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Food & Body Food & Nutrition

6 Foods Surprisingly High In Sugar (Bet You Don’t Know)

I recently got a series of emails from some readers on this blog who seem to be interested in losing weight. When I read a few of their situation, I figured out that a few of them apart from their habit of consuming fatty and high calorie foods, might also be indulging excessively in foods that contains sugar and they do not know. One thing that dieticians and nutritionist in America have agreed upon is that Americans consume a lot of sugars.

While America seems to have been labeled with this due to the fact that they have proper documentation, other countries are not left out. In fact, some other countries are top consumers of sugar without them knowing due to lack of information and documentation. Obesity is taking the rise in our nation and asides planning healthy diet, we must expose foods that appear not to contain sugars but are indeed loaded with a lot of them in order to ensure that people choose to consume them sparingly.

The list below contains some of the foods:

1. TOMATO KETCHUP: It is quite common for people to indulge in consuming tomato ketchup while believing they had exclude sugar from their diets. Most of the common tomato ketchups during processing had been added some form sugars that can be said to be high enough when regularly consumed for those under a low sugar diet. Tomato paste is best when it is made completely at home.

tomato ketchup

There you can determine whatever ingredients you need to include that soothe your health.

2. YOGURT: Yogurt has generally been seen as a healthy dairy option as it contains healthy bacteria that help digestion. Yes it is. However, most commonly sold yogurt especially the fruity types are loaded with sugars to sweeten it. It will be advisable to opt for plain yoghurt which contains naturally occurring sugars.

yoghurt

Yoghurt contains all the benefits you will derive from milk, most of lactose has been converted to lactic acid by enzyme. This will enable people who are not tolerant to it benefit from the nutrients in ‘milk’.

ALSO SEE: The brands of Yoghurt you MUST STOP buying!

3. ALCOHOL: If only those who consume many bottles of alcohol know the excessive amounts of sugars in it they will definitely reduce or quit consumption. This group of people are quick to condemn those consuming soft drinks without knowing that they might be caught up with the same problem of high blood sugar level. Many people have the impression that only things that are sweet contain sugar. If you are one of such people, think again.

The high amount of sugar present in alcoholic drinks is often overlooked. Asides triggering diabetes, damage to the liver and poor dental health has also been noticed amount consumers. Alcohol also damages the brain by by killing dendrites — making communication between brain cells slow and difficult.

The common alcoholic drinks we take include lager, beer, ale, stout, wine, etc. (see their differences here).

SEE: Does Beer Truly Cause Pot Belly or It’s Just a Myth? Find Out!

beer wine lager ale stout

4. DRIED AND CANNED FRUITS: When people indulge in canned fruits they are battling with more than just the high amount of sugar found naturally in the fruit. You’re dealing with the production processes zapping the fruits of their essential nutrients that made the healthy. When this production steps are carried out, the natural sugars are reduced while eliminating most of the vital nutrients.

What such food manufacturing company does is to add sugar syrups of different kinds to make them sweet to taste but less friendly to your body in reality.

RECOMMENDED: Canned Food Causing Cancer…See The Real Truth!

5. SALAD DRESSING: I sometimes include salad in the diets of my patients because it is healthy. However, I take caution in the salad dressing they have to use except I have seen the product to read the label. Many of these dressings are high in sugars with most consumers unaware. If you must consume them check their labels.

6. NO-FAT FOODS: This is one trick manufacturers use to attract buyer who are hoping to lose weight. Fat has been labelled as the bad guy in many nutrition articles. While I sometimes agree with this claim, there is no reason to remove the fat completely from foods. When this is done sugar is used to augment fat loss. Please, learn to check the labels.

Sugar in food either contributes to blood sugar level or adds more calories to your body, making you gain more weight. Whichever it is, it is still bad for our body when they start getting too much – nobody wants Diabetes or Obesity. You just need to watch it.

no fat foods

RECOMMENDED READING: Common Foods That Cause Spike In Blood Sugar!

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Knowledgebase

How To Know Pure or Fake/Adulterated Honey

honey fire test
Photo: menaribo.com

Some few years back, when I was much younger, my dad was used to adding a few spoons of honey to most of his cereals. He does this very religiously that he never used any form of granulated sugar. His mother was the one who does the supplies but not too long, she stopped because she cannot move around as she does in the past due to aging. Dad decided to go buy a bottle of honey by himself.

As he added the honey into his pap (Akamu or Ogi), in less than 1hour after finishing his meal, he began to show some allergic reactions. It later became severe that he had to visit a pharmacist.

Those who do this business of adulteration are smart that they try to imitate the properties of original/pure honey from appearance to consistency as much as possible but if you dig deep enough you would be able to identify those that are pure. They have several ways of making honey “not pure” – they can add sugar syrup to increase the quantity or corn starch to manipulate the viscosity (increase thickness).

honey

Sometimes you want to use for one of its numerous medicinal purpose, this means that you have to get pure honey in order to actually benefit whatever you intend to benefit from it. You cannot afford to use the adulterated one or those ones made from brown sugar syrup, you won’t get the result you expect.

Methods for Identifying Pure or Adulterated Honey

Why spend your hard earned money on something that could be poisonous to your body system. Now let us check out the best methods to Identify pure honey. These simple tests listed in this article will help you to distinguish between fake/adulterated and pure/original honey.

1. Water test for Honey:

Water can be used to distinguish between pure honey and adulterated ones and it is so simple. Get a glass jar of water or a small pot half full of water. Add the honey into it at one point of the water using a table spoon.

If the honey spreads out and dissolves in the water, the honey is not pure. However, if it remains in its pasty form beneath the water while retaining the original colour, the honey is pure.

2. Fire test for honey:

Once you have gotten your honey, use a small piece of cloth and rub a portion of the honey at the edge of the cloth or you deep the wick of a candle into the honey, lit a fire over any of the cloth or wick for few seconds.

honey fire test
Photo: menaribo.com

If it does not burn, the honey is not pure as it likely contains water but if the cloth or candlewick burns/catches fire, the honey is definitely pure. You can also use a matchstick as shown below. Put the honey in the middle of the matchstick and light the stick.

3. The Thumb Test:

Any of your right or left thumb can be used. Place a drop of honey on your thumb, if the honey slips or spread easily over your thumb, the honey is not pure but it it stays and still forms the drop on your thumb then the honey is pure.

While it might be a bit difficult to carry out the fire and water test method at the place of purchase, the thumb test can help you.

4. Paper Towel for telling honey quality:

Place a paper towel or serviette paper on a table and add few drops of the honey on it. If it absolves the honey, the honey is not pure but if it does not, and the honey stays longer on the paper then it is pure.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Many people are quick to believe the claim that ants do not go near pure honey. The veracity of this statement does not exist. Ants go after anything that is sweet and taste good. From bread to rice ants go after them talk less of honey. Other methods that can be used to identify pure honey are requesting to taste and check the consistency (thickness) of the honey. Usually pure honey is not thin in its consistency. Although, these methods cannot guarantee that you are buying 100% pure honey, they help – manufacturers of adulterated honey have developed ways of making their honey appear pure.

It is advisable to use a combination of the above-mentioned methods to ascertain if truly your honey is pure.

To reduce your chances of obtaining adulterated honey, you might want to purchase them at a honey farm, in towns that are known for honey production or supermarkets that have a very huge reputation in selling quality products. These factors will really help you.

I hope you find this article helpful. Let us know if you have any method you have been using too.

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Food & Body

Heartburn And Home Remedies To Get Rid Of It Fast

heartburn symptoms and home remedies
Photo: sharecare.com

First, what is heartburn? We are going to explain that because some people experience the symptoms but don’t even know what they are experiencing are symptomatic of heartburn. It is a burning sensation that comes in your chest, just behind your breastbone. The pain is often aggravated when lying down or bending over. Does this sound familiar?

Often, people get heartburn occasionally and can get rid of it with some drugs as prescribed by the doctor but there are severe cases of heartburn which are symptoms of another more serious condition. When this is what you have you need to seek medical care.

What are the causes and symptoms of heartburn?

The simple cause of heartburn is a lower esophageal sphincter, also referred to as LES. When it does not tighten as it should, there is a problem. It only opens when food wants to enter the stomach or when we want to belch. When it is not tightly closed, food can come back into the mouth. Too much food in the stomach (overeating) or too much pressure on the stomach, often as a result of obesity, pregnancy, or constipation. See how to get rid of Constipation easily!

heartburn symptoms and home remedies
Photo: sharecare.com

Heartburn is simply acid reflux — It happens when stomach acid comes back up into your esophagus. If left untreated, this reflux can damage the esophagus over time. Pregnancy, some types of foods, alcohol, and some medications can also bring on heartburn. You just need to know what triggers your own heartburn — observation could be key.

However, if you are having heartburn for two or more than two times in a week, you need to see your doctor as soon as you can.

What are the remedies I can use at home?

Home remedies to get rid of heartburn very fast!

Depending on the cause and how frequent your occurrence of heartburn is, there are solutions you can make yourself at home to get rid of it fast.

Chewing gum can help you get rid of your heartburn: A small study from the Journal of Dental Research showed that people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms experienced heartburn relief when they chewed a piece of sugar-free gum for 30 minutes after a meal. You can also give that a shot.

Baking Soda: Dr. Jacqueline Wolf, the author of A Woman’s Guide to a Healthy Stomach, recommends mixing between 1/2 and 1 teaspoon of baking soda with a glass of water. Baking soda is high in salt content so you should not make this your home remedy anytime you have heartburn. If you have heartburn often, the best thing is to see a doctor. So, now you know that baking soda does more than baking and whitening of teeth.

Other home remedies for heartburn include Aloe vera juice reduces any inflammation that is in the esophagus as well as the stomach; avoiding eating too much food too could help prevent this acid reflux.

If you have too much occurrence of these symptoms, you should consult a medical practitioner because some symptoms of a heart attack may mimic that of heartburn. 

COMING SOON: Foods That Contribute Largely To Heartburn.

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Food Safety News

NAFDAC Warns Against Eating Imported Chicken, Turkey

frozen chicken turkey

The National Agency for Food And Drug Administration And Control (NAFDAC) has issued a strong warning to people who consume imported or smuggled frozen meat such as chicken and turkey in Nigeria. NAFDAC Director-General, Dr. Paul Orhii, who gave the warning at a media briefing in Lagos, said that these foods have been implicated in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and antibiotics resistance.

frozen chicken turkey

These diseases include cancer, kidney disease, and hypertension amongst others. He, therefore, warned Nigerians to stay away from imported frozen chicken and turkey because they have been discovered to be causative factors in these non-communicable diseases.

Dr. Paul Orhii said that these frozen products have been found to contain substances that can predispose one to kidney, liver and lung diseases as well as certain types of cancers and drug-resistant bacterial infections.

At the briefing, a study, titled “Prevalence, Quality and Acceptability of Frozen Poultry Meat in Major Cities in Nigeria” carried out by experts from the University of Ibadan titled “, was presented. It was made clear that importation of these products have been banned by the Federal Government, but some people still indulge in smuggling them into the country.

Dr. Orhii said that NAFDAC is discouraging people who patronize frozen meat such as Chicken and Turkey because they have been found to contain contaminants that are hazardous to human health. The contaminants can be formaldehyde, at times it can be a high level of antibiotics residue and other contaminants like heavy metals. “And that is why we are discouraging members of the public from consuming them.

The study, which Orhii referred to, was carried out by Prof. Olumide Tewe (lead researcher), Prof. S.S. Abiola (meat technologist), Dr. O.A Abu (nutritional enzymologist), Dr. C.I. Alarima (agriculture extensionist), Dr. O.A. Olabisi (public health specialist), Mr. S, Adelani (chief technologist) and Mr. R.A. Aromoye (administrative assistant).

Heavy metals (which have been found to be present in imported or smuggled meat) may cause toxicity-related mutagenesis (mutation), carcinogenesis (cancer) and other severe health hazards. Others (the result of heavy metals) are cardiovascular diseases, skin disorders, and neurotoxicity lung and nasal cancer in humans”. Excerpts: GuardianNGR

ALSO SEE: Top Reasons To Stop Buying Meat The Way We Do

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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…

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Food Recipes

Learn The Quick Way To Make Chapman At Home

chapman drink

It is always satisfying to know even to well wishers that the drinks served on your birthday or cocktail party was actually made by you. Apart from being cost effective, it gives you the opportunity to be adventurous and come up with something special that your invitees will find refreshing. Such is the case of making and serving chapman on your ceremony.

Chapman can be simply described as an easy cocktail drink which can be alcoholic or non alcoholic with a lot of fruits flavour. In fact, presently in Nigeria, it is gradually taking over other drinks as many people can not stop ordering for the fruity drink especially if made the Nigerian way.  One other good thing about this drink is that majority of the ingredients or constituents can be gotten in any nearby supermart store. Follow this article carefully and you are on your way to entertain your guest with chapman

How To Make Chapman (Drink) By Yourself

Ingredients and Utensils

  • A bottle of Fanta and a  bottle of Sprite.
  • Angostura Bitters and Grenadine syrup.
  • Orange (2 or 3)and Lime (lime is optional).
  • 1 big sized Cucumber or 2 small ones.
  • A big jug and 4 glass cups.
  • Some ice cubes

chapman ingredients

Note: This is a recipe for four (4) and in order for you to have a smooth ride in its preparation, some certain processes must have been carried out prior to kick starting.

1) Usually, there are ice cube trays in your refrigerator. Fill them up with water as much as you can and keep in the freezer to make your ice cubes.

2) Keep both the Fanta and Sprite in the refrigerator. Remember, chapman must be served chilled.

3) Dice your cucumber into pieces, keeping them in circular form, semi circular or triangular forms as you would love it. Do same to one of the oranges and keep the other ones to be squeezed into the drink. You do not need to peel the oranges.

Now Let Us Make The Chapman

1) Pour a cup of grenadine syrup into the jug ( About 20-25cl)

2) Add both bottles of Sprite and Fanta soft drink.

3) Add some dashes of Angostura bitters equivalent to about 3 table spoons and stir. I have also heard of people using Alomo bitters instead of Angostura bitters. Although, I have never tried using it. Remember, do not indulge children in Angostura bitters added chapman. Black currant can be used instead to make the non alcoholic type of chapman but it would not produce the real chapman taste

4) Cut the other oranges into halves and squeeze into the mixture.

5) Portion out the mixture into the four glass cups to about 2/3 full in order to give room for the next added ingredients.

6) Add the diced oranges and cucumber into the different cups.

7) On the last note, add some cubes of ice to each of the cups to further make it go chilled. Your chapman is ready to be served.

chapman drink

Seven straight steps to making your chapman. So simple. Please remember, the consumption of chapman should not be excessive because it is usually loaded with high amount of sugar considering the ingredients of making it.

Do not forget to share your comments once you have tried out this recipe or your own method of making chapman.

ALSO SEE: How To Make Your Own Zobo Drink At Home

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Food & Body

These Health Benefits of Fasting Will Surprise You

no to food - fasting

As the Muslim world starts fasting yesterday, this article idea came to my mind. Many people go on special forms of diet in order to reduce weight; these diet plans sometimes include some form of fasting. Let me give you the simple definition of fasting before we go on with the topic of discussion today.

Fasting is primarily an act of willing abstinence or reduction from certain or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. Many people fast  as a religious observance.

So, staying without food for some well-planned period of time (fasting) helps reduce weight. This should not come to you as a surprise because we all have, at one time noticed loss of weight in people who have just completed fasting. We even joked with people that did not show significant weight loss by questioning them if they truly took part in the fasting.

no to food - fasting

Surprising Revelations On How Fasting Improves Our Health

If you want to lose abdominal fat, get smarter and live longer, then you might want to embrace intermittent fasting . New research led by USC’s Valter Longo shows that periodically adopting a diet that mimics the effects of fasting may yield a wide range of health benefits.

Now, here are some surprising health benefits of fasting. You may not know a lot of them;

1. Fasting makes you live longer

Sounds funny right? One would wonder — how could deprivation of foods and drinks help someone live longer? Well, it is hard to believe but the lesser you eat, the longer you live. Some studies have been able to prove that diet of some people in some cultures helped them live longer. Their diet plan simply involved eating less, embracing some intermittent fasting and this we can do too.

You would recall that we talked about the factors that cause early aging and foods that help slow it down. When we age, the rate of metabolism in our body reduces and digestive system slows down in its activities too. The lesser we eat, the lesser load we put on the weak digestive system. Embracing some fasting will help give some rest to the digestive system.

Continue reading by clicking Pages 2 and 3 below…

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Food & Nutrition

Some Foods Senior Citizens (Elderly) Should Avoid Eating

frying chicken

The aged ought to be well taken care of. No wonder, in well developed countries, special attention and care is given to people above 60 years of age. In this part of the world, it becomes very expedient  to promote healthy living among senior citizens as we are used to leaving everything to the last minute even our health. Foods are not only quite effective in improving the immune system of both children and adults, they are also essential in ensuring that older people have better nutrition and health.

Some Foods Old People Must Avoid Eating

There are numerous benefits of healthy eating which include resistance to illness and disease, improved skin and sight quality, faster recuperation times, and better management of chronic health problems. To help the aged achieve most of these aforementioned numerous health benefits, there are certain food groups or types that should be completely excluded from their diet. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

1. Processed Carbohydrates:

Processed foods especially carbohydrates are only loaded with calories with little or no nutrients and low amount of fibre which could cause excessive weight gain for the aged. An average male aged person should not consume more than 2000kcal/day while an average elderly woman over age 50 should not consume over 1800kcal/days especially if such persons are not involved in activities. Indulging in processed foods will make them consume more than the Recommended Daily Intake for their age. Examples include frosted flaskes, white bread and some noodles. You might need to speak to a nutritionist to calculate your daily food requirement.

2. Deep Fat Fried Foods:

Fried foods are generally high in calorie, a multiple of 2 or 3 of the calorie of the foods if they were not deep fried. The digestive system of the elderly is usually no longer functioning at its best, due to ageing. The need to exclude deep fat fried foods in the diet of senior citizens is important in order to avoid the occurrence of diabetes and any form of cardiovascular disease.

RECOMMENDED: Dangers of Fried Foods and Re-using Frying Oil

3. Canned Foods

Senior citizens are usually having concern with high blood pressure and one thing that contributes to this is diet high in sodium. Many canned foods are loaded with salt as the preservative. If the aged consume high amount of canned foods, their chances of high blood pressure condition will increase. This should be avoided. You can check this guide we put together which inform you about how much salt is enough for the day.

ALSO SEE: Canned Foods Causing Cancer; The Truth Behind!

4. Sugary Foods

Even children are cautioned about consuming sugary foods talk less of the aged. Many aged have issues with their dental status because of excessive consumption of sugary food earlier in life. Soft drinks and other sugar coated food substances should be avoided. Many cause a spike in blood sugar. Many elderly are also battling with type II diabetes which are usually worsened by sugary foods. Examples include soft drinks, chocolates and beverages.

ALSO SEE: List of Common Foods and How Much They Add to Blood Sugar

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Food Safety

How To Store Cut Yam So It Doesn’t Grow Moulds

cut yam storage

A couple of FoodsNG’s readers have asked this question, but of course in different ways – “how do I properly store a cut yam?”, “how can I store yam after I cut it without spoiling?”. We are going to talk about this topic today in order to address their questions. Often we buy large tubers of Yam and need to only cook a small portion of it when we need to eat. So, what are you going to do with the remaining tuber? If you leave it that way, it grows mould and gets spoiled or turns brown and hard that you have to peel it off.

When the questions came, I though this should not be a problem for anyone because there is a way I saw mum do it while growing up and it worked every time. So, I took some time out and spoke to different people, asking them how they preserve their cut yam tuber. I got a lot of interesting answers and I will address the most shocking one first.

cut yam storage

Someone told me she just leaves the yam that way and cut off the spoiled part when next she needs to cook the yam. Well, I would say that is not proper and safe for the following reasons;

  1. Why waste that part of yam that you cut away? You could save that yam by preserving it properly.
  2. When your yam grows mould and you cut the contaminated part away, do you think the remaining part of the tuber is safe?

You know why this is wasteful and unsafe? Mould is a fungi and when they grow on foods, fungi break the food down and make us of it. They grow their HYPHAE (the part that looks like microscopic roots) into the dissolved food. So, when you cut off the mould growth on the surface, you could still have the hyphae left in the remaining yam. The root is as unsafe as dangerous as the growth, sometimes more dangerous. Don’t cause Food Poisoning for yourself.

NEXT [2] :: Tip For Preserving Cut Yam To Prevent Mould Growth…

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General

How To Teach Your Children To Make Healthy Food Choices In The Future

father mother children cooking

Children definitely will grow into adults and it happens very quickly. This is the prayer of all parents.

Children learn to pick up habits and behaviors of their parents most times hook, line, and sinker. This is not only common in how they respond to issues of life but also how they make food choices for themselves as an adult and their own very children.

The need to teach children about food and nutrition at an early age is quite important if truly we are serious about making the world a healthier place in years to come.

So, who is best to help make this world safer health-wise? Parents are sure at the forefront of the battle.

It has now become a norm among parents and guidance to brag and publicly say how their children love chocolates, sweets, chewing gums, and many other sugar-coated food items as such.

ALSO SEE: Foods That Help You Succeed In Your Exam.

This trend must be quickly tackled as many health conditions not common among children are now resurfacing at an alarming rate. Examples are Type I and Type II Diabetes and Childhood Obesity. 

In this post, I will be sharing with you three main steps to follow to ensure your children pick up the right habit to make healthier food choices now and in the future without necessarily excluding all of the processed snacks usually consumed by children while keeping them healthy.

father mother children cooking

1. Let the children take part in home cooking:

Cooking can be really fun to children and that’s if you make it look fun.

From age three and above, children can be engaged in simple errands like asking them to pick up something from the fridge, etc.

Engage them when cooking a favorite meal like fried rice garnished with plenty of vegetables while introducing them to the reasons they should eat veggies.

As your children sight you performing activities like slicing and cutting of ingredients used in a healthy meal, they are learning and will inculcate such skills and food habits.

2. Lead by example:

Many adults have not outgrown their childhood days. They still love lollipops, chocolates, and other sugary food items usually consumed by children.

In doing this in the presence of their own children, they transfer the same habit of perpetual unhealthy eating to them.

Imagine each day you come back from work and you go straight to the refrigerator to pick a serving of fruits like watermelon or apple for a bite, your children might just say “Mummy I want one too”.

There should be a conscious effort to lead by example in order to help your child make healthier choices.

3. Include fruits in their snacks:

Snacks have now been seen as processed foods in the forms of confectioneries and baked foods only. In truth, they are not. Children can be taught to snack on fruits even at school once in a while.

Children love it sweet, creamy and sometimes crunchy. You can include fruits like banana, apple and golden melon as snacks for them.

You will be surprised they will love it and inculcate the habit of consuming such meals in the future.

Parents, you will be doing a lot of good for your children if you teach them about the need to consume healthier food options rather than indulging them in soft drinks and the likes all the time.

I am not saying children should not some baked snacks and the rest, however, there is a need to introduce to them healthier food options.

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Food & Body

Salt Causing Dark Spots On Albinos! Myth or Fact?

salt

The 13th of June every year is the day set aside as the World Albinism Day in order to help fight the myth and wrong perceptions generally projected by those who do not have it against Albinos. Albinism is a congenital disorder (Birth disorder) which come to be due to lack of melanin in the skin, eyes and hair. Those with no melanin are called Albinos while those with little melanin are called albinoids. This is usually due to genetic interpretation in the body of parents of an albino. While this is the main cause of the condition, a lot of people give different assumptions. Some of them include; The parents of Albinos had intercourse in the hot afternoon, the child belongs to another father or the child is a representation of a certain god on earth. I cannot laugh enough.

Many Nigerians, even the older generation have regularly said to mothers of Albinos to avoid giving their Albino children salt or foods containing salt because it causes the proliferation of dark spots all over the skin of Albinos. Is this the reality or one of those myths that is used to stigmatize people living with albinism?

salt

As I pondered about this, I began to search, and I realised that there seem not to exist any fact on this claim. It was then I went further to consult with a few Albinos and their parents. All of them have this to say; Salt has nothing to do with the dark spot on the faces of Albino, I have included salt in the diet of my child since she was born without caution on the acceptable level as she ate same food with her siblings yet she is evenly coloured without dark spots. The reason for the dark spot is exposure to sunlight which causes sun burn. They emphasised that they did well to protect their children and self from excessive exposure to sunlight in order to have a non dark spotted skin.

While the afforementioned remains the opinion of Albinos and parents, I have also taken a stand to agree with their claims. If you avoid to add salt to the food of your Albino child, do not  forget a significant level of sodium is found in all our foods. The last reason that made me completely concur with this opinion was when I heard an Albino speak of his dark spotted skin on a radio show. He insisted that right from childhood her mum had avoided adding table salt yet he is dark spotted. He also said he had been exposed to sunlight when he was younger as he was always playing with other kids in the hot afternoon.

Let your Albino children maximise food options like other kids. Chocolates, biscuits, crackers, sharwama and other snacks contain a reasonable amount of salt and children regardless of their skin type, race and age would always love to have a bite. As your child grows up, you do not want them to develop a condition of hypotension due to low level of sodium which can be very dangerous. I am not saying you should include salt without caution into their diets. Moderation does it.

Although, no scientific fact has explained if salt contributes to this or not but clearly from consultations it shows that it might just be a myth.

If you are an Albino or you know anyone who is an Albino or you are a parent of an Albino, please we would like you to share your opinions to help educate others.

FoodsNG says: #STOPTHESTIGMATISATIONAGAINSTALBINOS

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!

Categories
Food & Body

Top 4 Foods Women Must Avoid During Pregnancy

Pregnant woman

No doubts, I have soft feeling for pregnant women. I sighted one recently and felt pregnant women should be given utmost care in order to help them bring forth healthy babies. The need to do this is because during the developmental stage of pregnancy, the foetus are quite fragile and any unhealthy action by their mothers can lead to serious medical conditions for both mother and child. Certainly, one of the major things that can promote the health of mother and child during pregnancy is good food.

Pregnant woman

As an expectant mother, you should understand that it is no longer the usual that must go into your stomach as the growth of your unborn child is determine by whatever you put into your system. In recent times, many pregnant women have faced birth related issues due to poor choice of diet.during pregnancy. To avoid this, you must decide to quit certain unhealthy foods for pregnant women. Find below a list of the top four foods to avoid.

Top Foods Pregnant Women Must Avoid

Navigate through this article by clicking on page 2 below and so on. There you will see foods to avoid during pregnancy and why they should be avoided.

Categories
Knowledgebase

Shocking & Fun Facts You Should Know About Milo (Drink)

milo actigen-e

Milo, produced by Nestlé, is a chocolate and malt powder which can be mixed with hot or cold water to produce a beverage drink that is consumed in many parts of the world. Milo is commonly as a powder in a green tin and sachets made of Polyethylene terephthalate, Aluminum foil, and Polyethylene laminated together. The packs often depict various sporting activities. Milo is available as a premixed beverage in some countries, and has been subsequently developed into a snack bar, chocolate cubes (choco milo) and breakfast cereals. Its composition and taste differ in some countries.

Some Shocking And Fun Facts About Beverage Drink, Milo

A lot of people consume this drink and don’t even know some facts they should know about what they are consuming. In this post, I am going to share with you some facts that may be shocking and other facts that are fun to know about Nestlé’s Milo.

1. Milo Was Developed In Australia, Not Switzerland

I thought there should be nothing surprising about this, but I found myself totally wrong when I asked so many people. A lot of people though Milo was developed in Switzerland, where the headquarters of Nestlé is located. No, Milo was originally developed by Thomas Mayne in Sydney, Australia in 1934.

Nestle Milo Nigerian 900g

This is just by way of introducing Milo to you and letting you know its history. Other fun and shocking facts can be found on pages 2 – 10. Some will definitely make your jaw drop! I promise you. Just click on 2, 3, 4, 5 and so on below…

2. Not Everybody Can Drink Milo (Allergen Declaration)

The major ingredients Milo is made from are Cocoa, Milk, Malt and Sugar; it is there on the ingredients list on Milo sachets or cans. Malt is mostly made from Barley or Sorghum and these grains are known to contain Gluten, which some people are hypersensitive to. But is seems Nestlé may have found a way around their product such that it does not contain gluten. I am saying this because it is not declared on their package.

I have talked about allergies in one post, under which I mentioned gluten, eggs, milk, soy milk, etc., as allergens to some people. In another post, I mentioned that gluten-rich foods could contribute to abdominal bloating, causing stomach protrusion. Lactose-rich foods such as milk could contribute too, therefore, people that have lactose intolerance may be hypersensitive to Milo because it contains Milk.

milo ingredients and allergen declaration

Nestlé has done a good job by clearly stating the allergens that could be present in Milo as follows;

Contains milk and soya.

It is now left to you to develop the habit of reading food labels to find out all these things.

ALSO SEE: Allergens That Are Common In Foods We Eat (Opens in new Tab)

3. Milo contains more Malt than Cocoa by Weight

SURPRISED? I guess so! Many people have the impression that Milo is always referred to as a Cocoa beverage, therefore it should have more cocoa than any other ingredients in it. But from the labeling on cocoa cans and sachet, there is more malt by weight than cocoa inside.

You could say, “but their quantities/mass are not stated there…how did you know that?” Here it is, there are international standards for labeling food, which I am sure a company like Nestlé would comply with religiously. Below are the standards as stated by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC);

4.2 LIST OF INGREDIENTS

4.2.1 Except for single ingredient foods, a list of ingredients shall be declared on the label.

4.2.1.1 The list of ingredients shall be headed or preceded by an appropriate title which consists of or includes the term ‘ingredient’.

4.2.1.2 All ingredients shall be listed in descending order of ingoing weight (m/m) at the time of the manufacture of the food.

What this means is that, under the ingredients list, the ingredients must be listed with the most massive one first, followed by the next one and so on to the least used ingredient. 

milo ingredients and allergen declaration

Did you read FACT Number 2 at all? It is just as surprising! It is implied on packs of Milo that not everybody can consume it for safety reasons? Want to know why? Then check number two!

4. The Name Is Pronounced As Spelt

Many people in this part of the world do not pronounce Milo the way it should be. The “i” should be pronounced as “ai” and not “i”. This will give us the sound /ˈmaɪloʊ/ instead of /ˈmɪloʊ/ that many people have been calling it. I hope people would be able to change that.

Many do not know they are not using the correct pronunciation while some others know but feel it is not worth it as it makes you look like a fool sometimes. Imagine walking into a grocery store where everyone calls it /ˈmɪloʊ/ and start asking for /ˈmaɪloʊ/, you would not only look wrong but also look like a fool when they try to ignorantly correct your “mistake” and laugh about it.

You can always make your point though, and let them know the right pronunciation but often, it usually falls on deaf ears, especially when everyone there are sure it is called /ˈmɪloʊ/. Although it is pronounced the right way in most parts of the world, the company looked like they have given up on this in countries like Nigeria as all their adverts call it /ˈmɪloʊ/.

Did you know you can get addicted to Milo?

5. You Can Get Addicted To Milo

Yes, it not only coffee one can get addicted to; you can get addicted to chocolate drinks such as Milo. This is not just about Milo but about foods containing cocoa, so don’t think I’m going to switch to Bournvita or something. In coffee, there is caffeine which causes the addiction to coffee, therefore if you buy any brand of coffee that has not being decaffeinated, you would still get that bad boy called caffeine in there.

Cocoa contains theobromine, a xanthine alkaloid similar to caffeine which is present in the cocoa used in the product; thus, like chocolate, it can become mildly addictive if consumed in quantities of more than 15 heaped teaspoons per day. This I guess is way too much for anyone to take in a day anyway.

milo drink

A research carried out in Nigeria to determine the caffeine and theobromine contents (mg/g) in samples of selected Nigerian beverage products found Milo and Bournvita to contain around the same theobromine. The beverages were cocoa (Milo, Bournvita, Rosevita and Enervita), coffee (Nescafe, Bongo, and Maxwell House decaffeinated) and tea (Lipton).

6. Milo Contains More Sugar Than Malt, Cocoa and Milk

Just as I explained before that the proportion by weight of ingredients in any food products are labelled in descending order – highest to lowest. This is the standards and that is what any reputable food manufacturer follows. If you take a quick look at any Milo can or sachet, you would see that sugar is listed first before milk solids (emulsifier: soya lecithin), malt extract (sorghum) then cocoa powder.

What is however not clear to many people that are aware of this fact is what they mean by sugar – is it just sucrose (the common sugar we use to sweeten food) or the total sugar that is present as a result of other ingredients. For example, milk contains a sugar that is called lactose and it is not sweet. There is also maltose from the Sorghum used to produce malt and this might have contributed to the total sugar.

Here is what Milo’s has to say about that;

Over half the TOTAL sugars in a glass of MILO® and trim milk, are natural sugars from lactose in milk.

There is less than 1 teaspoon of ADDED table sugar.

The remaining sugar naturally come from the milk powder and malted barley ingredients in MILO® powder.

milo sugar content pie chart

Findings have revealed that Milo made in Australia and New Zealand have Glycemic Indices (GI) similar to that of Coke. Surprised?

7. Milo’s Glycemic Index Is Same As Coke’s

Findings in Australia and Switzerland have revealed that Milo dissolved in water has a glycemic index that is the same as Coke. Milo dissolved in water has a Glycemic Index (GI) of 55, the same as Coca-Cola but this can be brought down by using Milk instead of only water. What is Glycemic Index?

Milk has a much lower GI of 30 – 33, so mixing a very small amount of Milo into a mug of milk yields an overall GI closer to 33, and mixing a large amount of Milo into a mug of milk will give a GI closer to 55.

The International Table of Glycemic Index(GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) also listed them to have very close GIs. The following is what was listed for each of those samples;

Coca Cola ® , soft drink (Coca Cola Amatil, Sydney, NSW, Australia) has a glycemic index of 53±7 (250 g/serving) while Milo TM (Nestlé, Australia) dissolved in water has 55±3. Milo TM (Nestlé, Australia) dissolved in full-fat cow’s milk has a GI of 35±2.

glycemic index coke
glycemic index Milo

8. Malaysians Are The World’s Largest Consumers of Milo

Milo is very popular in Malaysia and Singapore. It is most popular in Malaysia where the brand name is synonymous with chocolate flavoured drinks, just like many people would refer to any noodle as Indomie here. Milo has a 90% market share in Malaysia and this is not the same as the often quoted 90% worldwide share of Milo consumption.

Milo is this popular in Malaysia because Milo was once used as a nutrient supplement when it was first introduced in the country, and has thus gained a reputation as a ‘must have’ drink for the old and the younger generations.

This post was compiled just to enlighten people on one of the foods that we consume, it is not an advertisement and it is not to critisize any product and make them look bad. In fact, many things shared here are pluses for Milo.

milo actigen-e

Finally, it is worth noting that the drink is high in calcium, iron and the vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12. Milo is advertised as containing “Actigen-E” – this is just Nestlé’s trademarked name for the vitamins in the Milo recipe.

Categories
Food & Nutrition

Food Causes, Symptoms & Tips For Treating A Bloated Stomach

bloating and distention

I mentioned in a recent post that your protruded stomach or abdomen may not be as a result of too much fat — it could be due to bloating. I talked about how you can find out if what you have is a bloated stomach in that post too. You can still check it out by clicking the link above if you missed it then. What we will be discussing here are the food and other causes of bloating as well as the tips you can make use of to getting rid of a bloating.

bloating and distention

What are the causes of Bloating?

Like I mentioned in the article that I linked to above, bloating could be caused by several factors and you may want to check with your doctor to find out what the cause really is. If it is not caused by a chronic heart or liver condition, it is probably due to the following factors;

  • Eating too fast
  • Using a straw to suck drinks which sucks in gas with it
  • Ovarian cancer
  • Weight gain
  • Overgrowth of bacteria in the small bowel
  • Menstruation
  • fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites) as a result of cancer, liver disease, kidney failure, congestive heart failure, and other disorders

What are the foods that trigger bloating?

The Food Causes of Bloating Explained

Apart from the habits and medical conditions listed above, foods can also cause bloating – which ultimately can still be released to medical conditions.

For example, the consumption of carbonated drinks and food that is high in lactose by people who are lactose intolerant (e.g. Milk) can cause a bloated stomach to develop. Also, consumption of wheat gluten by people who cannot tolerate it causes it too. Foods that are rich in gluten include;

  • Foods made from Barley e.g. malt, malt drinks, malt flavoring and malt vinegar
  • Avoid foods made from wheat flour e.g. bread, cake, pasta, etc., unless they are made from corn, rice, soy or labeled Gluten-free.
  • Rye

What are the Symptoms?

The most prominent symptom is the feeling of fullness especially just after eating. It usually also come with distention where the stomach is visibly larger than normal. Other symptoms that may accompany it include;

  • abdominal pain
  • blood in the stools or dark tarry looking stools
  • diarrhea
  • worsening heartburn
  • vomiting
  • unexplained weight loss

Tips For Getting Rid Of A Bloated Stomach

If your bloating comes with any of the symptoms listed in bullets above, then you just have to see a medical doctor. Otherwise, adjusting your diet and eating habits can make your bloating go away over time. What you should do include;

  • Chewing gum can cause you to swallow extra air. Avoid it.
  • Reduce your intake of carbonated drinks.
  • Avoid “gassy” foods, such vegetables in the cabbage family, dried beans, and lentils.
  • Eat slowly.
  • Avoid sucking drinks with a straw.
  • Lose weight if you are overweight. You should check your BMI to know!
  • Use lactose-free dairy products, e.g. Yoghurt.

Now that you know what to do. It is time to get rid of that bloating.

Categories
Food & Body Food & Nutrition

The 3 Best Foods To Snack With At Night

banana

Many people have been on the fat side because they eat late at night and not too long from that time they go to bed. This is quite unhealthy. However, many other people cannot afford not to snack at night because they are nocturnal and active in the late hours of the day and so, finds a need to refuel their systems.

While as a nutritionist I do not recommend late night eating except the individual is on a mission of weight gain, it is important to educate people on the best food options to consume if at all they need to eat late at night. When you have decided to eat late night, you must take caution on your calorie intake during the day so that your daily food intake would not supercede your recommended requirement. Now, lets go ahead to see the foods you can snack with late night.

banana

1. Banana: This is one fruit that is excellent. It contains numerous vitamins and minerals that will nourish your body. So, when you are tempted to snack on popcorn and other artificially sweetened products, you could just get 1 or 2 finger of banana. The banana contains natural sugars which will cater for your craving for sweet snack while supplying much lower calorie to your body compared to processed snacks like cookies and pop corn. Remember, it is also contains good amount of fiber which enhances proper digestion.

However, it is advisable to limit your consumption to maximum of three fingers if you must consume at night.

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