As a black woman, I have had more than my share of Kool-Aid. Red, Blue, Purple, Clear, Pink, Yellow. If you name the flavor and color, I've probably had it. Kool-Aid is fairly simple to make, one pack of powder, water, sugar, and stir well. Voila! You have a pitcher of colored fluid. What is Kool-Aid exactly? What is a soft drink exactly? Why do people drink this stuff?
In a quest to make my own lip moisturizer, more on that later, I bought two packs of kool-aid to add color to my shea butter. The kool-aid added a nice burgundy color to my shea butter and to my finger. That made me wonder, what is this stuff.
Cherry(Red) Kool-Aid-citric acid, calcium phosphate, Red 40, Salt, Artificial Flavor, Asorbic Acid, Artificial Color, Blue 1.
citric acid- is used as a flavoring and preservative in food and beverages, especially soft drinks (kool-aid) Citrate salts of various metalscare used to deliver those minerals in a biologically available form in many dietary supplements. The buffering properties of citrates are used to control pH in household cleaners and medicines. Citric acid is used with sodium bicarnote in a wide range of for ingestion, personal care, and cleaning.
calcium phosphate- A colorless deliquescent powder used in baking powders, as a plant food, as a plastic stabilizer, in glass, animal food, as a plastic stabilizer, toothpaste, ceramics, rubber, fertilizers, plastic stabilizers and as a food supplement.
Red 40- is a red azo dye that goes by several names including: Allura Red, Food Red 17, C.I. 16035, FD&C Red 402-naphthalenesulfonic acid, 6-hydroxy-5-((2-methoxy-5-methyl-4-sulfophenyl)azo)-, disodium salt, and disodium 6-hydroxy-5-((2-methoxy-5-methyl-4-sulfophenyl)azo)-2-naphthalenesulfonate. Allura Red AC was originally introduced in the United States as a replacement for amaranth in food coloring.
Salt- (why is salt in kool-aid?) also known as table salt, or rock salt, is a mineral that is composed primarily of sodium choloride. It is essential for animal life in small quantities, but is harmful to animals and plants in excess. Salt is one of the oldest, most ubiquitous food seasonings and is an important method of food preservation.
Artificial flavor- (very vague label) Flavoring substances not identified in a natural product intended for human consumption, whether or not the product is processed. These are typically produced by fractional distillation and additional chemical manipulation naturally sourced chemicals or from crude oil or coal tar.although they are chemically different, in sensory characteristics are the same as natural ones.
Food coloring- (I need to do a post on this) is any substance, liquid or powder, that is added to food or drink to change it's color. Food coloring is used both in commercial food production and in domestic cooking. Due to its safety and general availability, food coloring is also used in a variety of non-food applications, for example in home craft projects and educational settings.
People associate certain colors with certain flavors and the color of food can influence the perceived flavor in anything. For this reason, food manufacturers add dyes to their products. Few people know that seemingly "natural" foods such as oranges and salmon are sometimes also dyed to mask natural variations in color. Color variation in foods throughout the seasons and the effects of processing and storage often make color addition commercially advantageous to maintain the color expected or preferred by the consumer.
Blue 1- It is a synthetic dye produced using aromatic hydrocarbon from petroleum. It can be combined with tartrazine to produce various shades of green.The dye is poorly absorbed from the gastro-intestinal tract and 95% of the ingested dye can be found in the feces.
It also reacts with certain bile pigments to form green feces.
Can I get a collective, Ewww. Disguisting. Who eats this stuff and why? I know why, it's only a quarter per pack but this is just nasty.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
What's in it?: Priano Balsamic Vinegar
I picked up this bottle of Balsamic Vinegar at Aldi's and only saw it had chemicals in it when I got home. I decided to break down the ingredients to see what this really is.
Priano Balasmic Vinegar: wine vinegar, concentrated grape must, sulphite amonia caramel, potassium metabisulphate
wine vinegar- is an acidic liquid that is produced from the fermentation of ethanol alcohol. The word "vinegar" derives from the Latin words "vinum aegrum" meaning "feeble wine". Wine vinegar is made from red and white wine and is widely used in Europe and the Mediterranean. Wine vinegar tends to have a lower acidity than that of white or cider vinegars.
Grape Must- is the freshly pressed juice that contains the skin, steam, and seeds of the fruit. This is the first step in wine making and has a high glucose level and is often used as a sweetner.
sulphite amonia caramel- is a soluble food coloring. It is made by a carefully controlled heat treatment of carbohydrates in a process called caramelization. It is more fully oxidized and has an odor of burnt sugar and a somewhat bitter taste. Its color ranges from pale yellow to amber to dark brown. Sulfite ammonia caramel, acid-proof caramel, soft-drink caramel
In the presence of both sulfite and ammonium compounds and is used in soft drinks. Caramel coloring is exempt from classification and there are no guidelines for consumption. There are differing views on whether caramel color is toxic and a carcinogen.
Potassium metabisulfite- is a white crystaline powder with a pungent sulfur odour. The main use for the chemical is as an antioxident. Potassium metabisulfite is does not contribute sodium to the diet. It is restricted in food because it can cause an allergic reaction and is used in wine to protect the flavors and color of wine.
Interesting.
Priano Balasmic Vinegar: wine vinegar, concentrated grape must, sulphite amonia caramel, potassium metabisulphate
wine vinegar- is an acidic liquid that is produced from the fermentation of ethanol alcohol. The word "vinegar" derives from the Latin words "vinum aegrum" meaning "feeble wine". Wine vinegar is made from red and white wine and is widely used in Europe and the Mediterranean. Wine vinegar tends to have a lower acidity than that of white or cider vinegars.
Grape Must- is the freshly pressed juice that contains the skin, steam, and seeds of the fruit. This is the first step in wine making and has a high glucose level and is often used as a sweetner.
sulphite amonia caramel- is a soluble food coloring. It is made by a carefully controlled heat treatment of carbohydrates in a process called caramelization. It is more fully oxidized and has an odor of burnt sugar and a somewhat bitter taste. Its color ranges from pale yellow to amber to dark brown. Sulfite ammonia caramel, acid-proof caramel, soft-drink caramel
In the presence of both sulfite and ammonium compounds and is used in soft drinks. Caramel coloring is exempt from classification and there are no guidelines for consumption. There are differing views on whether caramel color is toxic and a carcinogen.
Potassium metabisulfite- is a white crystaline powder with a pungent sulfur odour. The main use for the chemical is as an antioxident. Potassium metabisulfite is does not contribute sodium to the diet. It is restricted in food because it can cause an allergic reaction and is used in wine to protect the flavors and color of wine.
Interesting.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Do you take in too many vitamins?
Ever since I've seen a law firm advertising for victims affected by a denture cream with too much zinc, I've that question has been in my mind. I know too much of anything is bad, but do we take in too many vitamins?
It seems as if everything is vitamin enriched and I mean everything. Our water, eggs, and even milk contain extra vitamins. Although we need these vitamins and minerals to thrive, our intake of vitamins is beginning to scare me. You can have too many vitamins. If you're eating vitamin fortified food and taking a supplement, then you may have too much of the good stuff. Here is a lift of common vitamins and what the side effects are.
Vitamin C- if you take 2-5,000 mg of vitamin C, you may experience diarrhea, nausea, burning urine, stomach cramps, headache, insomnia, vomiting, and kidney stones.
Vitamin A-who knew this had a name? Hypervitaminosis A can cause nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, dizziness, and loss of coordination. Long term effects include Birth defects, Liver problems, Reduced bone mineral density that may result in osteoporosis
Coarse bone growths, Skin discoloration, Hair loss, Excessive skin dryness/peeling, Angular cheilitis Intracranial hypertension. Stick to 10,000 IU's.
Calcium- more than 4,000 IU's of calcium can cause constipation, dry mouth, a continuing headache, increased thirst, irritability, loss of appetite, depression, a metallic taste in the mouth, and fatigue
Vitamin E- this is the new super vitamin but beware. You only need 100-300 mg a day and any more than that can cause blood clots, fatigue, tumors in the breast, and reproductive problems.
Vitamin B's (yes all the B's)- more than 1-2 mg of vitamin B can cause nerve damage and stomach ulcers. It takes as little as 500 mg to cause serious nerve damage.
Iron- Who knew too much iron had a name also? Hemochromatosis, or more than 100 mg, or 140 mg for nursing and pregnant women, can weaken the immune system, arthritis liver disease, including an enlarged liver, cirrhosis, cancer, and liver failure, damage to the pancreas, possibly causing diabetes, heart abnormalities, such as irregular heart rhythms or congestive heart failure, impotence, early menopause, abnormal pigmentation of the skin, making it look gray or bronze, thyroid deficiency, and damage to the adrenal glands.
vitamin d- In addition to vitamin e, this is a new super vitamin. It seems as if everything is vitamin d enriched but the sun gives you 80-90% of your daily vitamin D. If you get your vitamin D from the sun, it's hard to experience toxicity but more of a hypersensitivity. Too much vitamin D may cause lung and skin cancer. It is advised to take vitamin D with a doctor's recommendation.
Vitamin K- at this time it's hard to know how much vitamin k is too much because it is obtained from food sources. If you're on blood thinners, avoid too much vitamin K because they help thicken the blood.
Zinc- the recommended zinc dosage is 9-11 mg a day and poisining starts at 35-40 mg. Symptons of zinc poisoning includes a weakening of the immune system, which may result in cancer, decrease in white blood cells, decreased urination, nausea, and upset stomach.
Any way you cut it, too many vitamins and minerals is deadly. Your body is a machine and will filter out the extras but taking too much messes with the body's functions. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and grains will help you with your diet.
It seems as if everything is vitamin enriched and I mean everything. Our water, eggs, and even milk contain extra vitamins. Although we need these vitamins and minerals to thrive, our intake of vitamins is beginning to scare me. You can have too many vitamins. If you're eating vitamin fortified food and taking a supplement, then you may have too much of the good stuff. Here is a lift of common vitamins and what the side effects are.
Vitamin C- if you take 2-5,000 mg of vitamin C, you may experience diarrhea, nausea, burning urine, stomach cramps, headache, insomnia, vomiting, and kidney stones.
Vitamin A-who knew this had a name? Hypervitaminosis A can cause nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, dizziness, and loss of coordination. Long term effects include Birth defects, Liver problems, Reduced bone mineral density that may result in osteoporosis
Coarse bone growths, Skin discoloration, Hair loss, Excessive skin dryness/peeling, Angular cheilitis Intracranial hypertension. Stick to 10,000 IU's.
Calcium- more than 4,000 IU's of calcium can cause constipation, dry mouth, a continuing headache, increased thirst, irritability, loss of appetite, depression, a metallic taste in the mouth, and fatigue
Vitamin E- this is the new super vitamin but beware. You only need 100-300 mg a day and any more than that can cause blood clots, fatigue, tumors in the breast, and reproductive problems.
Vitamin B's (yes all the B's)- more than 1-2 mg of vitamin B can cause nerve damage and stomach ulcers. It takes as little as 500 mg to cause serious nerve damage.
Iron- Who knew too much iron had a name also? Hemochromatosis, or more than 100 mg, or 140 mg for nursing and pregnant women, can weaken the immune system, arthritis liver disease, including an enlarged liver, cirrhosis, cancer, and liver failure, damage to the pancreas, possibly causing diabetes, heart abnormalities, such as irregular heart rhythms or congestive heart failure, impotence, early menopause, abnormal pigmentation of the skin, making it look gray or bronze, thyroid deficiency, and damage to the adrenal glands.
vitamin d- In addition to vitamin e, this is a new super vitamin. It seems as if everything is vitamin d enriched but the sun gives you 80-90% of your daily vitamin D. If you get your vitamin D from the sun, it's hard to experience toxicity but more of a hypersensitivity. Too much vitamin D may cause lung and skin cancer. It is advised to take vitamin D with a doctor's recommendation.
Vitamin K- at this time it's hard to know how much vitamin k is too much because it is obtained from food sources. If you're on blood thinners, avoid too much vitamin K because they help thicken the blood.
Zinc- the recommended zinc dosage is 9-11 mg a day and poisining starts at 35-40 mg. Symptons of zinc poisoning includes a weakening of the immune system, which may result in cancer, decrease in white blood cells, decreased urination, nausea, and upset stomach.
Any way you cut it, too many vitamins and minerals is deadly. Your body is a machine and will filter out the extras but taking too much messes with the body's functions. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and grains will help you with your diet.
Is My Agave Nectar Really Healthier?
I love Agave Nectar. I usually substitute it for sugar in my recipes because it's sweeter, so I need less, and healthier, so I thought. While commenting on Blackgirlsguidetoweightloss.com, I mentioned how I use Agave Nectar in my whipped cream and Erika mentioned how it's just as processed as sugar. Le sigh. Why is it that everytime I began to like something, I discover how bad it is?
Let's talk about the science of sugar and agave nectar.
Let's talk about the science of sugar and agave nectar.
The term sugar usually refers to sucrose, which is also called "table sugar" or "saccharose." Sucrose is a white crystalline disaccharide. It is often obtained from sugar cane or sugar beet.[25] Sucrose is the most popular of the various sugars for flavoring, as well as properties (such as mouthfeel, preservation, and texture) of beverages and food.
"Sugar" can also be used to refer to water-soluble crystalline carbohydrates with varying sweetness. Sugars include monosaccharides (e.g., glucose, fructose, galactose), disaccharides (e.g., sucrose, lactose, maltose), trisaccharides, and oligosaccharides,[26] in contrast to complex carbohydrates such as polysaccharides. Corn syrup, dextrose, crystalline fructose, and maltose, for example, are used in manufacturing and preparing food.
We know that Sugar can cause diabetes, obesity, and tooth decay. We also know that sugar, often in the form of High Fructose Corn Syrup, or corn sugar, is in nearly everything we eat.
To produce agave nectar from the Agave tequiliana plant, juice is expressed
from the core of the agave, called the piña. The juice is filtered, then heated
to hydrolyze polysaccharides into simple sugars. The main polysaccharide is called inulin or fructosan and comprises mostly fructose units. The filtered, hydrolyzed juice is concentrated to a syrupy liquid, slightly thinner than honey, from light- to dark-amber depending on the degree of processing.Agave salimiana is processed differently than Agave tequiliana. As the
plant gestates, it starts to grow a stalk called a quiote.[ The stalk is cut off
before it fully grows, creating a hole in the center of the plant that fills
with a liquid called aguamiel. The liquid is collected daily and the
fructans hydrolysed by enzymes into fructose and dextrose.Agave nectar consists primarily of fructose and glucose. One source gives 92%
fructose and 8% glucose; another gives 56% fructose and 20% glucose. These
differences presumably reflect variation from one vendor of agave nectar to
another. Agave nectar's glycemic index and glycemic load are comparable to fructose which in turn has a much lower glycemic index and glycemic load than table sugar (sucrose).
Too much Agave Nectar may trigger an inability to digest sugar, obesity, diabetes, excess insulin, and gout. Fermented Agave Nectar is sold as tequila. Many manufacturers of Agave Nectar have been selling HFCS as Agave Nectar. Let's look at some more stats.
One tbsp sugar One tbsp. agave nectar
Calories
40 60
Total Fat
0 0
Carbs
12 16
Fiber
0 1
Sugar
12 15
Protein
0 0
This bottle of Agave Nectar may be my last. Maybe. Neither is healthy, so what do you choose? You can choose both in moderation or try Honey, fruit juice to sweeten, or stevia, which is a herb that contains no sugar.
Apple and Brie Pancake
God bless the person who discovered that brie and apple taste well together. I bought some brie on Friday, but had no idea what to do with it so I bought an apple and voila! Apple and Brie pancake.
Pancake (which was supposed to be pie crust)
1 cup of wheat flour
1 tablespoon agave nectar (or sugar)
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup of melted butter
1/2 cup of ice water (too much water is what made my pie crust a pancake)
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt (the recipe called for sour cream but Greek yogurt tastes like sour cream)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Blend all the ingredients well and sit aside while you prepare your apples and brie.
1/4 cup apple
1/4 cup of brie
1/4 tablespoon of cinnamon
1/4 tablespoon of lemon juice
Combine with your pancake mix and cook well. I seared it without anything in the pan but you can add butter or oil.
Pancake (which was supposed to be pie crust)
1 cup of wheat flour
1 tablespoon agave nectar (or sugar)
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup of melted butter
1/2 cup of ice water (too much water is what made my pie crust a pancake)
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt (the recipe called for sour cream but Greek yogurt tastes like sour cream)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Blend all the ingredients well and sit aside while you prepare your apples and brie.
1/4 cup apple
1/4 cup of brie
1/4 tablespoon of cinnamon
1/4 tablespoon of lemon juice
Combine with your pancake mix and cook well. I seared it without anything in the pan but you can add butter or oil.
Wine, Pizza, and Hummus
What do these things all have in common? It's what I ate yesterday.
Yesterday was a beautiful day, so a friend and I decided to go to the harbor. He wanted to walk around, I didn't because it was cold, so I decided we should eat. I was in the mood for some grilled pizza and I often passed Bagby's Pizza in Harbor East, so I decided why not? But on the way there, I stopped in Whole Foods for my first taste of Hummus. Why didn't anyone tell me it was so good? On my next food shopping trip, I'm going to get some Hummus.
But anyway, we ordered a Tennessee Honey Chicken with mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, roasted red peppers, artichokes, and honey chicken. I had mine with a glass of red Belmondo Pinot Noir. I didn't know how to order it and felt a bit dumb but I wanted to feel like I was in Italy. A glass of wine and pizza, nothing beats it. My friend had a Bud Light Lime. Whatever. The pizza took about 15 minutes and it was amazing. I usually don't eat peppers but I made a vow to enjoy all the flavors. The pizza was sweet and smokey at the same time. The textures were different and all blended well. Everything was complimented by the crispy crust. The crust was like a cracker, so good and flaky.
Afterwards we had Haagan Daas ice cream. I had a raspberry-mango sorbet smoothie. So good. Everything was so good. I felt like I was in Italy.
Yesterday was a beautiful day, so a friend and I decided to go to the harbor. He wanted to walk around, I didn't because it was cold, so I decided we should eat. I was in the mood for some grilled pizza and I often passed Bagby's Pizza in Harbor East, so I decided why not? But on the way there, I stopped in Whole Foods for my first taste of Hummus. Why didn't anyone tell me it was so good? On my next food shopping trip, I'm going to get some Hummus.
But anyway, we ordered a Tennessee Honey Chicken with mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, roasted red peppers, artichokes, and honey chicken. I had mine with a glass of red Belmondo Pinot Noir. I didn't know how to order it and felt a bit dumb but I wanted to feel like I was in Italy. A glass of wine and pizza, nothing beats it. My friend had a Bud Light Lime. Whatever. The pizza took about 15 minutes and it was amazing. I usually don't eat peppers but I made a vow to enjoy all the flavors. The pizza was sweet and smokey at the same time. The textures were different and all blended well. Everything was complimented by the crispy crust. The crust was like a cracker, so good and flaky.
Afterwards we had Haagan Daas ice cream. I had a raspberry-mango sorbet smoothie. So good. Everything was so good. I felt like I was in Italy.
Friday, February 25, 2011
My First Vegetarian Meal/Mushroom
1 portobella mushroom
1/4 teaspoon of garlic
1/2 teaspoon each rosemary,oregano, basil, sage
1/4 cup of acv(apple cider vinegar)
3 tablespoons oil
salt and pepper to taste
cut the stem off the mushroom, wash and put in a container. Mix your oil, garlic, herbs, and vinegar and pour over your mushroom. Let sit for 15 mins. Your mushroom can sit for an hour if you like, mine sat for about a half hour. Turn your oven on broil, or prepare your grill, and cook each side for about 10 minutes. I made mine into a sandwich complete with lettuce, ketchup, and mayonnaise.
1/4 teaspoon of garlic
1/2 teaspoon each rosemary,oregano, basil, sage
1/4 cup of acv(apple cider vinegar)
3 tablespoons oil
salt and pepper to taste
cut the stem off the mushroom, wash and put in a container. Mix your oil, garlic, herbs, and vinegar and pour over your mushroom. Let sit for 15 mins. Your mushroom can sit for an hour if you like, mine sat for about a half hour. Turn your oven on broil, or prepare your grill, and cook each side for about 10 minutes. I made mine into a sandwich complete with lettuce, ketchup, and mayonnaise.
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