Author: Akinrodola Owanikin

Categories
Food & Body

7 Surprising Reasons You’re Gaining Weight

Surprising Reasons You're Gaining More Weight

More often than not, many people gain weight but cannot explain why this is happening. Of course, if you stop or reduce exercises or you indulge in binge eating, especially in foods you should not be eating late at night, you expect to gain weight.

However, there are cases when people exercise well, eat healthy foods and if you have to eat at night, you know the right foods to eat at night, but still gain weight. In this case, many people cannot really explain why it happens. This article will share with you, at least 10 surprising reasons we gain weight, that many people do not know about.

Surprising Reasons You're Gaining More WeightReasons You’re Gaining Weight (That You May Not Know)

Here are some silent reasons you may be increasing in weight other than lack of exercise and eating high calorie foods.

1. Lack of Sleep

This may come as a surprise to many. What is the connection between lack of sleep and weight gain? There are two issues at work with sleep and weight gain. The first one is that when you stay up late, there is high chance that you’re doing some late-night snacking, which means more calories in the body.

There may be changes in hormone levels in the body, which is keeping you from sleeping. These changes increase hunger and appetite and also make you feel not as full after eating.

Reasons You're Gaining More Weight2. Stress

Stress has a unique way of making us gain weight if not managed very well. When our bodies get stressed too much, they go into survival mode. How do they do this? The secret the “stress hormone called Cortisol.

Cortisol causes an increase in appetite for food. With this, we may start an intake of high-calorie comfort foods in times of stress, as well as eating at some odd hours.

3. Anti-inflammatory Steroid Medications

Steroids and anti-inflammatory steroid medications cause fluid retention and increased appetite. They are popular, not only for their anti-inflammatory property, but also for contributing a lot to weight gain in people that use them.

Steroid Medication

In some people, steroids may also cause a temporary change in where their body stores fat. The changes are usually to places like the face, the belly, or the back of the neck.

4. Birth Control Pills

Birth control pills (estrogen and progestin) can cause weight gain, but don’t be quick to thrash them or stop using them. Even though these birth control pills can cause increase in weight, they have not been proven to be a permanent increase.

Birth Control Pills

It has been observed that some women taking estrogen and progestin may experience some weight gain related to fluid retention, but this effect is usually short-term.

5. Hypothyroidism

The thyroid is an endocrine gland in the neck area. It is is a butterfly-shaped organ located in the base of your neck. It releases hormones that control metabolism—the way your body uses energy. The proper functioning of this gland helps break down the food we eat.

Hypothyroidism

If the thyroid drops in the level of thyroid hormone it makes and it is no longer enough, you’re may feel tired, weak, and cold, and gain weight. Without enough thyroid hormone, your metabolism slows, making weight gain more likely.

Treating hypothyroidism with medication may reverse some of the weight gain.

6. Aging

As we grow older, the rate at which our body breaks down the food we eat reduces. Growing older and older (aging) slows your metabolism, so you burn fewer calories.

Also, as we grow older, there are changes in our lifestyle. The change in lifestyle (such as exercising less, not going to work any longer) play an important role.

ageing
Photo Credit: piximggif.com

This is because we are really no longer active, therefore, our metabolism may drop.

7. Quitting Smoking

Smoking is dangerous to both the smoker and those around them while smoking. This is to tell you how dangerous smoking is. They say quitters don’t win but winning is this case is just about quitting. This is one of the best things you can do for your health.

When you start your withdrawal from smoking, you may start to feel more hungrier than usual. This will make you eat more and gain more weight. You should normally stop feeling hungrier after several weeks, which will make it easier to help lose any weight you gained.

Quitting Smoking

Finally, if you feel a particular medication is making you gain weight, please don’t stop it. You should consult with your doctor when you notice these signs.

Your doctor and you can work together to manage the situation or work out another medication that suites you better than the one you currently use.

Save

Save

Save

Categories
Food & Health

Is Smoked Fish Dangerous To Your Health?

smoked fish dangerous to human health

I have gotten this question a lot on this blog — people have asked me a lot if the smoke used for smoke fish pose any danger to their health. I plan to use this article to talk a little about the process of fish smoking and smoking of food in general. I will also answer this question to the best of my knowledge here with facts to back my answers.

Smoking remains a popular food preservation method in this part of the world. Smoking develops a lot of flavors in fish that many people have forgotten that smoking should be for preservation, they just want to get that characteristic smoked fish flavor in their mouth.

In one of my previous articles about the dangers of eating Suya, I mentioned smoking and some of the other potential dangers. You can still read that article.

smoked fish dangerous to human health

What is Food Smoking?

Smoking can be simply defined as the process of flavouring, cooking, or preserving food by exposing it to smoke from burning materials. The material most commonly used is wood.

Wood contains three major components — cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, that are broken down in the burning process to form smoke. Typical smoking of fish is either cold (28–32°C) or hot (70–80°C). Hot smoking is what is prevalent around here.

When I talk about smoking in this article, I mean the traditional, common smoking process using smokes from burning woods or wood shavings. Smoking was originally carried out on food (including fish) to preserve them. However, since the advent of freezing and other preservation methods, smoking is now mostly done to develop the unique taste and flavour imparted by the smoking process.

So, is smoking of fish dangerous to human health?

Honestly, there is no straight answer to this caution and one has to tread the line of caution when advising people. One cannot just say smoked fish is dangerous to health. No.

The main potential danger associated with smoking of fish and other foods is PAH. When wood is burned, Polycylclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH)—a class of carcinogens—are formed. These are deposited on foods and are known to cause cancer. You would recall I mentioned this in this article.

However, when people talk about whether smoking of food is dangerous or not, some forget to take the dose into consideration. Yes, PAHs are dangerous, there is no doubt about that but the dose that we take in will determine if it will lead to the onset of cancer or not.

Generally, foods smoked commercially in a manufacturing facility have been found to contain lower levels of PAHs compared to those smoked in noncommercial settings. An example of the latter is those we by in many open markets, displayed in the open and wrapped in nylons or papers when we purchase. There is no way to determine the level of PAHs in this, unless the necessary tests are carried out.

Since, we cannot test those fishes before buying them, we cannot determine if they contain low or the level of dose that has been found to be harmful to experimental animals.

If you ask me, I’d say you should enjoy your smoked fish with caution. If you are someone that only enjoys an occasional smoked fish meal—and are not a daily consumer—then PAH from smoked fish and other foods is most likely not a health concern for you.

Categories
Food & Health

What Is Celiac Disease? The Symptoms and Treatment?

Celiac-Disease-Gluten-Free

In our last article, we outlined the steps for making gluten-free bread for people with Celiac disease. When I published the article and read it over again, it occurred to me that people would really want to know more about this celiac disease, especially the symptoms and how to treat this condition.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. When people that have celiac disease eat foods that contain gluten, their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine. These lead to damage on the small fingerlike projections or structures that line the small intestine — the villi. The villi (singular villus) promote nutrient absorption in the small intestine. When the villi get damaged, nutrients can no longer be absorbed properly into the body.

Celiac-Disease-Gluten-Free

What Are The Symptoms of Celiac Disease

  • Digestive problems (abdominal bloating, pain, gas, diarrhea, pale stools, and weight loss)
  • A severe skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis
  • Iron deficiency anemia (low blood count)
  • Musculoskeletal problems (muscle cramps, joint and bone pain)
  • Growth problems and failure to thrive (in children)
  • Seizures
  • Tingling sensation in the legs (caused by nerve damage and low calcium)
  • Aphthous ulcers (sores in the mouth)
  • Missed menstrual periods

Since people with Celiac disease have deficiencies in absorbing nutrients, there are diseases that often accompany this condition. Some of these diseases are listed below;

  • Osteoporosis, a disease that causes weakness of bones and leads to fractures. This is due to the fact that the person has trouble absorbing enough calcium and vitamin D.
  • Miscarriage or infertility.
  • Birth defects, such as neural tube defects (improper formation of the spine) caused by poor absorption of such nutrients as folic acid.
  • Seizures.
  • Growth problems in children because they don’t absorb enough nutrients.
  • In rare cases, Cancer of the intestine [Source: WebMD.com]

Is There Treatment For Celiac Disease? How Do You Treat Celiac Disease?

Yes, you can manage this condition with a gluten-free diet. Doctors normally treat celiac disease through prescription of a gluten-free diet. For most people, symptoms significantly improve with celiac disease who follow a gluten-free diet [niddk.nih.gov].

Alternatively, a dietitian can create a diet for you and teach you how to avoid gluten while following a healthy and nutritious diet.

Categories
Food & Health

Half-Cooked Meat: What You Should Know About Them

Half-cooked meat berbecue
Photo: swide.com

Barbecue chicken and beef are usually a delight to consume any day, any time. For many of those residing in major metropolitan cities, it has become a meal they cannot do without. Foreign ways of cooking meat products are gradually crippling into our country and we are beginning to throw away simple food safety procedures that we adhered to in time past.

I recently visited a fast food and I noticed that the fried chicken on my food was not well cooked after I took a bite. I could sense it from the taste and eventually from the looks. On getting home, I had to book an appointment with the toilet to download some watery brown files….lol….I am certain you know what I mean. This is gradually becoming the norm in many high tech restaurants while pretending under the disguise of not making the meat lose their nutritive value.

Half-cooked meat berbecue
Photo: swide.com

This article is not set out to encourage overcooking but I believe it is a better choice to overcook your meat and avoid all the poisonings that could come from E. coli or Salmonella while losing some nutritive values than to undercook them in a bit to get more nutritive values but get submerged in the pains of food poisoning.

The strict vaccination policies adhered to in many of these countries where meat products are majorly undercooked are not available here in Nigeria and if available, no one is ensuring strict compliance of the laws or policies by animal rearers. In view of this, when you undercook meat such that the internal fluids are clearly seen; then you must be risking falling ill due to poisoning.

Many proponents of undercooked foods have argued that you should not rely on your senses to determine if meat products are safely cooked or not. Some also stressed that the pink colour does not indicate undercooking and that it is the use of a thermometer than can help ascertain. Let us face the average kitchen reality, in our country, is this practicable? My answer is No. Our senses have always played an important role in food sensory analysis. Human judgement on food quality is more accurate than any equipment. After all the foods will be served to humans.

Bottom line, I think we all know when our meats are well cooked and we should henceforth quit embracing this half cooked meat method that can endanger our lives and that of our children whose internal organs are not yet well developed to be exposed to such health hazard.

Categories
Food & Nutrition

Does An Apple A Day Keep The Doctors Away?

eating apple
Photo: saidaonline.com

Apple is one fruit that seem to have no season. You find it everywhere at any time of the year. Having said that, one common statement about apple that has made it stand out is ” Eat an apple a day and keep the doctors away”. In fact several variations of this statement had been used prior to this popular one. In 1866 issue of the publication “Notes and Queries.” The publication printed the proverb like this: “Eat an apple on going to bed, and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.” Does it sound believable and interesting? Yes it does. Decades later, the adage has taken different forms and spreading across border with the speed of light.

eating apple
Photo: saidaonline.com

That I am a lover of apples is an understatement. Since undergraduate days, I had somewhat developed a rare interest when I notice the good and healthy benefits the crunchy fruit can provide to my body. During this period in question especially when preparing for examination, apple help me in restoring lost nutrients. When I am done eating one or two, I feel energized right away.

As a practicing nutritionist, I have mostly included apples in the diets of my clients no matter their medical conditions. In a weight loss diet, the juicy fruit plays an important role as it provides only a few calorie while filling the patient since it contains about 75% water and high fibre. This soluble fibre is also effective in relieving conditions of severe constipation as commonly seen in people in recent times. In actual fact, with the quantity of potassium present in it, patients of high blood pressure are definitely on a good diet plan. The nutritional benefit and potency in helping many medical conditions span across a lot of health concern ravaging our dear planet.

With the aforementioned, would it be right to say; “an apple daily keeps the doctors away” . Hmmmmmm, that seems like an over-statement. Yes, the fruit can make you reduce the pills of a chemist but avoiding a session with a doctor can only be achieve through God’s intervention. A research carried out among some volunteers who eat an apple daily indicates that there is no proof to the claim since all the participants visited the hospital for one health concern or the other. It is also imperative to let you know that the various health hazards that stare our faces in the advent of industrialization can not be salvage by only eating apples. The solution to a healthy life involve multiple approach therapy.

Apples are loaded with Vitamin C and many phytochemicals that fight free radicals. The ability of the fruit to improve your immunity is superb but believing it will keep you from going to the hospital has no medical proof.

Eat an apple a day and you will be thankful you did.

ALSO SEE: Revealed! The Variety Of Apple With Most Health Benefits

Categories
Knowledgebase

Differences Between Red Meat & White Meat With Examples

white meat

People have started digging for the meat that falls under the category called red meat and which ones are white meat. The queries increased recently when the WHO revealed that processed meat has been found to cause cancer and there is a possibility that red meats cause it too.

So, many people want to know what red meat is, so that they can avoid it and what white meat is so that they can eat more of that and reduce the risk of cancer. This post is going to list the meat of animals that fall under white and red.

meats
Photo Credit: gab.giggle.com

What Is Red Meat, What Is White Meat?

There are actually two definitions that may be used — the common definition and the nutritional definition, if I may call it that way.

The common definition refers to red meat as meat that is red when raw and not pale in color when cook. White meat is pale before and after cooking.

As fas as nutritional science are concerned, red meat is any meat that has more myoglobin than white meat, white meat being defined as non-dark meat from chicken (excluding leg or thigh) or fish. So, choosing white or red meat depends on the definition you choose.

According to the USDA, all meats obtained from mammals (regardless of cut or age) are red meats because they contain more myoglobin than white meat chicken or fish. Another difference is that white meat is a leaner source of protein (lower fat) but contains lesser heme Iron, Zinc and Vitamins A, D, E and K (fat-soluble vitamins).

In one article, in which we talked about the red juice that drips out of meat when you buy them fresh. We mentioned in that article that the red fluid is myoglobin and explained the relationship it has with blood.

Examples of White Meat and Red Meat

This largely depends on the definition you decide to follow, which ultimately depends on the purpose of searching for examples of red and white meat. Some types of meat can be classified under one definition and red, under another.

If you are digging for health reasons, I think it is best to just follow the USDA approach. Meats obtained from mammals with the red color prior to cooking are considered red meat because they contain more myoglobin.

white meat

To use examples that we are familiar with, white meat is generally classified as poultry (chicken and turkey), while red meat typically refers to beef, pork, and lamb.

Are you in doubt? What class particular meat falls under? Ask in the comment.

Categories
Food & Body

Five (5) Key Signs You Are Eating Right

eating right
Photo: blog.harvardvanguard.org

A lot of disorders arise from not eating right and a good number of them don’t even manifest until they have caused a lot of damages. Eating right, not only help you stay healthy, it helps you psychologically and financially. Financially? Yes, as you are about to find out in this short article.

How Do You Know You Are Eating Right?

Listen! Yes, listen to the subtle messages sent to you by your body. Whether our body is healthy or not, we get messages from our body but often times, we don’t listen. Likewise, if we are eating right or not eating right, we get messages from our body too. Subtle messages.

eating right
Photo: blog.harvardvanguard.org

Here are five key signs to know you are eating right;

1. You go to the toilet everyday

Not literally as stated in the title because people go to the toilet to smoke sometimes. Going to the toilet here means you actually go to the toilet to do what the toilet is designed for.

This is avery good sign you are eating right and including the right amount of fibers in your diet, they turn your bowel often and make you go do the dump. Constipation is a sign you are not eating right. Therefore, when you go to the toilet every day, it is a sign that you are eating right.

ALSO SEE: Why You Purge After Eating Leafy Vegetables

2. You Don’t Have Mood Swings

Yes, when you have even mood, then you can be sure you are eating right. Although, mood swings can be caused by other factors, when you have even mood, you are eating right.

Having said this, when you have mood swings or anxiety and have eliminated other possibilities, or starting to check what the possibilities are, you may want to check your diet. Too much of foods such as sugar, alcohol, caffeinated coffee, etc., can cause mood swings and anxiety. This is one of the reasons we included it in the list of foods you should avoid during exam period.

3. On Top Of Your Game All Day

Eating right gives you energy and makes you stay mentally active all-day. This is a fact and I have found this to be true by observing myself and other people in my workplace too. It is one of the reasons you should not miss your breakfast ever again.

You have enough energy throughout the day if your diet is fulfilling your needs and work requirements. Too much coffee consumption too can be implicated in this as you can have a crash or breakdown of energy towards the middle of or later on the day.

4. You Sleep Well At Night

A lot of things, including diet can keep you awake or make you have sleeps in which you wake up frequently. When you have these kind of nights, you wake up tired in the morning.

When you don’t sleep well at night, a lot of things can cause this but a good way to start checking is your diet. What kind of food do you eat in the day and towards bedtime? What is the space between the time you eat and time you go to bed? These are good questions to ask?

Want to know about foods that help get you a good night sleep? Click here to see.

5. Always Well Hydrated (No Episodes of Dehydration)

Dehydration usually results from drinking too little water in a day, thereby causing thirst, dry lips, and dry skin. Other factors that could result in dehydration include drinking too much caffeine and alcohol. Totally avoiding them is what I usually advise.

I mentioned at the beginning of this article that eating right saves you money and yes, it is true. You are not eating right if you eat at restaurants and eateries. These foods have been implicated in a lot of conditions and food poisoning cases. Cooking at home will not only give you quality and safe food but also saves you more money.

There are some other factors or signs that you can actually look out for in order to know if you are eating right, these are just some of the ones you cane easily notice.

Categories
Food & Body

What It Means If You See Undigested Food In Your Excreta

check poop for your health status
Photo: quickmeme.com

Have you ever wondered what it means when you go to the toilet to defecate and see whole, undigested food in your excreta? Well, if you have ever experienced this and seek an answer to it, you are going to have it in this short article today.

We cannot really understand this without first knowing what happens through our digestive system from eating food to excretion. Don’t worry, I am not going to bore you with lots of stories about it. What I just want you to know that if your digestive system — the enzymes and bacteria present are all doing their jobs, foods get broken down before getting to the porcelain bowl.

check poop for your health status
Photo: quickmeme.com

Mind you, there is a job on your part to do — which is to masticate (chew) your food very well before you let it go into your stomach. If you don’t do this, it might just be too much for the other parts of your digestive system to handle and you see it at the end in your poop.

So, if you are asking, “what does it mean when there is undigested food in your excreta”, “is it a bad thing when you see whole, undigested foods in your poop?”

When you see whole food in your stool, we cannot really say it is a bad thing. There are lots of foods that are just simply not digestible. Therefore, it is okay to see this once in a while but there might be an underlying problem when you start seeing this often.

for example, if your poop floats, appears oily, or gives you some pain or cramps, it could be as a result of problems like an autoimmune disease such as irritable bowel syndrome or celiac disease. Celiac disease is basically an allergic reaction to gluten. It could also be a problem with your body’s ability to absorb nutrients.

When you come across undigested food in your stool more often but don’t see any symptom of a bigger underlying issue, you might want to adjust your diets and eating habits a little.

For example, there are groups of foods (water and fiber) that are known to aid the digestion of foods. Add more fiber and plenty of water to your diet. Probiotics will also help add beneficial bacteria to your intestine and provide more bacteria to help with proper digestion of foods.

In conclusion, if you do see undigested foods more often in your poop even without cramps or the other symptoms listed above, you should still consult a doctor before acting next.

Categories
Food & Nutrition

Vitamin C From Food Source & What You May Not Know About It

vitamin C

For many healthy food lovers, the need to expatiate on the importance of vitamins and minerals may sound more like repetition as they are completely aware of the essence of including these micronutrients into their diets. However, it will surprise you to know that there are millions of people out there who pay very paltry attention to their vitamins and minerals intake. As I have set out to discuss Vitamin C, it is my pleasure to share with you the reason this water-soluble vitamin is very critical to our entire wellbeing.

vitamin C

Some of the major food sources of vitamin C are oranges, pepper, strawberries, and pawpaw to mention a few of the natural sources of the vitamin. It is also very important to put into consideration the daily requirement of vitamin C which ranges for 40mg/ day for little children to 90mg/day for an adult.

An average-sized orange supplies about 70mg of vitamin C per day. This is the main reason it is advisable not to consume more than two pieces of oranges per day. Let’s check the major areas where vitamin C can help improve your health.

Here Are Why Vitamin C From Food Sources Is Important For Improved Health

1. Helps Fight Against Cancer

Cancer is fast becoming the most feared disease all around the world but very few people are taking bold steps to prevent the development of the disease in their bodies.

Many researches have shown how food sources of vitamin C can combat cancer cells and prevent them from growing. The use of vitamin C has been effective in the treatment of lungs and ovarian cancer.

Click 2 below to view number 2…

2. Helps To Improve Your Skin Quality:

For many decades, vitamin C has been used in many beauty lotions for improved skin conditions. In fact in some cases, the peel is processed to be used in beauty formulas.

To get your skin glow bright, getting some daily doses of vitamin can be helpful. Women who consume some amount of vitamin C on daily basis do not battle with wrinkles and extreme skin dryness.

3. Makes You Feel Energized:

Vitamin C helps in the proper absorption of iron and in the process prevents the development of anaemia which usually makes one weak or have a feeling of fatigue.

So, consuming a reasonable dose of vitamin C from food sources will improve the absorption of iron in your body and make you feel more energized.

4. Help Heal Wounds:

Vitamin C is usually needed in the formation of new connective tissues in the process of wound healing. If you are serious about getting back from your injuries, higher doses of vitamin C is need for proper healing. This is usually higher than the recommended daily intake.

These are only few of the numerous health benefits of including foods rich in vitamin C into your daily diet. The water soluble vitamin is necessary for major body growth and functions. Ensure you consume a food item that will supply natural source of vitamin C to your body and you will be better for it.

Categories
Food Safety

Is It Safe or Dangerous To Microwave Foods In Plastic? See Answers!

food in microwave oven
Photo Credit: peredelka.tv

In the last one year, I have seen microwave ovens in almost every kitchen I entered. Many students even have microwaves in their apartments in schools. These tell us that microwave ovens are more common than ever in many every part of the world.

There have been many questions regarding the safety of microwaved foods itself. Many people are still skeptical when it comes to microwaved foods — they feel since the process involves radiation instead of fire to heat food, it is probably not safe. We have discussed that in this article. You can still access it here.

food in microwave oven
Photo Credit: peredelka.tv

Doing a quick Google search for the “safety of microwaved foods” will bring up several articles telling you that microwaved food is not safe. Part of the things that make some microwaved foods unsafe is the container in which we microwave the foods. Some containers are not safe for microwaving foods because they leave some dangerous and toxic materials in the food after completing the heating in your microwave oven.

Microwaving Food in Plastic: Dangerous or not?

Many people microwave foods in plastics more than any other material. We often by foods from eateries in plastic packs to microwave and eat at home. Is this safe or dangerous? Find out!

When you microwave foods in plastic containers or plastic wraps, dioxins, which are cancer-causing chemicals are released into foods. These materials are not present in plastics but are formed when, plastics, metals, wood, and other materials are burned.

Bisphenol-A (BPA), added to make clear, hard plastic and phthalates, added to make plastic soft and flexible are some of the compounds that are released into our foods when we microwave inside plastic containers and wraps.

So, are there any plastics that are safe for microwaving? What are the best materials to microwave your food in?

What materials should you microwave your food in?

If you want to microwave your foods in plastic materials, you should check for this “microwave safe” sign or plastic containers labeled for use in microwave ovens. Below is the image that indicates that plastic is safe for microwaving.

microwavable symbol

If you still have concerns about plastic wraps or containers and want to avoid their use in the microwave, transfer your foods to glass or ceramic containers labeled for use in microwave ovens. They are the safest of all.

Categories
Food & Nutrition

Top 5 Fruits For Your Fibre, Vitamins & Antioxidant Needs

avocado cut

It is no longer news that fibre is needed by everyone. In nutrition science, there had always been controversies in other areas such as “what quantity of other nutrients to consume” but with Fibre, all nutrition experts seem to agree on the same claim.

Fibres are only found in plant sources and one advantage this presents is that the food sources are also loaded with vitamins and minerals which directly helps our immune system. In this short article, I will be sharing with you top five fruit fibre sources that can help your poor digestion and eliminate constipation from your body’s dictionary.

avocado cut

AVOCADOS:

Avocado has been usually regarded as a fruit with the most fibre. You can get up to 7g of fibre in a 100 gram serving of Avocado. This amount of fibre is about one-third of your daily requirement. This is a substantial amount. If truly you are hoping to help your state of healthy via fibre consumption then a regular serving of avocado will be helpful.

PRUNES:

This is quite uncommon in Nigeria but Prunes have long been associated with improved digestion and no wonder it is ranked highly on this list alongside Avocado. In fact, prunes also supply 7g of fibre in a 100g serving as equal as Avocado but due to its scarcity, Avocado has edged it out as a fruit with higher fibre content since it is more readily available.

RASPBERRIES:

Are you looking for a fruit that is loaded with plenty of antioxidants for an improved immune system the raspberry will surely do justice for you? When it comes to fiber, it is also top on the list providing nearly a quarter of the recommended daily in a 100-gram serving. It is a double bumper package; High in fibre and antioxidants.

GUAVA:

Scared of consuming guava? You better give it another thought. With guava providing 5g of fibre in a 100gram serving, the fruit could be a solution to your constipation problems. Once you can properly grind the seeds with your teeth then you should have no problem. Although not readily available but you could look out for it when it is in season.

BLUE BERRIES: 

Asides from providing about 4gram of fibre in a 100gram serving, a cup of blueberries can deliver a sizeable amount of your daily need for vitamins C, K, and manganese. Blueberries also have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancerous properties. Their high content of flavonols, tannins, and other phyto-antioxidants gives these berries the natural ability to fight infectious diseases and lower cholesterol levels.

Categories
Food & Nutrition Food Safety

How Deteriorating Tomatoes Can Land You In The Hospital

damaged tomatoes

The money you saved while buying those damaged, deteriorating (esha) tomatoes could eventually be used to cure the illnesses that come with them.

Food products or items of a lower quality are usually what some people prefer to purchase regardless of their financial status. In fact, It could be said to be in their genes.

One food product that falls into this category is tomato.

In many popular markets in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria, there has been visible popularity in the purchase of deteriorating Tomato (popularly called Esha tomato) even among people who appear comfortable purchasing fresh tomatoes.

This I have seen countless times in the popular Lagos mile 12 markets.

damaged tomatoes

I have always said to people who care to listen that you do not need to be a ‘Bill Gate’ to buy fresh food produce like tomato for your family.

Usually, poor quality food might not necessarily translate into low prices. All these ideas are only in our perception.

Deteriorating or partially rotten tomato commonly called Esha among the Yorubas is a sure way of depriving your body essential nutrients that are needed for growth and development.

In the process of spoilage, bacteria begin to utilize the nutrient content of tomatoes in order to increase in number and to further cause more deterioration.

When this happens, tomato loses its firmness and nutritive value. Many of the spoilt tomatoes result due to far distance between the farms and markets.

It further exposes the lycopene loaded vegetable to bacteria and fungi attack.

Have you ever wondered why you are faced with diarrhea after eating from a local food store or mama put joint?

Asides from the unhygienic method of food preparation, it will surprise you to note that most of the cases of food poisonings that occur are due to poor quality food ingredients like spoilt tomatoes used in the cooking.

The future implication of consuming this kind of meal cooked with deteriorated or rotten tomatoes is damage to the internal organ due to released toxins which might not be noticed in a short term.

Some of the associated illnesses with the consumption of rotten tomatoes are liver inflammation, diarrhea and vomitting. These conditions are life threatening when there are severe.

Opt for fresh tomatoes and not rotten/Esha in order to benefit from the good nutrition that the vegetable can provide.

Categories
Food & Nutrition

See How Garden Egg Can Boost Your Health

garden egg

It is over a decade I ate garden egg stew. Without doubts in my mind, it is one of the healthiest stews ever made for me by my grandmother. Garden egg otherwise known as eggplant fruit has somewhat lost its place in the diet of  Nigerians especially the younger generation.

Grandma usually tells me that most times whatever is sweet to the mouth is poisonous to the stomach and whatever is bitter to the mouth provides a lot of advantages to our body. Clearly, this is the case for the lack of adequate patronage of this bitter-tasting fruit particularly among the younger generations who prefer chocolate candies and other sugar-coated products which are killing them slowly.

garden egg

Solanum melongena as it is botanically called is widely distributed in the temperate and tropical regions. In many West African countries, the fruit is known as bitter tomato and it is specifically grown for food, nutritional and medicinal purposes.

The Health Benefits Of Garden Egg (Solanum melongena)

Each day in my email box, I keep getting messages concerning “how to lose some fats”. This continues to surprise me as many of the senders are hoping to hear me say to them of certain nutraceuticals they need to buy that will take 20 pounds of fats off their bodies within 5 days, whereas a potent food like garden egg does not only stare at them but is at there beck and call.

It is good for weight loss

Research carried out on laboratory rats or mice both home and abroad with this fruit has corroborated the fact that it has the capacity to make humans lose weight due to its high fiber content and low-calorie value. Without gainsaying, this is the perfect recipe for achieving weight loss within a reasonable short period of time.  My advice is if you find the fruit difficult to chew in its natural form due to its bitter taste, you could make a sauce out of it. Trust me it tastes nice.

Helps to relieve constipation & manage HBP

The high fibre value has also been helpful in treating serious cases of constipation. Many constipated people who chew or include it into their diet are grateful to do so. See

Any time, any day, we can not speak enough on the need to prevent or manage high blood pressure (HBP) since the condition is fast becoming the main killer of men. With garden eggs loaded with potassium; an important electrolyte that is critical in maintaining body functions and regulating blood pressure, there is hope that cases of hypertension could be well managed and prevented.

Abundant in Important Vitamins and Minerals

Asides containing a high amount of potassium and dietary fibre, garden egg is a very good source of manganese, iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus. vitamin B6, folic acid, vitaminC, E and K among others. Phytonutrients such as nasunin,  alkaloids,  flavonoids, steroids,saponins, and chlorogenic acid are also present in notable quantities. Surely, those who avoid this fruit are missing quite a lot.

It should also be noted that thorough chewing of eggplants provides an opportunity for more of its nutrients to be released. The nutritional benefits of Garden eggs are numerous and cannot be totally enumerated. It has also been reported according to research carried out among the Igbos to be effective in improving sight defects.

Garden eggs are gradually crippling into the market, get prepared for a healing bite. If you do not like to eat them, watch out for a short and concise post on how to make a sauce out of the plant. So enjoyable with slices of yam.

Categories
Food Safety

How Your Phones, Money Could Be Leading To Food Poisoning

phones dirty
Photo: atzlabs.com

Aside air, two other  things that seem to be so important in the lives of many are phones and cash. In fact no one can do without money but phone has actually made itself so important in out lives too.

When we discuss food poisonings, we tend to lay more emphasis on sources that are easily trackable but obviously neglecting other sources that are hunting us day by day and sending many to the hospital when the situation gets worse especially in children and vulnerable aged.

Our phones particularly get in with us anywhere we go to. From churches, mosques, hotel rooms to bathroom or toilets and other places where contamination is quite easy. Remember the number of times your mobile devices dropped on the floor, even in the toilet and other insalubrious environment and all you did was to wipe with a handkerchief. I can confidently say that our phones are dangerously loaded with and carrier of life threatening bacteria. Although I have not carried out any microbiological analysis on any of these devices to ascertain this claim.

phones dirty
Photo: atzlabs.com

Research has shown that many more people in the past five years are more connected with their  phones and mobile gadgets more than they are to their spouses. We do not give our mobile devices a breathing space even while we eat and cook our so called African foods like eba, fufu, and other solids using our hands. While many are cautious of washing their hands cleans before rolling the solids, many of them are completely unaware of the danger they could cause themselves by touching their mobile devices with any of your hands during cooking or meal times. It is best not to use your phone while doing any of these activities.

Recently, I visited a top notch restaurant. As the woman was about picking a spoon to be used by one of the customers, she pick up cash to give another customer her change. What surprises me was when she took the spoon not at the handle to place on the customers tray. Such customer could eventually eat the meal and end up with diarrhea. Many of our monies are kept in the bra by market women and others. The thought of our dirty notes is quite disheartening. Touching our notes during cooking, food serving and eating can be a cause to many of the cases of food poisonings seen of recent.

I hope we will all avoid touching cash notes and using our phone devices during any cooking activities and meal times.

RECOMMENDED: How To Avoid Food Poisoning Eating At Eateries/Restaurants

Categories
Food Safety

How To Prevent Food Poisoning At Home

Food Poisoning

We have recently discussed the symptoms and causes of food poisoning in one article. In that same article, we promised to share with you, tips and pieces of advice on prevention of food poisoning at home and eateries. This article will also tell you some foods to watch out for when it comes to their likelihood of causing food poisoning. This article will only talk about how to prevent it at home, another will be published soon on eatery foods.

We will not be mentioning what food poisoning is and the symptoms associated with it again. If you missed the article where we explained that, you can still find it here.

Preventing Food Poisoning At Home

There are so many ways by which we can expose ourself to food poisoning in homes. This article may not address all of them but will touch many that will give us idea of what other things can cause food poisoning.

Food Poisoning

1. Buying food stuffs from the market

When you go to the market to purchase raw food materials, go for the best. Don’t buy rotten tomatoes, bruised vegetables, smelly meat, de-frozen fish, etc. Rotten tomatoes would normally have microorganisms in them, while bruises on many vegetables could expose them to spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms.

Smelly meat is definitely a sign of spoilage and activities of putrefying microorganisms — you should not eat this type of meat. Sometimes, spoilage starts before we are even able to perceive any kind of smell because we cannot perceive that threshold of smell. Other thing we may want to look for is the colour of the meat; it should be bright red in colour. Even from the color of the liquid that drips from meat, one can tell.

RECOMMENDED: The Way We Slaughter Animals Affects How Long Meat Lasts

Another food that is very dangerous in this respect is egg. Only buy fresh eggs and only eggs that you are sure are fresh. You can read this article to guide you on how to determine if egg is fresh. It will help you prevent that food poisoning.

What we are saying in essence is that we should only by wholesome food of the best quality; avoid damaged and spoilt food materials.

Next on Page 2 — How to store food material to prevent food poisoning…

Categories
Food Safety

What is Food Poisoning? How Do You Know When You Have It?

Food Poisoning

This post will take about Food Poisoning, the causes and symptoms — Food poisoning is a common illness caused by eating contaminated food; it could be a mild and sometimes life-threatening problem for millions of people throughout the world. Food poisoning occurs when microorganisms infect your food and they remain in the food when you eat it. They start to multiply and cause illnesses and discomfort.

Some of the most common food poisonings are infections caused by bacteria like Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria, Clostridium botulinum, and norovirus. They cause symptoms that range from mild to severe and may require consulting a doctor for treatment. Often, people get well and recover fully at home some days after having food poisoning.

What are the symptoms of Food Poisoning?

The symptoms may vary a little bit depending on the causative organisms. The symptoms you will observe during a Campylobacter poisoning may vary from that from Listeria. There are however some common/similar symptoms to look out for.

Food Poisoning

The common symptoms you will find in someone that has food poisoning are;

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhoea, which may contain blood or mucus
  • Stomach cramps and abdominal (tummy) pain
  • Lack of energy and weakness
  • Loss of appetite
  • High temperature (fever)
  • Aching muscles
  • Chills

You may start to observe symptoms hours after consuming the food. Sometimes, it may take days before the symptoms start to manifest.

Now that we have touched the basic on what food poisoning is, the causative organisms and symptoms, we are going to be discussing preventive measures and treatment if one has food poisoning because it is very difficult to prevent for some people.

The busy schedule of some people means that they cannot make their own foods — they have to go to eateries and fast food joints to make their own foods. Some of these foods could get contaminated from poor hygiene, poor storage conditions and more.

For example, keeping some foods in glass showcase with a bulb on, provides a very good environment for some microorganisms to thrive and multiply. Another important one is coles law and salads — if they are not stored in refrigerator with STEADY SUPPLY of electricity, there could be problems for whoever eats them.

In the coming days, we are going to share article that will guide you on How To Prevent Food Poisoning At Home & Eateries and another one on How To Manage Food Poisoning if you ever have one. We hope you would come back to see them.

You can stay updated and never miss our updates by SUBSCRIBING TO FoodsNG Updates!