China arrests 2,000 in food safety crackdown
- A Chinese customer selects pieces of pork at a market in Yichang, central China's …
China has arrested around 2,000 people and closed nearly 5,000 businesses in a major crackdown on illegal food additives, the government said, after a wave of contamination scares.
China launched the campaign in April following a spate of tainted food scandals -- included pork found on the market so loaded with bacteria that it reportedly glowed in the dark.
Nearly six million food businesses have now been investigated and more than 4,900 shut down for "illegal practices", the government's Food Safety Commission said in a statement.
Police have also destroyed "underground" food production and storage sites, and arrested around 2,000 suspects, it said, adding that anyone found breaking the law would be severely punished.
China pledged to clean up its food industry after milk products tainted with the industrial chemicalmelamine -- added to give the appearance of high protein content -- killed at least six babies and sickened 300,000 in 2008.
In 2009 the country passed a food safety law to try to allay public concern.
But authorities have continued to discover bean sprouts laced with cancer-causing nitrates, steamed buns with banned chemical preservatives, and rice laced with heavy metals, prompting the latest crackdown.
from news.yahoo.com
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DIET PEPSI CAN HAS GONE SKINNYfemale beauty, is slim and slender, launched recently and will become available in March. According to a press release from the Harrison, New York-based beverage company, the can was redesigned "in celebration of beautiful, confident women."
Still Diet Pepsi Skinny Can retains its refreshing and thirst-quenching taste. Diet Pepsi Skinny Can will contain a mixture of carbonated water, caramel color, aspartame, phosphoric acid, potassium benzoate, caffeine, citric acid, and natural flavor that the company describes as light, crisp, and refreshing.
Source: TheStreet.com
--------------------------------------------------------Overweight is generally defined as having more body fat than is optimally healthy. Being overweight is a common condition, especially where food supplies are plentiful and lifestyles are sedentary. As much as 64% of the United States adult population is considered either overweight or obese, and this percentage has increased over the last four decades.
Excess weight has reached epidemic proportions globally, with more than 1 billion adults being either overweight or obese. Increases have been observed across all age groups.
A healthy body requires a minimum amount of fat for the proper functioning of the hormonal, reproductive, and immune systems, as thermal insulation, as shock absorption for sensitive areas, and as energy for future use. But the accumulation of too much storage fat can impair movement and flexibility, and can alter the appearance of the body. [read more...]
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Supermodel Danica Magpantay's ensaymada pudding
Ensaymada may only be a quick snack for some, but it has a special spot on Danica Magpantay's dinner table.
Re-baked and loaded with custard, the sweet bun that looks like a Moorish turban is enjoyed by the first Filipina Ford Supermodel's family every Christmas."It's been a tradition in our family to eat this dish during Christmas season," Magpantay said.
The mocha-skinned model is one of the 8 celebrities who shared their family recipes with Ginger Villavicencio and the rest of Lola Maria Restaurant, a cozy dining spot tucked inside the Legend Villas in Mandaluyong City that serves home-style Filipino food.
"The idea was to partner with celebrities from various industries like entertainment, fashion, business, politics, sports, culinary and so on who are successful and influential in their own fields. Then we shortlisted celebrities whom we have connections, good friends of the owners or friends of somebody in our circle," Villavicencio said.
The dishes were given a different twist by the restaurant's in-house chef, Mike Martinez (who previously worked for Bubba Gump, Oliver's Super Sandwiches and Dreyer's Cafe), and were included in Lola Maria's 2011 menu.
Small, day-old ensaymadas from the restaurant's bakery were placed in ramekins, soaked in fresh milk, egg yolks and sugar and baked for 10 to 12 minutes until the top part is golden brown.
These were then dusted with powdered sugar and topped with grated quezo de bola, resulting in soft, mild-tasting ensaymada pudding inspired by the Magpantays' Christmas dessert.
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Filipino cuisine: Out of the box
Filipino cuisine is getting a much-needed makeover.
At least, that's how it should be for veteran chef Gene Gonzalez and the Alta Cocina Filipina, a movement for contemporary Filipino cuisine which he co-founded in the 1980s. |
"This movement started in the 80s when nothing could be imported into the Philippines and we had to make do with our local products. Now I think it's high time that we try to rediscover the techniques of Philippine cuisine, and bring the recipes and methods to international acceptance, try to develop more recipes and not stagnate, not to have your usual crispy pata, sisig, kare-kare, and to try to discover what still lies beyond these recipes," he said.
Crispy pata (deep fried pork leg), sizzling sisig (chopped parts of a pig's head fried and served on a sizzling platter) and kare-kare (ox tail stew in a peanut-based sauce) are only some of the Philippines' well-known dishes.
Gonzalez said these, among others, should be made more dynamic so we can keep up with the cuisines of other countries.
"We have all these islands. We have all these products. We should discover all these that our neighbors are using now that we have all the infrastructure for communication, for transportation and food preservation," he said.
He continued, "We should try to rediscover all these Filipino products together and come up with a true national cuisine."
Today, Alta Cocina Filipina is developing books and recipes that aim to encourage Filipinos to "cook more and along a Filipino line of thought."
"It all starts from a simple boiling, a simple gisa (saute), a simple sangkutsa (precook then saute heavily), and then you go into the more complex and elegant types of Filipino food. But the more important thing is to spark interest to cook a dish or 2 at home," Gonzalez said.
He added, "It's not that different. It's just that we want to get the easiest things first so the urbanite can say, 'Hey, I can do this now. It's high time for me to make a more complex kare-kare, which takes more time.'"
A modern touch
On top of Alta Cocina Filipina's efforts, Gonzalez said he is also working on a book on modern Filipino cuisine.
As an introduction, he showed Mornings@ANC's Tastebuds segment his own interpretation of a fish dish he had in Davao -- pakprit (short for paksiw na prito or fried fish stewed in vinegar).
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"It's deep-fried tanigue (Spanish mackerel) tail with paksiw sauce. It's not usually served in Cafe Ysabel but we can serve it if they request for it," he shared. Gonzalez is the proprietor of Cafe Ysabel, a restaurant that has been a veritable fixture for food aficionados in Greenhills, San Juan.
Gonzalez began by deep-frying the tanigue tail which has been scored, seasoned and generously coated with cornstarch. The fish is topped with a paksiw sauce prepared with 3 types of ginger -- regular, luyang dilaw (ginger root) and langkawas (galangal or blue ginger).
"With a crispy coating and the paksiw sauce, this fish dish is delectable, bearing a lot of Filipino flavors: sweet, sour and a hint of spice," he said.
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Hillary Clinton dines on Filipino food
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dined on Filipino food with an American twist at a state dinner prepared by the Malacañang Palace on Thursday evening.
The state dinner for Clinton was
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| Sec. Clinton (left) with Pres. Gloria Arroyo (right) at a state dinner held at the Palace. Clinton was conferred the Order of Sikatuna, a national order of diplomatic merit. |
The menu - prepared by Malacañang Executive Chef Babes Austria - included Tawilis or freshwater sardine with white cheese and Milkfish plantain Napoleon or "bangus" salad with banana fritters, Davao pomelos, Tagaytay micro-greens (plant shoots like celery or arugula), and Dalandan orange vinaigrette.
For soup, the US dignitary had free-range Philippine native tinola chicken chowder topped with crispy chili leaves.
This was followed by Kamias (a sour fruit) sherbet.
'She tasted them all'
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| The rack of lamb served to Clinton at the state dinner. Clinton's favorite dish is said to be lamb. |
"Ito naman ang aking pagkakataon na ipakilala ang ating mga Pilipino na pagkain," she said.
The main course included Palawan Lapu-Lapu (grouper fish) in crépinette (a small flattened sausage coated with melted butter and bread crumbs) with parsley tamarind ginger sauce and foie gras (fattened-up duck liver), served with tropical salad and pandan rice.
Clinton was also served a duo rack of lamb with Meltique beef cube roll with guava jelly and Barako coffee sauce. According to various reports, Clinton's favorite dish is lamb.
For dessert, the guests had Guimaras mango mousse and open-faced apple pie with vanilla ice cream.
Austria said Clinton took bites from each plate.
[ read more...]
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Celeb foodie: Venus Raj
Maria Venus Raj loves eating -- in a "major major" way.
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The beauty with a 22-inch waistline admits that she doesn't watch her weight and eats almost everything -- from the usual fish and vegetables to the more exotic frogs and snakes -- citing her humble beginnings as a farm girl in Camarines Sur, Bicol.
She has, however, developed a soft spot for all things with coconut milk.
"Ako kakainin ko basta may gata (I'd eat anything with coconut milk)," she happily tells abs-cbnNEWS.com, adding, "I love Filipino food."
It could be noted that sweet, creamy coconut milk and spices figure prominently in the local cuisine of Bicol, her hometown.
The 2 most popular dishes in the region -- laing (taro leaves cooked in coconut milk) and Bicol express (pork strips and finger chilies cooked in coconut milk) -- are among Raj's favorites.
She may not be a picky eater, but Raj swears she will never eat insects again, especially after trying to munch on crickets a few years back.
"Naramdaman ko yung legs tapos pagkagat mo lalabas yung juice. After no'n ayoko na talaga ng insects ever (I felt the cricket's legs as I placed it inside my mouth. Then when I started eating it, its juice came out. I freaked out, after that, I don't want to eat insects again)," she shares.
Here are Raj's answers to some of the questions posed by abs-cbnNEWS.com:
Describe yourself using food. If you were an ingredient, what would you be?
A sili (chili pepper). It's hot, spicy, and adds lots of flavor! (laughs). We use it every day at home.
What's your all-time favorite food?
Laing, Bicol express, ako kahit ano basta may gata (as long as it has coconut milk). I also like sinigang na baboy (sour soup with pork). I love Filipino food!
Give us 5 food items that you can eat every day for the rest of your life. Are these the same as your all-time favorites?
Actually, I can eat anything talaga. Of course, I want rice (laughs). Tapos 'yung iba kahit ano talaga. Kahit anong luto at klase ng isda, gulay, kahit ano talaga. (Then the rest can be anything, any kind of fish or vegetable cooked in any way)
What's the weirdest thing you've ever eaten?
Palaka (frog), bat, snake, and cricket!
What is one thing that you'll never, ever eat?
Insects! After ng cricket ayoko na ng kahit anong insects. (After eating a cricket I don't want to try eating other insects)
You say you love to eat, but do you also love to cook?
Yes! High school ako nag-start magluto. Magaling ako magluto! (I started cooking as early as high school. I can cook really well!)
Any specialties?
Filipino food pa rin, particularly 'yung mga dish sa amin sa Bicol. (Still Filipino food, particularly dishes from Bicol, my hometown.)
So if you love to eat, and you love to cook, how come you're still so skinny? What's your secret to maintaining a 22-inch waistline?
Hindi ko alam! (laughs) Siguro mabilis lang talaga metabolism ko. Tapos I exercise sa gym, so baka 'yun. (I don't know! Maybe I just have a really fast metabolism. Then I also make it a point to exercise at the gym regularly, so maybe that's the reason.)
[read more...]
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For the love of food
The 'ultimate' foodie eventMANILA, Philippines - Some 50 suppliers provided bite-size portions of their products -- from pulutan (finger food) to pasta to desserts -- to over a thousand foodies in what is probably Manila's biggest gastronomic event this summer.
The Ultimate Taste Test, held at the NBC Tent early this month, allowed foodies to sample Manila's delights in exchange for an honest assessment of the suppliers' offerings. The fourth since 2009, the event is the brainchild of Anton Diaz, founder of the increasingly popular "Our Awesome Planet" (OAP) blog.
"It's good that we're able to help out a lot of food suppliers who want to be known to the foodie community. And of course, we're able to help out a lot of people, especially foodies, who want to sample the latest food offerings," Diaz said.
I was among the foodies who got to try out local and international treats in the Ultimate Taste Test, which is held 3 times a year. A lot of them were good, while a number of them failed to make a statement.
Here are some of the food items that managed to stand out (in no particular order):
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| Empanada Avenue's chicken empanada. This stuffed pastry is a cheap yet fulfilling treat that's perfect for people who are on the go. The chicken filling was tasty and unpretentious -- it reminded me a lot of home. Credit: Ian Layno |
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| Boneless lechon from Pepita's Kitchen. Several foodies lined up for this boneless treat, it was gone in a few minutes. Instead of bones, the lechon is stuffed with flavorful rice which tasted a bit like paella. Credit: Ian Layno |
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| Marty's baconette strips by Oishi. One of the simplest items in the bunch, yet the most satisfying -- addictive, even. The strips were crispy and tasted a lot like bacon, although they looked a lot like doggie treats. Credit: Ian Layno |
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| Holly's chocolate milk by Real Fresh Dairy Farms. It has a light, elegant and silky taste, unlike most chocolate milk products that taste like a combination of sugar and melted chocolate. Credit: Ian Layno |
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| Flavored milky ice flakes from Snowflakes Creamery. This cold treat is far from indulgent, and that's what makes it stand out. Its delicate taste is a refreshing take from most overly sweet ice cream variants. Credit: Ian Layno |
On foodies, gourmets and the 'yummy' food blog
OAP, which started in 2005 as a simple blog about Diaz' gastronomic adventures with his family, has become a haven for Filipino professionals who are constantly on the lookout for new places to satisfy their cravings.
Despite his huge following, however, Diaz humbly said that he's no food expert. He'd rather be called an "amateur foodie," which he defined as someone who "just eats out and tries out good food."
This is a far cry from the gourmet, or a person that has a very discriminating palate.
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| Foodie, not a gourmet. Diaz, one of the country's popular food bloggers, said he just enjoys eating with his family and friends. Credit: Ian Layno |
"I don't really look at myself as a serious critic or a gourmet. I just like touring around and trying out restaurants with my family and friends," Diaz said.
Foodie is a term coined by Paul Levy and Ann Barr, who used it in a book published in 1984. The word referred to a person who has a great passion for food, from the most exquisite foie gras to the plainest cup of white rice.
According to Diaz, the foodie crowd in the Philippines is growing every day. He suggested that they put up their own blogs not only to document their adventures but also to help others develop a love for food, just like what OAP did.
Asked for tips for first-time bloggers, he said: "It's very important if you're able to communicate how yummy the food is. It's either you know how to write visually na nakakatakam (that it's appetizing), or you know how to take picture that will make the food look really yummy."
"I'm more of the pictures type. The secret to Our Awesome Planet is really the pictures," he added.
[read more...]
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How to 'recycle' Christmas food
MANILA, Philippines - Instead of throwing out leftover food from the holidays, why not learn ways to "recycle" some of these edible treats? Filipinos' love for eating guarantees a stockpile of food (and leftovers) from the traditional Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) feast up to New Year's Day dinner.
Mary Ann Rodriguez, an avid cook, came up with practical ways to "recycle" leftovers from her family's table.
For example, she shreds up extra Christmas ham and mixes it with mayonnaise and chopped-up boiled eggs to make a ham-and-egg sandwich filling. This sandwich spread, she says, is perfect for school lunches or office snacks.
Aside from sandwich fillings, Rodriguez also uses leftover ham or hotdogs to add extra meat to "callos" (or ox tripe stew) or spaghetti sauce.
Overripe bananas from the traditional fruit bowl can make for tasty banana bread.
The bananas can be mashed then mixed with cooking oil, brown sugar, eggs, baking soda, milk and flour, then baked in an oven for 30 minutes to make a savory dessert.
Natural preservatives
Norma Salazar, who owns a small eatery, meanwhile, knows a thing or two about how to let food keep longer. Grilled "liempo" (pork belly) or other grilled pork can be added to "kilawen" (a broiled fresh meat dish) with just a healthy dose of salt and vinegar.
Salazar swears by the preservative properties of vinegar. "Suka lang. Pag nilagyan ng suka ang pagkain, tatagal. Tulad ng karne, hindi agad mapapanis," she said.
She said leftover "adobo" (a favorite Filipino stew) meat bits can add flavor to chopsuey (a stir-fried vegetable mix), while scrap beef bones can be used as tasty soup stock.
Bones from barbecued ribs, fried chicken, lechon (roast pork) or even fish dishes can be boiled along with vegetables. The resulting soup stock can be frozen and used again.
Other meat bits like beef can be recyled as stews like "kaldereta" (a beef stew with carrots, potatoes and thick tomato sauce), lechon bits can be deep-fried to make lechon kawali or added to vegetable dishes like "pinakbet", while fried fish meat can add extra flavor to "diningdeng" (an Ilocano dish with vegetables and shrimp paste).
[read more...]
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Pinoys join Food Network's food truck battle
LOS ANGELES, California - Two Filipino food trucks, the Manila Machine and the White Rabbit, have been out in full force serving their signature dishes.
The Manila Machine, a food truck that serves traditional Filipino foods with a modern twist, was at a fund-raiser in Eagle Rock.
The first Filipino food truck in Los Angeles, the Manila Machine was launched in early June by 2 food bloggers who met online.
It is known for its adobo sandwiches and rice plates.
“It’s still traditional. It’s just our contemporary recipes. It’s still Filipino ingredients and Filipino flavor,” said Nastassia Johnson, one of the co-founders.
In downtown Los Angeles, the White Rabbit truck sells fusion Filipino burritos and tacos stuffed with sisig and beefsteak along with their white chocolate champorado.
The truck was launched in July by chef James Du, a Cordon Bleu graduate who once worked for Chef Gordon Ramsey.
“We wanted to do a restaurant but the overhead would have been so high and with this food truck craze, what better way to get our food out to the masses than this,” Du said.
Both food trucks are competing on The Food Network’s Contest for Best Food Truck in America. The winner will be chosen via online voting by viewers.
If they win, the White Rabbit team pledges to give the prize money to poor children in the Philippines.
“If we do win this race, all of (the money) is going back to the Philippines. We are personally going to go out there and feed as many kids as we can and clothe as many kids as we can just to give back,” said Mike Dimaguila of White Rabbit. Balitang America. read more...
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The Manila Machine, a food truck that serves traditional Filipino foods with a modern twist, was at a fund-raiser in Eagle Rock.
The first Filipino food truck in Los Angeles, the Manila Machine was launched in early June by 2 food bloggers who met online.
It is known for its adobo sandwiches and rice plates.
“It’s still traditional. It’s just our contemporary recipes. It’s still Filipino ingredients and Filipino flavor,” said Nastassia Johnson, one of the co-founders.
In downtown Los Angeles, the White Rabbit truck sells fusion Filipino burritos and tacos stuffed with sisig and beefsteak along with their white chocolate champorado.
The truck was launched in July by chef James Du, a Cordon Bleu graduate who once worked for Chef Gordon Ramsey.
“We wanted to do a restaurant but the overhead would have been so high and with this food truck craze, what better way to get our food out to the masses than this,” Du said.
Both food trucks are competing on The Food Network’s Contest for Best Food Truck in America. The winner will be chosen via online voting by viewers.
If they win, the White Rabbit team pledges to give the prize money to poor children in the Philippines.
“If we do win this race, all of (the money) is going back to the Philippines. We are personally going to go out there and feed as many kids as we can and clothe as many kids as we can just to give back,” said Mike Dimaguila of White Rabbit. Balitang America. read more...
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Bad eating can give you depression: study
WASHINGTON - Eating foods high in trans-fats and saturated fats increases the risk of depression, according to a Spanish study published in the US Wednesday, confirming previous studies that linked "junk food" with the disease.
Researchers also showed that some products, such as olive oil, which is high in healthy omega-9 fatty acids, can fight against the risk of mental illness.
Authors of the wide-reaching study, from the universities of Navarra and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, followed and analyzed the diet and lifestyle of over 12,000 volunteers over six years.
When the study began, none of the participants had been diagnosed with depression; by the end, 657 of them were new sufferers.
"Participants with an elevated consumption of trans-fats (fats present in artificial form in industrially-produced pastries and fast food...) presented up to a 48% increase in the risk of depression when they were compared to participants who did not consume these fats," the head study author said.
Almudena Sanchez-Villegas, associate professor of preventive medicine at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, also noted that in the event "more trans-fats were consumed, the greater the harmful effect they produced in the volunteers."
The research team found, at the same time, that after assessing the impact of polyunsaturated fats -- composed of larger amounts of fish and vegetable oils -- and olive oil, these products "are associated with a lower risk of suffering depression."
The report, published in the online journal PLoS ONE, noted the research was performed on a European population that enjoys a relatively low intake of trans-fats -- making up only 0.4% "of the total energy ingested by the volunteers."
"Despite this, we observed an increase in the risk of suffering depression of nearly 50%," said researcher Miguel Martinez.
"On this basis we derive the importance of taking this effect into account in countries like the US, where the percentage of energy derived from these fats is around 2.5%."
The report pointed out that the current number of depression sufferers in the world is around 150 million people, and has increased in recent years.
This rise is attributable, according to the authors, "to radical changes in the sources of fats consumed in Western diets, where we have substituted certain types of beneficial fats -- polyunsaturated and monounsaturated in nuts, vegetable oils and fish -- for the saturated and trans-fats found in meats, butter and other products such as mass-produced pastries and fast food."
Though not a focus of the study, researchers pointed out that deadly cardiovascular disease is "influenced in a similar manner by diet, and might share similar mechanisms in their origin." read more...
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Rather, children's picky eating habits are made, and the usual suspects are the parents themselves, according to nutritionist Mary Jude Icasiano.
"When we introduce food to children for the first time, their taste buds are developed as well as their ability to chew and process food. Children are not born as picky eaters but can be made into one due to different conditions," Icasiano explained.
She continued, "If the parents don't eat vegetables, for instance, don't expect the child to eat vegetables too. It's all about mirroring. A picky parent will produce a picky child."
Media also play a huge role in influencing kids' food choices. If left unattended, Icasiano said they may grow to love only the food they see on television or computer screens, items usually processed or loaded with fat, sugar and oil.
"At times, television acts as a 'substitute caregiver' for kids and may be an important factor in shaping their food choices," the nutritionist noted.
About 25% to 35% of children experience feeding challenges on a global scale -- from food jags and strikes to TV habits and great white diets, according to Icasiano.
Citing a 2009 TNS Global Market Research survey, she added that here in the Philippines, more than half of mothers (53%) consider their kids as picky eaters.
The Food and Nutrition Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has reported that Filipino picky eaters are at risk of being deficient in vitamin A, calcium, iron and zinc due to poor food choices.
In the long run, they may develop vitamin and mineral deficiencies such as anemia, among others.
Solving the problem
Picky eating is a condition that has no diagnostic tool, unlike being overweight where you can easily go to a weighing scale to find out if you've packed on extra pounds.
Still, Icasiano said it's hard not to notice a picky eater from the rest, as he or she has a certain set of traits.
"(Picky eaters) are kids who consume an inadequate variety and amount of food through the rejection of both familiar and unfamiliar food items. They particularly reject certain types of food or groups of food that parents think are necessary for a child's diet.
"They may refuse a certain food item one day but will eat it on another day. The refusal is usually associated with a demonstration of independence, but with increasing age he becomes less picky," she said.
Icasiano assured parents that even if their kids have grown to become picky eaters, it's still not too late to change them.
With enough persistence and a bit of creativity, she said parents can still convince their children to eat their fruits and vegetables and stay away from unhealthy food items.
The nutritionist gave these tips in addressing kids' picky eating habits:
Don't force your child to eat
Let your kid eat what he wants if it's healthy. Limit snacking to make sure that your child is hungry at mealtime.
Set a good example by choosing healthy food and drinks -- don't let him or her see you with softdrinks or junk food. The next thing you know, your kid will be following in your footsteps.
Make your child's food interesting
Offer a variety of healthy and tasty food. Be adventurous by trying new ingredients in different shapes, colors and tastes.
Make mealtime a pleasant occasion by turning off the television and interacting with your child while eating.
Also, involve your kids in food discussions -- bring them to the grocery store or let them help prepare dinner so they'll learn to appreciate the food served on the table.
Strike a balance
Don't deprive your kids of their sinful treats as these will only cause them to binge. Try to give them their favorite food at least once every 2 weeks.
Also, give supplements (from chewable vitamins to milk drinks) to make sure that your child gets all the nutrients he needs to stay strong and healthy.
Among the newest products that cater specifically to picky eating kids is Wyeth's Aquiva, a milk product that contains carbohydrates, proteins and fats within RENI (recommended energy and nutrient intake) levels.
read more...
 |
Authors of the wide-reaching study, from the universities of Navarra and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, followed and analyzed the diet and lifestyle of over 12,000 volunteers over six years.
When the study began, none of the participants had been diagnosed with depression; by the end, 657 of them were new sufferers.
"Participants with an elevated consumption of trans-fats (fats present in artificial form in industrially-produced pastries and fast food...) presented up to a 48% increase in the risk of depression when they were compared to participants who did not consume these fats," the head study author said.
Almudena Sanchez-Villegas, associate professor of preventive medicine at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, also noted that in the event "more trans-fats were consumed, the greater the harmful effect they produced in the volunteers."
The research team found, at the same time, that after assessing the impact of polyunsaturated fats -- composed of larger amounts of fish and vegetable oils -- and olive oil, these products "are associated with a lower risk of suffering depression."
The report, published in the online journal PLoS ONE, noted the research was performed on a European population that enjoys a relatively low intake of trans-fats -- making up only 0.4% "of the total energy ingested by the volunteers."
"Despite this, we observed an increase in the risk of suffering depression of nearly 50%," said researcher Miguel Martinez.
"On this basis we derive the importance of taking this effect into account in countries like the US, where the percentage of energy derived from these fats is around 2.5%."
The report pointed out that the current number of depression sufferers in the world is around 150 million people, and has increased in recent years.
This rise is attributable, according to the authors, "to radical changes in the sources of fats consumed in Western diets, where we have substituted certain types of beneficial fats -- polyunsaturated and monounsaturated in nuts, vegetable oils and fish -- for the saturated and trans-fats found in meats, butter and other products such as mass-produced pastries and fast food."
Though not a focus of the study, researchers pointed out that deadly cardiovascular disease is "influenced in a similar manner by diet, and might share similar mechanisms in their origin." read more...
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How to deal with young picky eaters
MANILA, Philippines - Contrary to popular belief, kids are not born to like hotdogs and skip vegetables.Rather, children's picky eating habits are made, and the usual suspects are the parents themselves, according to nutritionist Mary Jude Icasiano.
"When we introduce food to children for the first time, their taste buds are developed as well as their ability to chew and process food. Children are not born as picky eaters but can be made into one due to different conditions," Icasiano explained.
She continued, "If the parents don't eat vegetables, for instance, don't expect the child to eat vegetables too. It's all about mirroring. A picky parent will produce a picky child."
Media also play a huge role in influencing kids' food choices. If left unattended, Icasiano said they may grow to love only the food they see on television or computer screens, items usually processed or loaded with fat, sugar and oil.
"At times, television acts as a 'substitute caregiver' for kids and may be an important factor in shaping their food choices," the nutritionist noted.
About 25% to 35% of children experience feeding challenges on a global scale -- from food jags and strikes to TV habits and great white diets, according to Icasiano.
Citing a 2009 TNS Global Market Research survey, she added that here in the Philippines, more than half of mothers (53%) consider their kids as picky eaters.
The Food and Nutrition Institute (FNRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has reported that Filipino picky eaters are at risk of being deficient in vitamin A, calcium, iron and zinc due to poor food choices.
In the long run, they may develop vitamin and mineral deficiencies such as anemia, among others.
Solving the problem
Picky eating is a condition that has no diagnostic tool, unlike being overweight where you can easily go to a weighing scale to find out if you've packed on extra pounds.
Still, Icasiano said it's hard not to notice a picky eater from the rest, as he or she has a certain set of traits.
"(Picky eaters) are kids who consume an inadequate variety and amount of food through the rejection of both familiar and unfamiliar food items. They particularly reject certain types of food or groups of food that parents think are necessary for a child's diet.
"They may refuse a certain food item one day but will eat it on another day. The refusal is usually associated with a demonstration of independence, but with increasing age he becomes less picky," she said.
Icasiano assured parents that even if their kids have grown to become picky eaters, it's still not too late to change them.
With enough persistence and a bit of creativity, she said parents can still convince their children to eat their fruits and vegetables and stay away from unhealthy food items.
The nutritionist gave these tips in addressing kids' picky eating habits:
Don't force your child to eat
Let your kid eat what he wants if it's healthy. Limit snacking to make sure that your child is hungry at mealtime.
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Make your child's food interesting
Offer a variety of healthy and tasty food. Be adventurous by trying new ingredients in different shapes, colors and tastes.
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Also, involve your kids in food discussions -- bring them to the grocery store or let them help prepare dinner so they'll learn to appreciate the food served on the table.
Strike a balance
Don't deprive your kids of their sinful treats as these will only cause them to binge. Try to give them their favorite food at least once every 2 weeks.
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Among the newest products that cater specifically to picky eating kids is Wyeth's Aquiva, a milk product that contains carbohydrates, proteins and fats within RENI (recommended energy and nutrient intake) levels.
read more...
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Brown rice eaters have lower risk of diabetes--study
NEW YORK - People who eat brown rice or other whole grains seem to have a lower risk of developing diabetes than those who eat white rice, according to a US study.
A team of researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital analyzed about 200,000 adults followed for up to 22 years and found eating more refined white rice was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is characterized by high blood sugar levels caused by a body's inability to process sugar properly and is often linked to obesity and poor diet. The illness can sometimes be controlled through diet and exercise but may require drugs.
"In general, the public should pay special attention to their carbohydrate intake and try to replace refined carbohydrates, including white rice, with whole grains," researcher Dr. Qi Sun told Reuters Health.
Current US dietary guidelines recommend that at least half of carbohydrates in the diet come from whole grains.
More Americans are eating rice, Sun and colleagues note in their report published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, rice consumption has shot up more than threefold since the 1930s.
However, most of the rice eaten by Americans is refined white rice, which is stripped of its fiber, vitamins and minerals in the refining process and is more likely to fuel an increase in blood sugar.
The researchers assessed rice intake and diabetes risk among nearly 40,000 men and more than 157,000 women in three long-running studies.
Altogether, 10,507 of them developed type 2 diabetes.
Across all three studies, having more white rice in the diet was associated with an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes.
The researchers estimate that replacing one third of a serving of white rice daily (about 50 grams) with the same amount of brown rice could lower a person's risk of getting type 2 diabetes by 16 percent.
They further estimate that replacing white rice with whole grains as a group could be associated with a risk reduction as great as 36 percent.
Sun pointed out that they adjusted for numerous factors that might influence the results and the findings still held up but added that it was possible that eating more brown rice was a marker for a healthier lifestyle.
"We adjusted for these factors including body adiposity (fat), smoking, physical activity, and other dietary factors, and the significant associations remained. This suggests that what we observed is unlikely the result of other factors," said Sun. read more....
A team of researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women's Hospital analyzed about 200,000 adults followed for up to 22 years and found eating more refined white rice was associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is characterized by high blood sugar levels caused by a body's inability to process sugar properly and is often linked to obesity and poor diet. The illness can sometimes be controlled through diet and exercise but may require drugs.
"In general, the public should pay special attention to their carbohydrate intake and try to replace refined carbohydrates, including white rice, with whole grains," researcher Dr. Qi Sun told Reuters Health.
Current US dietary guidelines recommend that at least half of carbohydrates in the diet come from whole grains.
More Americans are eating rice, Sun and colleagues note in their report published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
According to the US Department of Agriculture, rice consumption has shot up more than threefold since the 1930s.
However, most of the rice eaten by Americans is refined white rice, which is stripped of its fiber, vitamins and minerals in the refining process and is more likely to fuel an increase in blood sugar.
The researchers assessed rice intake and diabetes risk among nearly 40,000 men and more than 157,000 women in three long-running studies.
Altogether, 10,507 of them developed type 2 diabetes.
Across all three studies, having more white rice in the diet was associated with an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes.
The researchers estimate that replacing one third of a serving of white rice daily (about 50 grams) with the same amount of brown rice could lower a person's risk of getting type 2 diabetes by 16 percent.
They further estimate that replacing white rice with whole grains as a group could be associated with a risk reduction as great as 36 percent.
Sun pointed out that they adjusted for numerous factors that might influence the results and the findings still held up but added that it was possible that eating more brown rice was a marker for a healthier lifestyle.
"We adjusted for these factors including body adiposity (fat), smoking, physical activity, and other dietary factors, and the significant associations remained. This suggests that what we observed is unlikely the result of other factors," said Sun. read more....
