Food Label Detective: Whipped Yoghurt

Texture: Rich and airy
Taste: Taste like a mousse (light and mild flavour)
Nutrition:  As you probably guessed, the nutrition has been sacrificed to make way for the texture. With all the extra air that's pumped in, there's less room for actual yoghurt in the container; which is obvious when you look at the net weight.
Some whipped yoghurts hold 2 to 4 ounces in a container, rather than the usual 6 or 8 ounces. Less yoghurt in the container means less pro-biotic,  less protein and less calcium per bite. These varieties are also more likely to carry a high percentage of sugar and fat.
For Instance: Yoplait's whipped Strawberry Mist, is made with whole milk and has about 3 grams of fat in 4 ounces. Obviously, 6 ounces of this product would have a higher fat content. Comparatively,  Yoplait's Original version contains about 2 grams of fat  per 6 ounces. Then again these are made with skimmed milk.

Bottom Line: Lower-calorie and smaller package equates to less nutritious. For an everyday staple go with the Greek Yoghurt versions. These contain 0 grams of fat and  12 grams of protein per 6 ounces. Be sure to add some chopped nuts or home-made granola, handful of muesli for added texture and a completely satisfying snack.

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Food Label Detective

Roasted Melongene (Eggplant)

Eggplant, Melongene, Aubergine, Guinea Squash and Brinjal are just some of the names the nightshade Solanum Melongena'L goes by. Botanically, this deep purple, green skinned produce is classified as a fruit (berry) but in the culinary world, it is deemed a vegetable. This vegetable-fruit, takes on a number of shapes and sizes depending on the cultivar. It is grown in warm temperatures and is ready for harvesting, approximately 60 to 90 days after planting. (1, 2, 3) Eggplant is normally eaten ripe and cooked, to reduce the presence of the alkaloid solanine, which is toxic to humans.  

Nutrition-wise, eggplant makes a great addition to any diet despite containing fair amounts of micronutrients. On the plus side, eggplant is naturally low in calories, carbohydrates and sodium thus, making it great for persons on low-carb or sodium restricted meal plans. Some say eggplant’s high water content is the reason it absorbs flavours well; on its own eggplant has a mild to bland taste. (It should not taste bitter!) 

Health-wise, eggplant offers a number of benefits, thanks to it being packed with phytochemicals and non-nutritive compounds such as nasunin, chlorogenic acid and glycoalkoloids. (4, 5) Dr. Pamplona Roger, the author of The Healing Power of Foods states the urinary and digestive systems benefit the most from the consumption of eggplant; eggplant functions as a diuretic, a mild laxative, and stimulates the production of pancreatic juice. (6) 2010 research performed by Al-Janabi and Al-Rubeey highlights the potency of eggplant’s antibacterial properties. (7) 

Nevertheless, my favourite way of preparing eggplant is roasting (eggplant choka). I roast the eggplant over the stove top, until all the sides are chard. The chard skin gives the eggplant a slight smoky and nutty flavour.

Ingredients 2 Small Eggplants 4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and slivered Dash Hot Pepper Sauce	½ Tbsp Chives and Shadon Beni, diced Salt and Black Pepper to Taste 1 tsp Vegetable Oil (optional)
Method 1) Wash and pat dry the eggplants 2) Using a paring knife, make mini lengthwise sloths all around the eggplants 3) Fill the sloths with the garlic cloves 4) Place the eggplant on the stove top, with the burner on high to medium 5) Leave the eggplant to get chard (3 minutes), then turn to other side 6) Remove from stove top when the eggplant is chard all around 7) Place chard eggplants in a deep bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap.  Set aside for 5 minutes or until cool to touch 8) Remove the plastic wrap and peel the skins off the eggplants 9) Add the eggplant flesh to a bowl; add in the pepper sauce, chives and shadon beni and oil (optional). Mix well and season with salt and black pepper to taste. 10) Serve with roti, bread, rolls, tortilla wrap, or use as a dip.
NOTE: ·         A liquid drips from the eggplant as it cooks, this liquid can be hard to remove after it dries. Placing a layer of foil around the burner before starting is a good idea. ·         You can add diced onions if you like or dried herbs or geera etc.

References:

1) University of Hawaii at Manoa. (ns). Eggplant. Available: http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/fb/eggplant/eggplant.htm. Last accessed 23th Aug 2012.

2) Sanders, D. (NS). Home Garden Eggplant. Available: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8015.html. Last accessed 23th Aug 2012.

3) Cantwell, M & Suslow, T. (NS). Eggplant. Available: http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/pfvegetable/Eggplant/. Last accessed 23th Aug 2012.

4) Hedges, L and Lister, C. (June 2007). Nutritional attributes of spinach, silver beet and eggplant. Available: http://www.vegetables.co.nz/resources/1files/pdf/booklet_spinach_silverbeet_eggplant.pdf. Last accessed 23th Aug 2012.

5) Tiwari, A, Jadon, R, Tiwari, P, et.al. (2009). Phytochemical investigations of Crown of Solanum melongena fruit. International Journal of Phytomedicine. 1, 9-11.

6) Pamplona-Roger, J. (2004). Foods for Urinary Tract. In: Valls, J and Goya, A The Healing Power of Foods. Spain: Inter-American Division Publishing Association. 242-243.

7) Al-Janabi, A and Al-Rubeey, S. (2010). Detection of Antimicrobial Activity of Solanum melogena L. (Egg plant) Against Pathogenic Microorganisms.Pharmacognosy Journal. 2 (15), 35-39. 

Interesting Reading: What Does My Pee & Poo Mean?

"What goes in, must come out!" That is how the saying goes. The following are unconventional books that seek to explain such functions.

Details:This book is written by two men with long standing fascinations for poop and other bodily functions. This fascination, led of one of them to acquire certification in such field. One of the authors became a medical doctor of gastroenterology. 

However, based on the reviews on Amazon, this book would be a worthy addition to one’s book collection. It is very informational, funny and an interesting read. For a bonus, there is also an activity book filled with various types of puzzles and illustrations.

Side-note: Gastroenterologist is a person who specialises in the diagnosis & treatment of disorders of the digestive tract.

Details:
This book is written by the same people who brought you ‘What's Your Poo Telling you?’ Based on the reviews from purchasers of the book, it is classified as a light read; all the while proving to be informative, entertaining and easy to understand.

Details:
Now, if you are a fan of Japanese toilet technology or ever wondered what toilets look like in other countries, then this book would make an interesting read.  Judging from many videos posted on youtube about toilets; from the direction of the swirl when flushed to toilet music/art. 

This book is filled with multiple images and explanations relating to the design and history of the toilet. It is indeed, an interesting way to experience a different culture and know what to kind of toilet to expect when visiting certain countries.

Details:
This book is an illustrative guide that helps you detect the perpetrator or source of the foul odour. Judging from the reviews, the book will have you laughing out loud.







Be sure to check out these books in your local library, book store or online. If you are already familiar with these books, share your views below.

Related Article:
About Your Body by Kimberly Snyder CN

Delicious Joanne Fluke's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These are the most delicious home-made oatmeal cookies I have ever tasted. I have tried many recipes but this one is by far my favourite. The main difference with this recipe and others is that the oats are grounded into a meal/flour. The oat flour is what gives the cookie a different texture and flavour when compared with cookies made with whole oats. The cookies taste similar to store-bought oatmeal cookies but it is not overly sweet.
The recipe is easy, requires few equipment/utensils, and the cookies bake in 10 minutes or less. Best of all, there is no creaming involved. I hate creaming because it takes too long if you do it by hand and I dislike using the hand mixture. Anyway, the only modifications I did with this recipe includes adding some shredded coconut and using 1/2 cup of butter, 1/2 cup margarine instead of 1 cup of butter. As for the latter, I did that because I did not have enough butter. I did not press down my cookies because I did not want flat cookies. However, some of my cookies came out pale but the majority came out golden brown with a soft, non-chewy texture. The batch that came out pale was on a non-stick cookie sheet which was placed on the bottom shelf in the oven (they baked really fast).

Anyway, here is the original recipe and the video where I saw it being made.
 
This is the full recipe including my modifications

1/2 cup melted butter unsalted		1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup melted margarine		2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups white sugar		1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla		1 cup raisins
2 large eggs, beaten		2 1/2 cups Bakers flour
2 cups grounded dry oatmeal (Measure 2 cups whole oats and pulverise in food processor into a fine meal)

The cookie batter 

• Preheat oven 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease 4 cookies sheets

• Add your melted butter, margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a bowl and mix well. 

• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking soda. To this, add in the coconut, grounded oatmeal and raisins, mix well. 

• Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and mix well. The batter should be somewhat stiff but moist. 

• Scoop out the batter and drop an inch apart unto cookie sheets. Since mine was medium sized, my yield was 40 cookies.

• Let bake for about 10 minutes or until the edges are brown. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack.

Next time I make these, I will be using 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup raisins, 1 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup white sugar and a 1 teaspoon of molasses.
Side note: You can modify this recipe however you like:- add whole oats on top before baking, add some flax meal, sprinkles, chocolate chips, drizzle some melted chocolate on top, coat the cookie bottoms with chocolate,  replace the sugar with a natural sweetener. Whatever your fancy, just bear in mind some adjustments would modify your outcome.


Related Article:  87 Calorie Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Weekly Sandwich: I'm a Veggie Delighter!

This is what I have whenever I eat at Subway (see photo). It's the Veggie Delite Sub 6-inch. I choose this over other options because:

• It is one of the cheapest subs. I pay with a $20.00 and I get back change..(considering it is hard to find a fast food meal for under $20)...^_^
• I love the texture/crunch the vegetables give the sandwich. I usually add all the vegetables available- Onions, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, pickles, bell peppers.
• It's a balanced option with the least calories compared to other options. (Minus the additional sauces)
• The sandwich holds up pretty well, meaning it does not get soggy quickly.
• I am downright afraid to buy the meat based subs because the meats used contain a long list of additives and controversial ingredients, I would rather not ingest.  (A full ingredient list is available on Subway's website)

This Sub contains 55 ingredients with the majority coming from the bread (9 grain wheat). 
The nutritional profile is not that bad compared with other subs. As I said before it has the least calories compared with the others:
OPTION A: Veggie Delite without Cheese & Condiments contains:230 calories, 2.5g fat (0.5g saturated), 8g protein, 310mg sodium, 5g fibre & 6g sugar

OPTION B: Veggie Delite with the Cheese but without Condiments contains:
 270 Calories, 6g Fat (2.5g saturated), 10g Protein, 510mg Sodium,  5g fibre & 6g sugar

Whether there is cheese or not, the sub is less than 300 calories per 6 inch. 
In all, these are my reasons, why I order the Veggie Delite sub at Subway.
Please share what are your favourite Subway sandwiches and your reasons for liking it/them?

PS: Sorry, if the cursive font makes the ingredients in the image challenging to read. I will be upgrading the image soon.

Huge Guavas

If 100 grams of guavas contains over 400 mg of Vitamin C, could you imagine the amount of vitamin C in one of these guavas since they weigh 368 grams (L)  & 369 grams (R).

I have NEVER in my life seen a guava this huge. I mean this is huge; it's called a Cayenne Guava locally. I am familiar with the pink flesh guava and the white flesh guava. Both of which are small to medium in size, ranging from 20 grams to 150 grams, with the seeds.

I bet eating just one of these huge guavas would be a challenge. Not sure what the huge guava looks like on the inside because apparently it was picked too early and never got ripe; after three days at room temperature it was very firm and lacked a scent.

Anyway, guavas are exceptional fruits that provide more nutritional value than an apple, so be sure to try it when ever you get the chance. If you are interesting in finding out how a guava stands up against apples and pears, nutritionally then be sure to visit my previous entry entitled 'Tropical Fruit: Guava, The Poor Man's Apple.'

Popular Companies Under Fire for 'All-Natural' False Advertising

Within recent times, the increased demand for organic and whole foods has led to a proliferation of products being labelled  'All-Natural or 100% Natural'.  Manufacturers are aware that consumers are on the look-out for and are willing to pay more for products that are less processed and contain 'natural' ingredients.  However, consumers need to be more conscious about the basic guidelines governing food product labelling. I say this because consumers need to understand that not all of the phrases/slogans placed on the food label are factual, many are informative while others can be misleading. For instance, the use of the phrase 'All-Natural or 100% Natural' does not mean that the product is free of genetically modified material (GMO).  Many manufacturers use the US FDA's (United States of America Food and Drug Administration) definition of natural, which provides a slight leeway/loophole. The US FDA defines 'Natural' as when " nothing artificial or synthetic (including all colour additives regardless of source)  has been added to a food that would not normally be expected in the food. (58 Fed. Reg., 2302, 2407 (Jan. 6, 1993))  Side-note, the use of GMO in foods does not qualify as misleading or false advertising.

Regardless, the following highlights a number of companies and brands that came under fire for the use of the phrase  'All-Natural or 100% Natural' on their food labels:

1) Nature Valley (General Mills)-July 2012
The lawsuit filed is seeking the removal of the natural claim on a number of Nature Valley products, seeing it contains a number of ingredients that are indeed heavily processed. 

All information sourced from Naturevalley.com

 The ingredients in question are high maltose corn syrup and maltodextrin, which are not found in nature but made via chemical processing. Thus making the '100 % natural' claim invalid and misleading. Read More  (1)
2) Natural Selections (Maple Leaf Foods)- February 2012

Iinformation sourced from  mapleleaf.ca

An investigation performed by CBC News Marketplace deemed the 'All Natural and No Added Preservatives' claims on the deli meats made by Maple Leaf Foods are misleading and 'lousy'.  
Their website describes the deli meats as being free of preservatives and artificial ingredients but some ingredients used do contain 'naturally occurring nitrites'. By the company using an ingredient containing naturally occurring preservatives and nitrites, overrides the fact that no preservatives are added.  As a result, the indirect addition of the nitrites borders on misleading. I believe 'No Artificial Preservatives Added' would be a better claim than the 'No Added Preservative' claim.
Side-note, the quality of the food product is not in question just the integrity/validity of the food label claims. Maple Leaf Foods admitted to standing by the integrity of their labelling claims, despite using natural preservatives and items containing natural nitrites. Read more on CBC Canada (1) and (2).

3) Tropicana (Tropicana Products Inc.)-January/May 2012

Information sourced from Tropicana.com

The lawsuit filed targets the '100% Pure and Natural' claim on their premium orange juice. The reasoning behind the lawsuit questions the validity of the claim, since to mass produce packaged orange juice, the raw materials (oranges) generally undergo some level of processing for the sake of quality, durability and food safety. Therefore, making the '100% Pure and Natural' to be somewhat misleading. However, in reference to the US FDA's definition of natural the product's claim is justified, nevertheless the final ruling on the lawsuit is pending. Read More (1), (2) and (3)
Take a look at the process involved in making commercial orange juice. The process involved may vary from company to company but the Discovery Channel's video on How Orange Juice is Made is still enlightening.

4) Frito-Lay (PepsiCo)-December 2011
PepsiCo’s snack business Frito-Lay has been accused of misleading consumers by making all-natural claims on its products that also contain genetically modified corn and vegetable oils. The products targeted are Tostitos & SunChips. Read More (1)

5) Kashi (The Kellogg Company)-August 2011

The Kellogg Company and its subsidiary Kashi have been accused of inappropriately marketing products as natural, according to a class action lawsuit filed in a Southern Californian District Court. The products under question are the GoLean shakes. The issue here relates to the use of 'ingredients that are synthetic or unnaturally processed'; example sodium molybdate (commonly used in fertilizers), sodium selenite amongst others. Read More (1)

 ** Product (GO LEAN shakes) has been recalled & discontinued.**
6) Ben & Jerry-September 2010
After receiving a complaint from the Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), Ben & Jerry took immediate action and has phased out the use of the claim ‘All Natural’ on its ice cream and frozen yoghurt labels. Since their products contain a number of unnatural ingredients such as alkalised cocoa, hydrogenated vegetable oils, corn syrup and maltodextrin. Read More (1)
                 _______________________________________________________
Recommendation:
In essence, this proves and demonstrates manufacturers can be held accountable for the claims they make of their food labels. As a consumer you have rights, it is best to become aware of the food labelling standards within your region and take the appropriate steps to keep manufacturers accountable for the claims made on their food labels.

However, if you are concerned about consuming GMO and synthetic products, you can start a backyard garden, consume certified organic, fresh, whole foods and take steps to prepare your own foods/meals from scratch.  Whilst it is not practical for everyone to have a backyard garden or grow their own food, you could strike up a relationship with your produce seller or a farmer to find out about their farming practices and where their seeds and seedlings were sourced.

Bottom-line: As a consumer, it is best to read the ingredient list and nutrition facts before making the decision to purchase a product. Please refrain from relying on food label claims as the basis for food purchase. 

Here is an interesting article by Elaine Watson entitled 'Natural: The most meaningless on your food label'