Ehsan asked:

Hello. Take my greetings.

Do you like to eat junk foods? If you are like me, then you like them very much. Most of them are very tasty and it is really hard to resist them. They are found almost everywhere. But eating excessive junk foods is a food habit that you should really get rid of as early as possible. Why? Before knowing why you should avoid them you should understand what foods can be classified as junk foods.

What are Junk foods?

The foods which have little or no nutrient value can be classified as junk foods. These foods contain very low amount of vitamin, mineral and protein but high amount of calories from fat or sugar. Generally they are highly processed and contain higher amount of fat, sugar, salt and lower amount of fiber. Some of them also contain preservatives and artificial colors. Some popular and well known junk foods are: fast foods, potato crisps, french fries, sauces, salted snacks, chips, very sweet dessert items and carbonated beverage items.

Some Junk Food Facts

You need to know some facts to understand whether junk foods are good or bad for us. Without giving you some facts it would not be easy for me to make you understand the effects of eating these kinds of foods. Now, let’s know some facts about them.

1. Artificial colors and preservatives: Many junk foods contain artificial color and preservatives which do no good for our body, rather they act like poison. Sweden’s National Food Administration is a government food safety agency. With their cooperation a research was carried out at Stockholm University. The research showed that baking or frying carbohydrate-rich foods, such as potatoes or cereals, formed acrylamide. International Agency for Research on Cancer, found that acrylamide induces gene mutations. It is also known to cause damage to the central and peripheral nervous system.

2. Lower amount of nutrients: Most of the junk foods have very low nutritional ingredients like protein, vitamin and minerals rather they contain higher amount of fats, sugar, salt. They are also very low in fiber. By eating too much junk food we are giving our body only carbohydrate and depriving it from the other nutrients. Therefore, in return our body will also deprive us from a healthy physical condition.

3. Higher potential of suffering from health problems: If you are habituated to eat junk foods almost everyday or very regularly you are sure to be an overweight or obese person unless you do a good amount of physical works everyday. There is absolutely no doubt about that. This overweight or obesity will lead you to some serious health problems like heart diseases, joint problems, high blood pressure, type-2 diabetes. Besides those serious problems they are also responsible for faster tooth decay, constipation, problems related to digestion and tiredness.

4. Junk foods are a real threat for the children and younger age groups: If your children eat too much junk foods, then you should really control their food habit. Because if they eat too much junk food they will eat fewer amount of nutrient foods. This in turn will not ensure proper nutrition for their proper growth and they will suffer from tooth decay, loose bones and gaining overweight in earlier ages of their lives. Junk foods contribute lack of enthusiasm, headaches, tummy aches and poor concentrations to children

In context of the above mentioned facts I think I will be safe to say that, junk foods are bad for our health.My dear friends, I know it will be hard for many people to eliminate junk foods from the daily food list. For our busy daily routines many of us have become so much dependent on them that they would not try to think about not eating these foods. Most of them are easily available and easy to carry. But, considering the side effects you should at least take some fewer amounts of them from now on. Junk foods act like slow poison in our body. It is hard for you to feel the negative effects of junk foods overnight. But, if they are in your food list almost everyday or very regularly then you will definitely observe some negative effects on your body. Only the time to observe the effects may vary from person to person. Therefore it is up to you to make the choice. I hope you will do the best for your body.

I wish you a better health.

Ehsan

Food Web asked:


The Food Guide Pyramid is one manner for everyone to read how to eat healthy. A rainbow of colored, vertical stripes stands for the five food groups plus fats and oils. Here is what the colors stand for: orange = grains green = vegetables red = fruits yellow = fats and oils blue = milk and dairy products purple = meat, beans, fish, and nuts The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) modified the pyramid in spring 2005 because they wanted to do a more enhanced job of narrating to Americans how to be healthy and compare with food in the 1600’s. The agency later released a special variation for children. On this website you will observe a girl ascending the staircase up the side of the pyramid. That is an example of showing kids how important it is to exercise and be active every day. Did you hear about foods beginning with x ? From another perspective, play a lot! The stairs are also a way of showing that you can make changes in stages to be more healthy. One step at a time, understand? A very big problem of the world is: How to loose weight? Loose weight  Recipes for honduran foods in english

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The Pyramid Speaks to us in several ways. Let us all confront a few of the additional topics this new symbol is trying to pass on: A person should eat a wide variety of foods. A balanced diet is one that makes use of all the food groups. From another perspective, have foods from every color, every day. We should eat less of some foods, and extra of others. You can see that the bands for meat and protein are purple and oils are yellow and less pronounced than the other ones. dolphin’s food chain.The reason is because you need less of those varieties of foods than your need of fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy foods. What is the food web of the grey wolf. Your family also can see the bands start out fatter and get skinnier as they approach the top side. That is designed to show you that not all foods are made as good as others, even within a fit food group like fruit. Sometimes, apple pie might be in that thin section of the fruit band because it has a lot of added sugar and fat. A whole apple would be turn up in the broad part for you can eat more of those in a fit eating regimen.

Debra Dragon asked:


The number of companies selling items labeled “gourmet” is increasing rapidly, particularly gourmet food items. At one time, getting gourmet food meant going to an expensive, upscale restaurant and giving over a week’s worth of pay for your dinner! Now, you can get gourmet foods from your local grocery store and from countless online retailers, and even through several direct sales companies who come into your home to give taste testing parties for you and your friends. Home taste testing parties are extremely fun and you get to try the foods before you buy, which makes it easier to decide what you want.

What exactly is “gourmet” food, and how is it that everything from soup to nuts to brownies have been given the label “gourmet”? The actual definition of the word gourmet isn’t food at all; it’s: a person who is devoted to refined sensuous enjoyment, especially good food and drink. We typically refer to foods themselves as gourmet now, rather than the people who enjoy these good edibles!

“Gourmet” seems to have become the catch-all phrase used to describe foods that taste good, and that are considered to be of higher than average quality. We also might label foods gourmet if they are hard to find.

Does your grocery store offer gourmet-to-go? These are dinners you can take home and serve instantly- that are designed to taste like you made it yourself. Roasted chicken and seafood dinners are commonly offered through the grocery gourmet food section. Gourmet in this case simply means it’s going to taste good- and the idea is it’s better than your typical fast food stop.

Actually, gourmet foods are all around us, and they give us great and simple gift giving opportunities! People often bring food to house warming parties, or to give the host when invited to dinner. Grab a gift basket of gourmet goodies and your host will be extremely appreciative of the gesture. If you bring dessert items, you may even get to taste them after dinner is served!

Packaged gourmet foods, like nuts, snacks and cheese make great gifts for all types of occasions. They typically come pre-packaged in attractive packaging, and many can be found in gift baskets which saves you time since you don’t have to wrap them before giving.

Some foods labeled gourmet are actually boxed mixes that you then add other ingredients to, or cook with, in order to create the finished product. You can find gourmet brownie mixes, sauces and marinades, and even soups. A popular cooking show on the food network often uses these packaged items to make “almost homemade” meals- but the use of these gourmet packaged goods make it much faster to bring the dinner to the table- giving you more time to enjoy with your family and less time standing in the kitchen.

From coffee to dessert- and everything in between, you can now enjoy gourmet versions of all your favorite foods simply by looking up gourmet foods online or making a quick stop to your local grocery store’s gourmet section.

Shefali Dhamija asked:


Success of a business is based mainly on the speed and accuracy of the services provided by it. For this, various strategies are employed to lead the competition in the market. Online food Ordering is one such strategy which can be called a ‘major player’ behind a restaurant business success. Intelligent restaurateurs are taking no time to employ Online Food Ordering for listing their restaurant’s name among the most popular restaurants. They are aware of the fact that merely providing good food will not ensure success; a prompt and good quality service is their customer’s right. Thus by employing online food ordering system, they are being able to develop a brand image in customer’s mind.

Today’s internet savvy customers want each and every thing of comfort at their doorsteps, with a few mouse clicks. They even wish to get food from preferred restaurants at their homes/offices without much effort. Online Food Ordering works here in an effective way. It acts as an efficient and convenient medium of ordering food with no chance of error. Phone/brochure based ordering is being taken over at a fast speed with online food ordering letting the customers in a ‘luxury and comfort zone’. Getting inspired by the Internet boom, more and more restaurants are offering this service.

Customers can access the online uploaded menus to find the vital details about the subscribed restaurants and the kind of food they are offering. Restaurants can be visited online beyond any time constraint i.e., even during the hours when a restaurant is closed. Various payment gateways are opened for customers as they can pay via Pay Pal, Pay upon Delivery etc. along with an assurance about the security of their valuable personal information. It is like a cakewalk for both the restaurateurs and customers to just sign up and start using the system within a few hours.

Online food ordering service has tons of benefits; with automated customer database building being is the largest of those benefits, which provides the restaurateurs with the necessary information about their customers. The system is being considered as a fruitful strategy for the restaurants to act in real time. It creates wonders for those who do not want their competitors to be able to stand in front of them.

Mike Brown asked:


If you are looking for ways to eat healthier you may want to make a choice from the food dehydrators that are available on the market. If eating healthy is a path you want to take these products may let you do that the most cost effective way possible. You will be able to enjoy delicious foods that are good for you. You can encourage your entire family down this healthy path with great tasting snacks you get when you use a dehydrator to make dried foods.

Bringing value to a healthy meal plan is always important especially since it seems to be harder to save money these days. When you dry foods you are able to increase the life of the product without taking away valuable nutrients. Drying fruits will allow you to enjoy them longer and because it is fruit that makes it healthier for you. You can also dry your own beef jerky which allows you to save money since you can make as much as you want to last you and your family for many meals and snacks. Compared to the cost of buying these dried products and the amounts you get of them you will be able to eat more for less when you’re dry your foods.

When you dry foods with food dehydrators you don’t have to worry about the taste. Drying the foods just takes out the moisture not the taste. You can enjoy great taste months after you have dried the food. When it comes to fruit and beef jerky you will enjoy the taste you get instantly and with vegetables you can place them in any recipe and enjoy great taste. Let’s not forget about herbs and spices what better tasting herbs and spices can you have then ones you grow and dry yourself.

Choosing to go down a healthier path may seem complicated but when you have products that help you go healthy with ease and value it is easier than you think. Healthy benefits that come with drying food include cutting down on carbohydrate snacks, having healthy snacks readily available at a fraction of the cost, and some dehydrators have a yogurt option, which gives you another healthy food choice. When you purchase one of these products they usually have an instruction manual that may include recipes this will also help you know how to time the foods and make healthy foods everyone will enjoy.

With value and great taste you will be able to lead your whole family and maybe even a few friends down a healthier path. Having healthy snacks readily available will encourage your family to make good food choices. You won’t have to worry about them not liking the taste because you know what the flavor of the food you dry is. They may even like it better dried than not. Eating healthy is a whole lot easier with the right products to help you. Choosing from the food dehydrators available on the market will help you stay on the healthy path.

Flor Ayag asked:


Malnutrition is a word often associated with famine and starvation, especially in developing countries. But another form of malnutrition, or poor nutrition, is prevalent in countries such as the United States and Canada and in areas with a similar diet. This is malnutrition caused by poor selection of foods and excessive food consumption.

To gain a better understanding of the nutritional problems representative of the industrialized nations, Awake! spoke with nutritionist Nilda Tirado, New York City coordinator for the Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program, which is administered by Cornell University, Cooperative Extension. The Cooperative Extension programs throughout the United States provide free information and help to the public in the proper selection and use of foods to maintain good health. The following are Nilda Tirado’s answers to questions of an Awake! representative.

What would you say are the major nutritionally related health problems in industrialized countries?

The most common nutrition-related problem would be dental caries, or tooth decay, affecting every age group. Obesity, or excessive weight, would be next, and iron-deficiency anemia, which is still prevalent in women, adolescents, and infants. However, of great concern are several chronic diseases or conditions, such as high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, and gastrointestinal problems, which are directly related to overconsumption of high-calorie foods, fat, and salt, as well as insufficient fiber consumption. These conditions are all related to the many changes in our life-style and in our eating and food-preparation patterns.

You’ve mentioned the problem of too much food. Is this really of major concern?

Obesity is a major public-health problem in all age groups in many industrialized countries. Changes in life-style and greater availability of food contribute to this. In school-age children, we see it especially in grades one through three and notably in urban areas where opportunities for exercise are often limited. When a person is carrying more than 20 percent above normal body weight, he is said to be obese. An overfed infant can easily grow into an obese child, and then if steps aren’t taken to correct eating habits, the obese child becomes an obese adult—with risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, and stroke.

What problems do you encounter with infant nutrition?

We often find that many mothers wean their infants too early and introduce solid foods too soon. They also tend to give more food than is really needed for the health of the child. Many mothers, pressured by family and friends, often try to wean babies at three months. Since babies’ tongues are conditioned to suck in liquids and not to push solid food back properly for swallowing, the baby will often spit out most of the food. Frustrated by this, mothers concoct a kind of baby-food milk shake by diluting the food in formula. Then they feed this through a baby bottle after enlarging the hole in the nipple. Besides the risk of the baby’s choking, this type of feeding increases the tendency toward an overweight baby and has also been related to a higher incidence of ear infection.

When is a good time to wean a baby?

Most infants do not need solid foods until they are about six months old, and even then they should not be introduced to high-protein food immediately. Their gastrointestinal system often cannot handle the protein, so there may be slight bleeding in the intestines, which the mother will not even notice. This can manifest itself as anemia. There may also be a problem with the development of allergies and skin problems. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that when weaning a baby, something easily digested, such as rice cereal, be given for the first two or three days. And whenever a new cereal is introduced to the infant, it is suggested that only that cereal be given for three days in a row to determine if there are any allergies to it.

Do you recommend breast-feeding?

Most certainly. By all means. Breast milk contains not only needed nutrients in the proper amounts for infants but also antibodies, which prevent many of the infections common in infancy. Breast-fed infants rarely become obese and generally have fewer allergies and gastrointestinal upsets. Unfortunately there is still the misconception among some women that if you can possibly afford it, baby formula is better. Although formula is nutritionally adequate, it doesn’t afford the antibodies and the perfect balance of nutrients that one finds in mother’s milk.

What about older children?

We see a twofold problem with toddlers. First, they are often overfed, and, second, they are not taught to eat a variety of foods.

Infants require numerous feedings throughout the day, and sometimes mothers keep up that routine as the child grows. But toddlers don’t require as much food per pound of body weight as infants do, and they should not be forced to eat all the time.

In addition, toddlers often go through food jags, preferring only one or two foods all the time. This can create problems if not handled properly. Children may have trouble adopting a well-balanced diet later. For example, much of the nutritious food incorporated into school-lunch programs gets thrown away because children have never been exposed to some of these foods prior to starting school. So it is important to encourage children to be open to new foods. Encouraging children to select, prepare, and even grow food are ways of making foods interesting and fun. Parents also need to serve as role models here. Some toddlers are not given the opportunity to feed themselves. In order to shorten their mealtime, or because mothers feel it’s their role, toddlers are often spoon-fed instead of letting them learn to eat by themselves.

Do adults have any particular nutritional problems?

Studies have shown that adults among all income groups consume too much fat and sodium (salt) and not enough fiber. Excess fat intake is often reflected by an overweight condition or by arteriosclerosis in some people. Preference for a high intake of meat, which is also high in fat, and snacking on empty calorie foods contribute to these conditions, as does a lack of adequate exercise. Sodium intake is high due to a heavy reliance on processed foods, which, because of today’s life-style, people find very convenient to use. Consumption of fiber, on the other hand, is lower because people eat less of the foods in which it is present, including legumes (beans, peas, lentils), fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain breads and cereals.

Americans especially eat larger portions of meat than is really needed. To meet the body’s daily requirement for protein, only about two to three ounces (57 to 85 g) of meat is necessary. But it’s common to see people consume six to eight ounces (170 to 230 g) of meat at supper alone. This is in addition to the protein in their breakfast ham, bacon, or sausage, and their hot dog or hamburger for lunch and the protein that is found in all the other foods they may eat. The individual who sits down and consumes half a chicken, for example, is really getting four times the amount of protein required for that day and many more calories than needed. By increasing our protein sources from animal foods, we also increase our intake of fat, since almost all are high in fat and cholesterol. The more animal products consumed, the more calories and fat. Sometimes people who want to lose weight cut out other foods and eat only meat, not realizing that meat has many more calories than does pasta or rice.

Do nutritional needs change with age?

Yes and no. We all need the same nutrients no matter what our age but in different amounts. As we age, we require fewer calories. This is because the energy needed to maintain the body decreases with age, although the activity and health may remain constant. If a person becomes less active, then even fewer calories are required. So the elderly need to eat fewer calories and exercise more or they will become overweight. Sugars, fats, oils, and alcohol should be limited as they are high in calories and lack essential nutrients.

Our nutritional needs also change during growth periods—childhood, adolescence, and pregnancy—and after illness or surgery. At these times, we do have to increase the availability of nutrients to our bodies by eating foods providing more calories and nutrients.

The most common nutritional problem in women still remains that of iron deficiency. The tendency among many women is to cut back on calories, which may be a good thing for their weight, but since iron is difficult to obtain in food, and because it occurs only in certain foods and in limited amounts, the amount of iron available is decreased even more. Iron supplements are often recommended as a safety measure.

Another increasing problem, especially in older women, is osteoporosis, caused by a loss of calcium in the bones. About 40 percent of all women who reach age 80 have this condition. This loss of calcium is actually a normal part of aging, but since women do not usually have a good store of calcium in their bodies—due to a calcium-poor diet and decreased activity throughout life—what would be normal is instead a serious problem. As the calcium comes out of the bones, they become less dense, and many times the person will shrink, appearing much shorter. Curvature of the spine is common along with fractures of the hipbones and spinal column. It is for this reason that calcium-rich foods should be part of the diet throughout life.

What recommendations do you give homemakers for healthier eating?

Besides doing what has already been mentioned, we encourage people to eat a variety of foods to assure that they receive all the nutrients they need. Also, since there seems to be a pattern today of opening packages and cans and eating frozen TV dinners, we urge people to look around and select from the wide variety of fresh foods available in the marketplace and then to learn to prepare these foods so that nutrients, taste, and color are preserved. Stir-frying, steaming, and baking are cooking methods that help to do this and are preferable to boiling and frying. It’s amazing just how many people have not learned to cook well or just don’t feel they have the time to do it.

We try to help people see that they can better control what they eat by doing their own cooking. Instead of falling back on, say frozen prepared chicken that is coated, has additives and extra fat, a homemaker can buy a fresh chicken, or frozen chicken parts, prepare it, add ingredients enjoyed by her family, and serve it attractively for all to enjoy.

We also encourage homemakers to limit the use of commercially prepared mixes, such as powdered soups, meat helpers, and cake mixes. These often contain high quantities of salt and other ingredients that may not be the best for our health. A homemaker can prepare some of these mixes herself and store them for later use. This will save time and money and allows for the creativity of the cook. In this way the homemaker can also control what goes into the food she feeds her family, and she can limit fat and salt if she wants. This is almost impossible to do if you use prepared mixes.

We urge, too, that homemakers become knowledgeable about what nutrients are needed for good health and become informed consumers by looking for ingredients listed on the labels of products before they buy. Since there are new food products and nutrition information in the media every day, homemakers should also get advice from reputable sources of nutrition information. Such reputable sources include health professionals in government agencies, in hospitals, and in local health agencies, and naturally Cooperative Extension, which operates nutrition programs in every state in the United States.