A new hob and a new hood

Image via WikipediaWe're moving in to the new flat by 1st Week of December, approximately, and that means all the works would have been done by that time.

One thing that we needed is a new hob and a new hood, and we've been looking around, hunting around for some much-needed promotions or sales that will most probably gave us a chance to still get a good pair at the lowest price.

Well, there has been some promotional items going on, but the sales, they are not so good. I mean, we are late most of the times to take a look at the items on sale, and the 'good ones' have been taken up already, leaving us with what others refuse to take...

Not until this month, our better chance didn't come... and thanks to Mayer. Well, Mayer is one of the shops that's been promoting their items by giving a package deal of a hob and a hood for a lower price than when these items are individually bought.

This time around, their prices are lower when bought individually... and rightly so, because it is their 23rd anniversary here in Singapore.

Now, what attracted us even more is the fact that some items were on PWP promotion: purchase either a hob or a hood, and you get one of these (sink or a pressure cooker) for only $23. How's that?

We checked with the salesman, that if we bought a hob and a hood, will we e getting 2 pressure cookers? 'Yeah, yeah, that's possible,' he said.

We left.

We came back the next day, and made the selection, and finalized the purchase.

When he is entering the details in the system, he seemed to see something that made him say, 'I think you can only get 1 pressure cooker...' and of course, we were surprised.

I looked at the my wife, and she quickly replied, 'Put them in separate invoices!'

That solved the problem.

I mean, it would have been OK if we get 1 sink and 1 pressure cooker, but we wanted to get 2 pressure cookers and no sink - there's no use for the sink, and we are giving the pressure cooker as a gift.

So if you are at this time hunting for a good hood and hob, both of quality and price, go to Mayer. We bought our oven 3 years ago, and we're not regretting that decision.

Enjoy!

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Eat your colours

This is quite a colourful article, I could say...
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Adding colour to your meal is good for your health

PINK may be the colour of health. But the path to a healthier and possibly longer life is paved with a myriad of shades: Red, green and even blue. (And white, if you consider it a colour).

Despite how good they taste, not all foods are created equal. It's genetics, really, not so much a social condition. And according to various studies, some of the headliners of fruits and vegetables are, not surprisingly, of the more colourful variety.

These naturally have higher levels of a unique set of nutrients - specifically vitamins A, C and E, carotenoids such as beta carotene, and other beneficial phytochemicals (plant chemicals) - which are all antioxidants (or act like one). Think kailan, papaya and cantaloupe.

According to insights published by the Health Promotion Board, phytochemicals act like antioxidants because they, over time, help protect against chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Trace minerals like zinc and manganese also act as antioxidants.

What are antioxidants? In short, they are colour-coded agents of your body's peace of mind that help fight nasty free radicals (naturally occurring unstable molecules, as well as those spawned by external factors such as pollution and UV radiation). These, you could say, are the villains behind the ageing process and a possible cause of the afore mentioned diseases that antioxidants target.

One of the studies featured on BBC's The Truth About Food also described how a modest increase in the daily intake of the antioxidant lycopene (even over a short period of time) can help improve the skin's defence against UV radiation (sunburn).

Foods rich in this variety include vibrant yummies such as tomatoes, grapefruit, carrots, capsicums and, yes, even watermelon. But recent studies have found a new Numero Uno - the James Bond of these natural born defenders - in the humble pomegranate juice.

In a 2008 analysis published in the Journal Of Agriculture And Food Chemistry, POM Wonderful 100 per cent Pomegranate Juice (also the largest US grower of pomegranates) was shown to be the leader in the antioxidant beverage category over red wine, green tea and several juices.

A scientific and clinical monograph performed by the American Botanical Council on the product (now available at leading supermarkets, by the way), found that pomegranate juice had "both a higher total polyphenolic content and greater antioxidant activity than other commonly consumed fruit juice, including grape, cranberry, orange, and apple juice".

More specifically, as an antioxidant, POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice was found to be "100 times more powerful than blueberry juice and 300 times more powerful than grape juice".

Oh well, go ahead, have yours shaken (not stirred), if you like.



From TODAY, Food - Saturday, 09-Oct-2010
Eat your colours
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The Controversy of MSG

MSG - MonoSodium Glutamate

There has been many claims and petitions about this one single food additive alone: claims of adverse effects and results to many, but not all, who consume the food having MSG, and petitions - to ban the use of the product because of its unwanted consequences.

But what really is the score?

The time has been long enough to give real insight and truth to the claims that has been going on, right?

Wrong!

To date, there is nothing definite and conclusive, and by that, I mean to say that MSG has not one particular effect to anybody who consumes the product. For example, take poison, and you die. Put in too much salt, and it is salty. Put in too much sugar, and it becomes too sweet. Acid burns.

But for the case of MSG, it is all about your individual chemistry, and all about your preconceived or preconditioned reaction.

And with that, I will present to you the general knowledge, claims and petitions and all - yours to review and make your own decision: to eat or not to eat.

Read on...
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What is MSG?

MSG is a substance that is both occurring naturally, and in processed form.
It is the sodium salt of the amino acid known as glutamic acid, and a form of glutamate. Glutamate occurs naturally and is found in many living things, including you. It is found in protein-containing foods such as cheese, milk, meat, vegetables, and spores (mushrooms).
When it is found in its natural unbound (unprocessed) form, and is not subjected to some sort of manufactured or fermented process, is not harmful for human or animal consumption. All forms of manufactured /processed glutamic acid contains contaminants, while the naturally occurring substance in nature does not. [1]



Where is MSG used?

Although most people connect MSG with Chinese food, few people realize how massively it is used in the processed food industry. It is present in nearly every food that is manufactured. Considering how cheap and convenient it is, food manufacturers love it because they can get away with reducing the amount of real food substances by substituting with cheap fillers, add some MSG to get a 'morphine like' taste punch to the food product. It also intensifies the eating experience in not only enhancing the flavor of the food, but it alters color and odor of the food as well. [1]

Food Additives that ALWAYS contain MSG

• Monosodium Glutamate
  
• Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
  
• Hydrolyzed Protein
  
• Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
  
• Plant Protein Extract
  
• Sodium Caseinate
  
• Calcium Caseinate
  
• Yeast Extract
  
• Textured Protein (Including TVP)
  
• Autolyzed Yeast
  
• Hydrolyzed Oat Flour
  
• Corn Oil

Food Additives that FREQUENTLY contain MSG

• Malt Extract
• Malt Flavoring
  
• Bouillon
  
• Broth
  
• Stock
  
• Flavoring
  
• Natural Flavors/Flavoring
  
• Natural Beef or Chicken Flavoring
  
• Seasoning
  
• Spices

Food Additives that May contain MSG

• Enzymes
• Soy Protein Concentrate
• Soy Protein Isolate
• Whey Protein Concentrate [2]
  

MSG is commonly added to most frozen or processed food, including soups, chips, gravy, salad dressings and even Starbuck's Coffee! Products that don't actually list MSG on the label, substitute "Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein," which is just another name for MSG. [3]


Is there health benefits from MSG?


MSG has no nutritional value whatsoever. Like sugar, it stimulates your taste buds, making you desire the taste so much you will keep on buying the product and keep eating it. MSG changes your perception of how a food tastes. Many experts in the field of studying its harmful effects claim that it stimulates parts of the brain to produce an addiction in much the same way as alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs do.
In other words, MSG is addictive. So, even if you do not drink alcohol or smoke, eating a lot of processed food is just as addictive as drugs, in essence your trading the pleasure of drugs for this addictive substance in the food you eat.
Food manufacturers are no dummies, they know they have the FDA on their side, and they know using MSG will ensure repeat customers for them. [1]


What are the possible effects?

This doesn't apply to all, and if you are affected, not all may be exhibited. These include, but not limited to:

• Diarrhea
• Migraine
• Nausea
• Sensitivity to light
• Tightness in the chest
• Tingling
• Visual disturbances
• Vomiting [4]
  

MSG sensitivity is often called 'Chinese Restaurant Syndrome", but it isn't all Chinese, and it isn't only Chinese food. It has become so American, and all other countries more or less use that one and the same MSG as food additive.


Is everyone affected?

No. Not everyone is affected. Furthermore, the obesity, that big (and becoming bigger) wall erected against the use of MSG is founded on American people getting obese due to the consumption of products laced with MSG. And while that may be true in lab rats, it is not necessarily true in humans. I like this one. Proves one thing, that we are not really all that related (Darwin, you are WRONG!)

Many experiments and researches were done, and the results are inconclusive. One group has some participants showing the symptoms, while others didn't - and they were not given anything with MSG. On the contrary, another group were given MSG in one form or another, and the response shown is varied: some did show the effects, while others didn't.

So, yes, MSG reaction is both below:

• a conditioned response, and
• a body chemistry reflex

Will it be 'removed' from consumer foods?

The petitions continue. The protests are getting louder. And yes, we know that one company has been reacting in the favored manner:

"The big food manufacturers are finally starting to listen to their customers. Campbell's has taken MSG out of the Select Harvest soups." [5]

Here's what I can say. If it can't be taken out by the big boys who provide you with their product bombarded with MSG, then why not 'remove' those products from your food list? Ain't that better and faster than waiting for the big, plump boys who move slowly? I think so.


What should you do?

If you think you have a problem with MSG, you may wish to try an 'exclusion' diet. Go for 3 weeks with no (or little) MSG. At the end of the 3 weeks, eat something that you know has MSG and see if your symptoms come back. [6]

I hate to say it, but is most cases, the effect has come before the actual trigger. Placebo effect. Reverse placebo effect. Or if that you are already fat before even dunking in that so-called MSG-laden burger, this doesn't apply. In so saying, I'm not against those who really experience those sensations and exhibiting the 'real' effects. And if you do, the one thing that you can begin with is to moderate your intake.

Hey, to slim down, nobody said that you should starve yourself. it is controlling the portion on a regular basis. In the same manner, limit your intake, and to the extreme, completely avoid, and change to a more meaningful diet that follows the food pyramid.

Is it only MSG to blame? I say no. It has been our prevailing culture to want things, and want them now. That is why we have burgers and processed foods - we can have them when we want them, and in the amount that we want, not what we need. We have processed foods that we can store in cans and keep in store for years to come. Nothing is fresh anymore. So, we created our own problems, and we are not trying to solve them.

Or are we simply trying to point fingers? To MSG?

I hope not. And while food is food, it should be eaten in moderation.

Anything in excess is poison.


-----
Sources:
1. MSG -  A neurotoxin or a harmless food flavor enhancer?
2. MSG and Headaches
3. What Are the Facts About MSG?
4. What is MSG Sensitivity Syndrome?
5. MSG Update - The big boys are finally listening to us!
6. Is MSG A Trigger For Headaches?

All sources (may include above sources):

1. Accent Quiz - What Are the Facts About MSG?
2. Is MSG A Trigger For Headaches?
3. MSG - A Neurotoxin Or A Harmless Food Flavor Enhancer?
4. MSG And Headaches
5. Does MSG Cause Brain Damage?
6. What is MSG Sensitivity Syndrome?
7. MSG Update - The Big Boys Are Finally Listening to Us!
8. MSG Obesity - Food Industry Secret Revealed
9. Better Health Knowledge - Stop Eating MSG

 

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Facts on Vegetables

Image via Wikipedia

With more and more propaganda being broadcasted over the TV, radio, dailies and all sort of advertisments, we are bombarded with information that sends us bedazzled, and if we are not careful, we may end up believing everything that we read, see and hear.
Here, an Ezine article original, is to present us with facts to sort things out, clear away the clouds, and remove the smokescreen for us to see clearly.
Is eating vegetable really the only option we have?
Read on...

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Are Vegetables Safe and Healthy?

Nitrite and nitrates

Green leafy and root vegetables, such as spinach and carrots contain dietary nitrate. Does this mean that vegetables are unhealthy?

I have heard some concern over feeding infants vegetables because of the controversy surrounding the nitrates in vegetables, one lady explaining that she bought her baby veges as prepared baby food, because food companies had better recourses for testing nitrates. What a shame that she felt guilty for giving her baby fresh vegetables!

Yes, vegetables contain nitrates naturally, and foods with added chemical fertilizers can contain more, which is a very good reason to buy organically grown veg when we can.

As we know, many of the chemicals found in pesticides and fertilizers have been linked to a long list of very serious human and animal health problems, including cancers, infertility, thyroid dysfunction, birth defects, behavioural problems, immune system suppression and deformities of the reproductive organs, and they also affect the endocrine system. These are frequently referred to as 'endocrine disrupting chemicals' (EDCs).

Dietary nitrate may also come from our drinking water.

So it is true that nitrites are commonly found in many green vegetables, especially spinach, celery and green lettuce, but fruit and vegetables appear to be effective in reducing the risk of cancer!

Nitrite containing vegetables also have Vitamin C and D, which serve to inhibit the formation of N-nitroso compounds.

So vegetables are quite safe and healthy!

So Why is nitrite added to food?

Nitrite is a salt used to preserve meat, fish, and poultry. to certain foods to prevent the growth botulism, which can lead to paralysis and even death. It is also used to produce the characteristic flavour, texture, and pink colour of cured meats.

Our Body Makes Nitrite

Through normal metabolism nitric oxide is produced, then converted to nitrite or nitrate in order to be excreted.

At normal levels, nitric oxide is a life-supporting biological messenger that helps heal wounds and burns, promotes blood clotting, controls blood pressure, enhances brain function, and boosts immunity to kill tumour cells and intracellular parasites. Scientific studies have shown that a wound in the process of healing contains a significant amount of nitric oxide.

Moreover, when nitrite is acidified in the stomach, it stimulates antimicrobial activity.

Just as nitrite protects food against botulism, it can also protect our stomach against other food borne bacteria.

So it would seem that nitrites are essential for life, and we get them naturally in our foods, so why are they considered "bad"?

Nitrates and Nitrites form Nitrosamines in our body. Nitrosamines are carcinogenic. On top of that, the very high heat used to cook many processed meats like sausage and bacon, assist in the formation of Nitrosamines.

Studies indicate that people who eat a lot of processed meats with nitrates; hot dogs, bacon, cold cuts, sausages, are at a much higher risk for pancreatic cancer.

So we can choose processed meats that do not have Nitrates listed as one of the ingredients, and Organically grown vegetables; don't forget that meats without nitrates are more perishable so eat them promptly or freeze them before the expiration date.

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/f-w00/nitrosamine.html

http://www.mortormow.com/

Article Directory: EzineArticles

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