HEALTHY EATING PART 14 (FOOD HYGIENE)

Food hygiene is conditions and measures necessary to ensure the safety of food from production to consumption. Food can become contaminated at any point during harvesting, processing, storage, distribution, transportation and preparation.

Also, food hygiene has to do with all kind of food products, it covers all conditions needed to control food threats and ensure that people will get healthy food to eat.

Importance of Food Hygiene

Cleanliness related to food starts with the preparation of food. The raw substances used for cooking should be washed thoroughly with water before being cooked.

Greater attention is needed for something which would be consumed raw.

Examples are Fruits and Salads.

In other words, the essence of food hygiene is to know the preventive measures on how to avoid things like cross-contamination, microbes, bacteria, in order to avoid diseases and deaths.

FOOD HANDLING

When handling the food we are being faced with some threats, such as physical threats, microbiological threats etc.

Physical threats: these are objects seen with the optical eyes (foreign bodies).

Examples of physical threats are (1) plastic (2) stone (3) hair (4) metal, etc

Microbiological threats: they are food damaging microbes and water and foodborne

pathogenic microbes.

Most harmful animals and food pest can also cause these threats in foodstuff

                      GENERAL SAFE FOOD HANDLING TIP

1)Do not wipe your hands on your clothing as this can easily transfer microbes and bacteria

2) Wash and sanitize flatware or other utensils, which fall to the floor

3) Change gloves, utensils and dishes when changing functions. For instance use one pair of gloves for handling raw meat, and another pair for handling fresh vegetables

4)Prepare and cook only as much food as you intend to use.

5)Try to have just one person serve food that is about to be eaten.

6)Store tableware away from dust. Be careful when lifting lids from hot food.

7)Turn handles of saucepans away from the front of the stove when cooking

CONCLUSION: THE AIM OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM FOOD THREATS AND ECONOMIC LOSSES THAT COMES WITH BAD FOOD.

Inflation: Mixed outlook as food prices remain high

AGAINST the backdrop of deceleration of inflationary pressures announced by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, last week, further insight into price movements in the first quarter of the year has indicated a mixed result.

Financial Vanguard and other analysts’ reports indicate that the deceleration was principally a year-on-year, YoY, base effect rather than a decline in prices, especially in food and related items in the market.
The NBS report for March 2017 had indicated that inflation rate slowed further to 17.26 per cent YoY in March from 17.87 per cent YoY in February.
Giving a Month-on-Month, MoM, analysis of the parameters, economists at Cardinal Stone Partners Limited, a Lagos based investment house, stated: ‘‘The relatively slower pace of increase in YoY headline CPI (Consumer Price Index) primarily reflects the impact of base effects given the significant jump in the index in the corresponding period of 2016.
‘‘On a month-on-month basis however, headline inflation accelerated to 1.72 per cent MoM against February level of 1.49 per cent MoM, as both the food and core sub-indices increased in March.

‘‘We believe the drag from higher staple food prices is the direct result of higher export demand (given the significant depreciation in the Naira) as well as higher transport costs ( a major component of the core index).’’
Contrary to inflation reports showing declines for two consecutive months this year (February and March) the petroleum products price watch released by NBS last weekend shows that huge gap still exists between average price of the products in the first quarter 2017 (Q1’17) and preceding quarter, Q4’16.
In the report average price of Kerosene in Q1’17 was N365.94 per litre, about 35 per cent higher than N269.15 recorded in the preceding quarter. Also average price of 5kg cooking gas at N2,589.84 was about 28.8 per cent higher than N2,010.6 recorded in the preceding quarter.
Regulated price of petrol
Similarly the report shows that average price of diesel in Q1’17 at N241.5 per litre was 25.1 per cent higher than N193.1 recorded in Q4’16 while the regulated price of petrol still commanded about 2.0 per cent higher pump price at national average of N149.3 per litre in Q1’17 as against N146.4 previous quarter. Moreover, prices of basic food items have steadily been on the increase up till March 2017 going by NBS reports of Selected Food Prices Watch released at the weekend.
Economists raise concerns
Reflecting on last week’s CPI figures of the NBS, economists at Cordros Capital Limited, another Lagos based investment house, stated: ‘‘Given the faster increase in MoM inflation, we reiterate our position that the possibility of general price level significantly moderating this year remains uncertain, as the causal structural factors that pressured general prices in 2016 remain through the most of this year.

‘‘More so, it appears that the peak of cost push inflation had been attained in 2016, thus strengthening the case for slower price increases this year.
‘‘Driven by this matrix of facts, we prognosticate the headline index to sustain the base-effect driven moderation in the month of April, particularly in the absence of new FX-induced shocks and other related negative surprises, such as fuel and power tariff hikes. ‘‘However, we are concerned about the higher-than-expected MoM increase in inflation experienced in the last two months, which has constrained significant YoY moderation.
‘‘Potential risk in this regard is the likely rise in the average pump price of petrol following the recent increase in the bridging allowance to transporters from N6.20 to N7.20 per litre, especially among independent operators outside major commercial cities where regulatory supervision is limited.
‘‘For April, we estimate the CPI to further moderate by 36 basis points (bps) to 16.9%.’’
Also commenting on the NBS figures, analysts at Cardinal Stone Partners stated: ‘‘Base effects led the slight decline in YoY food inflation in March to 18.44% YoY (February: 18.53% YoY) since domestic food prices continued on an uptrend in March, increasing to a ten month high of 2.21% MoM (February: 1.99% MoM).
‘‘The most significant price increases were observed on staples such as bread & cereals, protein, and tubers. ‘‘Imported food inflation moderated further to 18.15% YoY (February: 19.42% YoY) although it increased to 1.46% MoM (February: 1.39% MoM) given the significant Naira depreciation (at the parallel market) in February whose impact on prices of imported items may have lingered into March.

‘‘Suffice to say that the magnitude of decline recorded by the CPI would have been bigger, save for the notable price increases reported in the following major divisions: housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuel, education, food and alcoholic beverages, clothing and footwear and transportation services.
‘‘Food inflation increased to 18.44% YoY (vs. 18.53% YoY in February), albeit 9 basis points (bps) slower than the rate recorded in the previous month, supported by a 130bps drop in imported food inflation to 18.14% YoY, from 19.44% YoY, and lingering impact of a favourable base-effect.
‘‘However, on a MoM basis, food inflation, notwithstanding the improvement in the forex market during the review period and a slower 6.07% MoM (vs. 13.53% MoM previous month) increase in the prices of 25 selected food items in the NBS Selected Food Prices Watch for March, climbed by 2.21%, a faster pace than the 1.99% recorded in February.
‘‘We sense that prices in this segment were pressured by rising transport cost (8.24% MoM, 4.49% MoM, and 1.55% MoM increase in bus transport cost for within city, intercity, and water transport respectively). Notably, in March, the highest price increases were recorded by potatoes, yam and other tubers, bread and cereals, meat, milk, cheese, and eggs.’’

HEALTHY EATING PART 13 (5 HIDDEN FACTS ABOUT SUGAR PROCESSED FOODS)

OUR SPIRITUAL FOOD
“NEVER WITHOUT HELP”
I will not leave you as orphans comfortless, desolate, bereaved, forlorn, helpless]; I will come back.

In today’s article i will be discussing on “5 Hidden Facts About Sugar Processed Food” under “Healthy Eating”.

The excessive amount of hidden sugar in processed food has quite become alarming in the Sub-Sahara region, including Nigeria.

1. SUGAR MASQUERADING FOODS:
It is difficult to know the exact amount of natural sugar versus added sugar by just looking at their label, most foods that are typically considered “healthy” can contain shocking amounts of added sugar or fructose, in form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) according to Dr. Robert Lustig, a professor of clinical pediatries in the Division of Endocrinology at UC San Francisco, its important to distinguish between Natural Food-Base Sugar Versus Added Sugar.

He notes that a small serving cup of plain yogurt has about seven grams of sugar in the form of Lactose a natural sugar found in dairy which does not cause any major harm.

While, a Fruit Flavored yogurt on the other hand contains about 19 grams of sugars 12 grams of which is added sugar, this is equivalent to eating a small cup of plain yogurt with a bowl of frosted corn flakes.

2. SODA INCREASES TASTE:
Soft drinks contain caffeine, a mild diuretic that makes you urinate more, thereby eliminating water from your body. It also contains about 55mg of salt, and when you take in salt and excrete water you get thirstier.

The reason why soda contains so much sugar is because they have to mask the taste of the salt. Sugar has also been found to be 8 times as addictive as cocaine which also ensures that you will stay hooked on processed foods and sweet drinks.

3. THE BODY CAN ONLY HANDLE LIMITED AMOUNT OF SUGAR:
The facts that your liver has very limited capacity to metabolize processed fructose does not mean you should not be watchful. Excess sugar is metabolize into body fat and leads to all the chronic metabolic diseases, e.g Cardiovascular Disease, High Blood Pressure, Cancer, etc.

According to a study published in JAMA3, Americans get on average about 350 calories a day from added sugar in die diet. (This is equivalent to 22 teaspoons of sugar, which amounts to 25% of the average American’s daily calorie intake). In reference to the case study people who consumed 21% or more of their daily calories in the form of sugar were twice as likely to die from heart disease compared to those who got 7% or less calories from added sugar.

The risk was nearly tripped among those who consumed 25% or more of their daily calories from added sugar. Approximately 30% of Africans consumed added sugar at a very high rate level. It is strongly recommended limiting your daily fructose intake to 25 grams or less from all sources, including natural ones like fruits that equate to just over 60 spoons of sugar a day.

4. SUGAR & CANCER CONNECTION:
Cancer cells needs glucose to thrive, and Carbohydrates turn into glucose in your body. In order to starve the cancer cells you have to eliminate its primary food source (The sugars) which includes all none-vegetable carbohydrate.

Otto Warburg actually received a noble prize back in 1934 for his research on Cancer Cell Physiology, which clearly demonstrated Cancer Cells require more sugar to thrive. The latest World Cancer report issued by the World Health Organization (WHO), predict world wild cancer rate to rise in the next 2 decades. But the reports also note that half of all cancers are preventable and can be avoided if current Medical knowledge is acted upon diet and exercise inclusive.

5. SUGAR ALSO INITIATES CANCER GROWTH:
According to a study published in the journal of clinical investigation, sugar also appears to initiate cancer growth. As reported by greenmedinfo.com, this study provides evidence that increased glycolytic activation itself can be an oncogenic event.

This implies that the activation of sugar-based metabolism in a cell driven by both the presence of increased quantities of glucose on the cell membrane surface drives cancer initiation.

As the Christmas and New Year is by the corner my take home advice to all readers/viewers, is the reducing sugar and processed food consumption is part and parcel of the long term answer to remain healthy.
MERRY CHRISTMAS IN ADVANCE

HEALTHY EATING PART 12 (HOW TO MANAGE FOOD INTOLERANCE)

OUR SPIRITUAL FOOD
“ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU ARE SPECIAL”.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man,
seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it (Matthew 13:45-46).

There are people who like to tell us that we’re not very special. People make such statements out of ignorance, and
a seeming show of humility.

You are peculiar. You are special to God. You’re His pearl of
inestimable value. It’s not pride to acknowledge and affirm that you are special.
Remember, God gave birth to you. James 1:18 says, “Of his
own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

It’s absolutely
impossible for God to give birth to “nonentities” or “unworthy servants” that some Christians
unwittingly arrogate to themselves, because He reproduces after His own kind.

You are the crown of God’s creation, the best of all that He
made. Therefore, Be conscious and be bold of your real personality; you are royalty, a peculiar treasure, a king priest
unto God, appointed to reign and rule in the earth.

Welcome back dear readers to this wonderful segment on “Healthy Eating”, In todays’ article i will be discussing on “HOW TO MANAGE FOOD INTOLERANCE”.

As we all know, eating is a pleasant experience. However, there are some, who treat certain food as “Worse Enemy” owing to the previous experience and this might be as a result of Food Intolerance.

The question is,
WHAT IS THIS SO CALLED FOOD INTOLERANCE?
Well, to my understanding, Food Intolerance is an adverse reaction of food in the digestive system.

It can also be a situation whereby the needed enzymes is unable to break food particles in the intestine.

SOME COMMON FOOD INTOLERANCE ARE,
1. Wheat
2. Yeast
3. Dairy
4. Gluten
5. Alcohol

POSSIBLE CAUSE OF FOOD INTOLERANCE
1. Enzymes Deficiency.

2. Chemical Content In Food (Both Natural & Processed).

3. Consumption Of Too Much Red Wine.

SYMPTOMS
Generally, food intolerance are less alarming, since they are not life threatening, but is associated with stress, pains and discomfort.
Due to this, serious attention is necessary.
1. Stomach Pain
2. Bloating
3. Headaches
4. Gas
5. Tiredness
6. Cramps
7. Constipation
8. Recurrent Diarrhea
9. Sleep Disturbance

POSSIBLE WAYS TO MANAGE FOOD INTOLERANCE
1. Keep a food diary inorder to detect suspected food.

2. Suspected food should be avoided for few weeks (2-5 weeks).

3. Eating food that is low in fibre can be helpful.

4. Eat small amount of food (at least more frequently)

5. Seek for a specialized health professional.

In other words, if you had experience food intolerance, you may find comfort to know that most affected persons have learned to manage their conditions and still enjoy wide variety of nutritious and delicious food.
SEE YOU @ THE TOP!
HEALTH IS WEALTH!

HOW TO MAKE PIZZA

OUR SPIRITUAL FOOD
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his
children. No discipline seems
pleasant at the time, but painful.

Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and
peace for those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:7-11
NIV).
The Bible says, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro
throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect
toward him…” (2 Chronicles
16:9).

That means He’s watching and looking for opportunities to
manifest His glory on your behalf.
He never leaves you alone. He never lets you down.

He’s moved with the feeling of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15).

Welcome to back to our food tips/recipes segment! In todays’ post i will be teach you all ” How To Make Pizza”.

Pizza is a flatbread generally topped with tomato sauce and cheese and baked in an oven. It
is commonly topped with a selection of meats, vegetables
and condiments.

Pizza is prepared fresh, frozen, and as portion-size slices or
pieces. Methods have been developed to overcome challenges such as preventing
the sauce from combining with the dough and producing a crust that can be frozen and reheated without becoming
rigid. There are frozen pizzas with raw ingredients and self- rising crusts.

RECIPES FOR THE CRUST
i. 1-2 tablespoons corn meal
ii. 1 cup whole wheat flour
iii. 1 1/3 cups warm water
iv. 1 teaspoon of salt
v. 1 packet quick rising active dry yeast (1/4 ounce)
vi. 2-3 cups un-bleached flour
vii. 1 tablespoon olive oil

PROCEDURES IN PREPARING THE CRUST
1. Add the water into a clean large bowl, sprinkle in the yeast and stir for it to be well combined, set aside for 5minutes for the yeast to become foamy.
2. Add the oil, salt and the whole wheat flour, while stirring add enough unbleached flour (1/2 cup at a time) to make a soft dough.
3. Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface, knead for 10minutes till the dough becomes smooth and elastic ( add unbleached flour as necessary), cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 15minutes.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees, coat a large baking sheet with a non-stick spray, sprinkle in lightly the cornmeal and set aside.
5. Using your hands ( wash clean before using), shape the dough into a 16″ Round crust, carefully transfer it to the prepared baking sheet.

RECIPES FOR THE PEPPER TOPPING
i. 2 sweet yellow, red or green pepper ( well seeded, roasted, peeled and cut into thin strips)
ii. 3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
iii. 1/4 cup of sliced black olives
iv. 1 clove of garlic ( minced)
v. 1 tablespoon fine chopped fresh oregano
vi. 2 plum of tomatoes (thinly sliced)

PROCEDURES IN MAKING THE PEPPER TOPPING
1. Sprinkle the crust with garlic, tomatoes and the oregano, top it with the mozzarella, peppers and the olive.
2. Bake it on the bottom rack of the oven for 12-15 minutes or more depending on when the crust becomes crispy and highly browned. Then bring it out and serve.

N/B: The standard recipes for this is 202 calories of 13g fat which is (58% of calories)
The fat to firm makeover is 149 calories at 4g fat which is (24% of calories).

This pizza is highly healthy food, if only you can avoid fatty toppings

HEALTHY EATING PART 10 (TOP 10 HEALING FOODS)

I will be discussing on “Healthy Eating Tips (Part 10)”

Eating variety of foods does not guarantee all the nutrients you need, in the body, Rather, Eat foods that prevent disease and aid Healing.

Start the year by filling your kitchen with these “Top 10 Healing Foods”

1. CHICKEN BREAST: (WITHOUT SKIN), FOR MORE ENERGY AND PROTEIN AND WEIGHTLOSS.
The protein in this staple diet can prevent you from the negative effect of Serotonim. The vitamin B in Chicken breast is a great source of energy which helps in burning fat in the body.

2. BLACK BEANS:TO FIGHT TYPE 2 DIABETES.
Beans are rich in resistant starch, a carb your body can not break down, so it does not raise blood glucose levels. Besides, as the bacteria in your gut ferment resistant starch, they produce compounds that appear to improve insulin resistance. Black beans is also good for cancer protection, digestion.

3. TOMATO SAUCE: FOR STURDIER BONES.
Giving the banana a run for its money, 1 cup of tomato sauce serves 17% of your daily quota of potassium, which supports your skeleton by buffering acid that can leach calcium from your bones. Also good for, cancer protection and heart health.

4. FAT-FREE OR 1% MILK: FOR STURDIER BONES.
Calcium and vitamin D are its most lauded nutrients, but milk is also rich in potassium, protein and other nutrients needed to break-proof your bones. Its good for, Muscle growth and weightloss.

5. APPLES: TO PROTECT YOUR HEART.
A daily apple delivers a double dose of heart disease protection. Fiber .sweeps out cholesterol, and polyphenols shield remaining cholesterol from free-radical assaults. A 40% decrease in “bad” LDL cholesterol. Also good for, Asthma, digestion and weightloss.

6. UNSWEETENED COCOA: TO PROTECT YOUR HEART.
Cocoa is a superstar source of flavonols, which relax arteries and reduce blood pressure. Mix some into yogurt for a healthy kick. Also good for Brain health.

7. EGGS: FOR YOUR VISION.
For am omelet that earns its eye health halo, go whole. The yolks store the bulk of nutrients, such as zeaxanthin, lutein, vitamin D, iron and zinc. Also good for Blood sugar control and Brain health.

8. STRAWBERRIES: TO PREVENT CANCER. The magic ingredient in these berries is fisetin, which halts the growth of cancerous cells while diminishing tumors’ blood supply. Also good for blood sugar control and brain health.

9. COLLARD GREENS: FOR YOUR VISION.
These leafies are packed with two antioxidants-zeaxanthin and lutein that are abundant in the retinas of your eyes. Eating more of these nutrients may help protect against macular degeneration and cataracts. Also its good for Bone health and cancer protection.

10. PLAIN YOGURT: TO PREVENT CANCER.
A 2011 International Journal of Cancer study revealed that people who ate the most yogurt were 35% less likely to develop colon cancer. Other research finds that dairy has a protein that encourages DNA repair. Also its good for Digestion and Healthy blood pressure.

FOODIE NAIJA UPDATE (MAINTAINING THAT GOOD BREATH)

Halitosis affects how you feel about yourself, not to mention how others perceive you. Bad
breath is mostly caused by bacteria that breeds inside your mouth, it can also be caused by
smelly food like onion, garlic, and
some spices can also cause bad breath.

The odour lingers while food particles stay in your mouth but these foods give you a double whammy, once they make it through your system, their stinks
chemicals travels through your blood stream to the lungs when you breathe them out.

Here are few tips on how to maintain a good and fresh breath:

1. BRUSH YOUR TEETH OCCASIONALLY WITH BAKING SODA.
The bacteria that causes bad breath thrive in
an acidic oral environment.
Brushing your teeth with baking soda helps to neutralize excess acids found in the oral cavity.

2. EAT FOOD RICH IN FIBER.
High fiber food actually helps prevent
halitosis. Avoid eating heavily
processed food that contains refined carbohydrates such as cookies, cakes, sweet and ice cream.

3. USE MOUTH WASH.
Some mouth wash or oral rinses are effective at preventing bad
breath, however you should never use alcohol based mouth washes because the alcohol makes the mouth very dry which would actually make the problem worse.

4. AVOID DRY MEDICATIONS.
Try not to take anti-depressants, pain reliever and antihistamine unless it is medically necessary.
These drugs inhibit saliva flow and can cause chronic dry
mouth.

5. CLEAN YOUR MOUTH AFTER EATING MEAT, FISH OR DAIRY PRODUCTS.
Practicing consistent and thorough oral hygiene is an effective prevention tool.

6. BREATH THROUGH YOUR NOSE
INSTEAD OF YOUR MOUTH.
Try to address any snoring or sleeping
apnea issues that could be affecting your breath and
causing dry mouth.

7. STOP SMOKING.
Studies have shown that smokers are at
higher risk of developing
periodontal disease.
Furthermore, people who smoke may also engage in other habits that promote this condition such
as drinking alcohol and suffering from chronic anxiety conditions that require exacerbating
prescription medication.

8.KEEP YOUR MOUTH POSTED BY DRINKING PLENTY OF WATER.
Proper oral care brush and floss your teeth at least twice a
day, be sure to get a tooth brush with soft bristles and also use
fluoride toothpaste.
Brushing and flossing helps to remove any
food and plaque which can be used as fuel source by the
anaerobic, sulfur
producing bacteria that are at the root of these problems.

9. TAKE A DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS.
Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin D
and Vitamin B are effective at helping your body eliminate
excess mucus and toxins naturally.

HEALTHY EATING PART 8 (HOW CARBOHYDRATE-RICH FOOD IS ESSENTIAL TO THE BODY)

Here is another exciting Post from the Topic Healthy Eating Part 8 “How Carbohydrate-Rich Food Is Essential To The Body”

Carbohydrate is seen as the culprits behind the epidemic of diabetes and obesity by many people.

One of the major misconception is that carbohydrate-rich food contain too much sugar and its harmful to the body.

The truth is that, the sugar deposited in the plant food is a natural sugar or simple sugar and not the processed sugar.

The sugar derive from plant food rich in carbohydrate is the best and its suitable for the body cell.

Besides, the supposed harm of carbohydrate-rich foods are created by man rather than what is suppose to be inherited naturally from this plant foods invariably, what many people consumed are refined carbohydrates, which is poisonous to the body cells and tissues thereby creating room for different diseases to occur.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), about 68% of death that occurred in 2008 were attributed to killer diseases such as stroke, heart disease, cancers, type 2 diabetes and obesity for which poor diets were contributing factors but those who live in societies that eat healthy plant-based diets rarely encounter these ailments.

Dr. Frank Shallenberger, M.D also stated that “regular eating of refined carbohydrates can make the liver become insulin resistant and has trouble regulating the level of sugar in the blood system.
As a matter of fact, carbohydrate-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables with medium glycemic index should constitute 50-80% of our daily calorie intake.

REASONS WHY CARBOHYDRATE-RICH FOODS SHOULD BE TAKEN DAILY

1. FOR ENERGY: Carbohydrate-rich foods supply the cell in the body with glucose to produce energy. The brain and the heart never sleep, they need constant supply of glucose derive from carbohydrate-rich foods to function properly.
The brain alone uses about 15-20% of energy in the body while it also uses about 25-30% of inhaled oxygen.

2. FOR FIBRE: The health benefits of high fibre diet can not be over emphasize, especially for the prevention and healing of cancer, obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
Fibre also act like a cleanser, thereby sweeping metabolic wastes out of the digestive system.

A study publish in nature’s journal obesity, showed that increase in soluble fibre reduce the amount of deep belly fat resistance, fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes.
Specifically, there is no way we can up our fibre intake without increasing the consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods, since its the only source of fibre.

3. PH BALANCE: The human body need about 20% acidic food and 80% alkaline foods to maintain a proper PH balance. It is impossoble to maintain a PH balance with low intake of carbohydrate-rich foods.

Basically, the animal products we consume contain protein and fat, while carbohydrate food plant are the source of healthy alkaline foods to ensure PH balance and proper functions of the body organs.

To be candid, we need to consume much raw foods.
Raw foods contain high percent of unrefined carbohydrate. The only plant foods that can be eaten in raw form are Fruits, some Vegetables, such as Carrot, Cucumbers, Orange, Garden Egg, e.t.c.

There is nothing as good as eating raw food, it is a guaranteed means of maintaining a sound and healthy body.
Raw food restore dead cells, it provide sufficient oxygen and repairs damage tissue in the body.

N/B: Our take home message after reading this article, should be “More Carbohydrate, More Health”.

HEALTHY EATING (PART 1)

In the western world, Healthy eating is one of the most important things that is being put into consideration aside from Education.
Besides, we Nigerians as a developing country should also cultivate the habit of being conscious of what we eat and its’ health value in our body system.
There is an adage that says “Health is Wealth”.

Healthy eating, it is not all about your balance diet alone, rather it is nothing, but how hygienic your kitchen, plates, cups and food intake is, the quantity of the food intake, the quality of the health value it has in the body system.

To mention a few, we have

(1) The Fatty Food
(2) The Proteinous Food
(3) The Vitamins Food
(4) The Fibre Food
(5) The Carbohydrate Food
(6) The Mineral Food

Healthy eating also involves the avoidance of bad habit of cooking such as,

1. Excess heating of oil till it smokes.
2. Too much stirring of food during cooking.
3. Not rinsing your ingredients properly before cooking [meat, fish, e.t.c]

Most importantly, after mentioning this, it is essential for us to include the regular intake of “Clean/Treated Water” and continuous “Exercise”.

In today’s’ discussion, I would like to start with the regular consumption of Clean Water and Exercise. Subsequently, I would also throw more light on others.

1. The things that constitute to our health today is “Water”
water cleans the systems in our body, by washing out most of the waste products and some chemicals that can be harmful to the body.

In order words, it is important to consume clean water regularly, in order to avoid dehydration.

2. Exercise is one of the most important things the human body needs on regular bases, just like the daily consumption of foods.

The benefits of exercise can not be over emphasize.

(1) It burns down fat in the body
(2) It makes you look smart and flexible.
(3) It also boosts the immune system in the human body.

We will discuss the second part of it in few weeks’ time.

ASIAN FISH WRAP (HOME MADE)

ASIAN FISH WRAP

Hello guys, I’m back this time with what we call “Asian Fish Wrap (HomeMade)” when we hear the word wrap it simply means a food dish made with a soft flatbread rolled around a filling. It is usually but not always classified as a sandwich in most cases. The filling usually consists of cold sliced meat, poultry, or fish accompanied by shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, pico de gallo, guacamole, sautéed mushrooms, bacon, grilled onions, cheese, and a sauce.

Without wasting much of our time, let’s quickly get the recipes.

PREPARATION TIME

10 minutes

COOKING TIME

20 minutes

TOTAL TIME

30 minutes

Yeild: 6 servings

This Asian Fish Wrap is mostly made easily using Jane’s ultimates Fish Products and their delicious crispy Panko Bread Fillet Sole to get a better result, but you can as well use any other product of your choice.The punch of flavor comes from a Sriracha mayo and Asian slaw.

RECIPE

i. ½ teaspoon. salt

ii. 1-14 oz. bag of coleslaw

iii. 1 red pepper, sliced

iv. 5 green onions, chopped

v. 1 tablespoon. minced ginger

vi. 1 teaspoon. minced garlic

vii. 2 tablespoon. white sugar

viii. 1 teaspoonsesame oil

ix. ¼ cup white wine vinegar

x. 1 pkg. Janes ulitmates Panko Bread Fillet Sole

xi. 6-8″ flour tortillas

xii. Sriracha Mayo (to your quantity)

xiii. ⅓ cup mayonnaise

xiv. Slaw

xv. ¼ cup canola oil

PROCEDURES

1. Get your oven or microwave oven ready for baking, then first thing you should do is to bake the Janes ultimates Panko Bread Fillet Sole according to its package directions.

2. In the mean time, whisk the canola, the ginger, the garlic, the sugar, sesame oil, vinegar and salt together in a small clean bowl.

3. Get another clean large bowl, add in the coleslaw, red pepper and the green onion, toss with the dressing.

4. When that is done, mix the mayonnaise together with the Sriracha.The moment the fish is baked, slice in half (lengthwise).

5. Spread on some of the Sriracha, mayonnaise on each tortilla and top up with the fish and the slaw.

6. Wrap it all up with a toothpick and serve it immediately with any juice/wine of your choice.

That’s all there is in this recipe, ensure you prepare this recipe and drop me a message on how it went.

See you soon. Enjoy the rest of the day. Cheers!

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HEALTHY EATING PART 2

My Favorite to look back on

FOOD RECIPES FOR NIGERIANS AND AFRICANS

OUR SPIRITUAL FOOD

As Children of God born in the likeness of Christ, one of the features of our recreated Human Spirit is Love.
When you have that feature in you, you would’nt judge or slander others.
Never tell stories that will make your hearers dislike those you are talking about, for it is wrong to do that.
Lets take a look at this scripture and see what it talks about, Luke 6:37 it says ” Judge not, and ye shall be judged: Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. What this scripture is trying to say is that, it is wrong to Condemn and Judge others even when they are not doing the right thing, because when you condemn and judge others God ignores you.
Also you should forgive those who offend you, so that other people you offend may as well…

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5 EFFECTS OF EATING JUNK FOOD

Good health is the necessity of maintaining a healthy life style alongside your diet.              However, you should be conscious about your eating habits and that of your kids.

That brings us to today’s topic “5 Effects of Eating Junk Food”.

The question you should ask yourself is this, Is Junk Food Bad for my Health?                      Well to start with, Junk food are in various forms and extremely popular. Also, this happens to be an integral part of the modern popular culture.

Foods that are considered as “Junk” include

i. Salty Snack Foods,                                                                                                                            ii. Gum                                                                                                                                                    iii. Candy                                                                                                                                                  iv. Sweet Desserts                                                                                                                                v. Fried Fast Food and                                                                                                                            vi. Sugary Carbonated Beverages.

Foods such as Hamburgers, Pizza and Tacos can be considered as a healthy or a junk food depending on the ingredients and method of preparation. Most highly processed foods usually fall under the category of junk, this includes, breakfast cereals that contains sugar or high fructose corn syrup and milled corn. Junk foods are high in calories and the energy content is not accompanied with proteins and fats required for a nutritious diet.

Let’s take for instance, two different people (Mr. A and Mr. B) ordering the same meal from different fast food joint, it happens that what Mr. A ordered for contributed immensely to his health while that of Mr. B contributed less. That’s to say, not all fast foods are junk. Fast foods are ready-to-eat foods served promptly after ordering. Some fast foods are high in calories and low in nutritional value, while other fast foods, can be low in calories and high in nutritional value as well.

Health effects of junk foods

1. It causes Obesity:

Junk food plays a major role in the obesity epidemic. the rate of obesity in the next 10 years is expected to reach 42%, according to researchers. Children who eat processed food regularly as part of their diets consume more fat, processed sugar and less fiber than those who do not eat processed food on a regularly basis. Junks in children diets accounts for 185 extra calories per day, leading to about 6 additional pounds of weight gain per year. Obesity increases your risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

2. It causes Diabetes:

Your insulin levels become higher when you eat processed sugars, such as the ones found in soft drinks and other foods that lack fiber and nutrients necessary to breakdown carbohydrates properly. Eating junk foods throughout the day causes chronically high insulin levels, and eventually prompts your cells to begin to ignore this important hormone, which results in a condition known as insulin resistance.

3. It causes Depression:

Junk food can lead to depression in not just teenagers but adults as well, Hormonal changes at puberty which makes teens prone to mood and behavioral swings. A healthy diet contributes in keeping the hormone levels on an even keel, while a diet high in junk falls short of these requirements. Consuming trans fats, saturated fats and processed food is associated with up to 58% increase in risk of depression.

4. It causes High Blood Pressure:

This is known as the silent killer, over 30% – 40% of people are living with high blood pressure which so many of them are unaware of the fact. What we fail to understand is that our dietary choice plays a major role in our health. Junks full of sodium and fat negatively affects your blood pressure whereby putting you at a greater risk for cardiovascular problems.

5. It causes Heart Disease:

Consuming junk even as little as once a week increases the risk of dying from coronary heart disease by 20%, then the risk goes up to 50% if you eat junks 2-3 times a week. This increase your intake of calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sugar from soft drink. Therefore, eating too much of any of these can alter metabolic factors that increase your risk for heart disease.

Junk foods look very attractive, delicious, affordable and readily available for us, but what we generally acquire from the junk foods are unhealthy fats and no healthy nutrients thus we feel lack of oxygen which causes the brain to function below its normal state. Junks are not healthy to the health which every kid and children must know because they generally love to eat junk foods.

As we can see, eating junk food is not just bad, but it can affect our overall health to a great extent.

FERMENTED MAIZE DUMPLINGS (KENKEY)

• Hello Everyone, Happy new year to you all, I hope you are doing well! In today’s post, I’ll be dropping an article on one of my favorite dish. It’s a very simple, fresh and tasty dish from Ghana called “Kenkey” which is usually served with grilled, dried or fried fish, shrimps and seasoned pepper sauce. Yummy Right?
  But before we go into the recipe you must know most that there are different variations of making Kenkey (the cooking methods usually differs by ethnic group), the most common types are Ga Kenkey and Fante Kenkey. The Ga kenkey is more widespread in most parts of Ghana.
  Making kenkey involves letting the maize ferment before cooking. Therefore, preparation takes a few days in order for the dough to ferment. After fermentation, the kenkey is cooked, wrapped in banana leaves, corn husks, or foil, and steamed.
  RECIPES
  i. 3 cups white stone-grounded cornmeal (not de-germinated type)
  ii. 1 tablespoom corn starch
  iii. 2-3 cups of warm water
  iv. 1 teaspoon salt
  v. dry corn husks, banana leafs or foil
  HOW TO PREPARE THE FERMENTED CORNMEAL DOUGH: 
  Traditional Method
  1. In a large clean container add the corn flour with enough warm water to dampen all of it. Mix well. Cover the container with a clean cloth. Set it in a warm place, such as a warm oven or on top a refrigerator, for two to three days. Fermentation may take longer than two days, especially in cool climates. (N/B: a warm oven is an oven that has been heated for a few minutes then turned off. The flour should ferment, and not cook.) When it is well fermented, it should have a slightly sour, but not an unpleasant aroma like rising bread dough. Overly fermented corn flour will not taste right.
  ALTERNATE METHOD:
  Prepare the corn flour as described above, and let it ferment for about six hours. After that mix one tablespoon of vinegar into the wet corn flour. Once the fermented dough is ready, prepare the Kenkey according to the following methods.
  1. Knead the fermented dough with your hands until you have a smooth paste or till it is thoroughly mixed and slightly stiffened. Then divide the dough into two equal round parts.
  2. In a clean large pan, add one cup of water  and boil, when boiled add little salt and slowly add one part of the fermented dough. Cook it for 10minutes, stirring constantly and vigorously. Remove from heat. This half of the dough is called the “aflata”
  3. Combine the aflata with the remaining uncooked dough. Mix well. Divide the aflata dough mixture into serving size pieces. Wrap the pieces tightly in a banana leaf, maize leaf or corn husks, or a foil. But Banana leaves are more flexible if they have been briefly warmed in a hot oven or a pan of boiling water. The wrapped dough should look like burritos or tamales. Cooking string can be used in tying the wrapping close.
  4. Place the wrapped dough on a wire rack above water in a large pan and bring to a boiling point and steam for 1-3 hours, depending on the size and thickness. And you’re done. Your Kenkey is ready to be served with shito sauce (a spicy sauce native to Ghana), which is diced or grounded red /or green pepper, and fish.
  Enjoy Your Home Made Kenkey!

SPICY THAI NOODLES

Hello Readers, today I’ll be taking us down to another dish called “Spicy Thai Noodles”. This is a dish originated and eaten by the people of Thailand located in the continent of Asia.

One of the reason I love these noodles is that they use regular pasta.  No special noodles to use, just plain ol’ linguine, fettuccine, or spaghetti.

Now sit back relax while I take you on a ride through this mouth savory dish.

RECIPES FOR THE NOODLES

i) Kosher salt

ii) Noodles 1 pound (preferable, Linguine Pasta)

iii) Sesame oil (2 teaspoon)

iv) 2 cloves garlic (washed and minced)

v) 2 teaspoons fresh ginger (peel, wash and grate)

vii)  ¼ cup soy sauce (light)

vii)  3 Thai chiles (well seeded, cut to any length)

viii) 4 Chicken breasts (cut in bite size and well washed)

RECIPES FOR DRESSING

i) ½ cup creamy peanut butter

ii) 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (peel, wash and grate)

iii) 2 cloves garlic (washed and minced)

vi) 3 tablespoons sugar

vii) 1 teaspoon Chile oil

viii) ¼ cup rice vinegar

ix) 3 tablespoons soy sauce

x)  2 tablespoons sesame oil

RECIPES FOR GARNISHING

i) 1 bunch spring onions, thinly sliced

ii) Fresh cilantro (1 bunch washed and chopped)

iii) 2 Thai Chiles diced (well seeded)

iv) 2 tablespoons grape seed oil

 

TOTAL DURATION: 1 HR

PREPARATION TIME: 50 MIN

COOKING TIME: 10 MIN

YIELD: 6 SERVINGS

PROCEDURES

1. Place a large saucepan on heat, when the water starts boiling, add little salt to it and cook the noodles according to the package directions for al dente.
2. Drain the noodles and transfer it to a large bowl, toss with the sesame oil and Set aside.
3. In a medium clean mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, ginger, garlic, chilli pepper and chiles, then add the cubed chicken to the marinade, toss gently for it to coat the chicken.
4. When done, cover the bowl and refrigerate for 40 minutes.

PROCEDURE FOR THE DRESSING/ GARNISHING

1. Get a clean small saucepan, whisk together the peanut butter, ginger, garlic, sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and Chile oil together then, bring to a simmer over medium-low heat for 4 minutes.
2. Pour in the sweet warm dressing over the cooked noodles, and toss to coat evenly. Set the noodles aside till when it’s ready to be served.
3. In a frying pan, add little amount of grape seed oil and place over medium-low heat, when the pan is hot enough, add the chile pepper, chopped cilantro, sliced spring onion, stir fry for 1 minute then, add the chicken cubes and stir until they are browned.
4. Sauté the chicken cubes over medium heat until they are fully cooked, about 5 minutes. When the chicken is ready

PEANUT STEW

 

If you’re new to African Peanut Stew, try this recipe. It’s extremely easy to make

Peanut soup or groundnut soup is a soup made from peanuts, often with various other ingredients. It is a staple of African cuisine but is also eaten in East Asia, the United States and other areas around the world.

Sweet potatoes are added to the mix to help thicken the broth. Also, you’ll add fresh chopped collard greens to get extra flavour and super nutrients.

RECIPES

i) 1 Quarter chicken stock

ii) 1 Cup peanut butter

iii) 1 cup roasted peanuts

iv) 1 Tablespoon grounded coriander

v) Cayenne (to taste)

vi) Salt (to taste)

vii. ½ cup cilantro (well chopped)

viii. 3 pounds chicken legs, thighs and wings

ix) 3 Tablespoon vegetable oil

x) 1 large white onion, (washed and sliced)

xii. 3-inch piece of ginger (peeled, wash and minced)

xiii. 6 garlic cloves, chopped roughly

xiv. 3 Pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

xv) 1 ½ Ounce Crushed tomatoes

xvi. Black pepper (to taste)

PROCEDURES

1. Brown the chicken by heating the vegetable oil in a large saucepan, set over medium-high heat. Salt the chicken pieces pat them dry and brown them in the oil. (Don’t crowd the pot, do this in batches) Set the chicken pieces aside when brown.
2. Sauté the vegetables and the onions in the oil for 3 minutes, stir often and scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for another 1 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes and stir to combine.
3. Cook the stew by adding the chicken, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, peanut butter, peanuts, coriander and cayenne together and stir very well to combine. Bring to a simmer and taste, add any recipe that is needed. Cover the pan and simmer gently for 60 minutes or until the chicken easily falls off the bone and the sweet potatoes are tender.

4 De-bone the chicken that has bones in it. Remove the other chicken pieces and set them in a clean bowl to cool. When it’s cool enough, chop/shred it and add it back to the saucepan. Taste to know if the seasonings such as the salt and cayenne are to taste, if not add them to taste alongside much black pepper.

5. Now is the time to stir in the cilantro, allow simmering. Serve with steamed rice or anything of your choice.

 

 

 

 

 

GRILLED PRAWN SUYA SALAD

Suya is a very popular street food in the region of Nigeria and other West African countries. It’s usually chicken beef or other meats well seasoned with spices and fire grilled or so to say.

I can remember the day i went out with my cousin to get something and then found this mouth savory dish, oh my! i wish you were there to see it, i couldn’t help myself, here was I standing there and admiring it and they really got me hooked! Yes it did. I bought it and thought of how to prepare it one day all by myself. And oh yesssss! The day finally came, now i’m happy i can make it all by myself. so i decided to share it with you all. Without wasting much of your time, sit tight while i proceed.

Next to a bar, is usually a suya stand. That’s a good and ideal business strategy for local suya vendors. With drinks flowing, so does traffic to the suya stand. It has that perfect heat to clear that unwanted hangover.

RECIPES FOR THE SUYA

i. Shrimps (peeled and De-veined

ii. 1 Tablespoon Suya pepper

iii.  onion powder

iv. 2 Tablespoon garlic infused olive oil

v. 4 bamboo skewers

RECIPES FOR THE VINAIGRETTE

i. 3 tablespoons olive oil

ii. 1 Tablespoons honey balsamic vinegar (or vinegar of your choice)

iii. 1 Tablespoon minced parsley

iv. 1 Teaspoon minced garlic

v. 1 teaspoon stone ground mustard

vi. Pinch of salt (kosher)

vii. Freshly ground black pepper (little amount)

RECIPES FOR THE SALAD

i. mixed greens (Such as Cabbage and Lettuce)

ii. Couscous (cook as directed)

iii. Frozen Sweet Corn

iv. 3 Plum Tomato

v. 1 bulb Cucumber

PROCEDURES 

1. Preheat oven to 400, toss the corn with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Rinse the shrimp with clean water and pad dry with a clean kitchen towel. grease with 1-2 teaspoon of olive oil, Mix thoroughly and thread 3-4 shrimp on the skewers.
2. Mix the Suya dry rub with powdered onions, when done, Use this to coat the shrimp on the skewers. On a top grill preheated to medium-high ( charcoal grill preferable), sprinkle the olive oil. Grill shrimps on each side for about 3 minutes or until it is cooked.

SALAD PROCEDURES

1. Tear in piece the lettuce leaves, spinach, rocket and chop the cabbage in bite-sized pieces and transfer them to a large salad bowl.
2. 2.  Add the cucumber, tomatoes, onion and corn. Sprinkle with the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper toss to combine. Set aside

VINAIGRETTE PROCEDURES

1. In a clean jar, add all the recipes, tight the lid, shake the jar till  the recipes blend.
2. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Add to salad, toss, and serve.
3. If you have leftover of the dressing, seal it in the jar and refrigerator for 2 – 3 days.

Hurrah! That’s It

Serve in separate bowls topped with shrimp skewers. Extra vinaigrette over skewers is always delicious. But you can skip it you don’t want it.

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The Food Standards Agency has published updated advice on how safe it is to eat raw eggs.

Health experts claim it is now safe for pregnant women, children and infants to eat raw eggs, or foods containing them.

This updated advice, which is based on scientific evidence, will please many women who have previously been told they couldn’t enjoy dishes including eggs benedict and cookie dough desserts.

Past belief was eating raw or lightly cooked eggs risked causing serious illness.

Heather Hancock, chairman of the Food Standards Agency, said: “It’s good news that now even vulnerable groups can safely eat UK eggs without needing to hard-boil them, so long as they bear the British Lion mark.

Read more at our new site: http://www.foodieafricana.com/foodie-update-safe-eat-raw-eggs/

FOODIE UPDATE (World Food Day: Everyone should embrace farming)

The Secretary, Agricultural and Rural Development Secretariat in the FCT, Mr Stanley Nzekwe, has urged residents to be actively involved in agriculture activities to ensure food security.
Nzekwe spoke in a briefing with newsmen on Sunday in Abuja as part of closing activities marking this year’s World Food Day.

According to him, active engagement in agriculture activity will help to cushion the effect of food insufficiency.
The theme of 2017 World Food Day is “Change the Future of Migration: Invest in Food Security and Rural Development.” The secretary noted that the whole essence of life revolved around food and shelter.
He said “this year’s World Food Day was anchored around President Muhammadu Buhari’s promise to Nigerians about self-sufficiency in food production and the call on us to feed ourselves.
“So, I am urging FCT residents and indeed the entire Nigerians to know that whatever you do in life is geared toward feeding your stomach.

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