Archive for October, 2010

Food Preservative, Food Preservatives, Natural and Synthetic Food Preservation

There was a time when most food had to be consumed as soon as it was picked or cooked. But today, the advent of food preservation has eliminated the whole notion of perishables.

A food preservative is as a natural or a synthetic substance that is added to food products to increase its longevity and protect it from decomposition and degeneration by micro organisms.

In today’s world of fast forward, food preservation is a concept that saves a lot of time and hassles for the new age nuclear families. Benefits of food preservation:

  1. Storing – The first and foremost advantage of using a food preservative is that the food can be stored for a long time and the perishable factor is removed, thus allowing us to widen the range of choices for our diet regardless of seasons.
  2. Transporting – Preserving food allows shipping and transfers of food products across long distances to places where there is shortage.
  3. Cost effectiveness – Food preservation increases the shelf life of the food product, hence reducing the production cost.

The process of food preservation consists of a lot of different methods and any one or combination of these processes can be used. The traditional way of preserving food was either dehydrating or freezing the food. Some of the other historic methods were burying the food in the ground or putting food into an earthen jar and covering it with a layer of fat, mainly meat. But these methods only preserved food temporarily.

The most common method used nowadays is adding food preservatives. A food preservative can be broadly classified into two categories:

  • Natural ~ natural substances like salt, sugar and vinegar have been used as traditional preservatives for a long time, they not only preserve the food but also enhance the taste
  • Synthetic ~ some of the commonly used preservatives are calcium propionate, sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, sulfites and formaldehyde, these agents basically mitigate the oxidation of food particles and also prevent growth of micro organisms

Although the preservation of food has a lot of benefits, there are some doubts over the health effects of consuming too many synthetic food preservatives. Some of the problems related to preservation are:

  • pre-existing respiratory problems ~ aggravation causing risk of fits & attacks
  • coloring agents in a food preservative may increase the tendency of offensive & violent behavior
  • several studies have reported increase in academic performance & decrease in disciplinary issues after removal of artificial preservatives from the diet

Looking back, natural food preservation has been around for a very long time. Our ancestors have been using food preservatives for centuries, although the use was not widespread and limited to a very few food products.

Vitamins, Vitamin Deficiency, Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms

Vitamins are organic substances that catalyze the metabolic activities of the body. These vitamins are heavily involved in the chemical reactions taking place inside you, be it converting fats into energy or repairing tissue with proteins.

Vitamins do not directly provide any energy, but instead work behind the scenes to ensure smooth running of bodily functions. That is why vitamin deficiency should not be taken lightly and any the vitamin deficiency symptoms should be checked into immediately.

Vitamin deficiency means a state where the body is not getting enough of one or more vitamins for smooth running. There are several essential vitamins, for which a well balanced diet can provide you with all that you need. However in their absence, vitamin deficiency can cause some serious health problems.

The required vitamins that must be supplied via your diet are:

All these vitamins can be found naturally in various foods.

It is vital that you incorporate foods in your diet that provide the necessary dose of vitamins regularly. Green leaf vegetables, whole grains, legumes and meat are generally great sources of vitamins.

In case of vitamin deficiency, your body will let you know via various vitamin deficiency symptoms. If these symptoms are not heeded, it could lead to major diseases, some of which can even be fatal.

The vitamin deficiency symptoms are different for different deficiencies. Some common symptoms are:

  • skin ~ pallor, blisters, bedsores & itching are symptoms which indicate vitamin C & E deficiency
  • mouth ~ burning mouth, mouth ulcers & tongue enlargement are caused by vitamin B deficiency
  • eyes ~ reddening, conjunctivitis, blurry vision & color blindness are symptoms indicating vitamin A deficiency

Ignoring these vitamin deficiency symptoms is very dangerous and it could lead to many serious health conditions. Some of the major diseases caused by vitamin deficiencies are:

  • scurvy ~ vitamin C deficiency, symptoms include bleeding gums, tooth loosening
  • beriberi ~ vitamin B1 deficiency, symptoms include edema, weakness, appetite loss
  • rickets ~ vitamin D deficiency, bone softening causing growth stunting & bowing symptoms
  • vitamin deficiency anemia ~ low red blood cell count because of folate, vitamin B12 & vitamin C deficiencies
  • night blindness ~ vitamin A deficiency, symptoms involve poor retinal adjustment in dim light, chronic vitamin deficiency can lead to blindness

Many of these conditions are very common in developing countries where nutrient pack foods are frequently lacking in the diets.

Although many take vitamin supplements, more and more research is indicating that the superior source of nutrients is from food and not a bottle. Also, use them with caution because you may find yourself developing symptoms of vitamin toxicity.

How Stomach Acid Helps in Food Digestion

Stomach acid, aka gastric acid, is a secretion produced in your stomach. The chemical composition of stomach acid is hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride and sodium chloride.

Your stomach acid, particularly hydrochloric acid, is mainly responsible for the digestion of proteins by breaking them down into essential amino acids. It also stimulates your pancreas and small intestines to produce digestive enzymes and bile for further food digestion of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. And lastly, stomach acid helps prevent infectious disease by killing bacteria and yeast pathogens that are normally present in your food or intestinal flora.

When you begin to eat, stomach acid gradually increases during the full course of your meal. Under healthy conditions, the balance of stomach acid is suppose to be acidic for the proper functioning of the digestive system. However, an extreme change in stomach acid up or down can result in a lot of digestive issues.

You often hear about too much stomach acid, which can result in an ulcer. However, not enough stomach acid can cause food to pass through your digestive tract without being completely digested nor the available nutrients in food being taken up.

Our stomachs are supposed to be acidic side. And one sure shot way of keeping your food digesting properly via the proper amount of stomach acid is by consuming a healthy diet.

Stomach Acid Problems Low Stomach, Too Much Acid Relief Remedy

How often have we heard someone or the other complaining about stomach pain, indigestion and similar other problems? People generally do not realize that all these problems are stomach acid issues caused by the imbalance of acid levels in the stomach.

Let us look at how stomach acid affects food digestion.

The acid present in stomach is actually responsible for the breaking down and digestion of proteins present in our food. There is a level of acid required for proper food digestion, and when the level is either higher or lower, it creates a lot of stomach acid problems.

Although the stomach acid problems are varied, they can be broadly divided into two categories:

1. Problems because of low stomach acid: The stomach is supposed to be acidic in nature and it is this very nature that allows it proper digestion of proteins. In the case of the levels of acid in the stomach becoming low, the normal processes of digestion cannot take place.

Some of the resultant problems arising out of not enough stomach acid are:

  • fatigue
  • dry skin
  • belching
  • bloating
  • heartburn
  • dyspepsia
  • flatulence
  • bad breath
  • headaches
  • indigestion
  • early satiety
  • rectal itching
  • iron deficiency
  • abdominal pain
  • nausea, vomiting
  • inexplicable hunger
  • abdominal distension
  • diarrhea & constipation
  • undigested food in stools
  • malabsorption problems
  • bacterial, fungal overgrowth

Some of the health conditions that may have an associative cause or indirectly trigger a flare up due low stomach acid involve:

  • acne
  • lupus
  • eczema
  • asthma
  • rosacea
  • allergies
  • alopecia
  • psoriasis
  • osteoporosis
  • malnutrition
  • chronic hives
  • thyroid issues
  • hypoglycemia
  • adrenal fatigue
  • chronic hepatitis
  • gallbladder disease
  • rheumatoid arthritis
  • autoimmune diseases
  • night vision problems
  • chronic fatigue syndrome
  • food sensitivities, food allergies
  • gastroenteritis ~ parasites, bacteria (H. pylori), yeast (chlamydia)

2. Problems arising due to too much stomach acid: Although the presence of acid assists proper food digestion, too much of acid in the stomach also brings a lot of digestive problems with it. Some of the stomach acid problems resulting due to increased levels of acid are enumerated below:

  • acid reflux
  • heartburn & indigestion
  • gastric ulcers ~ an ulcer found in the lower stomach
  • peptic ulcers ~ an ulcer formed in the upper part of the intestinal tract
  • gastritis ~ stomach inflammation usually accompanied by abdominal pain

The levels of acid in the stomach can be maintained in a lot of ways. The relief remedy for low stomach acid, you need to increase your food intake and eat spicy foods because it directly aggravates the production of acid in the stomach. A lot of natural drinks like lemon juice also increase stomach acid for a remedy to relief.

Intake of harmful substances like alcohol also affects the digestive tract and creates problems in food digestion. In extreme cases, where the levels of the acid become very low, you may be advised to take hydrochloric acid supplements as a relief remedy. Also, ample amounts of liquids should be taken in regularly.

As for the cases where your stomach acid problems pertain to high levels of acid, the best solution is to maintain the diet in accordance to your digestive history. And foods which are tough to digest, like meat, should be avoided.

Alternatively, your too much stomach acid relief remedy is via consuming light, easily digestible foods. Additionally, having many small meals throughout the day instead of three big ones will help control the level as well. If your excess stomach acid is an extreme case, then an antacid is an instant remedy to provide relief from your pain and discomfort.

Vitamin B5 Pantothenic Acid Overview, Pantothenic Acid Sources, Vitamin B5 Deficiency

Vitamin B5, aka pantothenic acid, is one of the most commonly found vitamins and small traces of vitamin B5 are found in every type of food. It is also one of the most important nutrients because pantothenic acid is required to synthesize proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Although pantothenic acid is found in almost all foods included in a normal diet, meat and whole grains are rich sources of this vitamin. But this is found on the outer layers of grains and milling often removes the layer hence resulting in loss of the vitamin.

Some of the major functions of Vitamin B5 are:

  • instrumental in creation of lipids & neurotransmitters
  • helps in secretion of various hormones, like cortisone, by supporting the adrenal glands
  • creates the steroid hormones ~ progesterone, aldosterone, testosterone, estradiol, cortisol

Some studies show that the vitamin also fights wrinkles and delays the graying of hair. There are also reports that this acid assists in quick healing of wounds and gashes.

Pantothenic acid deficiency is not very common due to the abundance of panthothenic acid in nature. Panthothenic acid deficiency occurs mainly in extreme cases like starvation during natural disasters. The symptoms of the deficiency of Vitamin B5 can be enumerated as follows:

  • apathy
  • fatigue
  • nausea
  • numbness
  • headaches
  • muscle cramps
  • cardiac instability
  • personality changes
  • weakened immune system
  • increased sensitivity to insulin
  • biochemical changes ~ decreased blood cholesterol, reduced serum potassium

Although cases of pantothenic acid deficiency are very rare, the few cases of deficiency have been very effectively treated with returning the body level of pantothenic acid to normal.

The level of vitamin B5 in the body can be normalized by including foods rich in the acid in our diet, like meat and whole grains, or by taking multi vitamin supplements like pantothenol and pantothenate.

But one must be careful about the dosage of these supplements. There have been more cases of problems arising due to overdose of the acid as compared to those caused by pantothenic acid deficiency. Some of the problems arising out of taking large doses of the vitamins are as follows:

  • can cause diarrhea and other digestive disorders
  • water retention issues have been reported where the dose is above 10g/day

Taking high doses of the vitamin for a long period of time results in the weakening of gums and tooth sensitivity.

The acid is works best when taken in moderate doses with other vitamins of the B group and also Vitamin C and Vitamin A.

If you are often stressed, prone to allergies or consume too much alcohol, then you should increase your intake of pantothenic acid. Also one must be careful about the way the food is cooked and cleaned because you may remove most of the vitamin B5 from your food.

About Artificial Sweeteners Sugar Substitutes, Sugar Substitute Artificial Sweetener Side Effects

In today’s world where health is increasingly a priority for most people, sugar has become a bone of contention everywhere. Obviously we humans are creatures born with a taste for sweetness and that remains with us throughout our life.

From rich chocolate cakes and candies on birthdays to extra sweet treats at festivals, there is no way many can do away with sugar. What, there’s probably only a handful of people who can stay away from sweet delights altogether.

But as they say, anything in excess is bad. A large amount of sugar intake not only means more calories, it brings with it a galore of health problems, from dental issues to more serious heart problems. Is there a way around this?

The answer is using sugar substitutes. So what exactly is a sugar substitute?

A sugar substitute is an additive that replicates the taste of sugar, but without the baggage of extra calories. It gives the same sweetened taste but is very low in energy. These substitutes are mostly synthetic but some are also found naturally. The synthetic sugar substitutes are called artificial sweeteners.

Nowadays, many companies are shifting from sugar to the sugar substitute of artificial sweeteners. The cost of an artificial sweetener is usually only a fraction of the cost incurred using sugar. Apart from this, the artificial sweetener is many times sweeter than normal sugar and provides a very small or negligible amount of energy.

Reasons for using an artificial sweetener:

  1. Weight loss ~ An artificial sweetener has a very small amount of calories. Hence it allows a person in having the same amount of sweet food without any kind of weight gain. Thus a person can follow his diet without giving up any type of sweets.
  2. Dental care ~ A sugar substitute is very gentle on the teeth and does not cause plaque or cavities unlike sugar.
  3. Other health benefits ~ It helps regulate the blood sugar levels of diabetics and also reduce the risk of heart disease.

Some well known artificial sweeteners:

  • saccharin ~ 300 times sweeter than sugar (approved by FDA in 1958)
  • aspartame ~ 200 times sweeter than sugar (approved by FDA in 1981)
  • sucralose ~ 600 times sweeter than sugar (approved by FDA in 1998)
  • neotame ~ 8000 times sweeter than sugar (approved by FDA in 2002)

There are some health side effects to using an artificial sweetener as a sugar substitute as well. Saccharin, which is used in making jams and bakery products, is known to cause allergic reactions in some people. Moreover, it also increased the chances of you developing cancer.

When aspartame is metabolized, it produces methanol which harms the functioning of the brain in the long run. Another side effect is it aggravates the condition of phenylketonuria, which is an inherited mental disorder, leading to intellectual disability. Stevia, another sugar substitute, is known to induce the feeling of nausea and dizziness side effects.

Thus, a balance is required in selecting a healthy diet, keeping in mind all the pros and cons attached to these sugar substitutes.

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