.ph
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you are what you eat
...continued from page 14
of the pan. There are certain “rules” to be observed. The paella will
be split into two halves if there are two diners, into three triangles
if there are three diners and so on.
Each diner mentally maps out the boundaries of their portion,
respecting the invisible lines dividing up the paella’s surface.
Everyone helps his or herself within this given area. The middle of
the paella is treated as a communal space. If someone has to be
served separately (e.g. a child), their rice is taken from the middle of
the dish. If a diner does not care for one ingredient, he or she moves
it into the middle so that someone else may take it.
My paella experiment begins
The Spanish chef Alberto Herraiz is the author of the delightful book,
Paella, where he shares his recipes, passion, and knowledge about paella.
The word “paella” denotes an object; the pan in which it is cooked.
The traditional paella pan is made from polished carbon steel. It
is round in shape with low, slanting sides that curl over slightly
around the edge, and has two curved handles. The metal used for
making the paella pan is always thin because it must transmit heat
immediately and also cool quickly when the heat source is turned
off. Heat control is every important when making paella.
I wanted maintenance-free pan so I went for the stainless steel
paella pan. This is just as traditional as the carbon steel used by the
Valencians but does not need oiling between uses – just wash and
dry.
I bought three different-sized paella pans (14”, 20” and 28”) and
other accessories (in case I open a paella restaurant someday!)
from La Paella, an online company in New York selling traditional
paella pans and accessories, burners, books, ceramic cookware, etc.
which are mostly imported from Spain. I am really looking forward
to receiving my order and cooking my first paella soon! Check out
La Paella at www.paellapans.com
To be continued
The size of the paella pan depends on how many people are to
be served. Incidentally, individual paella pans do not exist as paella
is meant to be enjoyed and shared with others.
The following chart gives you a guide on how to choose the size
of paella pan according to the number of portions needed.
Number of guests
Paella pan (inches)
2 to 4
4 to 6
6 to 8
7 to 10
9 to 12
10 to 16
15 to 35
20 to 40
14”
16”
18”
20”
22”
24”
28”
32”
How To Eat Paella
To appreciate the diversity of textures, you should eat paella
straight from the pan because the differences in texture are
destroyed when the rice is spooned onto plates. Each diner should
be given a wooden spoon to help themselves. Cutlery is best avoided
because metal has a distinctive taste and gives a metallic and cold
sensation to the palate.
Paella has its own internal geography, and the size of each
portion becomes obvious to those present when eating straight out
May / June 2012
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.com.ph
17
vital finds
you are what you
eat
Specific Food Type Etiquette Guide
Wine
Caviar
Never turn a wine glass upside down to decline wine. It is more
polite to let the wine be poured and not draw attention. Otherwise,
hold your hand over the wine glass to signal that you don’t want any
wine. Hold your wine glass by the stem, not the rim. When a different
wine is served with each course, it is quite acceptable not to finish each
glass.
No matter how much you might be tempted by its luscious flavor,
when served caviar as an hors d’oeuvre, it’s considered bad taste to
eat more than an ample serving of about two ounces, or about two
spoonfuls.
Appetizers, Hors d’oeuvres, Canapés
Food that is served at a cocktail party or during a pre-meal cocktail
hour is intended to be eaten with the fingers. This includes olives, pickles,
nuts, canapés, deviled eggs, and chips.
When sliced cheese is served as an accompaniment to a dish, such
as apple pie, it is eaten with a fork. If cheese is served as an appetizer,
such as cubes on toothpicks, it is eaten with fingers. If served wedges of
cheese, such as on a cheese plate, a slice of cheese is cut from a wedge,
placed on a cracker, and brought to the mouth with the fingers.
Bread
Chicken
Use your fingers to remove bread from the serving plate. When a
bread and butter plate is on the table, use it appropriately. Break slices
of bread, rolls and muffins in half or in small pieces never larger than one
bite. Butter each bite at a time. Small biscuits do not have to be broken.
It is never appropriate to cut a roll with a knife.
It was once acceptable to pick up food on a bone, such as chicken,
if it could be held with two fingers. It is not recommended that you do
this in public.When dining at the restaurant or in a public place, chicken
should always be eaten with a fork and knife.
When the rolls are served in a basket, take one, and pass the basket
to your right. Place the roll on the break plate, which is located on the
left side. Never tear your roll in half or into many pieces. Use your own
butter knife and the butter on your plate; buttering should be done on
the plate or just above it. Use your butter knife for spreading and not
as the butter server. The butter knife remains on the bread and butter
plate at the end of the meal.
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Cheese
lifestylenewsdigest
Crabs, Clams and Oysters
Hold the shell with the left hand and lift the clam out using your
oyster fork. Crab, shrimp and lobster cocktails are always eaten with a
cocktail fork. Crab and lobster claws should be cracked with a nutcracker
and the meat taken out with a miniature or oyster fork.
you are what you eat
Pasta or Spaghetti
The perfect method for eating spaghetti or other long stringy pasta
is to twirl it around your fork. Use a spoon to help if needed.
It is also acceptable to cut pasta with a knife and fork. You can get
some leverage by turning the pasta while holding the tines of your fork
against the edge of your plate. It’s even correct to neatly cut the pasta
if twirling is too hard.
What is undeniably bad manners is slurping in a mouthful of trailing
pasta without benefit of twirl or knife. It’s often loud, and it’s never pretty.
To eat bread while eating your soup, don’t hold the bread in one
hand and your soup spoon in the other. When ready to eat a bite of
your bread, place the spoon on the under plate, then use the same hand
to take the bread to your mouth.
Sushi
At most sushi bars, the waitress will offer a hot towel to wash your
hands so you can pick up sushi with clean fingers. At home, use hot
washcloths.
With your sushi order, you will be served some pickled ginger, a
small mound of wasabi, and soy sauce. Eat a slice of pickled ginger
after each variety of sushi to cleanse your palate.
Potatoes
Baked potatoes are most often served already slit. If not, cut across
the top with a knife, open the potato wider with your fork, and add
butter or sour cream and chives, salt, and pepper.
You may eat the skin as you go along. Don’t take the insides out and
put the skin aside or take the foil off. Eat it by scooping out the insides
bite by bite.
It is considered rude to rub your chopsticks together to remove any
splinters. Eat the whole sushi roll at once. It is not appropriate to eat a
portion of you sushi and place the other half back on your plate. Once
you have picked something up, you should eat all of it. You may bite
the sushi in half and place the remainder back on the plate, only if the
sushi is too big to eat in one bite.
Do not dip the rice portion of the sushi pieces into the soy sauce as
it becomes too moist and can cause sushi to fall apart. Simply dip the
topping or the seaweed in the soy sauce before eating.
Risotto
Using a fork or a spoon, push the grains of cooked rice out slightly
toward the edge of the bowl, eating only from the pulled out ring of
rice. Continue spreading from the center and eating around the edges
in a circle. This will keep the risotto hot as you enjoy your food.
Source : whatscookingamerica.net
Salad
If you are served large pieces or a whole wedge of lettuce, cut one
bite at a time, using the knife provided. If the salad is served before or
after the main course, use the smaller fork. If the salad is considered the
main course, use the entrée fork (large fork).
Shrimp
If large shrimp are served in a stemmed glass (shrimp cocktail), pick
them up with an oyster fork or whatever fork is provided and bite off a
mouthful at a time, dipping into the sauce before each bite.
When large shrimp are served on a platter with sauce and no fork,
pick it up with your fingers, dip into the sauce and bite it in. When eating
shrimp with the tail still on, hold the shrimp by the tail and dip it into
the sauce once. Eat it in one bite if it is not too large. Otherwise, eat it
in two bites. Do not dip the second bite into the sauce! Discard the tail
as you would toothpicks.
Soup
Dip the spoon into the soup, moving it away from the body, until it
is about two-thirds full, then sip the liquid without slurping from the
side of the spoon without inserting the whole bowl of the spoon into
the mouth.
It is perfectly fine to tilt the bowl slightly away from the body to get
the last spoonful or two of soup.
May / June 2012
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you are what you eat
Forbidden Foods for Baby
high levels of heavy metals such as mercury which can easily cause
damage to a baby’s nervous system.
Raw Eggs
Foods to avoid giving to babies also include raw eggs. Raw eggs
may contain the bacteria salmonella which can cause severe food
poisoning. Foods such as homemade ice cream and mayonnaise
should also be avoided. Eggs can also cause allergic reactions, so
consult your doctor before introducing egg to your baby’s diet. Eggs
should never be offered to babies under the age of 6 to 8 months
and especially not to those who have other types of confirmed
allergies or have a family history of food allergies before consulting
a doctor for medical advice.
Peanuts, Almonds, Hazelnuts, and Other Nuts
Nuts, especially peanuts, can cause serious allergic reactions
and apart from that present a potential choking hazard to babies
and small children. Consult your child’s doctor before introducing
any kind of nuts to your child’s diet especially if you have a family
history of food allergies. Whole peanuts and other nuts should not
be given to children below the age of 5 years.
Salt
Starting a baby on solids can be such an exciting time for all
parents. But not all foods are good for babies under 1 year of age as
they are considered to be potential choking hazards or health risks
for small children.
Foods to avoid giving to babies under 1 year of age
Honey, Corn Syrup and Maple Syrup
Should never be given to babies under 1 year of age as they
may, in very rare cases cause Infant Botulism. Infant Botulism is a
paralytic illness which happens when a baby ingests the bacterium
Clostridium Botulinum through food stuffs such as honey, corn
syrup and maple syrup. These bacteria produce a toxin known as
Botulinum Toxin in an infant’s immature intestine. Symptoms of
botulism include constipation, lethargy and a weak cry. Although
infant Botulism is very rare, it is best to avoid giving babies foods
that may put them at risk of infection during their sensitive first year
of life.
Mackerel, Shark, Swordfish, and Tuna
Fishes such as mackerel, shark, swordfish and tuna should never
be given to babies under the age of 1 year as they may contain
The kidneys of children younger than 1 year of age are not
developed enough to cope with high salt levels. Ready made foods
that are meant for adults usually contain high amounts of salt and
therefore should never be fed to babies. Soy sauce, sausages and
bacon are some of the foods that normally contain quite high
amounts of salt.
Sugar
Sugar is simply not good for your baby’s teeth and health. Babies
get enough sugar from breast milk, milk formulas and fruits. Babies’
teeth are more vulnerable to tooth decay than an adult’s teeth. Avoid
giving babies sweet foods such as cookies to avoid encouraging
a sweet tooth in the first place for healthier milk teeth and future
permanent teeth. Contrary to common beliefs, diluting juices does
not make them less harmful. Diluted juices still contain amounts of
sugar enough to cause tooth decay. Limit your baby’s sweet juice
intake to mealtimes and snacktimes only.
Spinach, Fennel, Beetroot, Lettuce, and Nettles
These vegetables are likely to contain high levels of nitrates.
When babies ingest nitrates they are quickly converted to nitrites
because very young babies lack the stomach acids that help keep
nitrates in check. The nitrites disturb the bloods ability to transport
oxygen leading to Blue Baby Syndrome, i.e. low oxygen levels.
Source: easy-homemade-babyfood.com
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