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Chocolate Royal, Allegedly Using Expired, Dangerous Products Shut

Post author By Ahmed Ogundimu
Post date 25 May, 2015
No Comments on Chocolate Royal, Allegedly Using Expired, Dangerous Products Shut

Chocolate Royale, a company that sells confectioneries and food in Lagos, located at Plot 267A Etim Inyang Crescent on Victoria Island has been shut down by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for allegedly using expired and dangerous products.

NAFDAC also sealed off the residence of the company’s managing director, Lebanese businessman, Amin Moussalli, at 1 Karimu Kotun Street, also on Victoria Island, Lagos. Agents thoroughly searched the MD’s home and carted away frozen products deemed unsafe for consumption.

NAFDAC’s Official Statement on Shutting Down Chocolate Royale

In a statement, NAFDAC’s spokesman, Anslem Okonkwor, said the agency sealed off Chocolate Royale “for various unethical practices and non-adherence to good manufacturing and hygienic practices.”

The agency said it acted on a tip-off that the company was engaged in illegal importation as well as the storage and use of expired ingredients and products to prepare food and confectioneries. According to Mr. Okonkwor, the company was serving unhealthy food “to unsuspecting customers.” He added that Chocolate Royale was operating and maintaining illegal cold-rooms at their MD’s residence “where large quantities of various expired and spoilt food ingredients worth millions Naira were uncovered.”

NAFDAC’s director of Investigation and Enforcement, Kingsley Ejiofor, said the seized products would “be sampled and taken to the laboratory for analysis, where the labels and contents will be properly analyzed. And at the end of the day when the results are out, that will determine the next of action.”

Chocolate Royale is a subsidiary of AIM Group owned by Mr. Moussalli. The Lebanese businessman also owns several broadcast stations including Cool FM, Nigerian Info FM, Wazobia FM, Cool TV, Wee TV and Wazobia TV. (Via: Sahara Reporters)

Food Safety

Why It May Be Best To Only Eat Sour Garri

Post author By Ahmed Ogundimu
Post date 25 May, 2015
1 Comment on Why It May Be Best To Only Eat Sour Garri

Gari is a creamy-white, granular flour with fermented flavour and a slightly sour taste, made from fermented, gelatinized fresh cassava tubers. It is usually eaten with various types of soups like ewedu, efo riro (spinach), Akwa-ibom’s afang soup and many more we cannot begin to mention here. Many people in Nigeria and other West African countries, where garri is very popular soak it in water, add sugar (sometimes with Milk) and eat with roasted groundnut, donkwa, fried or roasted fish, coconut and more.

I have seen jokes talking about how garri was never advertised and continues to best other foods in terms of sales in the market. This is to tell you how much garri is popular in these countries. Someone wrote on his twitter one day – “Garri, saving life since 1800s”. These things are so true about garri.

So, what’s the fuss about Sour Garri?

Do you know what makes garri sour? Well, it is a process called fermentation which takes place during the production of garri and it is usually in two stages. I will try as much as possible not to use too much technical terms but when we have to mention scientific names, there is no way around it.

(i) The first involves a bacterium Corynebacteria manihot attacking the starch in the cassava roots, leading to the production of various organic acids (such as lactic and formic acids) and the lowering of substrate pH.

(ii) In the second stage, the acidic condition stimulates the growth of a mold, Geotrichum candida, which proliferates rapidly, causing further acidification and production of a series of aldehydes and esters that are responsible for the taste and aroma of gari (Odunfa 1985).

Cassava contains the cyanogenic glucosides, linamarin and lotaustralin which are hydrolyzed after peeling, cutting and pulverising the cassava; and end up as hydrogen cyanide [HCN](Conn 1969). The hydrogen cyanide is responsible for chronic toxicity when inadequately processed cassava products are consumed by humans and animals for prolonged periods.

The traditional processing of cassava into lafun, garri and fufu unsure that most of this HCN is removed. Apart from acute toxicity that may result in death, consumption of sub-lethal dose of cyanide from cassava production over a long period of time results in chronic cyanide toxicity. That increases the prevalence of goitre and cretinism in iodine deficient area.

COMING SOON: What To Look Out For When Buying Cooking Salt!

The symptoms of cyanide poisoning from consumption of cassava with high level of cyanogens include vomiting, stomach pains, dizziness, headache, weakness and charkha.

Many local processors of garri want to make as much garri as they can make because of high demands from the market. Instead of expanding production and engage more people and equipment, what many have done is to modify how they process garri. They cut on the period they should subject the cassava to, in order to ferment. They don’t know what they are doing.

As mentioned above, the liberated cyanide (HCN) will dissolve in the water when fermentation is effected by prolonged soaking, and will evaporate when the fermented cassava is dried. This can also be found in several published research works on garri. Prolonged soaking is the key phrase there.

How do you know that the cassava from which your garri was made had gone through this effective long soaking? It would normally be sour. Like I have explained above, fermentation produces low acidic pH which makes your garri sour. This acidity also helps eliminate some microorganisms in your garri making it safe for consumption and last longer on the shelf.

ALSO SEE: How To Make Afang Soup The Akwa Ibom Way (Recipe)

REFERENCES:

Conn, E.E. 1969. Cyanogenic glucosides. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 17(3): 519-526.
Odunfa, S.A. 1985. African fermented foods. Pages 155- 161 in Microbiology of fermented foods: Vol. 2, edited by B.J.B. Wood. Elsevier Applied Science Publisher, Amsterdam.

Tags Cassava, Garri

Food & Body

7 Foods That Help You Get Sharper Brain / Memory

Post author By Ahmed Ogundimu
Post date 22 May, 2015
2 Comments on 7 Foods That Help You Get Sharper Brain / Memory

No matter the class you fall into in any society, there is always the need to improve your brain and memory. I don’t think I have ever met anyone that does not forget things. Yes, many of us have a lot on our cards and we deal with several challenges everyday but with the inclusion of some particular foods in our diet, we might just be able to up our brain capacity and memory. As we age, so does our brain and we tend to forget thing more. Some of these foods help by slowing down the rate at which our brain ages.

I mentioned something related to this in one of my articles that talked about foods that serve as anti-ageing agents for us. They slow down the factors that age our body and keep us younger. It is a good read any day and you can still find the article here.

This article will share with you the foods that can help improve your memory and the food composition that actually does the job. I believe this should help you make decisions to determine if the food is good for you or not. If it is a food you would want to avoid eating, then simply just check the component that does the job and look for other foods that have it in abundance.

Read this article and add these foods to your diet and you may never need to read this type of article again.

7 Foods That Boost Your Memory & Brain Function

Navigate through the pages and explore the list of foods and how they help our memory. Don’t forget to take note of the food composition that does the job.

1. Sardines, Salmon, Tuna, Mackerel and Trout

These are all fishes and I trust everyone reading this knows that. Adding fish to our diet has been found to help in the boosting brainpower. Eating fish may also lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The component of the fish that does this job is what we know as omega-3 fatty acids.

A lot of researches have shown that these omega-3 fatty acids are particularly beneficial for brain health. Fish is a particularly rich source of omega-3 and eating them regularly can help to boost your memory function. However, if you do not eat sea food for some reasons, there are other options you can explore. I will talk about them on another page of this article.

Food & Nutrition

How Eating Crab Helps Heart, Improves Memory & More

Post author By Oladipupo Abioye
Post date 22 May, 2015
2 Comments on How Eating Crab Helps Heart, Improves Memory & More

Someone at my office reminded me of the good old days when I had to buy two to three crabs daily with my transport fare during my primary school days. I loved to eat them with Garri soaked in chilled water. No other combination of foods interests me when the season of crabs is around. Years after I finished primary school, I suddenly realized that the public sales of this highly proteinous aquatic creature had reduced. I could hardly see road side sellers and hawkers even when it was in season. Until recently when I had a bite, I found it difficult to believe people still eat crabs especially in Lagos. Thanks to Omolara Sholaja, for sending a plate of crabs to my desk for lunch.

Do Crab Have Health Benefits? Why Should I Eat Them?

Crab meat is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. It contains a low amount of calories with lots of protein, a multitude of minerals and several B vitamins. Crabs are not to be eaten in excess especially for those who are hypertensive. Some species have been found to contain more sodium. It is also important to note that some species have more cholesterol than others thereby sending a signal to those at the risk of developing heart diseases not to indulge in them.

Crabs have been found to contain many benefits compared to other sea foods as it is loaded with B vitamins, and other water soluble vitamins. In fact, the mercury poisoning associated with many sea foods is not found in crab making it a super healthy alternative to those who love sea foods. Due to its low calorie, consuming some quantity of crabs can help reduce your blood sugar levels.

Although, there is a widespread notion, that these decapods (10 legged creature) are not good for consumption. Nutritionists and other food enthusiast however insisted that crab meat is nutritionally good as it contains plenty vitamins and high quality proteins and amino acids. It is also rich in minerals such as calcium, copper, zinc, phosphorus and iron, while having lower levels of fat and carbohydrates.

It will also interest you to know that crabs contain selenium; an effective anti oxidant that helps in combating cancer causing agents. It also has the ability to improve your immune by fighting free radicals.

Regular meats such as poultry, beef and pork which are available in our market contain a high level of saturated fat which is not heart-healthy as it could clog your arteries but crab meat remains a healthy option with low fat. It contains the good omega 3 fatty acid which helps in managing the levels of good cholesterol and bad cholesterol in our body. Some researchers have even described this fatty acid as key in improving brain function in certain individuals. Remember moderation is key.

Some Words of Caution About Crabs

If you are new to consuming crabs, try to get fresh one, preferably life ones and prepare them yourself. You should avoid contaminated crabs that could be poisonous for you. Ensure you properly wash and clean them.

Be certain you are not allergic to crabs as some individuals have shown allergy in form of skin irritation. Once you notice any allergic reaction. Please quit consuming it. Aside this, Crabs are good to include in your meals.

Tags Crab

General

5 Websites That Deliver Fresh/Cooked Foods To Your Home/Office

Post author By Ahmed Ogundimu
Post date 21 May, 2015
No Comments on 5 Websites That Deliver Fresh/Cooked Foods To Your Home/Office

In this world where everyone is very busy with work, it’s often very hard to make preparations for food at home. If you are fortunate enough to work in companies where lunch and tea breaks are traditions, you are very lucky. If you live in a place like Lagos where you have to wake up very early, leave for work around 5am and get back home around 10pm or late because of traffic jam, planning for your meals may really be a nightmare. But I am tell you this doesn’t have to be anymore.

In Nigeria today, a lot of startups are springing up to catter for many needs that we have in Nigeria. All we have to is just support them and help them grow in order to be able to take care of more people’s needs. A number of my friedns now have foods delivered to their offices and even homes to take care of their food needs. You don’t have to feed on the street foods and junks on your way to and from work while in traffic.

Websites You Can Order Food From In Nigeria

The rest of this post is going to be talking about online portals that provide the platform for you to find restaurants very close to you, to order foods that you want. You would be amazed that we have more than 5 of them now. When I had this discussion with someone, we actually counted 11.

In no particular order, the following are some of the websites where you can go to make food (and groceries) orders and have them delivered to your doorstep;

1. HelloFood

You can order food from HelloFood in many African countries, including Nigeria. All you need to do is to go online and find restaurants that deliver to your area and order your food. It is that simple. Hellofood is an online ordering marketplace where people can discover, choose and order from the widest gastronomic range available around their neighbourhood – online or from the mobile app.

You can visit their website by clicking on their name (used as title above).

2. Easy Appetite

Easy Appetite is integrated into the operations of all the restaurants who sign up to their service, allowing for a seamless order-to-delivery process. For the Easy Appetite user, it is a breezy Four-step system. You only have to follow those four steps in order to get the food delivered to you;

Go to their website, select your location. This is the location where you want the food delivered to and not where you are ordering from. You should see a list of restaurants now and you can make your choice from there. Order your meal and choose to pay either by card or cash.

The last step is for the food to be delivered to you. Just wait!

3. For Food Only – Online Food Delivery In Nigeria

The name reminds me of what we call someone that liked food too much back then in high school. “For Food Only” is not just an online food (groceries) delivery service in Nigeria. For Food Only offers mouthwatering and farm fresh Nigeria recipes and food of different varieties to customers looking for added benefits besides doorstep shipping facility.

If you are very busy and have no time to prepare food, they offer ready-made recipe with ingredients and products that you can cook in just a few minutes.

4. The Kitchen

The kitchen is an online food store that is dedicated to bringing awesome, delicious and well prepared meals on the go tailored to suit every individuals need. You can order various foods such as peppersoups, salads, sauces, soups, smoothies, etc. That is to tell you that you can get even the not-so-common foods there.

You can go to their website and see what they have got there.

5. CityChops.com

CityChops.com is a free online food ordering service that allows customers to choose from a variety of restaurants in Lagos and order meals for pick up or delivery. With times changing and the need for quick and simple solutions for the average Nigerian, CityChops.com allows you to order food from wherever you are.

From the comfort of your home, office or back seat of your car, 1) select a restaurant, 2) choose your meal, 3) decide whether you want it to be delivered or picked up and let CityChops do the rest! Users can search by location, cuisine, restaurant name or food item and they will filter your options for you. They allow you the flexibility to pay online or when your food arrives.

Food & Nutrition

How Not Eating Iru Is Costing Your Body Nutritionally

Post author By Oladipupo Abioye
Post date 21 May, 2015
2 Comments on How Not Eating Iru Is Costing Your Body Nutritionally

Things have really changed. Mothers have preferred other ingredients which are chemical based compared to our native condiments that have stood the test of time and provided adequate nutrition to us all. I remembered those days I and my siblings visited our grandmother at Surulere in the early 90s, her soups and stews were really delicious even though she would not add ingredients like seasonings with Monosodium glutamate and other processed condiments. One of such native ingredients that have helped her stew became a delight for everyone is Locust Bean which is commonly called Iru by the Yorubas. In the South East, their form of Iru is called Ogiri and in the North, the natives call it Dawadawa. Globally, it is referred to as African locust bean with botanical name as Parkia biglobosa.

In Nigeria, especially among the Yorubas, the beans is fermented and then converted to two different forms; Mashed (Iru Pete) and whole (Iru Woro) used in different types of soup to achieve different results.

Why You Should Consider Eating Locust Beans

The African locust bean as it is commonly called by the whites has also been found to possess numerous benefits that have helped in improving the health of people for centuries. It only surprises me that this fermented condiment has been eradicated from the cooking cupboard of elites and educated for other less or no nutritious ingredients. Also, a few ill informed people are of the opinion that locust bean is added to stews for the purpose of improving taste only, little did they know that it can help in curbing many debilitating diseases as science have proven its nutritional and health properties. Let’s see how it helps you.

1. High protein:

Considering the fact that most people cannot afford to consume adequate amount of meat and fish protein, which are the primary sources of protein, it becomes essential to include other sources of cheap protein to avoid its deficiency. According to WHO, more and more children and women are becoming protein deficient in Africa, leading to stunted growth, poor development and other associated complications. It is important to note that locust beans contain high protein and can account for a reasonable percentage of your daily protein requirement if frequently used in your meals.

2. Improved Vision:

According to proximate analysis, Locust beans are estimated to contain protein (30 per cent), fat (15 per cent) crude fibre (four per cent) ash (two per cent and carbohydrates (49 per cent). The attractive yellow colour shows a reasonable presence of phytochemicals and carotenoid; an important precursor for retinol (Vitamin A) which indicates that this ingredient could help to improve vision.

3. Helps in controlling cholesterol levels:

Research has also shown that the fermented beans contain high levels of High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) – the good cholesterol. The research was carried out in animals and has been found to stabilize cholesterol level within healthy limits in the human body.

Apart from the edible portion of the plant, it has also being reported that the crushed bark of the locust bean tree can help in wound healing and serves as one of the ingredients used in treating leprosy. The bark is also useful in fever treatment and to relieve toothache.

Finally, do not forget to add Locust beans to all your soups and stews not only because it tastes good and can serve as a tastier alternative to other condiments but because it is loaded with numerous health benefits. You would not regret you did.

Advice: When you add locust beans (Iru) into your meals, try to monitor the quantity of table salt you will be adding to the meals, because some amount of salt had already been added to some Iru type to preserve it.

Tags Iru

Food Safety Knowledgebase

Do Eggs Need To Be Refrigerated Or Just Stored At Room Temperature?

Post author By Ahmed Ogundimu
Post date 20 May, 2015
2 Comments on Do Eggs Need To Be Refrigerated Or Just Stored At Room Temperature?

This is one question that was posed by someone to her friend while trying to buy egg in a mall last weekend. I passed by slowly and listened to their conversation. She wanted to buy two crates of eggs and keep it but her friends opined that some would definitely get spoilt before she is able to consume them. The woman then asked her friend, “what if I keep it inside refrigerator?” Then they both looked at each other with the face that says, “that should work just fine”.

For real, let’s ask ourselves these questions. Do we need to store eggs in the refrigerator or room temperature? How does refrigeration help the eggs we keep in there? Is it just a waste of time and space in the refrigerator? Let’s do the fact-finding job together.

What refrigeration does to eggs stored in it

Dr. Rosamund Baird and Dr. Janet Corry, two experts at Bristol University’s School of Veterinary Science say that storing a contaminated egg at room temperature will only allow the bacteria to multiply. So, storing the eggs in a refrigerator will slow down the multiplication of bacteria. But how do we know if egg is contaminated?

Most of the times, consumers like us cannot tell until we fall ill from consuming the eggs or the bacteria have caused deterioration to the point of spoilage. In countries like the Britain for example, there are laws that require that all egg hens be vaccinated for Salmonella. The Salmonella National Control Programme (NCP) prevents egg operators and producers from marketing eggs infected with the bacteria or that have an “unknown health status”.

This is not so in countries like the United States and many developing nations where immunization of hens against Salmonella is voluntary. No law requires that farmers should do it but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends storing eggs in the refrigerator.

According to the American Egg Board, to minimize the risk of contamination and to extend shelf life, eggs should be stored in the case or carton in a refrigerator. If done so, they should last up to four to five weeks without a significant loss of quality

Since refrigerators keep our eggs from contamination, slows down the multiplication of bacteria in already contaminated eggs and prevent illness, why don’t we just keep them in the refrigerator if we have the means. Did I mention that it extends the shell-life of eggs? Yes, it does and that saves you money.

So to answer the major question posed above, it is safer to store our eggs in the refrigerator than the shelf.

General

If You Have Ever Eaten Any Of These Foods, You Are Old!

Post author By Ahmed Ogundimu
Post date 20 May, 2015
66 Comments on If You Have Ever Eaten Any Of These Foods, You Are Old!

Here is a compilation of some foods. If you have eaten or seen any of the foods live before, you are probably around 28 years of age and that means you are already getting old. You don’t believe me? Try applying for the Nigerian Navy Direct Short Service Commission Course (DSSC).

1. Planta Margarine:

Just like many Nigerians would call every toothpaste Close-Up and every noodles Indomie, I still know of an elderly person that calls every margarine Planta. It’s really very funny how brands come and go into extinction when you consider the fact they dominated the market so much in their time. Now we have Blue Ban by Unilever dominating the market.

Other brands of margarines you can find in the Nigerian market are include Costa margarine, Moore margarine, Star margarine, and Topper margarine.

If you have ever seen this Planta margarine in real life or you have even tasted it before, you should consider leaving your father’s house. You are NO LONGER A KID.

2. Oxford Cabin Family Biscuit

Biscuit has never been something I would consider eating even when I am hungry but I know I have seen this pack before. This box usually contains 100 pcs of biscuit or thereabout. In primary school, it was what my classmates would bring to class with some drinks that you would seen on the next pages of this article. They wrap them in twos or more in paper and share in the class.

I never took one to school, not because I did not like biscuit but because my birthday always fell on a public holiday. It may continue to be a public holiday anyway.

It’s not just you – if you have you have eaten this before (just like me), you are already old. I hate to admit it too.

3. Krest Bitter Lemon – a soft drink

Krest bitter lemon is or was a carbonated soft drink flavoured with quinine and lemon. What did it taste like? Have you ever tasted Schweppes? If yes, then you know what Krest Bitter Lemon tasted like. I was even confusing it with the tonic water while putting this article together. What I am however sure of is that the signature bitter taste is produced by a combination of the quinine and the lemon pith used in manufacturing the drink.

The main difference between tonic water and bitter lemon is the addition of lemon juice and rind. If I got the comparison between the Krest bitter lemon and Schweppes wrong, then maybe I am not very old then.

You are very sure of what each tasted like? How is your last born doing?

4. Bongo Tea

I can’t remember if Bongo was a Cocoa beverage or Tea but I can remember it as a cocoa drink. Please correct me if I am wrong our older folks.

[Update] Orugert from the comment section said; Bongo is definitely not a chocolate beverage it’s a form of tea without the teabag, I think it’s more of tea leaves, you cut the satchet [sic], pour into a teapot and boil, and when pouring the tea you have to be careful so as not to pour it with dregs.

To tell you how long this product had gone into extinction, I could not find a picture for it. It was the best in its days with a very pleasant aroma and superb taste. This tea was popular in Nigeria and even beyond the shores of the country. It just did not stand the test of time and competition.

If I had a wish now, it would be that a pack of Bongo appears on my table for me to take the picture. That would be like stumbling upon an antique. It’s gonna be really expensive at the auction because I would make a big picture of it into a frame. Why am I writing all these? I hope it’s not old age.

Older folks who knew what was actually happening the said that importation of Bongo was halted due to what the importers called excessive import duties by the Nigerian government.

5. Robot and Bubble Chewing Gum

I ate a lot of chewing growing up. It’s probably one the reasons I have very bad teeth. Robot chewing gum and one called “Sprint” or “Spirit” were my favourites back then. I knew footballers chew gum when they played so I started chewing gum whenever I played football too.

There is this one that always came with questions inside the wrap of the gum. They were very interesting because they came with answers too. Funny how I knew this many chewing gums from back in the days but don’t know a single one in the market today. If you ate any of these back then, you are probably dyeing your hair to black now. Just kidding.

By the way, if any one still sees these chewing gums (Robot, Sprint or Spirit, Jenka and Bubble) in the market, please let me know.

6. Okin Biscuit (Coaster and Shortcake)

There are so many biscuits that have gone into extinction really. I can name a hundred of them that were so popular then but are not around any more. Okay, that was an “over exaggeration” but I can name 10 for you if you ask me. There was this Fishly, Alata, Malt n Milk, Okin Coaster, Shortcake, Paco biscuit, Glucose, and so on.

Kids of these days don’t even take biscuits to school any more. There are so many replacements. Many even just take money to school and buy whatever they want.

There are still so many foods that I can remember but don’t want to add because I don’t have pictures for them. There was pronto, Dr. Pepper, Tandi, Gold spot, Treebor, etc.

Whenever I stumble upon any of the relics, I promise to add them to this list and maybe one day, this would become a gigantic list of antiques.

Food & Nutrition

Here Is What Okra Does To Pregnant Women [Must Read]

Post author By Oladipupo Abioye
Post date 19 May, 2015
10 Comments on Here Is What Okra Does To Pregnant Women [Must Read]

I have come to realize that people pay paltry attention to foods that are common or rather cheap. They prefer to buy ones that are expensive while believing they are more nutritious. So is the case of this finger like, readily available vegetable called okra. Sometimes this is a complete misconception. This versatile vegetable can be added and prepared with other vegetables to suit your appetite. In this short post, I will be sharing with you why pregnant women should include servings of okra into their diets at recommended allowance before and during pregnancy.

The economy of our country has affected everything. Gone are those days when couples plan to get pregnant. Now, they only wake up to visit the clinic to find out from the Medical Doctor that the wife is pregnant without having a serious intention for the unborn baby.

It is essential that prior to pregnancy and during pregnancy, the woman ought to change her eating habits and consume certain foods that help the health of a pregnant woman. One of such foods is Okra vegetable. I have been privilege to work with children with developmental challenges. Asides from other complications which could lead to some of these developmental conditions, lack of folate or folic acid in a woman’s diet can cause Neutral Tube Defects such as Hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida. These are not common birth defects but children with these conditions exist. Okra contains a reasonable amount of folate which helps in reducing the chances of a pregnant woman producing a baby with these conditions.

RECOMMENDED READING: Know more about Folic acid & Its Benefits

Besides being high in folate, Okra is low in calories and loaded with plenty vitamins such as A, thiamine, B6, C, riboflavin and minerals such as calcium, zinc and dietary fiber. The fibre helps in preventing constipation, while the low calorie of the vegetable helps in proper weight management during pregnancy. While no one should lose weight during pregnancy, it is essential to avoid being obese. It is clearly unhealthy.

Ensure you properly wash your okra vegetable to avoid contaminants and you cook them under low heat to avoid loss of nutrients that are essential in the proper development of the foetus.

Okra Nutritional value per 100 g

Energy 30 kcal 150 kJ

Carbohydrates 7.6 g

Dietary fiber 3.2 g

Fat 0.1g

Protein 2.0 g

Folate (Vit. B9) 87.8g 22%

Vitamin C 21 mg 35%

Calcium 75 mg 8%

Magnesium 57 mg 15%

Vitamin A (660 IU)

Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.

Source: Wikipedia

Tags Pregnancy

Knowledgebase

Top Reasons To Stop Buying Meat The Way We Do

Post author By Akinrodola Owanikin
Post date 19 May, 2015
No Comments on Top Reasons To Stop Buying Meat The Way We Do

When we want to buy red meat, many of us just go to the market or to the butcher and as ask for the prices of pre-cut section of a meat carcass. The butcher or meat seller tells you a very high price and we continue to bargain until we think we have gotten a very good price. The meat seller usually disagrees with you, lifting the piece of meat several times to show you how big it is. And of course the piece of meat truly appears big. We agree at a price, open our purse or wallet and pay for the meat.

That is basically how many people in Nigeria buy their meat. What is wrong with this? You may be expecting me to talk about the improper way animals are being slaughtered at our abattoirs (which is a very big issues) or the unhygienic was they are being processed and displayed for sale. No, this is not what I am going to discuss. Today, I want to try to be a cost-saver by showing you that we often lose money when we buy meat the way we do.

Have you even noticed that when you buy the white meats – Chicken and Turkey for example, the sizes you get at different times for a particular amount varies. What I mean is that some chicken that you buy one some days for N1000 are smaller that some you buy on other days for the same N1000. This is because we buy by weight. That is how chickens and turkeys are being sold and that is the way red meat should be sold in the market too.

Meat Content of water, protein, fat, ash & calories

I will use the following data to show you how you lose money when you by red meat using size rather than weight.

A typical red meat flesh consists of roughly 75 percent water, 19 percent protein, 2.5 percent intramuscular fat, 1.2 percent carbohydrates and 2.3 percent other soluble non-protein substances as shown in the table below. When we cook meat, most of the water are either lost into the cooking pot or goes out as steam. At the end, our meat shrinks and become smaller.

	Product	Water	Protein	Fat	Ash	Calories / 100g
F R E S H	Beef (lean)	75.0	22.3	1.8	1.2	116
	Beef carcass	54.7	16.5	28.0	0.8	323
	Pork (lean)	75.1	22.8	1.2	1.0	112
	Pork carcass	41.1	11.2	47.0	0.6	472
	Veal (lean)	76.4	21.3	0.8	1.2	98
	Chicken	75.0	22.8	0.9	1.2	105
	Venison (deer)	75.7	21.4	1.3	1.2	103
	Beef fat (subcutaneous)	4.0	1.5	94.0	0.1	854
	Pork fat (back fat)	7.7	2.9	88.7	0.7	812

Source: Food and Agricultural Organization

Some meat sellers even try to make meat swell by dipping them in water or blood for a long period so that they can ask us to pay more for it. If we had bought our meat by weight, water would have counted for little in the weight and we would have gotten more kilos of meat added. Therefore, when you get small meat with heavy weight, you know there is not much water in it.

Next time we want to buy meat, we may want to go to where it is being sold by weight so that we can stop paying more for water than meat. Insisting on buying our water by weight will really help everyone. This way, both the buyer and the seller gain; nobody is cheated.

ALSO SEE: Is The Red Juice From Raw Red Meat Blood? Is It Safe?

Food & Body Food & Nutrition

Skimmed vs Full Cream Milk: Which Is Good For Your Health?

Post author By Ahmed Ogundimu
Post date 18 May, 2015
1 Comment on Skimmed vs Full Cream Milk: Which Is Good For Your Health?

Some days back, I wrote an article explaining the differences between skimmed milk and full cream milk or what some prefer to call whole milk. The major difference between them, I said, is the amount of fat that is present in them – skim or skimmed milk has had all or most of its fat removed while whole milk has all the fat that should be present in milk. This is where I am going to start the discussion for today.

Which is better: Skimmed Milk or Whole Milk?

I have read publications in which some experts proposed that people who are looking to shed weight should stay away from full cream milk. They said the fat that is present in the milk will only contribute to addition of more calories to the body and since skimmed milk contain almost the same amount of nutrients other than the fat that has been removed, they should go for that. This may only be true in an absolute sense.

First of all, I would like to say that there are Vitamins that are present in the fat that was removed. These vitamins – A, D, E and K, are called the fat-soluble vitamins. They are so called because they are dissolved in the fat and they are only present when the fat is present. So, this could count as a thumb down for skimmed milk.

Secondly, reduced-fat milk and other drinks may not be as filling as those containing fat, so consumers may end up compensating for the lack of calories and eating or drinking more. Often, they tend to compensate with carbs that add more calories than the full cream milk would have added.

Dr. David Ludwig, director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children’s Hospital said to Time’s Healthland, “We are not arguing milk should be abandoned. For kids who are consuming diets that are high in calories and low in nutrients, milk can provide lots of needed nutrients — like calcium. Somehow this low-fat milk has become so entrenched in the nutritional psyche, it persists despite the absence of evidence. To the contrary, the evidence that now exists suggests an adverse effect of reduced-fat milk.”

While you have also been probably always been informed to drink reduced-fat milk because of the calories, evidence from the majority of recent scientific studies show that drinking whole milk actually improves cholesterol levels, just not as much as drinking skim does.

Let me also give this to the men reading this post; women can also tell their boyfriends or husbands about this. If you like to build your muscle, whole milk may be your best choice: Scientists at the University of Texas medical branch in Galveston found that drinking whole milk after lifting weights boosted muscle protein synthesis—an indicator of muscle growth—2.8 times more than drinking skim did.

I believe those that are looking to reduce their weight may take skimmed milk, only if they can resist the temptations that come after as discussed above. Since it doesn’t give the filling effect that whole milk gives, you may be tempted to eat foods that will eventually add more calories to your body. Also, the fat-soluble vitamins may never be available to you if you keep avoiding fat. You get them in fatty foods, so why not take the ones in milk fat that has been shown to be more beneficial to the body? Some of these issues were addressed in one of our articles that talked about why no fat, no fruits, one meal a day diet is not appropriate for weight loss.

You know what my own recommendation is? Take whole milk.

Tags Milk

Food & Body

Here Is How Drinking Much Water Could Be Bad For You

Post author By Oladipupo Abioye
Post date 17 May, 2015
4 Comments on Here Is How Drinking Much Water Could Be Bad For You

Hey friends, do you feel you are brave enough to go against the most popular health belief? If yes, your body just might thank you for that decision. It is no longer news that nutrition and health professionals regularly encourage people to drink plenty water to prevent dehydration and other conditions associated with reduced water intake. Before I continue with my article on the dangers associated with drinking plenty water, please, take your time to read the disaster that struck this woman.

On January 12, 2007, a 28-year old Californian wife and mother of three children died from drinking too much water. Her body was found in her home shortly after she took part in a water-drinking contest that was sponsored by a local radio show. Entitled “Hold Your Wee For A Wii”, the contest promoters promised a free Wii video game machine to the contestant who drank the most water without urinating. It is estimated that the woman who died drank approximately 2 gallons of water during the contest. When she and other contestants complained of discomfort and showed visible signs of distress, they were laughed at by the promoters and even heckled. Eventually she died. This was reported by Wikipedia.

The big question is: Could too much of a good thing be bad?

THE SHORT ANSWER IS: YES, Just like any other food items we consume, water and other fluids taken at excessive amount can lead to water intoxication which could lead to death.

I have got few questions to ask you

Is your urine usually clear all through the day?
Do you always wake up about two to three times at night when you sleep to urinate?
Do you urinate up to 6-8 times during the day?

If you answer yes to two or more of the questions above then you are likely drinking more water than you need. Another condition you might be fight with is diabetes because your body might be responding to the high glucose in your blood and trying to flush them out with more water. So, you tend to drink more. You could go for a check-up.

What is water intoxication?: This is otherwise referred to hyponatremia, a condition which results when too much water is taken within a short period of time. The effect can be fatal.

What happens when you drink too much water?

The kidney is the organ that handles liquid control within our body. When a person drinks too much water the kidneys cannot flush it out as a result of the pressure placed on it within that same time frame. So, it causes the excess water to remain in the blood. Once this happens, the water dilutes the concentration of electrolytes in the blood compared to those in the cells and later a balance is triggered which leads to water entering the body cells and cause them to swell. When the brain cells begin to swell the situation can turn lethal speedily. Remember, the major parts of your kidney can be subjected to wear and tear as times go on if you continue in this habit of over stressing your kidney to perform filtration processes which is not advisable.

What quantity of water should I drink?

Personally, I feel the drink 8 glasses of water a day is not a bad rule but at present, there is no scientific backing to this claims except the perceptions of health expert. While it is not completely out of place to subscribe to this, a number of factors should determine the quantity of water you drink daily to keep you healthy.

The quantity of water you drink depends on your peculiar condition. Geographical location, diets, and exercises are very key. Take for instance, an individual who resides in a sunny area most likely will drink more water than people who live in cold places. If you consume more water loaded foods like fruits and vegetable, there is no need for you drinking much water again. In the same vein, if you do not use salt enough in your meals, the level of water you drink should reduce because you do not want to alter the sodium level of your system by dilution and vice versa. If you are the type that exercises and sweat a lot, you might need to drink more than 8 glasses daily but not consuming a high volume within a short period.

ALSO SEE: The Dangers of Cooking Food With Too Much Salt

It is important to allow your sense of thirst to work more often rather than killing it. When you eat, take a reasonable amount of water to help in digestion, not the volume that will make you wee minutes later.

Do you wonder why alcohol drinkers have been found to have kidney dysfunction? It is because of the volume of the fluid intake usually funnelled in their bodies within a short period. Most of them urinate about three times within this period – subjecting the kidney to unnecessary pressure. Same effect happens when you adopt drinking plenty litres of water without caution.

YES, A GOOD THING CAN BE BAD FOR YOU. TAKE CAUTION. WATER IS IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY FOR YOUR BODY BUT BE CAREFUL HOW MUCH YOU TAKE.

Tags Salt, Water

Food & Nutrition

Questions On Cow Skin’s (Ponmo) Nutritional Value Answered

Post author By Ahmed Ogundimu
Post date 15 May, 2015
No Comments on Questions On Cow Skin’s (Ponmo) Nutritional Value Answered

Cowskin in local parlance in Nigeria is called “pomo” (sometimes spelled as Ponmo). I prefer to choose the latter. In Nigeria and many other developing countries where the skin of cows and other animals like sheep and goats are separated and sold separately, it is mainly due to poverty. The cost of beef has led to more people opting for cow skin, which is a lot cheaper. Please be informed that the cow skin is subjected to some form of treatment by the processors before it is being sold as Ponmo. That is not the subject of this discussion.

Before I talk about the nutritional value of ponmo (cow skin), I want to just share this with you on a lighter mood; a news article published by the BBC about cow skin and Nigeria sometimes in the year was titled “Nigeria eats its shoe leather”. Yes, we eat so much of ponmo that we have no cow skin left for the leather industry. In the article, Dr. Samuel Achi, the provost of Federal College of Chemical and Leather Technology, Zaria, noted that “pomo eaters have decided to walk on bare feet because they have decided to eat their own shoes in their pots”.

So, Is Cow Skin (Ponmo) Nutritious?

In most developed countries of the world, cow skin is generally not used as food. Hence, there are little or no research works on the nutritional value of cow skin. A large proportion of the cow skins are being shipped to the leather industry where they are converted to shoes, cloth and more.

There is limited information on the nutrients available in Ponmo. The only authoritative article you would see online is seen on PunchNG in a news article that reported events at the third joint anniversary of the Animal Science Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Institute of Animal Science, held at the University of Ibadan in 2014.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, also spoke at the event entitled, “Value addition in the Nigerian livestock industry: A strategy for economic growth and stakeholders’ empowerment.”

The article on PunchNG and other sources reported the nutritional benefits of ponmo as follows:

The nutritional analysis of a 40 gram piece of ponmo is:

Calories (150g); Total fat (4g); Saturated fat (1g); Poly saturated fat (0g); Mono saturated fat (0g); Trans fat (0g); Cholesterol (0g); Sodium (0mg); Potassium (0mg); Total carbohydrate (0g);

Dietary fibre (0g); Sugars (0 per cent); Proteins (0 per cent); Vitamin A (0 per cent); Vitamin C (0 per cent); Calcium (0 per cent); Iron (0 per cent).

From this analysis, you will see that ponmo is lacking in all essential nutrients. However, I have seen adverts by some food processors/manufacturers in China who claim to make nutritional kpomo or ponmo. They claim to have fortified the cow skin with essential nutrients. I have nothing to back up their claims.

It has also been pointed out by some people that it may just contain some protein. Yes, collagen is a protein in skin, muscle and meat of animals but for those of us that know, there is something called Protein Quality. Collagen is not a complete protein because it is lacking in the amino acid tryptophan.

Although Collagen has a lot of applications in medicine and food industry (e.g. making gelatin), from a nutritional point of view, collagen and gelatin are poor-quality sole source of protein since they do not contain all the essential amino acids in the proportions that the human body requires—they are not ‘complete proteins’.

ALSO READ: NAFDAC Warns Against Eating Imported Chicken, Turkey

Knowledgebase

Is The Red Juice From Raw Red Meat Blood? Is It Safe?

Post author By Ahmed Ogundimu
Post date 14 May, 2015
No Comments on Is The Red Juice From Raw Red Meat Blood? Is It Safe?

Have you ever gone to the local butcher to purchase meat and on your way home you notice some red liquid dripping out of the meat? Have you ever been bothered if this is safe or not? is it blood? And considering the fact that zoonotic diseases could be in blood, what should you do? I am going to answer these questions in this post. So, this post is going to be short and straight to the point. This could make a lot of people extremely uncomfortable.

So, what is this red juice that drips from meat?

Let me tell you categorically that this juice is not blood. We can call this liquid a relative of haemoglobin in the blood. While haemoglobin gives the blood its red colour (due to presence of iron), myoglobin is what gives meat its dark red colour pigment.

This juice that drips out of the meat is actually water, sarcoplasm and trace amounts of myoglobin. This myoglobin also has iron it and that is why we get dark brown outside and grey inside – the iron atom is now in the +3 oxidation state. Myoglobin is not found in the blood stream of animals. The only time myoglobin is found in the bloodstream is when it is released after an animal sustains a deep muscle injury.

During slaughter, most of the blood goes out and only a small amount is left. Animals like mammals have more myoglobin and that is why they are called red meat. On the other hand animals like chicken have very small amount myoglobin, less red and hence the name “white meat”. The more myoglobin a meat has, the redder the meat.

Conclusively, this juice that comes out from fresh or raw meat is not blood. It is myoglobin and most of it are even lost when you cook the meat. It is therefore safe to consume in food.

Soon, I will write about more differences between red meat and white meat and which is better in terms of safety and the nutrient they give to out body. Some people also have concerns on whether it is safe to use the water in which the meat is being cooked for further cooking. I will answer all that soon.

ALSO SEE: What Are The Nutritional Values In Cow Skin’s (Ponmo)

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Tags Meat, Red Meat

Food & Nutrition

Cucumber And How It Improves Your Health

Post author By Ahmed Ogundimu
Post date 14 May, 2015
2 Comments on Cucumber And How It Improves Your Health

I cannot but remember when I had a patient with protruded belly and how we were able to achieve a remarkable result with cucumber. We came up with juicing up the melon and adding some oranges to it. It was really nice to taste. No wonder the 53 year old man lost a significant amount of weight after weeks of nutritional intervention. Clearly, very few people know the nutritional and health benefits of this green coloured vegetable. They prefer to consume fruits with sweeter taste. Fresh cucumber may taste “bland” to some but its thirst-quenching and cooling properties are refreshing and soothing.

What To Watch Out For In Choosing Your Cucumber

In order to maximise the nutrients in cucumber, it is important to choose the ones that still possess the green colour. You should avoid the yellow coloured cucumber. A yellow cucumber can also be the result of a virus, too much water, or a nutrient imbalance. Look for cucumbers with a bright, even colour of skin without dullness or sweating. The cucumber should look fresh. You have to test the firmness of the cucumber. A good cucumber is firm and does not bend. This firmness should be right through to the tips of the cucumber. Look for a fleshy cucumber but not too large in size. Smaller cucumbers have been found to be crisper and have finer seeds, making them more appealing to many children. Do not buy cucumbers that have blemishes, soft spots or yellowing.

Nutritional Benefits Of Cucumber

No doubt, cucumber has an impressive amount of water (about 95%), which makes it superior in dealing with dehydration compared to some other fruits. When you consume it, there is no need to peel off its skin as it contains a high percentage of vitamins A.

Cucumber has an excellent source of vitamin A and C; two water soluble vitamins that are effective anti oxidants that helps in fighting infections and diseases.

Beauty practitioners have been able to utilize this vegetable in facial treatment. No wonder slices of it are placed on clients’ eyes and faces. Cucumber contains caffeic acid that helps prevent water retention. This acid prevents against swollen eyes. Its anti inflammatory property is excellent. Give it a try.

Researchers have taken time to study the presence of unique polyphenols in plants called lignans, and these health-benefiting substances have been studied extensively in cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli or cabbage) and allium vegetables (like onion or garlic). Thanks to hard working scientist who took out time to find out the lignan content in other vegetables like Cucumber. It is now known that Cucumber contains lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol. These three lignans have a strong history of research in connection with reduced risk of several cancer types, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and prostate cancer.

Remember earlier that I spoke of how effective cucumber worked magic in managing the weight of one of my clients. This is no joke. It’s superb in weight loss and proper digestion – Due to its low calorie and high water content, cucumber is an ideal diet for people who are looking for weight loss. The high water content and dietary fiber in cucumbers are very effective in ridding the body of toxins from the digestive system, aiding digestion. Daily consumption of cucumbers can be regarded as a remedy for chronic constipation due to high fibre content.

While the cure of diabetes is not yet known, the proper management of this ailment is critical. Cucumber juice contains a hormone which is needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin which has been found to be beneficial to diabetic patients.

Cucumbers contain loads of potassium, magnesium and dietary fiber. They all work effectively for regulating blood pressure. This combination of minerals makes cucumbers good for treating both low blood pressure and high blood pressure.

I am sure you know better on how Cucumber can help improve your health. If you find this article helpful, do not forget to share with your families, friends and loved ones.

Go Cucumber!

Tags Cucumber

Food & Body

Top Three Foods That Damage Your Teeth

Post author By Oladipupo Abioye
Post date 13 May, 2015
No Comments on Top Three Foods That Damage Your Teeth

More and more people are becoming aware of the need to pay attention on the health status of their teeth. While many only few think brushing their teeth twice daily is the only care they need to do, others like me feel there is need to observe what you eat with your mouth in order to avoid gum damages and discolouration of teeth as it is commonly seen. Foods are essential for the proper development of our body and otherwise. If you indulge in certain unhealthy meals, your dental status could be negatively affected. Find below three Foods to avoid as they cause damage to your teeth.

3 Groups of Foods That Cause Damage To Your Teeth

Chewing Gums, Drinking Soft Drinks And Energy Drinks

Chewing gums are quite dangerous for your teeth. As you chew, they stick in between your teeth and cause damage. You should remember than some of these hard chewing candies are not easily dissolved by water. Also, soft drinks and energy drinks cause similar damage as they are loaded with sugars that corrode the teeth. Many parents also indulge their children in these foods as they are unaware of the damage it will do to the dental status of their children in future.

ALSO SEE: Energy Drinks Damage Your Teeth! Should You Stop Drinking Them?

Acidic Foods

If you love to take lemonade as a home-made therapy to whiten your teeth, then you must have a rethink. It could eventually discolour them. It is quite acidic and corrodes the enamel. This also applies to fruit like apple that is high in acid. You have to be careful with how you consume these acidic fruits. You could wash or rinse your mouth with clean water after getting a bite of these fruits

Bread, Pasta And Potato

Carbohydrates are necessary in our daily diet and so, it is completely impossible to avoid them. But these listed carbs have been found to cause damage to the teeth. These carbs are sticky in nature and sometimes loaded with sugar especially if they are processed which make them lead to tooth decay and other dental issues. It is advisable to check the food labels to know the quantity of added sugars in them and if you must consume them try to rinse your mouth with water after.

Tags Energy Drinks, Sports Drink