Healthy Cooking, Dietary, and Other Food Related

Sunday, 25 August 2013

Does Green Tea Worsen your Lung Cancer?

For the last several years, we have been discovering the health benefits of drinking green tea. In particular, scientists are telling us that green tea may have significant benefits when it comes to reducing our risk of cancer, and may even help slow the progress of cancer in patients who already have the disease.

The power of green tea comes from its high level of anti-oxidants which are also available in coffee beverage recipes. Tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, and the tea leaves naturally contain catechins. Catechins belong to the flavan-3-ol class of flavonoids.

EGCG is one of the many catechins contained in tea, and is considered to be the most powerful anti-oxidant in tea leaves. Green tea contains more of its original anti-oxidants than black tea because of the processing that black tea undergoes. Fermenting the tea leaves, which is part of processing tea leaves for black tea, converts these catechins to other compounds and reduces their health benefits.

Anti-oxidants are important to our health because they combat free radicals in our body. Free radicals occur naturally as part of the process our body goes through when converting food to energy. Free radicals can damage our cells and our DNA if we don't combat them.
This is why foods and beverages with anti-oxidants, like fruits, vegetables and green tea, are so important to our health. Anti-oxidants are linked with preventing cancer, and a decreased risk of stroke, heart disease and lower blood cholesterol.

Of course, all of this is very good news. However, one study seems to point us in the other direction, making it appear that green tea may actually increase the risk of developing lung cancer.

In a study conducted in Hong Kong, 200 women with lung cancer and 200 women without the disease were interviewed about their eating and drinking habits, smoking history and exposure to pollution in the environment. The study showed that the participants who were long term green tea drinkers did have a significantly higher risk of developing lung cancer.

In conjunction with the study on the patients, researchers also tested some brands of green tea that are very popular in China. They found that, when the tea had a tendency to mutate during metabolism when fed to rats. So, this may further indicate that green tea, when combined with other typical pollutants that we're exposed to, may become chemically altered in the body. This chemical change may actually cause long term, low dosage exposure to green tea to hasten the development in some individuals.

So, as laymen, what should we conclude from this study? Well, even scientists believe that the only conclusion we should draw from this study is that more research is required.

So many studies have shown that green tea's anti-oxidants likely have the power to help us live longer and healthier lives. This study does not specifically spell out the other lifestyle habits of the lung cancer patients who drank green tea. For example, we don't know if a large percentage of these patients also smoked.

In addition, the study showed that the green tea drinkers consumed the beverage in fairly small amounts, but over a period of many years. So, we also must evaluate the level of exposure to tea and other factors.

From evaluating just one study, there is little information to tell us if the risk of lung cancer is increased when a patient drinks green tea in combination with some other lifestyle or environmental factor, or if there is a possible risk just from drinking green tea. This is the reason that even the scientists who conducted the study concluded that we simply need to examine the issue further.

Many studies have been conducted comparing the incidence of cancer in Asian cultures with that of European and American culture. These studies have shown that Asian cultures have a significantly lower risk of heart disease and cancer than Europe and the United States. So, it's safe to assume that something in the Asian lifestyle is healthier. But, is it the tea?

Certainly, Asians drink more tea than westerners (although the British come in a very close second). However, Asians also are less likely to be overweight, and we know that obesity is linked to higher incidence of cancer and heart disease.

The Asian diet is healthier than ours, and they eat far more fish than we do. We know that a high consumption of fish is healthy, combating aging and disease.

But, Asians, especially Asian men, are more far likely to smoke than Western Europeans or Americans. Yet, they have a lower risk of lung cancer and heart disease.

So, as you can see, it's a complicated issue. It will certainly take far more research to determine just what the magic combination might be. More comparison between Asian lifestyle and our own and more studies about the specific benefits and risks of certain foods and beverages may help us better determine how we can best use products like tea to preserve health.
Cancer, Interrupted: Green Tea

NUTRITIONFACTSORG

·
7 MONTHS AGO

Saturday, 24 August 2013

Less Fat and Healthy Fruit Dessert

Desserts do not have to be loaded with fat and empty calories all the time, try chocolate delight pudding dessert. Fruit whips are simple to make and it seems like there is always room for a light, tasty end to a great meal. This dessert contains only 4 ingredients and none of them have hidden fat waiting to clog your arteries unless you want to smother it in whipped cream.

For this dessert, baked whipped fruit dessert, I use dried fruit. Prunes will give you fiber which is usually not found in cakes or pastries. Apricots, raisins or dried cherries are also good to use. I remember my grandfather eating this with his breakfast. He would always make sure there was some left for his breakfast. I prefer it as a dessert.

To make this I take1/2-pound of pitted prunes and cover them with water and let them soak all night. The next morning I cook the prunes in the same water in which they were soaked until they are tender. I let them cool and puree them. Next I add 1/4-cup of sugar and cook for 5-minutes. Then I let them cool to room temperature.
Allison Shelley @AyyyShell

Made baked apples with whipped cream for dessert.... It's a fruit so it's healthy

19 DAYS AGO
Next I beat 2-egg whites until they are very stiff. Next I stir 1/2-tablespoon lemon juice into the prunes. I then fold the beaten egg whites into the prune mixture. I lightly butter a shallow baking dish and pour the mixture into it. I bake it for 20-minutes in a pre-heated 325-degree oven. This very good served warm or cold and with or without real whipped cream.

If other dried fruit is used just remember to use 1/2-pound of that fruit.
Easy Fruit Parfait Dessert Recipe - Low Fat

DIANNELINDERMAN1

·
3 YEARS AGO
A low fat - low calorie recipe. This blueberry parfait desert can be made with any fruit and your choice of regualr or non-fat whipped cream. Taking only a minute of preparation, this is a healthy way to eat dessert. No one understands simple homemade cooking like Dianne Linderman.

Turkey Broth Recipe

This delicious, savory broth is perfect for soups and gravies and good to pair with easy ground turkey recipe. This recipe yields a lot of broth. To make even more, simply add a second package of turkey legs and double the vegetables. Remember to freeze a portion of it in air-tight freezer bags. It holds for months -- we made ours on Thanksgiving and then made a soup in February.

1 package of turkey legs (6-8)

3 large carrots, chopped

1 leek, chopped

1 large onion, cut in half

2 stalks celery, chopped
6 sprigs fresh thyme

3 sprgs fresh rosemary

10 whole peppercorns (black, or throw in some pink if you're adventurous)

1 head of garlic, crushed

3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

Heat your oven to 400 degrees F and roast turkey legs in a pan until golden brown, about thirty minutes. In a large stovetop soup pot, heat olive oil and add all your vegetables -- chopped celery, carrots, leek, and onion. Then add thyme and rosemary sprigs and finally all your crushed garlic and peppercorns. Let simmer until vegetables begin to turn translucent and the garlic boils down.

Now add the turkey legs. Pour in any juices from the pan. Let everything simmer for about 2 minutes, stirring so the turkey legs absorb the flavors.

Fill the pot with water to about three inches below the rim. Stir and bring pot to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and let sit for about two and a half hours. You'll want to occasionally skim foam and grease off the top.

Strain out all solids.

There you go. A delicious broth for soups, stews, and gravies.

And it will hold for quite a while.

You can make the same broth with chicken legs, wings, and bones.
Thanksgiving Leftovers: Spicy Turkey Soup - Recipe by Laura Vitale - Laura in the Kitchen Ep 247

LAURAVITALESKITCHEN

·
2 YEARS AGO

Thursday, 22 August 2013

Apple Salad from Rome

This apple salad recipe is just another of those types of salads called Insalata di mele alla romana in Italian.

When I learned this apple salad recipe I was told it had its origin in Rome, the modern town, not old Rome. I love its simplicity and its deliciously natural taste and I hope you will too.

The first time I prepared this apple salad myself I thought it would be very difficult to blend the tastes of the apples and the onion, but I had a delightful surprise. The flavors of the two main ingredients recipe fused perfectly.

This apple salad is uniquely refreshing. It's ideal for the hot summer months or whenever you have sweet apples and sweet onions available. It's so surprisingly tasty that it would be a shame that you don't try it right way.
Ingredients for the apple salad recipe

2 red onions or any onion that is sweet

4 apples of a sweet variety

The juice of 1 big or 2 small lemons

Salt

For the vinaigrette sauce

6 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp umeboshi vinegar or red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

A pinch white pepper

How to prepare this apple salad recipe

Cut the onions into thin slices. Make them as thin as you can, and place them in a colander. Sprinkle the onions with salt and leave aside for about 10 minutes.

If you have access to sweet red onions, they are perfect for this salad, but if not, any sweet onion will do. You could even experiment with scallions, but then you should find a nice way of cutting and presenting them.

Peel the apples and cut them into slices. The apple slices should also be as thin as you can possibly cut them. Put them in a bowl.

Juice one or two lemons, depending on their size, and pour the fresh lemon juice over the apple slices. If you do this immediately after cutting the apple slices they don't turn brown at all, it's really cool.

Now it's time to prepare the vinaigrette salad dressing. Put 6 table spoons of olive oil in a mortar, if you have one in your kitchen, or a bowl. Try to use a fruity extra virgin olive oil if you can. Add 2 tablespoons of umeboshi vinegar.

I know the umeboshi plum vinegar is Japanese, not Mediterranean food, but it goes really well with this apple salad recipe, and it's the one I use whenever I have it in my kitchen. Any other good quality red wine vinegar will do though, and it's certainly more typically Mediterranean.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of white pepper. Mix well with the mortar pestle, a small wooden spoon or any spoon.

You are now in the presentation phase of the apple salad recipe. First rinse the onions with running water briefly. Place the apple and onion slices in layers in an oval serving dish. First one layer of apple slices, next one layer of onion slices and so on. And every time, you pour a little vinaigrette sauce over the layer.

If you use the umeboshi vinegar the apple salad looks lovely because the vinaigrette takes a red wine color that colors the apples and onions.

That's it; the apple salad is ready to be served. Serve it as an appetizer, as it is done in many Mediterranean countries; after or with the second course, the French way, your inspiration rules.
Healthy Recipes : Hawaiian Apple Salad

COOKINGGUIDE

·
2 YEARS AGO
Hawaiian apple salad is a great way to put an interesting new spin on an old dish. Make Hawaiian apple salad with help from a registered dietician in this free video clip.

Tuesday, 20 August 2013

Know More Unique Things About Green Tea

The chemical compound known as a phenol is characterized by an aromatic benzene ring with a hydroxyl group (OH) attached. This makes sense that poly-phenols refer to a chemical substance with more than one phenol group. Phenols function as potent antioxidants which are also available in arabica coffee sauce, reacting with free radicals. Phenols are responsible for the bright coloring in many fruits and vegetables. These fruit and vegetable phenols protect the plants from damage by disease and ultraviolet light.

Polyphenols are phytonutrients or phytochemicals. Phytonutrients are biologically active compounds in food. However, these phytonutrients are not classified as essential nutrients. This is because the body does not depend on these nutrients for proper bodily function. Phytonutrients do play a vital role in affecting our health just as significantly as vitamins and minerals do.

Polyphenols are classified as flavonoids, which is a class of phytonutrient. Polyphenols can form complexes with metal cations such as iron, zinc, and copper. This reduces the absorption of the mineral. This is beneficial because excess levels of these cations promotes the generation of free radicals. Polyphenols are potent free radical scavengers in the body. Polyphenols also protect and regenerate other dietary oxidants such as vitamin E.
Polyphenols are plentiful in green tea. Polyphenols have been found to be more powerful as an antioxidant than even vitamins C and E. In particular, EGCG or epigallocatechin gallate is the major polyphenolic constituent of green tea. EGCG is a potent antioxidant. A number of chronic diseases have been thought to be caused by free radical damage such as cancer, aging, and heart disease.

Antioxidants protect the body from free radical damage. What are free radicals? Free radicals are caused by cigarette smoking, radiation, pollution, and herbicides. Free radicals are atoms with unpaired electrons in the outer shell. The unpaired electrons make free radicals unstable. Free radicals want only to be stable. Free radical stability requires the electrons to be paired. Free radicals are extremely reactive and will oxidize the nearest molecule.

Oxidizing causes the free radical to gain an electron but also creates another free radical. This creates a chain reaction continuing until the disruption of a living cell. Free radicals can attack proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and DNA. However, DNA is usually preferred. DNA and free radical interactions usually result in mutations that adversely affect the cell cycle and potentially lead to malignancy. In fact, researchers believe this is how many forms of cancer arise.

Antioxidants protect the body from damaging oxidation reactions. Antioxidants safely interact with free radicals to prevent damage to vital molecules. Antioxidants donate an electron to the free radical, hence stabilizing the free radical and preventing damage. The antioxidant is stable with or without the electron, making this a win-win situation.

Polyphenols can be found in white, black, and green tea. Of course, the level of polyphenols along with other nutrients is based on how the tea is processed. Steamed white and green tea retains more polyphenols and nutrients than roasting and fermenting. Black teas and some green teas are fermented and roasted, damaging the bioactive substances in the tea leaf.

Why should you drink green tea? Many studies have been done on the health benefits of green tea. Dietary intake of green tea has been linked to a reduced risk of cancer and heart disease. Regular consumption of green tea shows no significant side effects. Green tea helps prevent cavities, strengthens teeth, and is thought to kill oral bacteria that is responsible for bad breath. Green tea has been shown to protect the brain from oxidative stress and lower monoamine oxidase activity; preventing age related brain degeneration. Green tea studies suggest an increase in exercise endurance by improving the metabolism of fat.

Green tea offers many health benefits to those who drink green tea regularly. Besides offering antioxidant benefits, green tea is excellent as a weight loss supplement offering weight loss results and safety. Of course, green tea should be used in combination with a healthy diet and exercise program. If you take medications for a health condition, consult your doctor before adding green tea to your diet.
What Everyone Should Know About GreenTea

WHATISGREENTEA

·
A YEAR AGO
Because green tea has virtually been exclusively consumed in the Asian region in the past few centuries, its sudden rise in popularity in the Western society has also given rise to many misconceptions and myths about green tea. Combined with the unfamiliarity most Westerners had with green tea along with the resounding echoes made from tales of countless medicinal and health properties being claimed about green tea, many different reactions and personal opinions were created many of which missed entirely what green tea was all about.