Nanotechnology
What is Nanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the engineering of functional systems at the molecular scale. This covers both current work and concepts that are more advanced.
In its original sense, ‘nanotechnology’ refers to the projected ability to construct items from the bottom up, using techniques and tools being developed today to make complete, high performance products.
Applications of Nanotechnology
The biological and medical research communities have exploited the unique properties of nanomaterials for various applications. For example contrast agents for cell imaging and therapeutics for treating cancer.
The most advanced nanotechnology projects related to energy are: storage, conversion, manufacturing improvements by reducing materials and process rates, energy saving and enhanced renewable energy sources.
Nanotechnology is having an impact on several aspects of food science, from how food is grown to how it is packaged. Companies are developing nanomaterials that will make a difference not only in the taste of food, but also in food safety, and the health benefits that food delivers.
Benifits of Nanotechnology
Benefits of nanotechnology include improved manufacturing methods, water purification systems, energy systems, physical enhancement, nanomedicine, better food production methods and nutrition. Products made with nanotechnology may require little labor, land, or maintenance, and would be highly productive, low in cost, and have modest requirements for materials and energy.
Risks include environmental, health, and safety issues if negative effects of nanoparticles are overlooked before they are released; transitional effects such as displacement of traditional industries as the products of nanotechnology become dominant; military applications such as biological warfare and implants for soldiers; and surveillance through nano-sensors, which are of concern to privacy rights advocates.
Valentine’s Day
Saint Valentine’s Day or Valentine’s Day is a celebrated on February 14, it is the traditional day of lovers. Beautify your love life with this Valentine’s Day.
If You have fallen in love the angel whom you love is the most wonderful person you have ever met and the most precious blessing of the Supreme Power, which was preserved just for you. You want to thank your angel for coming in your life and for taking you on the mesmerizing trip to the love world but are not sure of the ways in which you would be able to do so. Worry not, as the romantic valentine ideas are there to help you, which can enable you to show your heartfelt gratitude and your undying love for the person who has gained the reputation of being the heartbeat of your heart.
It is a fact that every person who has existed on this earth has fallen in love at one point or the other and every one of us has employed some or the other romantic idea for strengthening the bond of love in our lives. It is often said that love needs no boasting or showing off but how many of us can deny the excitement and happiness felt by us when our cherished lovers express their love feelings for us in beautiful and elegant ways. No matter how much we try to hide our real feelings but the truth remains that at one point or the other we expect our lovers to employ nice and graceful romantic ideas for announcing their love for us.
Proposals are necessary to woo your ladylove for marriage or wedding. No doubt, you are good friends and gel with each other well, yet there is a need for you to put forward your true love and deep affection formally in the way of proposals. While you propose, do not forget to carry your engagement ring with you.
Valentine Gift, exchanging, usually from a man to a woman.Such gifts typically include roses and chocolates packed in a red satin, heart-shaped box. In the 1980s, the diamond industry began to promote Valentine’s Day as an occasion for giving jewelry. The day has come to be associated with a generic platonic greeting of “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
The rise of Internet popularity at the turn of the millennium is creating new traditions. Millions of people use, every year, digital means of creating and sending Valentine’s Day greeting messages such as e-cards, love coupons or printable greeting cards. You can log on http://www.binbrain.info/ @ Binbrain.com to download valentine greetings and send e-cards absolutely free.
“Helplessly in love with chocolates” , this is what most of us would like to describe our chocolate habits. moreover, chocolate has been widely proclaimed by scientists and doctors as to be the food that increases the feeling of love, by releasing the required chemicals. It also helps you live longer. Hmmm! That gives some food for thought. We are hereby presenting you with selectedchocolate recipes, and most of them are darn easy to prepare. So happy cooking (or cocoaing, for that matter) , and do not forget to refer these to your friends!
wahh!!! (My)Delicious Breakfast Dishes From Kerala….
No doubt I’m a great fan of Kerala dishes, especially the breakfast dishes. Breakfast, is not only the first meal of the day, it is also the most important meal of the day. So, it should have everything in it to add a zing to your day. I can’t even think of the delicious dishes like puttu and kadala, appam and cuury , kappa and curry etc without watering my mouth. I hope this post will help you to enjoy these special dishes.
This breakfast dish is so common and very popular in kerala. It’s called ‘ Puttu ‘. Steaming is the method used to cook puttu. Puttu is made with different cereal grain powders like, Rice, wheat, Ragi etc. Puttu and kadala curry is a popular combination. On the other hand, rice puttu with banana, pappadam, some ghee and sugar, mixed is really a mouth watering combination. Every one has their favourite combination to have puttu with. The utensil used to cook puttu is called ‘Puttukutti’.
1 cup – Rice flour
1/2 cup – Freshly grated coconut
Pinch of salt
water as required
1/2 cup – Extra grated coconut
Add salt and approximately 3 table spoons of grated coconut into the flour and mix well. Add water little by little to the rice flour and mix it. The flour should be wet enough for steaming, but we have to be careful when you add water to the flour. The consistency has got to be right. It should not become too watery. Puttu has to be made in a Puttu maker. Layer the Puttu maker with some grated coconut first, then the rice mixture and then the grated coconut again. Steam for 2-3 minutes, take out and serve hot.
Black Channa/Bengal gram/Chickpeas-100 gms(soaked overnight)
Soi bhajil masol – 3-4 tbsp OR
Roast 5 tbsp of coconut,3 red chillies,1 tbsp coriander,1 tsp cumin till brown and make a smooth paste adding enough water.You can also add 2 cloves and 1″ piece cinnamon.
Onions – 2,finely chopped
Tomato – 1,finely chopped
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Mustard seeds – 1tsp
Coconut oil – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Pressure cook channa till done. Take a kadai and add coconut oil,splutter mustard seeds. Add finely chopped onions and saute till they turn light brown. Add curry leaves and tomato and saute again for about 2 minutes. If you are using soi bhajil masol-add the water in which channa was cooked to the masol to make a smooth paste-do not add too much,just as required.
Add the masol at this stage. If you are using freshly made masala,add it at this stage and mix well. Add salt to taste and add the cooked channa-mix well. Let it boil and then simmer it for about 10 minutes. Kadala curry should be a little watery than the normal curries,so add water accordingly.Puttu kadala ready!!
This is one of my favorite breakfast dish and a popular one in kerala. Made with a batter of rice, coconut and yeast, which is fermented till the batter rises in volume. It’s called vellay (white) appam (pancake). In the original traditional recipe, toddy was used to ferment the batter. It’s got lacy edges and soft center. This can turn out to be quite a heavy breakfast or a brunch.
Rice flour (finely powdered ) 500 g
Coconut milk 250 ml
Salt to taste
Sugar 1 tbsp
Semolina 100 g
Water
1. Heat the semolina in a little water to a thick consistency.
2. Remove from the fire and keep it aside to cool.
3. Make a batter with rice flour, coconut milk and water.
4. Add the cooked semolina, soaked yeast and sugar and then mix well.
5. Keep the mixture to ferment for three to four hours.
6. Heat the appam thava (the special vessel for making appam), rub a little oil and pour some batter into it.
7. Turn the batter around in the thava and make it into a round with thin edges and a thick middle.
8. Cover with a lid and keep it over a slow fire.
9. After the appam is ready, serve with mutton stew.
Mutton, 1 1/2 inch pieces on the bone 750 grams
Coconut, scraped 2 cups
Split Bengal gram (chana dal) 2 teaspoons
Black peppercorns 5
Cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander seeds 1/2 teaspoon
Oil 4 tablespoons
Star anise 2
Cinnamon 1 inch stick
Green cardamoms 4
Potatoes, 1 inch cubes 2 medium
Curry leaves 10-12
Green chillies, slit 4-5
Salt to taste
Soak scraped coconut in two cups warm water for five minutes. Grind and squeeze through a muslin cloth to extract thick milk. Repeat this process two more times but with only one cup water to get a second and third thinner extracts. Dry roast chana dal, peppercorns, cumin seeds and coriander seeds on medium heat. Cool and grind to a powder. Pressure cook mutton in two cups water for six whistles or until almost done. Drain and keep aside. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, add star anise, cinnamon and green cardamoms and sauté till fragrant. Add pressure-cooked mutton, potatoes, curry leaves, green chillies and salt. Sprinkle powdered masala and cook, stirring continuously, for five minutes. Add third coconut extract, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook on medium heat for five minutes or until potatoes are almost cooked. Add second extract and continue cooking till the both mutton and potatoes are completely cooked. Remove from heat and stir in first extract of coconut milk and adjust salt. Reheat and simmer for two to three minutes before serving hot with appams or paranthas.
Hope you may have tasted this very special and common dish from kerala. Whh!! It’s really delicious. Idli is a South Indian Delicious food, normally eaten as Breakfast along with Chutney or Sambhar. It is made by steaming batter especially made from pulses. Idli is commonly available food fastfood anywhere in India, especially in the states of South India.
Idly rice 4cups
Urad dal 1cup
Fenugreek seeds (Methi) 2 tsp
Salt 1tsp
Soak idly rice in the water for about 5-6 hrs. Soak urad dal and fenugreek seeds together in the water for about 5-6hrs. Grind the rice first in the stone grinder for about 20-25 mins adding required quantity of water until it becomes a thick batter. Pour the rice batter into a vessel. Now grind the urad dal and fenugreek seeds for about 30-35 mins adding required quantity of water until it becomes a thick batter. Urad dal requires more water to grind than the rice. I add water every 5 minutes when the urad dal is grinding. Now add the urad dal batter into the rice batter and mix well by adding salt. Cover and keep aside for 7- 8 hrs, undisturbed to ferment. This varies from place to place. In California, it takes only about 10 hrs to ferment in summer days. Winter days it usually takes about 16-18hrs to ferment.
To make idly, mix the batter well before making idly. Take the idly mould and apply little oil in the moulds. You can do this with your fingers. The oil helps the idlis to be soft. Pour the batter to the idly moulds and steam for about 10 – 15 mins. To check whether the idly is being cooked, insert a tooth pick into the idly. The tooth pick should come out clean if the idlis are done. Serve hot with sambhar or chutney or idly podi.
Sambar is a lentil based dish common in South India. In Kerala the Sambar would contain different vegetables, which is similar to avial recipe
Vegetables: Cooked potatoes, egg plant, drumstick, okra, and carrot (You can add any vegetables you like)
Lime Size tamarind soaked in warm water
1 cup toor dal pressure cooked with turmeric, mash the dal to a smooth paste.
In a pan add oil; sauté mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves. Add handful of chopped shallots or pearl onions and sauté until it turns translucent. Add the vegetable and little water and cover cook them for few minutes .Add the tamarind water and cook for few minutes. Add the boiled potatoes, cooked dal, and sambar masala paste. Mix everything and add required salt for taste. Cook in Medium heat for another 10 minutes and turn off the heat. You can also add red chili powder as per your taste before cooking. Serve hot with idly.
Idiyappam is another dish I like for breakfast . It takes less time to make and very tasty to eat. Idiyappam and Chicken curry is the best combination for me.
Mix 1 cup of rice flour with required warm water and salt. Knead into smooth dough. Apply little oil over the dough and insert into the cooking press. Put a small quantity of dough into the “cooking press” and press it on the idly moulds greased with oil. Add grated coconut on top of the idiyappam. Steam the idly cooker for 8-10 minutes.
1/2 chicken breasts, skinned and boned
3 garlic, cloves, crushed
1/4 tsp ginger
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 onion, chopped finely
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup water
1/2 tsp cummin seeds powder
1 tsp coriander seeds powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 green chilli, finely chopped
2 tbsp coconut milk
3 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
Make pieces of chicken breasts .Heat oil in a pan .Saute chicken pieces until golden from both sides. Remove and drain .Add onion and ginger-garlic and fry till golden brown .Add all the powders, and saute for a minute. Add chicken broth and water .Let it boil for 2 minutes .Add chicken pieces .Cover the pan and let it cook for approx 30 mins. Then add coconut milk .Cook for another 1 min. Serve with Idiyappam.
This is the very special and unique dish of kerala. I usually have it for breakfast. Tapioca(kappa) is known as the poor mans vegetable.But ask any Malayali,rich or poor,belonging to any class or creed,you will soon realise that inspite of all the differences,Tapioca or Kappa has an universal appeal amongst Malyalis throughout!I cant think of any other meal that can represent Kerala completely as Tapioca and fish curry.
Ingredients : Kappa (for two)
Kappa : about 2 lb ,remove the hard skin and cut into small pieces
mustard seeds : 1/4 t
Scraped coconut: 1 T
Dry red chilies: 3/4
Curry leaf: 4/5
A little turmeric powder and salt
Oil : 1 t
Take the cut Kappa in a pot, fill enough water to cover the yucca, add turmeric and salt and let boil, until the pieces are thoroughly cooked, and can be easily pierced by a fork. In another pan, season oil with mustard seeds, dry read chilies, and curry leaves. Add this to the yucca along with the coconut, and mix well.
Ingredients : Fish Curry / Meen varattiyathu
Any fish : 1 ilb
Tamarind paste : ½ cup
Chili powder : 4 t
Turmeric powder : ½ t
Fenugreek : ¼ t
Onion, sliced : 1 quarter
Green chili : 1
Ginger –garlic paste : 1 t
Curry leaf : 4-5
Water : 1 cup
Oil : 4 T
Heat oil, fry the fenugreek for a couple of minutes. Add onion, ginger, and garlic and sauté until transparent. Add green chilies, curry leaf, and masala powders and let fry until the raw smell is gone. Pour tamarind paste, and water. Bring to a boil. Add the fish pieces, and salt. Cover and cook until the fish is well done, and the curry is fairly thick.Serve hot with cooked yucca.
Merry Christmas !!!!!
December 8, 2008 by wilsy
Filed under Art and Culture
My dear friends, I want to wish every single reader of this blog a fantastic Christmas wherever you are and whatever you are doing. Thank you for reading my blog, and thank you even more to all those that regularly get involved and leave comments. Christmas is here and there’s merriment everywhere! It’s time to spread joy and good cheer and bring smiles to faces !Send our warm and beautiful Merry Christmas e-cards and share the wonderful spirit of Christmas with your friends/family/acquaintances/loved ones and wish them a joyous time. Send them wishes for peace, joy and good tidings and make their Christmas a memorable one.
What is Christmas?
Christmas also referred to as Christmas Day or Christmastide, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that marks and honors the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. His birth, which is the basis for the anno Domini system of dating, has been determined by modern historians as having occurred between 7 and 2 BC. The date of celebration is not thought to be Jesus’ actual date of birth. It may have been chosen to coincide with the winter solstice,which the ancient Romans celebrated on December 25.
Modern customs of the holiday include gift-giving, church celebrations, and the display of various decorations—including the Christmas tree, lights, mistletoe, nativity scenes and holly. Santa Claus (also referred to as Father Christmas, although the two figures have different origins) is a popular mythological figure often associated with bringing gifts at Christmas. Santa is generally believed to be the result of a syncretization between St. Nicholas of Myra and elements from pagan Nordic and Christian mythology, and his modern appearance is believed to have originated in 19th century media.
Christmas is celebrated throughout the Christian population, but is also celebrated by many non-Christians as a secular, cultural festival. The holiday is widely celebrated around the world, including in the United States, where it is celebrated by 96% of the population. Because gift-giving and several other aspects of the holiday involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, Christmas has become a major event for many retailers.
Christmas is almost upon us! Over the next three weeks leading up to Christmas, I am going to look at things we really, really want Santa to bring and the things which will make our Christmas wonderful!!!
Christmas Box — A small present, especially of money, given at Christmas to the people who deliver the post, milk etc. to your house during the year. Christmas box is a gift given at Christmas. The word originated from Churches used to collect money in boxes for distribution to the poor. This happened the day after Christmas Day and gave Boxing Day its name.
Christmas Cake– A cake containing a lot of dried fruit and nuts and covered with icing, which is eaten at Christmas. Christmas cake is a type of fruitcake served at Christmas time. A Christmas cake may be light or dark, crumbly-moist to sticky-wet, spongy to heavy, leavened or unleavened, shaped round, square or oblong as whole cakes, fairy cakes, or petit fours, with marzipan, icing, glazing, dusting with icing sugar, or plain, etc.
Christmas card– It is a decorated card that you send to someone at Christmas. It’s the time to show your near and dear ones that you care.So gear up and send Christmas Cards to all your friends and family and wish them a Merry Christmas.
Christmas carol– A Christmas Carol in Prose, being a Ghost Story of Christmas , is commonly known as A Christmas Carol. A Christmas Carol was written during a time of decline in the old Christmas traditions. Its also a traditional or religious song that people sing at Christmas
Christmas dinner— Christmas dinner around the world may differ and the traditions present here can reflect the culture of where this holiday is being celebrated. Turkey is featured in almost all of these meals.
Christmas Eve–December 24th, the day before Christmas Day. Usually it is celebrated by staying up until midnight. At midnight, gifts and presents are opened. Fireworks are also shot off. Fireworks are the main focus of the celebration. It is not a silent night, with families coming together exchanging presents and going to church. After Christmas the children often play with their new presents or go to church with their parents and grandparents.
Christmas pudding–A sweet dark food containing dried fruit, which is eaten at the end of the meal during Christmas. Christmas pudding is the dessert traditionally served on Christmas day, although still available and popular throughout the year in Britain. It has its origins in England, and is sometimes known as plum pudding, though this can also refer to other kinds of boiled pudding involving a lot of dried fruit.
Christmas stocking– A large sock which children leave out when they go to bed on Christmas Eve so that it can be filled with small presents. While there are no written records of the origin of the Christmas stocking, there are popular legends that attempt to tell the history of this Christmas tradition.
Christmas tree–A real or artificial fir tree which is decorated with things such as coloured balls and kept in the home at Christmas. A Christmas Tree, less commonly known as a Yule tree, is one of the most popular traditions associated with the celebration of Christmas and Yuletide. It is normally an evergreen coniferous tree that is brought into a home or used in the open, and is decorated with Christmas lights and colourful ornaments during the days around Christmas.
Christmas Wreaths–Christmas Wreaths are made of evergreen plants, such as holly, ivy and pine, which stay green all year. Today, wreaths are still widely used around the world. The origins of the Advent wreath are found in the folk practices of the pre-Christian Germanic peoples who, during the cold December darkness of Eastern Europe, gathered wreaths of evergreen and lighted fires as signs of hope in a coming spring and renewed light. Christians kept these popular traditions alive.
Christmas stars–One of the most important and famous symbols of Christmas is the Christmas Star. The Star of Christmas has been part of human imagination for the past 2000 years. You can find this star atop Christmas trees, cards, cribs and in homes and streets during the Christmas season. The star is not only an ornament but is also a symbol of hope and happiness.
Once again I wish all the readers all the blessings, happiness and love of Xmas!!!!
“An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away”
An old proverb attests to the health benefits of the fruit: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Research suggests that apples may reduce the risk of colon cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer. Like many fruits, apples contain Vitamin C as well as a host of other antioxidant compounds, which may reduce the risk of cancer by preventing DNA damage.
The fiber content, while less than in most other fruits, helps regulate bowel movements and may thus reduce the risk of colon cancer. They may also help with heart disease, weight loss and controlling cholesterol, as they do not have any cholesterol, have fiber, which reduces cholesterol by preventing reabsorption, and are bulky for their caloric content like most fruits and vegetables.
There is evidence that in vitro, apples possess phenolic compounds which may be cancer-protective and demonstrate antioxidant activity. The predominant phenolic phytochemicals in apples are quercetin, epicatechin, and procyanidin B2.
The seeds are mildly poisonous, containing a small amount of amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside; usually not enough to be dangerous to humans, but it can deter birds.
Health Benefits
Easy on the digestion, apples contain malic and tartaric acids that inhibit fermentation in the intestines. Their high fiber content adds bulk that aids the digestive process, making elimination natural and comfortable. Apples contain pectin, a soluble fiber that encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract.Apples contain flavonoids, antioxidants that improve immune function and prevent heart disease and some cancers.
Green apples act as a liver and gall bladder cleanser and may aid in softening gallstones.
Because of their high water content, apples are cooling and moistening and aid in reducing fever. Simply grate them and serve them to feverish patients. Steamed apples sweetened with honey are beneficial for a dry cough and may help to remove mucous from the lungs.
Hippocrates , the Greek physician considered the father of medicine, was a proponent of nutritional healing. His favorite remedies were apples, dates, and barley mush.
Today medical practitioners are beginning to recognize that the apple’s abundant quantity of pectin is an aid in reducing high cholesterol as well as blood sugar, a wonder food for people with coronary artery disease and diabetes.
If these aren’t enough reasons to “eat an apple a day,” there’s more. Eating raw apples gives the gums a healthy massage and cleans the teeth. This popular fruit is said to have properties that are a muscle tonic, diuretic, laxative, antidiarrheal, antirheumatic, and stomachic.
Nutritional Benefits
Unpeeled apples provide their most plentiful nutrients just under the skin. Apples are a good source of potassium, folic acid, and vitamin C.
A medium apple, approximately 5 ounces, has only 81 calories and a whopping 3.7 grams of fiber from pectin, a soluble fiber. A medium apple supplies 159 mg of potassium, 3.9 mcg of folic acid, 7.9 mg of vitamin C, and 9.6 mg of calcium.Additionally, there are trace amounts of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and zinc .
Apple Facts
About 10% of an apple is made up of carbohydrate. Apples contain dietary fibre in their skins and core. About 4% of an apple is made up of vitamins and minerals. The rest of the apple, more than 80%, is made up of water. A medium-sized eating apple contains about 40 calories one kilo of fresh apples provides approximately 2100kJ (500 kcal) of energy. Excluding the peel and core of apples from the diet almost halves the amounts of Vitamin C and dietary fibre available in the whole fruit, but makes very little difference to the sugar content.
Washing the skin to remove any contaminants is advisable. Apple pips taste a little bitter, like almonds, and contain traces of cyanide but not enough to be harmful!
Fruit and vegetables are an important part of a balanced diet. Health advisory organisations recommend we eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day to help reduce cancer risks and improve heart health. Apples are a good ‘snack’ food and are easy to eat fresh. From food intake questionnaires returned to the Institute of Food Research we know that women in Norfolk between the ages of 24-34 eat most apples about 1 a day. Young adult men eat very few apples. Figures for older adults vary between 4-6 a week, with little difference between men and women.
But, there are many other forms in which we can eat apples or drink their juice. Premium juice with the distinct flavour of English apples is altered as little as possible after the apples have been pressed. The juice is flash-pasteurised to give it a shelf-life of up to two years and prevent it fermenting and turning into cider. Apple juice is a mixture of sugars (primarily fructose, glucose and sucrose), oligosaccharides and polysaccharides (eg starch) together with malic, quinic and citromalic acids, tannins (ie polyphenols), amides and other nitrogenous compounds, soluble pectin, vitamin C, minerals and the diverse range of esters (eg ethyl-methyl-butyrate and iso-butyl acetate) which give the juice a typical apple-like aroma. The relative proportions will be dependant on the apple cultivar, the cultural conditions under which it was grown, the state of maturity of fruit at the time of pressing, the extent of physical and biological damage (eg mould rots), and, to a lesser extent, the efficiency with which the juice was pressed from the fruit. Apple juice is versatile in cooking; it can form the basis of a syrup, or be added to a sauce. It can be used instead of apple purée for mousses, ices and jellies.
Food Chart
This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Apples provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Apples can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Apples, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.
Health Benefits
According to the latest research, the old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” is fact, not just folklore. The nutritional stars in apples-fiber, flavonoids, and fructose-translate into apples’ ability to keep us healthy.
Cardio-Protective Fiber
Apples contain both insoluble and soluble fiber. One medium (5 ounces) unpeeled apple provides over 3 grams of fiber, more than 10% of the daily fiber intake recommended by experts. Even without its peel, a medium apple provides 2.7 grams of fiber.
Apple’s two types of fiber pack a double punch that can knock down cholesterol levels, reducing your risk of hardening of the arteries, heart attack, and stroke.
Apple’s insoluble fiber works like bran, latching on to LDL cholesterol in the digestive tract and removing it from the body, while apple’s soluble fiber pectin reduces the amount of LDL cholesterol produced in the liver. Adding just one large apple (about 2/3 of a pound) to the daily diet has been shown to decrease serum cholesterol 8-11%. Eating 2 large apples a day has lowered cholesterol levels by up to 16%!
A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, such as apples, helps prevent heart disease. Almost 10,000 American adults participated in this study and were followed for 19 years. People eating the most fiber, 21 grams per day, had 12% less CHD and 11% less CVD compared to those eating the least, 5 grams daily. Those eating the most water-soluble dietary fiber fared even better with a 15% reduction in risk of CHD and a 10% risk reduction in CVD.
LDL cholesterol isn’t the only harmful compound on apple’s removal list. Pectin grabs toxins like the heavy metals lead and mercury, and ushers them out of the body. Both the soluble and insoluble fibers in apples have cancer-protective activity since they relieve constipation and send potentially toxic substances out with the stools.
When it comes to bowel regularity, apple’s two types of fiber tackle the job-no matter what it is. Both the insoluble fiber in apples and their soluble fiber pectin help relieve constipation (thus helping to prevent diverticulosis and colon cancer). The insoluble fiber works like roughage, while the pectin, which is found primarily in the skin, acts as a stool softener by drawing water into the stool and increasing stool bulk. On the other hand, because pectin firms up an excessively loose stool, it’s also used to treat diarrhea.
Cardio-Protective Flavonoids
A type of pigment in apples that helps provide their color, flavonoids have been extensively researched and found to help prevent heart disease. Researchers in Finland followed over 5,000 Finish men and women for over 20 years. Those who ate the most apples and other flavonoid-rich foods (such as onions and tea), were found to have a 20% lower risk of heart disease than those who ate the least of these foods.
Apples have been singled out as one of the small number of fruits and vegetables that contributed to the significant reduction in heart disease risk seen in a recent meta-analysis of seven prospective studies. Of the more than 100,000 individuals who participated in these studies, those who diets most frequently included apples, tea, onions, and broccoli-the richest sources of flavonoids-gained a 20% reduction in their risk of heart disease.
Apple skin and onions are the two major food sources of a potent flavonoid called quercitin. If, in addition to eating an apple a day, you add 2 tablespoons of onion and 4 cups of green tea (also rich in flavonoids) to your menu, you, like the men who consumed these foods in another study, may have a 32% lower risk of heart attack than people who consume less of these foods.
Quercitin’s benefits derive from its antioxidant activity, especially when it teams up with another antioxidant, vitamin C, also found in apples, to bolster the body’s immune defenses. This dynamic antioxidant duo provides another way (in addition to fiber) through which apples protect against cancer and also helps prevent the free radical damage to LDL cholesterol that promotes heart disease.
Juice Ranked among the Highest in Antioxidant Activity. Not all fruit juices are the same. They differ markedly in the variety of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. Concord grapes came out on top with the highest and broadest range of polyphenols and the highest overall antioxidant capacity.
Other top scorers were cloudy apple juice, cranberry juice and grapefruit juice. Apples have long been touted as an excellent source of flavonoids that act as antioxidants, moping up oxygen free radicals that can damage DNA. Now, Eric Gershwin and colleagues from the University of California, Davis, US, have discovered a new way in which flavonoid-rich apples help protect against heart disease and cancers that goes beyond their flavonoids’ antioxidant effects.
Fructose for Stable Blood Sugar Levels
Apples derive almost all of their natural sweetness from fructose, a simple sugar, but one which is broken down slowly, especially when combined with apples’ hefty dose of fiber, thus helping to keep blood sugar levels stable.
Prevent Kidney Stones
Want to reduce your risk of calcium oxalate kidney stones? Drink apple juice. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that when women drank ½ to 1 liter of apple, grapefruit or orange juice daily, their urinary pH value and citric acid excretion increased, significantly dropping their risk of forming calcium oxalate stones.
Promote Optimal Health
Whole apple extracts-in amounts comparable to human consumption of one, three or six apples a day-were shown to prevent breast cancer in test animals in a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. And apples worked in a dose-dependent manner; the more apples eaten, the more protection.
We definitely agree with the researchers in the first (breast cancer) study, who suggest that because apples are so richly endowed with phytonutrients capable of strong antioxidant and anticancer activities and are so universally enjoyed, eating an apple (or two) a day may be effective way to lessen the incidence of breast (and colon) cancer.
Natural Sun Protection
It’s long been known that apple peel contains high concentrations of special antioxidant compounds called phenols that may assist in the prevention of a number of chronic diseases. Now it appears that the phenols in the skin of certain cultivars of apples may provide a hefty dose of UV-B protection, according to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Botany. Researchers evaluated both Granny Smith and Braeburn apples, with Braeburns being the clear winner in terms of their ability to accumulate UV-B protective quercitin glycosides in their sun-exposed skin. Sun-kissed Braeburns were resistant to high doses of UV-B radiation (up to 97kJ m-2). Next time you plan to spend time in the sun yourself, start your day with a Braeburn apple or bring one or two along for lunch and snacks.
A major review study published in the Nutrition Journal provides dozens of reasons to enjoy an apple every day.
A review study is one that looks at the results of many other studies. This one included an analysis of 85 studies. Apples were found to be most consistently associated with a reduced risk of cancer, heart disease, asthma, and type 2 diabetes when compared to other fruits and vegetables. In addition, eating apples was also associated with increased lung function and increased weight loss.
Here are some of the reasons why:
Apples are a rich and very important source of phytonutrients, including flavonoids and phenols, in the American diet and in Europe. In the United States, 22% of the phenolic compounds consumed from fruits come from apples, making them the largest source of phenols in the American diet.
When compared to other fruits, apples ranked second in total concentration of phenolic compounds, and perhaps more importantly, had the highest portion of free phenols. Since free phenols are not bound to other compounds in the fruit, they may be more available for absorption into the bloodstream.
Apples’ protective effects against free radical damage to cholesterol reach their peak at three hours following apple consumption and drop off after 24 hours, providing yet another good reason to eat a whole fresh apple a day.In animal studies, apples have also been shown to lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol while raising beneficial HDL cholesterol. Not only did the laboratory animals in these studies produce less cholesterol, but they also excreted more in their feces when fed apples, pears and peaches-but apples had the greatest cholesterol-lowering effect.
In the most recent studies, investigators found that the combination of apple pectin and apple phenols lowered cholesterol and triglycerides to a much greater extent than either apple pectin or phenols alone. This again suggests a beneficial synergy between the many healthful compounds found in apples and supports eating the whole fruit instead of simply drinking apple juice, eating peel-free applesauce or taking fiber supplements.
Apples have also been shown to greatly inhibit the growth of liver and colon cancer cells in several studies. In one study, at a dose of 50 mg/mL, liver cancer cell proliferation was inhibited by 39% by extracts of whole Fuji apple and 57% by whole Red Delicious extracts. In another study in which colon cancer cells were treated with apple extracts, cell proliferation was inhibited 43% at a dose of 50 mg/mL.
Promote Optimal Health
Eating an apple a day may also offer significant protection against breast cancer, suggests an animal study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry . When laboratory animals with breast cancer were fed the human equivalent of 1, 3 or 6 apples a day for 6 months, their tumors shrank by 25%, 25%, and 61%, respectively.
Researchers credit apples’ strong protective action to the synergistic interactions among the wide variety of potent antioxidant and antiproliferative phytonutrients, including phenolics and flavonoids, they contain.
In several large epidemiological (population) studies conducted in the United Kingdom, Finland and the Netherlands, apple consumption (a minimum of 2 apples per week) was found to be inversely linked with asthma and type 2 diabetes, and positively associated with general lung health. Researchers attribute apples’ protective effects in these conditions to apples’ high concentration of anti-inflammatory flavonoids, such as quercitin and catechin.
In addition to their beneficial effects against chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, asthma and diabetes, apples may also help combat cholera. Recently, crude extracts from immature apples were found to inhibit cholera toxin in a dose dependent manner by up to 98%.
A Flavonoid Unique to Apples May Help Prevent Menopausal Bone Loss. A flavonoid found only in apples called phloridzin may help prevent bone loss associated with menopause, suggests a study published in Calcified Tissue International..A side effect of the sex hormone changes that occur during a woman’s transition through menopause is a tendency towards increased inflammation and free radical production, which in turn, promotes bone loss.
Because of their anti-inflammatory actions, polyphenols have been suggested as one means of protecting against bone loss during this pro-inflammatory time in women’s lives.
To test this theory, French researchers ovariectomized lab animals (to simulate menopause) and divided them into two groups, which were given either a control diet or a diet supplemented with phloridzin for 80 days. Three weeks before the animals were sacrificed, 10 animals in each group were put into an inflammatory state.
While all the animals on the control diet lost bone, and those in the inflammatory state lost even more bone, the rats receiving phloridzin not only did not lose bone, but actually increased bone mineral density-even if they were experiencing a high inflammatory state!
Fruits richest in fiber include apples, dates, figs, pears and prunes. When choosing a high fiber cereal, look for whole grain cereals as they supply the most bran (a mere 1/3rd cup of bran contains about 14 grams of fiber).2
Kid’s Fashion
It’s because my sweet HANNAH , that I began to search, research and think more on kid’s fashion. Hannah is my six month old daughter. She is very cute and beautiful. Me and wife spend a lot of time discussing and arguing on what shall she wear for the day, especially when we are on an outing. We could hardly come to a compromise.
Your little ones are also getting bigger everyday, no? They are learning, growing and becoming more familiar with the world around them. Your job is to keep them safe, help them along and of course dress them darn cute! Some kids’ fashion is just irresistable and adorable like quirky tees and teeny-tiny funky pants. And, some kids’ fashion items are innovative and oh-so helpful! I’ll show you the most useful and fashionable items for your sweet hearts.
Boys’ Fashion
Boys’ Fashion, it gets better every year! This season is a great season in boys’ fashion because the styles are fresh and hip for boys of all types. The music lover can get fun and funky with The Rock Edge Look, the football star can look like a Sport’s Star on the field and in the classroom, and the naturally cool kid can show off his fashion sense with his effortles, Cool & Casual Style.
The Cool & Casual Look is all about being cool, confident and effortlessly stylish. The key to achieving this easy-going look is to choose items that have a vintage feel to them and layer them. When creating his layers, it’s ok to pair patterns like plaids and stripes with graphic images; just pick up a dominating color in the graphic print and echo it in the pattern. Wear it with confidence and it will look cool, hip and casual.
Your little athlete just loves hanging out in his track pants and sports logo tees right? Well, good news, he’s totally in style this season. The Sport’s Star Look is fresh and cool and oh-so-comfy this year. If he’s king of the court, ruler of the field or just the star of the his own backyard, your Sport’s Star can dress the part and look cool everyday in his favorite sporty wear.
Every boy wants to look cool for school. And what could be cooler than hitting the classroom styled out in the hottest surfing and skating brands? The Ride In Style Look is all about looking comfortable, casual and and in tune with the skating and surfing fashion scene.
Girl’s Fashion
Give your kids’ wardrobe a jolt of style with some gotta-have rock and roll inspired fashions for kids. Let your kids release their inner rock star with some serious attitute, cool tees, edgy jeans and oh-so-funky shoes.
Make sure your fashionista’s wardrobe is spring-tastic and totally fabulous. Find out what warming trends are heading your way this spring in the wonderful world of girls’ fashion. From cute and casual lounge wear to lovely, flowing dresses, she’ll love shopping for her spring wardrobe this year.
This spring, open up her inner girly-girl with some feminine and sweet fashions. This look is all about femininity and romance. Think florals, soft plaids and muted colors. The silhouette is flowing and soft, with details such as rushing, tie-back waists, lettuce edging and possibly even a ruffle or two. This is a beautiful look for girls.
This style, which has been popular for the last few seasons is still going strong. It’s a great look for girls of all ages. To achieve this look, shop for loose fitting tops with high waists and pair them with slim-fitting leggings, capris, skits, shorts or jeans. Or choose empire-waisted, roomy dresses with hemlines that come above the knee. The idea is to create a look that has volume and swing on top and is slim and fitted on the bottom. Finish her look off with feminine flat shoes or sandals, and her new spring outfit will look fresh and modern.
The Surfer Sweetie Look is hot, hot, hot for spring. She’ll look beachy keen in these radical clothes. Girls love this look because it’s hip, edgy, comfortable and easy to wear.
The Cute and Casual Look is for the girl who loves to be comfortable and casual but still fashionable. This look is simple to achieve; all she’ll need to do is shop for comfortable clothes that express her personality and toss them on. This look really benefits from a splash of color and layering.
The Fun and Funky Look is for the girl who has loads of personality and loves to stand out in the crowd. The best thing about this look is that it has no rules, limits or boundaries because it’s all about expressing her true personality. Achieving this look is easy; have fun pairing up patterns, bright colors and fun accessories to come up with a look that is 100% original.
The Boutique Princess Look is for the girl who has tons of personality and loves to look all dolled up. Once upon a time, Mom had to look high and low for small boutique shops to find these princess worthy clothes. Now, thanks to a plethora of great online shops, getting this look is easier than ever.
I am sure that today i could just begin this topic. Hope we shall share more on kid’s fashion next time. Please do have comments and if you don’t mind write back that, what do you think?
Love Birds
April 6, 2008 by wilsy
Filed under Pets and Animals
I think the word love birds itself makes some sort of lovely feeling to us. My friend Faizal is very interested in love birds. He has a beautiful nest and three or four pairs of love birds. Some days ago ,I just went there. Since then I was searching on the subject. I think you people can help me by providing more beautiful pictures , text etc.
Lovebirds are small, stocky versions of parrots, with a large hooked upper beak . The most common lovebird species here (and maybe worldwide) is the charming Peach-faced Lovebird. Although the striking-looking black-masked lovebirds are also widely available.
Their voice apparatus allows a wide range of articulations, including the imitation of the human voice. Although they are not known to be great talkers; and most never learn to talk at all. Eight of the nine lovebird species come from Africa, the remaining one from Madagascar.
Lovebirds make lively and energetic pet birds. They are available in a variety of colors and are playful and often boisterous birds. African Love Birds require an owner who is willing to provide the care and attention this animated bird adores. Birds that do not receive this attention become prone to behavioral problems, including feather picking.
Description
Lovebirds are about 13-17 cm in size, 40-60 grams in weight, which puts them among the smallest parrots in the world. They are characterized by a small, stocky build and a short, blunt tail. The beak is rather large for their overall size.
Many lovebirds are green, although color mutations can feature many different colors. Some lovebird species, like the Black-masked Lovebirds, Fischer’s, black cheeked, and the yellow-collared lovebird, have a white ring around the eye. Their average life span is between 10-12 years with some living even longer. The oldest recorded lovebird lived 17 years, and we have had one person state that their lovebird has lived for 25 years.
Lovebirds are some of the most fascinating little parrots! They are active, cheerful and beautifully decorative!
The petite ‘pocket parrots’ are very intriguing! Though lovebirds are not going to learn a lot of tricks or necessarily want to have a lot of handling, they are very flamboyant, very social with both their keepers and their mate, and are wonderful birds to observe and enjoy.
Lovebirds are very suited to captivity. Not only do they have a good disposition, these charming, brilliantly colored little pets are very hardy and easy to care for. They can also provide you with a successful breeding experience.
The different species of lovebird are identifiable by their colors and markings. They vary greatly in their coloring, and each species can be viewed for their unique combinations. Younger birds are duller in color and they have black in their beaks. The young birds coloring intensifies as they reach maturity. Regardless of the species, mature lovebirds are gorgeous parrots!
Care and feeding:
Most lovebirds love a bath either in a flat earthenware dish or by spraying them with a light mist of lukewarm water. If you use a bathing dish, you will see the birds perch on the edge and dip their heads and upper bodies in the water and beating their wings. They prefer this kind of bath to getting into the water.
Lovebirds generally maintain their nails and beaks on their own through climbing and chewing. Another good use they make of their tree branches.In the wild, lovebirds feed on seeds, berries, fruits, grains, grasses, leaf buds, and agricultural crops of corn, maize and figs.
Foods available for Lovebirds include formulated diets, either pelleted or extruded, seed only diets, and small parrot mixes which offer a mixture of both. There are pros and cons to feeding only a formulated diet as well as feeding only a seed diet. A formulated diet provides a good nutritional base so does not require the addition of vitamins, however many parrots become bored with it due to the lack of variety. A seed only diet offers much more variety but requires additional vitamin and calcium supplements. Lovebirds need not only nutritional requirements met but also variety for psychological enrichment.
A love birds’s diet will consist of 1 1/2 to 2 ounces (45-60 grams) of feed daily for a single bird. A diet consisting of a small parrot mix along with a variety of supplements and vitamins is generally regarded as suitable; also a formulated diet along with greens, fruits, and vegetable supplements but without additional vitamins is also regarded as suitable, and is a more current trend.
Supplements include fresh vegetables, greens, tree branches for the bark, some fruits, and millet spray. Some of the fruit supplements include berries, apples, grapes, pears, bananas, and kiwi. Some of the greens and vegetable supplements include spinach, endive, watercress, chickweed, radish,parsley, dandelions, carrot tops, corn on the cob, peas, endive, field lettuce, and various garden herbs. Additional proteins can be offered such as nuts, try some unshelled peanuts as well as hazelnuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and chestnuts. Vitamins can be added to the food or drinking water. A cuttlebone, or gravel and oyster shell in a separate dish can be offered to provide calcium. Do not feed avocado as it can be toxic to birds!
Their food and water dishes are best if earthenware or porcelain as they will get gnawed if plastic. Lovebirds drink a lot of water, so will need fresh drinking water every day.
Housing:
Lovebirds are very active birds, so a cage best suited to adequately house them must provide a lot of space. A minimum of 32 x 20 x 20 (81 x 50 x 50 cm) per pair of birds is recommended with about four perches, feed and water dishes and an area for a bath. When you use a small cage, you must let your pet out daily to fly around.
If you are housing pairs of lovebirds here are a few guidelines: Try to house only one species of lovebird as mixing species can cause serious fights. House either one pair of lovebirds or three pairs, never two pairs or there will be fighting. Each pair needs about 35 cubic feet of space.
A roomy indoor aviary, a bird room, or an outdoor aviary (depending on your area) are all good choices. The aviary needs plenty of light and fresh air. The outdoor aviary needs to have a protected shelter that can be heated and cooled where necessary. Flights are recommended to be a minimum of 6′ x 6′ x 3′ (183 x 183 x 91 cm) with plenty of perches or branches at least 1 1/2″ (15 cm) thick.
Lovebirds like special resting places. Nest boxes placed up high, all at the same level and all of the same type work well and help prevent fights. A nest box for a lovebird is 8″ x 8″ x 8″ (20 x 20 x 20 cm) or 10″ x 6″ x 6″ (25 x 15 x 15 cm).
Maintenance:
The basic cage care includes daily cleaning of the water and food dishes. Weekly you should clean and disinfect the cage. Wash and completely dry the perches and toys whenever they become soiled. Sand floors should be renewed annually.
Social Behaviors:
Lovebirds are very social birds. Generally is thought that it is essential for their good health and happiness that they be kept in pairs, not singly. If you have a single lovebird, you must provide the necessary social interaction that it is missing from another bird. These birds develop fierce loyalties to their keeper or their mate.
Hello friends, me and friends are really interested in love birds,so if you can provide more information please write back . And if this post help you in some way to improve your nursing in love birds , please do comment.
