Author: Oladipupo Abioye

Oladipupo is a Pediatric Nutritionist with Lagos State Ministry of Health. He is an adventurous foodie and loves to teach and render presentations on foods and nutritional topics at different symposia.
He loves Messi but Chelsea FC is his baby.

Categories
Food & Body

Foods That Help Relieve Your Headache

migraine and headache

When a headache strikes, it most times render all your body system useless. It makes you very touchy while reducing the extent to which you concentrate at work or at home. Many are quick to funnel some tablets of paracetamol into their bodies in order to reduce the discomfort but they are sometimes shocked to see no improvement. In fact, this has been the norm whenever there is an occurrence of headaches for many people.

migraine and headache

How Some Foods Can Help Get Rid Of Headache

Have you ever asked yourself; if your headaches could be a result of certain foods or micro-nutrients that are lacking in your diets? Yes, this can be very true and this is what has caused a headache in many people. Let us see some of the foods that will help you eliminated headaches if regularly included in your diet.

WATERMELON:

There is no gainsaying that the major cause of headaches is the lack of enough water and certain minerals in the body. With this understanding, to mitigate against the constant pounding of your head, it is essential to have an adequate serving of watermelon which has 90% water content and yet is loaded with a mineral such as magnesium that helps reduce the pains of headaches.

BAKED POTATO AND BANANA:

Alcohol-related headache is a common phenomenon, particularly among alcohol drinking men. Alcohol is diuretic and so causes loss of water from your body within a short period which leads to headaches due to loss of electrolytes such as potassium.

In order to restore your body back to normal, it is advisable to consume foods such as potato and banana that have the capacity to supply an adequate amount of potassium to your body.

ALMOND:

Almonds can be valuable food that can be enjoyed especially during stress time. Almonds have been researched to contain a good source of protein and amino acid with an abundant supply of magnesium, potassium, and even a little iron which are key minerals that can help relieve headaches.

SPINACH SALAD:

Are you hoping to quickly alleviate your pounding headache? then spinach salad with a combination of fruit like a carrot will help your condition. Like I itemized earlier, headache is majorly caused by dehydration with a lack of certain electrolytes. These vegetables are loaded with high moisture content and fiber which will alleviate the headache.

Having itemized some of the top foods that can help during headaches, it is important to state that you should at all times consume an adequate amount of water as dehydration is the major cause of headaches. Avoiding excessive alcohol would also help prevent alcohol-induced headaches.

Categories
Food & Nutrition

Garri, Poor Man’s Food? Things To Know About Garri

Garri and Groundnut

Overlooked by many and regarded as a poor man’s food particularly by those born with a silver or gold spoon, it remains unknown to them how enjoyable this native and simple meal combination can be. Trust me, a spoon load of the mix (In cold water) and a bite of fish on a hot afternoon will impress you.

Garri and Groundnut

That I am a lover of drinking Garri is an understatement. As a young boy, I could go days without any other meal. It became more like a curse. I do not only soak and drink Garri, I eat the dry form also.  As years go by and I  began to become aware of the concept  of good nutrition  particularly  when I  emerged as  the  food prefect  during my high school  days,  I realised that consuming Garri the way I do could cause my health serious issues. So, I decided to reduce my consumption from daily dose to weekly dose. This is not to infer that Garri is not a healthy food. Even too much of vegetable diet is bad. Having said that, technology age mothers nowadays do not bother introducing this meal to their children as most of them say, “My children  would  not  suffer  as  I  have  suffered”.  My  question  is;  Is  drinking  Garri synonymous to suffering? I beg to disagree. In my case, it was and it is a choice.

ALSO SEE:  Why It May Be Best To Only Eat Sour Garri

No one food can stand on its own to provide adequate nutrition for your body except breastmilk which you were only fed with from birth till a maximum period of two years. In many cases, It is far less than that. So is Garri. If Garri is occasionally combined with other macronutrients such as protein and fats, then you have no reason to exclude it from your diet.

You are certain to get healthy dose of fat from roasted groundnuts and protein from fried fish with Garri supplying the required carbohydrate. This food combination is not without some traces of vitamins and minerals too. In fact, in years to come, even as it is gradually evolving now, our Garri will be loaded with vitamin A and the fear of night blindness which might result due to its overconsumption will no longer exist.

You can enjoy your Garri with some spoons of powdered milk/evaporated milk and one or two  cubes  of  sugar  but  personally  I  tend  to  enjoy  my  “Garium  Sulphate  (GaSo4)” combination without these two items. They reduce the sour taste of the Garri which is what I love.

If you truly love Garri, do not forget to share this article with your friends and families.

RECOMMENDED: Garri, Fufu, Usi With Vitamin A: What You Need To Know!

Categories
Food & Body Food & Nutrition

4 Shocking Food & Weight Loss Claims You Shouldn’t Believe

Health professionals are those who give advice to patients and clients as regards their health status and how they can improve it. These patients believe the advice given to them hook, line and sinker without a rethink. In my few years of writing nutrition articles, I have seen many write ups by certified health professionals especially Nutritionist and Dieticians who have erroneously misled their readers on some issues.

In view of this, I have come up with four of the most common statements made by them. See below to check them out.

heart nutrition facts

To Get Energy, You Need Carbs:

Completely wrong! To get energy, you will need to consume all the three macro nutrients; Carbohydrates, Protein and Fat. In fact a gram of fat provides more than twice the kcal of energy as available in carbohydrates which provides 4 kcal/gram, protein; 4 kcal/gram but fat; 9 kcal/gram.

ALSO SEE: HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT AND GET FIT IN 4 WEEKS NATURALLY

To Lose Weight; A No Fat Or Only Fruit Diet Is The Way:

This is gradually becoming the common trend even among diet professionals. The truth is that, losing weight via this method is not healthy and your chances of gaining the pounds of fat back are high. Removing fat does not help; in fact, it slows down your ability to lose fat.

It is advisable to include healthy fat like those high in omega 3 and Omega 6 at calculated amount which have been found to be helpful. Also, fruits are healthy and good for nutrition, however, in your quest to lose weight, it will be counterproductive to subscribe to an only fruit diet as the body system also needs other nutrients to metabolise fat.

Skipping Meals Is A Healthy Way To Lose Calories:

Each time I hear or read this, I cannot but start laughing. When you skip meals there is a tendency you will bounce back to eat more. Eventually, you will not be able to reduce your calorie intake. Asides that, skipping meals make you feel weak and tire as no energy and nutrients to get your system running.

You might want to speak to a practicing nutritionist who will help you make healthy calculated diet plan with appropriate portion control throughout your meal times. It is completely a NO NO! to skip breakfast.

To Stay Hydrated, You Must Drink 8 Glasses or 2 litres of water:

One piece of information I have always passed to my clients when they come for consultation is that in nutrition science or therapy, no shoe fits all and so, it will be out of place to make a generalised statement on issues like this until research says so. Till date, there hasn’t been any scientific finding that says one must drink 2 litres or 8 glasses of water.

It is important to communicate to readers that; while this information might not be untrue, it is not a fast rule. To hydrate your body, you have to respond to the water need of your body. Some might need up to 3 litres per day while other would be fine with about 1.5 Litres.

ALSO SEE: HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT AND GET FIT IN 4 WEEKS NATURALLY

Categories
Food & Nutrition

Revealed! The Variety Of Apple With Most Health Benefits

apple varities and colours

With the common old saying- “Eat an apple a day and keep the Doctors away” spreading the whole of the internet, It seems only a few people are aware of the variety of apple that can actually provide an opportunity to achieve this health claim.

Apple has numerous varieties grown in the different parts of the world. It is one fruit that has proven to be efficient in improving the nutritional status of people for so many decades. It will be very rare to see any one on a particular type of diet who has not at one time or the other included at least a serving in his or her meal. One medium apple supplies 80 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, 22 total carbohydrates, 17 sugars, a good source of vitamin C and no protein.

apple varities and colours

In order to proof which variety of apple is more nutritious, some researchers analyzed the antioxidant levels in eight different apple varieties to find which ones have the highest concentrations of those disease- fighting compounds. The reports the study which was published by the American Chemical Society; in order of antioxidant levels clearly showed the ranking of the varieties as follows: Red Delicious (2,012), Northern Spy (1,548), Ida Red (1,479), Cortland (1,323), Golden Delicious (1,265), McIntosh (1,163), Mutsu (1,017) and Empire (782). The numbers are measures of total phenolic content in parts per million. This research could be given some credit as the varieties were planted on the same soil which was helpful in determining the real nutritional value of the apples based on antioxidant levels.

Red Delicious variety is known for being mildly sweet and juicy. These apples have an intense red colour that may have some yellow streaking. The research shows that the Red delicious Variety has more than twice the antioxidant level in empire variety.

Without doubts, it is advisable to consume more of the coloured varieties of apple as against the green types since the coloured ones possess more antioxidants which are helpful in fighting free radicals and improving our immunity.

Categories
Food Safety

Beware! Killer Adulterated Palm Oil Is Sold In Markets

palm oil

Palm oil is a major vegetable oil that is used in many soups and meals especially in West African countries. In fact, I doubt if there is any home in Nigeria that does not include palm oil in any of their daily meals. This clearly shows the importance of the oil in the diets of an average Nigerian.

palm oil

With the sudden rise in cases of cancer, organ damages and heart diseases with no specific cause, it has become very important for Nigerians to pay particular attention on the quality of palm oil to be used in their diets considering the current trend. It has now come to our notice that many unscrupulous elements, in their quest to make more money, have colluded with producers and marketers of this oil to add some inedible substances or chemicals that could make palm oil appear like the unadulterated one.

I recently read an article that described the arrowing experience of a group of friends who ate leafy vegetable popularly called Efo riro by the Yorubas prepared with palm oil and all of them purged seriously until they were admitted to the hospital. The friends were quick to say it was the vegetable but a further test carried out indicated a trace of some certain chemicals. These chemicals are those used in the production of adulterated palm oil.

The expertise put to use in the production of this oil has made it practically impossible to physically differentiate between a good palm oil and the fake. Many consumers look for redness before buying their palm oil. Of course, that is one major attribute of the oil. In fact, in some climes, it is called red oil. Having known this, these criminals use a chemical called solvent red 24 (Used in colouring plastics) as an additive to improve the redness and make the oil appear like the properly made palm oil. Another dye used to achieve this result is Anatol dye.

Often times, It will surprise you to know that these improperly made bottles or kegs of oils are more expensive than the properly made ones as consumers tend to rush them unknowingly.

It is to my greatest surprise that the law enforcement agency such as NAFDAC had not done enough in recent years to clamp down the perpetrators of this evil act that had left a major food item like palm oil which is suppose to supply Vitamin A for proper nourishment our body to a food item supplying lethal toxins.

You will do yourself and family a great good, if you do have a trusted source where you can buy palm oil that had been properly produced rather than just buy from any seller. Also, one could trust packaged or company made palm oil as standardization must have been adheres to. Prevention certainly is better than cure.

I sincerely hope this article is helpful.

Categories
Knowledgebase

The Differences Between Organic Foods And Natural Foods

organic foods

There is growing misconception even among food professionals who assume organics foods and natural foods mean the same thing. I have sometimes read in some articles using the terminologies interchangeably but clearly there are distinct differences between both.

organic foods

For the singular reason of educating readers and teeming consumers, it remains expedient to explain what the two categories of foods are. Many researchers have taken time to find out if the nutrients in both categories of foods defer but the argument is unending. Let’s check out some of the differences

Some Differences Between Organic Foods And Natural Foods

Certification:

For any food to carry the label organic foods, the food products must have met the strict government standard laid down by The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USD). These standards regulate how such foods products are grown, handled and processed. Once these products carry the USDA seal, then customers can be rest assure that the foods are produced or processed in the organic method. For natural foods, there is no need for certification of any kind. There are no special stores for them unlike the organic products.

Pesticide usage:

Natural food growers tend to use synthetic pesticides to protect their crops from molds and insects infestations. The used pesticide can leave residue on the farm produce. For organic foods, the seed used in planting are those that are resistant to diseases from fungi. In fact, the growers use predator insects to control damaging pest.

Environment:

Due to the fact that organic foods are produced without the use of pesticide and some certain types of herbicides, the foods are being regarded as more environmentally friendly. This is because they reduce pollution, conserve water and soil quality than natural foods that contain most of these chemicals with residues on them.

organic symbol

Price:

Organic foods have been seen as the healthier option in many quarters and due to the method of planting and strict restrictions as to food additives and method of production, the price of organic foods are more expensive than natural foods or convectional foods that do not have a major federal legislation.

Categories
Food Safety

Why You Should Consider Quitting Roadside Snacks Consumption

safety of roadside foods

I am a lover of the regular and common roadside Nigeria snacks but sometimes I get disgusted at the sight of some certain things. When I say roadside snacks, I mean foods like roasted and boiled corns, fried yams, fried Akara, roasted plantain, puff puffs, fried fish and other snacks that are usually sold along the streets and at various bus stops. I can imagine what question is running through your mind right now- What else is left for us to eat? Yes, sometimes I share the same thought but regardless of how hard it is, the bitter truth has to be told.

safety of roadside foods

These snacks which are technically called “ready to eat foods” have actually become part of the regular diets of many, particularly the rural and local dwellers. In my quest to unravel the rampant cases of food poisonings and health hazards, I have come to realize that many of the issues are due to these kinds of food with fewer cases associated with homemade foods.

Just a few days ago, I and my big brother visited somewhere in Ipaja (Lagos) in his car, as we both looked at our right while in the slow-moving traffic, we saw a roadside Yam and Akara (fried bean cake) seller. Just in the traffic, a faulty trailer was in front of us, which was producing some very thick, dark and dangerous carbon monoxide and had most of the gas directly deposited on the displayed foods. This happens virtually every time as the seller is just by the very busy road.

We all are aware of the state of our trucks, trailer, cars and even the Lagos commercial buses, popularly called “Danfo” as regards the quality of their exhausts. What of the dust deposit on some of these snacks? Only a few of the sellers cover the foods with transparent nylon to provide some forms of a shield. The deposits are seriously causing health hazards unknowing to millions of people on a daily basis.

Many of the women and men who sell these ready to made snack wear dirty aprons, rub their hands over it, use their hand to pick charcoals, clean up for their children particularly the women and eventually used these contaminated hands to touch and reposition the roasted corns or plantains to be packaged for customers. A colleague of mine recently had severe diarrhea and he was quick to identify the source; a roadside snack.

These roadside food outlets are making many consumers especially children and women vulnerable to fatal diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and gastroenteritis. The utensils and containers used in making these roadsides ready to make snacks are usually not very clean. For me, I love to eat these snacks but the thought of all these unhygienic handlings deter me from enjoying them.

Well, if you must consume these snacks, chose to buy from sellers you can trust as regards how they handle the issue of hygiene in their production or cooking process.

Categories
Food Recipes

How To Make A Delicious / Nutritious Tomato Bread

tomato bread

We all know that bread is full of carbohydrate and anyone striving to always get a balanced meal in terms of nutrients should not eat bread alone. There are several other types of foods that we eat bread with in this part of the world — beans, fried and boiled egg, margarine, mayonnaise, stews — to mention a few, but we can even make it more interesting.

How about making this more interesting and nutritious by using tomatoes with your bread to make what is called “tomato bread”? Don’t write it off yet until you have tasted it and do not like it but I think you should like the taste and nutritional benefits tomatoes bring into the combo.

tomato bread

Adding olive oil and garlic into the mix will make it even better. If you read the articles we wrote on how garlic helps improve sperm quality in men and how olive oil works as an anti-ageing agent, you would want to add them to your tomato bread.

Ingredients For Making Tomato Bread

  • 4 slices of Bread
  • 2 ripe Tomatoes (each sliced into two)
  • 1 Garlic clove (finely chopped)
  • 2 tablespoon of olive oil (optional)

Equipment Needed

  • A Grill or Toaster
  • A Knife

Instructions For Making Your Tomato Bread

  • Preheat the grill, then toast the bread under a hot grill until you get lightly golden brown on both sides of the sliced bread.
  • Now rub each slice of the bread with half a fresh juicy tomato. If you decide to use any of garlic and olive oil, sprinkle a little of each over the top.
  • You can cut into smaller sizes, serve and eat immediately.

Some cannot eat fresh tomato as it is, so they put all the ingredients in-between two slices of bread before heating in the toaster. This makes the tomato a bit cooked and tastier but remember that it is at the detriment of some nutrients.

You can give this a try at home for your breakfast and share your experience and pictures with us. You can make your comments below. You can send pictures to us foodsng2015@gmail.com and we shall duly attribute them to you.

TIPS & WARNINGS:

Categories
Food & Body

Using Coconut Oil To Improve Immunity, Hair, Skin Quality

coconut-oil

In my few years as a practicing nutritionist with a government establishment, I am yet to find another healthy food item that has been multi-effective in nature other than Coconut oil. It was just like yesterday when the nutrition department of the establishment I work with kick-started the inclusion of coconut oil into the diets of children with special needs is available in our center. Improved immunity to illnesses particularly among the susceptible group was seen with a reduction in the frequency of seizures among the children particularly the non-ambulatory ones (Bedbound).

coconut-oil

Let me make it clear, when I say coconut oil, I am not by any indication referring to the common “Adi agbon” (Yoruba); which is usually the oil obtained from deteriorated, deteriorating or rotten coconuts. This is the type used by our mothers as body and hair cream. In their time, even up till now, “Adi agbon” has remained an effective solution to many external beauty concerns that we are faced with.

Having said that, Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) oil; the one I am actually referring to is clearly a super oil that is effective both for external and internal treatment. It is made from mature coconuts (edible) as against the “Adi agbon” type which is made from deteriorating coconuts and as such is inedible and has limited health benefits. In the reality of some Nigerians despising this oil, many foreigners and foreign-based Nigerians and Africans are embracing the use as its benefits are without limit. See the top three benefits.

How Coconut Oil Improves Immunity:

On like the saturated fats found in butter and other animal foods, the saturated fat in coconut oil is cholesterol-free making it a healthy fat option. So, you do not need to be wary of consuming oil. Coconut oil contains two special ingredients; lauric acid and caprylic acid that make it excellent for immunity.

They both have antibacterial and antiviral properties. For many of us who are hoping to keep away from a chemical made drug as much as possible, the inclusion of a teaspoon/tablespoon of coconut oil into your meals depending on your tolerance level can be quite helpful in boosting your immune system naturally.

How Coconut Oil Improves Hair Quality:

Have you ever wondered why Indians have lovely looking hair? The simple secret is coconut oil. Coconut oil is arguably one of the best natural nutrients for your hair growth and proper shining quality. It is a superb conditioner that helps the re-growth of damaged hair.

For women who do check the labels of their expensive hair creams, they would notice that the manufacturers included coconut oil in the list of the ingredients. That is to tell you how important oil is.

How Coconut Oil Improves Skin Quality:

Women are particularly interested in this more than Men but; in their quest to make their skin look a pact, they have only preferred and believed in the usage of expensive body lotions. After spending quite a lot, they end of looking for another one as the previous one does not soothe their skin type. The ability of an extra virgin coconut oil to penetrate through your skin to enrich the cell in order to make the largest organ of the body glow more radiantly is completely incomparable.

One of the most important things about coconut oil is that it eradicates the need for some of the most toxic, potentially harmful beauty concoctions out there in many grocery stores. In fact those in the tropical parts of the world where coconuts are readily available believe in using the oil on their skin since it helps protect against harmful sun rays rather than the unnatural, chemical loaded skin care that could damage your skin.

One way you can also utilize the oil for skin treatment is by adding a small quantity of it into your regular body lotion. Many users of this oil had done this and the results are impressive.

Guess what? You could make your own coconut oil at home, http://www.chopbetterfood.com/2014/05/how-to-make-coconut-oil-at-home.html that way you are certain of how natural it is. But, if you cannot go through the rigour and you are looking for an extra virgin coconut oil that has not been hydrogenated, bleached, or refined in any way or fragrance or dyes added to it?

Then you could reach me on my email; dipoledransome@yahoo.com or call 08189426728 particularly if you reside in Lagos. If it has worked magic in the lives of children with special needs, then yours cannot be different.

Categories
Food Recipes

How To Make Puff-Puff; One Of Most Consumed Nigerian Snack

ready-to-eat puff puff

I can confidently bet, a well made puff puff will surely make you ask for more any day, anytime. As this snack seem to be quite popular in all the cities here in Nigeria, it will surprise you to know that many people who are lovers of it do not know how to make it.

I must admit that a few have clues but many are in doubt of the simple steps in making the fluffy, brown tasty snack.  I will be sharing with you how you can make puff-puff for your personal consumption or events. No doubt, it will surely wow your friends and family or guests.

ready-to-eat puff puff

How To Make Your Own Puff Puff At Home

What Are The Ingredients?

  • Flour (1kg)
  • Active dry yeast (20grams)
  • Water (As appropriate), 1 or 2 pinches of salt and sugar (between 150-200grams)
  • Nut meg (Optional)
  • Vegetable oil

In the quest of many to make puff puff rich, they have added eggs and milk. This most times does not produce good puff puff. I usually do not add them. They are not necessary. If you must, it must be in very small quantities.

Direction On How To Make Nigerian Puff Puff

Wash your hands clean with soap and water.

Pour all the dry items like flour, sugar, salt, active dry yeast and nutmeg into a bowl. Gradually pour warm water to make it rise quickly and mix thoroughly with your hands until the mixture turns pasty but not watery with no lump.

how to make puff puff 2

Cover the mixture with a  foil paper or any other item that will make it air tight and keep in a warm place for about an hour. After the period, the batter would have risen to almost double its previous height and become thicker with foamy top.

Pour oil into a frying pot and place on cooker under low heat.

When the oil is hot, use your hand to shape the batter to form round like shape and drop into the hot oil. Do this until there  no more space for more.

how to fry puff puff

Allow to fry until all sides turns into golden brown colour. This can be achieved by flipping the puff puff using a folk or long spoon every 30 seconds on the average.

Scoop out and keep them in a sieve place over a bowl or plate to allow some of the oil to drain into the bowl.

how to make puff puff 5

Your puff puff is ready to be served.

ready-to-eat puff puff

For 1Kg flour as used above, you should get about 60 pieces of the size of puff puff seen in the picture above. It can be served with a chilled orange juice or Zobo drink. I particularly love it with Zobo. Learn how to make Zobo drink.

Categories
Food Processing

Meat & Soup: At What Point of Cooking Should Salt Be Added?

Chefs all around the world have contradictory views as regards the timing of adding salt to foods during cooking. In fact, there is no record of any research that has shown and proven which time of salting is healthier or appropriate. Based on the controversies, I have decided to join the chain of food professionals to share my opinion in line with my training and experience as a food scientist.

adding salt to stew

Salting For Different Types of Food

I have also discovered that the process of salting actually differs for different foods but this time, my decision is only to write on these two meals (Meats and Soups) since they are regularly cooked in most house holds on daily basis. Before the emergence of refrigerator and other forms of preservation of foods, historically, the primary reason for adding of salt to food was for preservation. Flavour and taste was a secondary purpose. Lets see the appropriate timing to add salt to the two meals.

When, During Cooking Should You Add Salt To Meat?

I do not know if it is because we want to get things done quickly or it is the better way; what I see mostly is people adding salt to meat from the very start in addition to other additives like onions, MSG and other. When this is done, it tends to harden the meat. The addition of salt raises the boiling temperature thereby reducing the cooking time but less natural meat flavour is released as salting closes the pores of the meat.

Hey friends, I am particularly interested in the flavour of the meats when I am cooking. For me, I have adopted adding salt to my meats almost at the end of cooking. It provides an opportunity for the natural flavours of the meat to be produced. It also helps in reducing the amount of salt to be added which is healthier for high blood pressure patients.

ALSO SEE: Effect of too much salt on the body!

Salting of Soups and Stews:

The idea of adding salt at the start of cooking soups is fairly common among students but gradually creeping into the method of cooking by many house wives. In fact, it was in the University that I first notice this. Students are always in a rush. When you add salt at the start, as the soup thickens, only water is evaporated not salt, so you might likely end up with a slightly salty food as you would have added salt based on the initial volume of the soup.

It would be smarter to add salt much later into the cooking when the soup is almost at your desired thickness. That way, you will avoid salty food. Remember the daily requirement of sodium should not exceed 2300mg per day which is an equivalent of about 10grams of salt. To much salting due to adding at the start of cooking could raise your daily sodium level above 5000mg which is unacceptable.

ALSO SEE: How much salt is too much to consume per day?

I do believe some of you have contrary opinions and methods you have adopted for many years that have made your food a delight to your family. Please share with us if you agree or disagree with this write up.

Categories
Food & Nutrition Food Safety

Reasons You Shouldn’t Chop Your Vegetables In The Market

In this era when the consumption of pastry foods and junks is on the rise, one or two servings of vegetables/week which remains the only source of vitamins and minerals for many has been made to lose most of its nutritional values, if not all. No wonder the immune system of many Nigerians continues to fail them at the slightest invasion of bacteria infections resulting in illnesses. 

chop vegetables

Aside from the fact that such single or double servings of vegetables/week are low, many housewives and cooks have only provided good looking vegetable soups to their families as against a more nutritious one. For me, I have come to realize that it is much more important to consume a less delicious food which is well loaded with nutrients than to funnel into my system a delicious meal with no or low nutrients. It is what actually prompted this article on how to maximize the nutrients in your vegetables.

Sliced or chopped leafy vegetable from market presents an avenue for a near-complete loss of nutrients even before preparation. As everyone would rinse or wash the chopped leaves once they are ready to cook, the broken cell walls of the leaves give way for loss of nutrients since the vegetable will be drained from the added water.

How To Know That You Should Not Chop Vegetables In The Market

A simple experience will surprise you. Buy both un-chopped and chopped leafy vegetables from the market. Rinse both vegetable types in the same quantity of water to clean. Pour the water drained out in both samples into different transparent glass cups.

You will see that the chopped leafy vegetable has darker drained water compared to the un-chopped one. A clear indication of a significant loss of phytochemicals and nutrients even before cooking.

A further experiment on the matter!

I would even ask you to take the experiment further buy buying vegetables in the market, ask the vendor to chop the for you and buy another fresh vegetable, leave uncapped and take home. When you get home, chop this vegetable and clean it with water.

Do the same for the one you chopped in the marker and do the clear glass-drained water experiment above. You will get a similar result as the one above, an indication of the loss of phytochemicals.

Have you ever wondered how clean the chopping board of these vegetable sellers are? That is completely left for you to judge. In most cases the chopping board is left outside over night for goats, insects and dogs to play with, only for them to resume the next evening, dust the board, maybe just clean with some water and start using for customers.

If vegetables are chopped with these kinds of boards, the sliced leafy vegetable becomes easily contaminated. No wonder many are faced with serious diarrhea after eating vegetable soups. Clearly, one cannot generalize in this matter but some of these vendors do it that way — and sometimes, it is hard to tell which is which.

The best option for you and your family is to buy these vegetable leaves un chopped, rinse them properly and have them chopped or sliced by yourself. Yes, you might not be as perfect in slicing the veggies as the market women but over time you can only get better. Remember, this is simply an action done for improved nutrition and you will definitely be better for it.

Categories
Food & Body Food & Nutrition

Learn How Cashew Nuts Can Help You Lose Weight

Yes, cashew nuts are calorie-dense but a whole lot of people are unaware of how calorie-dense food such as cashew nuts can be helpful in their weight loss therapy.  Losing weight had been a thorn in the flesh of many. While exercises play a major role in ensuring you trim into your preferred size and weight, eating the right foods with appropriate portions based on your body chemistry and metabolism is also critical.

cashew nuts with pepper

For many years, nutritionist, dieticians and many other food enthusiasts have promoted the need to avoid consumption of this high fat, no cholesterol and high fibre snack because it has been labelled as fattening but no one did spoke on how portion control of this tree nut can be effective in weight loss therapy. Let us see how helpful the nut is.

ALSO SEE: HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT AND GET FIT IN 4 WEEKS NATURALLY

Cashew Nuts As Hunger Reducer:

Many of my clients who approached me for a weight loss menu are somehow shocked when I included cashew nut into their diet especially when I discover they do not mind consuming it. Cashew nut is loaded with fats, some of which are the healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats. The digestion of fats starts in the stomach but majorly carried out in the small intestine. The idea is that it will take a longer period for this healthy food to be digested, thereby extending satiety and reducing hunger, unlike carbohydrate-based foods that keep you hungry due to the fact that they digest very quickly.

If you limit your consumption to 18kernels of the roasted, salted or unsalted cashew nut during snack time, then the entire calorie you would have added to your body would not exceed 170kcal. This is significantly small compared to snacking on a bottle of coke and popcorn or meat pie or sausage roll or sweetened chips which will eventually keep you asking for more in no time and providing less nutrition.

Cashew Nuts High In Nutrition Value:

Fats had always been the bad macronutrients but it will surprise you to know that- you cannot lose those pounds of flesh without the inclusion of fats — the good fats. If you did, get ready for a bounce back.

cashew nuts

One advantage of Cashew nuts is that they are not only packed with fats, but they also contain a reasonable amount of fiber, magnesium, antioxidants, and vitamins which will serve to keep your body in state proper weight loss.

Don’t Throw Away Caution:

Even for vegetarians, an overdose of these veggies has been found to cause certain deficiencies. It suffices to say, no foods item should be consumed excessively, moderation does it. While the inclusion of a handful of cashew nut will improve your health and could help you lose weight, addiction to the nut might be counterproductive.

In weight loss therapy, portion control is imperative. I usually recommend eating no more than 150 grams of cashew nuts in a week. If you must eat daily for weight loss, just a few kernels would be okay as snacks.

Hey! I hope you are aware? Cashew nuts taste really nice too.

ALSO SEE: HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT AND GET FIT IN 4 WEEKS NATURALLY

Categories
Food & Nutrition

Nutritious Foods Lactating Mothers Should Not Do Without

Pregnancy is always something of joy especially to young couples with the happiness boundless more to the woman. She is carrying her own baby- What else can be more exciting? The very hour the child is born, the baby is expected to be fed by her mother provided there was no complication during delivery. The quality of breast milk available for feeding the child is determined by the quality and quantity of foods consumed by the mother during and after pregnancy.

Yes, losing the weight associated with pregnancy might be a relief, but what is even more important for your body shortly after the arrival of your baby is eating foods that are nutritious and energy-dense to allow a breastfeeding mum to perform her God’s ordained responsibility to her child. 

breastfeeding mother
Photo: socialgradient.org

Here Are Some Foods Lactating Mothers Should Eat More

This short post came to bear when I realized how a mum who was always eating well, breastfed her baby exclusively for 4 months. The result on the child is clearly impressive.

1. Watermelon:

No lactating or breastfeeding mum wants to be dehydrated. Aside from advising them to drink enough amount of water since they constantly produce breast milk which should contain more than 90% water, I prefer breastfeeding mum to consume fruit like a watermelon that will not only hydrate them but also provide adequate vitamins and antioxidant that will directly improve the nutrition of the child. The good health of the mother is also very critical during breastfeeding.

2. Milk While Giving Out Milk:

Yes, Milk. As a breastfeeding mother who needs to provide calcium loaded breast milk to her child, there is a need for her to consume milk products that will help replenish the lost calcium. Depending on the preference of such women, options like yoghurt, whole milk, skimmed milk, cheese, and homemade ice cream can be helpful.

For those that are lactose intolerant, options like bananas and plant-based foods like orange juices and tofu that are fortified with calcium can provide some replacement.

3. Salmons And Other Fish Types:

It is no news talking about the importance of omega 3 fatty acid even in the lives of every one of us. For breastfeeding mum, there is a need to supply this healthy fat to the child for proper brain function and growth.

The produced breast milk also contains some amount of protein. Consuming healthy protein from salmon and sardines that are low in mercury is a good way to start.

4. Leafy Vegetables:

When I say vegetables, I do not mean overcooked neither am I talking about undercooked ones. It has to be moderately prepared to make the nutrient more bio-available while avoiding the loss of these nutrients due to high heat. In the diet of an Infant, the supply of Vitamin A is key for improved nutrition.

Green and leafy vegetables are excellent sources of vitamins and nutrients like vitamin A, calcium, vitamin C, and iron. Spinach and broccoli are good examples. According to a study conducted by researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health found that a single, oral dose of vitamin A, given to infants shortly after birth can reduce their risk of death by 15 percent.

5. Sweet Potatoes:

Every lactating mum needs to consume an extra 500kcal of food to complement the food requirement by the child. This vegetable provides healthy calories and a rich source of vitamin A, carotenoids and potassium. I chose to recommend sweet potato over other tubers because it contains an array of nutrients. Other foods to be consumed by breastfeeding women are those rich in folate. Okra is a typical example.

Lactating mothers would find this article useful. If you are a lady, someday you will be pregnant and have your own children. Do adhere to some of the tips highlighted in this article.

Watch Out For Foods Lactating Mothers Should Avoid

Categories
Food & Nutrition

Foods You Should Avoid Eating When You Clock Age 40

fit not fat 40 plus

Every gadget, instrument or even furniture has a period when it turns around to begin to function less than optimal level or abnormally. The reason behind this is that materials go through wear and tear and if they had not been properly maintained in the past, the chances that the object stand the test if time is slim. So is the case in humans.

Humans from age 10 place a lot of pressure on their body system; from the foods they eat to their general life style while neglecting to service the engines that do the entire work. The result of this is that the body begins to become susceptible to infections and diseases more than ever before since no form of maintenance had been previously performed. Then, HOW DO WE SERVICE OUR BODY?

fit not fat 40 plus

It is no news especially in Nigeria that life starts at the age of 40. The youthfulness is still around while in reality, the chemical structure of your body has taken a different shape. At this age, these people forget to realize that they are no more in their early twenties or thirties. They go all out consuming all kinds of foods expecting their body systems to handle it as it has always done decades back.

Did you miss our article on 5 Foods People In The 40+ Ages Should Be Eating More? Please read it after you are done with this post. It’s healthy to read it.

Suddenly, age-related illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure and other debilitating disease begin to surface. Friends, carefully read through this post to see foods 40 years old and above should avoid in order to service their body engined and secure a healthier future for themselves.

Soft Drinks And Sodas:

This is definitely top on my list. For me, no food seems to contain empty-calorie as much as these products. The major ingredients of soft drinks and Sodas are caffeine, fructose, and refined sugar. Do not be deceived by the word diet soda or diet coke or any other name that seems to attract you as you perceive them to contain no sugar. Yes, they do not but they are loaded with artificial sweeteners like aspartame and saccharin which are even worse.

At age 40, your pancreas which is the organ responsible for the secretion of insulin which acts on sugar could have reduced in its performance unknown to you. The caffeine in sodas has also been associated with higher chances of a heart attack.

Alcohol:

Some health professionals have argued that a little alcohol is good for the body. While I do not disagree with their assertion, I have never read or heard of any research that shows how avoiding consuming alcohol becomes hazardous to your body. At age 40, regularly funneling volumes of alcohol especially lager and ale will place pressure on your kidney and liver.

I understand that a little red wine could be helpful but that is never a reason to indulge in the various brands of alcohol sold in retail shops all around.

Fries:

It has been a long time since I clearly notice how people who indulge in fries suddenly turn overweight. As you age, the less likely it is for you to be able to follow a nutritional regime to lose weight. So, why gain it in the first place? At 40, consuming fries increases your overall calorie intake and this makes you gain weight.

This is particularly dangerous for women above 40 who could be battling with arthritis and other bone-related conditions.

Pancakes And Doughnuts:

Flour, sugar, and oil are the major ingredients of these snacks. So, how do you benefit from this at age 40? Yes, egg and other ingredients might be included but these flour made products are known majorly to raise sugar levels.

Chocolates And Candies:

Asides from the fact that these products are loaded with sugar and raise your sugar levels, chocolates and candies affect your dental health. Women are the culprit in this area as they love these products. I am sure that no one at 40 would love to have a poor dental status. Avoid them completely.

Categories
Food & Nutrition

5 Foods People In The 40+ Ages Should Be Eating More

Ginger and Garlic

In one of my recent articles, I took the time to pen down why people who are 40 years and above should avoid the consumption of certain foods so that they can live a healthier life in the future. While this is ideal to spread around to families and friends, it remains incomplete if I do not disseminate information about foods that people in their 40s should consider consuming regularly.

The need for proper nutrition will help individuals within this age bracket look and feel their best. The consumption of a healthy diet definitely increases one’s life expectancy by reducing the risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity among other diseases.

The importance of proper weight control is also critical for 40 years old and above since most diseases are associated with weight gain. It is also of note to consume these foods that will be highlighted below moderately and at recommended daily intake.

1. Fortified Skimmed Milk:

On the day of your 40th birthday, you are probably feeling as young as ever but the truth is things within your system are beginning to take a new shape and you must respond appropriately. Most people as young adults indulge in whole milk which are loaded with fats and these people continue unknowingly over the age of 40. It is impossible to exclude fat from any healthy diet combination but you must begin to reduce them from hidden sources.

Consume skimmed milk (Milk that fat had been removed from) as a way of reducing your daily fat intake.  I indicated “fortified” because, during the removal of fats, some essential nutrients must have been lost; so there is a need for those nutrients to included via fortification.

2. Fish, Yes, Fish!:

Well, this is not to say that you cannot consume meats again but fish should be your primary source of protein. The need to obtain omega 3 fatty acids for proper cell functioning at this age cannot be overemphasized. Scaly seas fish and crabs are found to be quite healthy. 

I do advise some of my patients who had crossed this age line to reduce deep fat fried foods. The strength of their bodies to process or digest foods had reduced. It is best to enjoy your fish without frying. Fresh fish pepper soup is acceptable.

3. Calcium-Rich Foods:

Osteoporosis is a serious condition that begins to set in majorly at age 40. This is usually due to low bone density. A healthy bone can help against bone-related conditions. Foods rich in calcium include spinach, soybeans, dairy products like milk and yoghurt (be cautious about the dairy products). Including only calcium-rich foods might not solve the problem.

Getting enough vitamin D is very critical as the body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium for proper body function. Not getting enough of these leads to fragile bones which is usually worsened by weight gain causing arthritis. Supplementation is also available but does not result in self-help. Ensure you speak with a certified professional.

4. Fruits And Green Vegetables:

We can not overemphasize the need to include this category of foods into anyone’s diet. For those in their 40s, it is essential to say that not all fruits and vegetables will be appropriate to be included in their diet. At 40 years, a lot of people are unknowingly diabetic. Advising such an individual to consume pineapple which has a high glycemic index may be counterproductive.

People in this age should consume green vegetables, cucumber, garden eggs, carrots and other fruits and veggies with the known low glycemic indexes. It is advisable to speak with your doctor to know your health status and dietician to plan a menu for you. You might want to see tips on how to cook vegetables such as nutrients inside are not lost.

5. Garlic And Ginger:

For me, the combination of these natural food additives is critical for an improved immune system more than any other food for any age group. I remembered when my mum was battling with increased blood pressure, after a proper menu had been prepared for her, I was quick to inform her to include both garlic and ginger into her soups and stews.

Ginger and Garlic

In fact, she swallows some diced garlic at night as prescribed by me. Now, she is free from the situation. Subsequent tests revealed normal blood pressure. Asides this, these foods are both loaded with antibacterial compounds.

If you do have brothers, sisters, friends or even colleagues at work who are close to the age of 40 or 40 years and above, you will be doing them a whole lot if you share this article with them.

Indeed Life Begins at 40…….Stay Healthy.

RECOMMENDED READING: Animal Liver, Heart, Other Inner Meat Parts & Their Dangers