The post Benefits of Fish Roe appeared first on Ηellas Food World.

What is hummus?

Hummus is a dip or pastes made with chickpeas, sesame seeds or tahini (sesame seed paste), olive oil, lemon, and garlic. It originated from the Middle East but is easily found in supermarkets and shops, often with different twists on the original recipe such as caramelized onion hummus, Moroccan hummus, or roasted pepper hummus.

It’s made simply by blending all of the ingredients in a food processor.

Nutritional profile of hummus

Hummus is naturally high in good fat because of its sesame seed and olive oil content, with around 1 tbsp (30g) containing 8g of unsaturated fats. Hummus is low in carbohydrates and is also a fairly good source of plant-based protein and fiber. Depending on the recipe, it can be slightly high in salt, so it needs to be used sparingly if you’re watching your salt intake.

Hummus contains some omega-3 fats, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc, as well as most of the B vitamins. It also counts as one of your 5-a-day because it contains chickpeas, but only up to a maximum of 80g, which is approximately 3 tbsp.

What is a healthy portion size for hummus?

A healthy portion size of hummus is around 2-4 tbsp a day, but this must be considered alongside the rest of your diet. For example, if you were having hummus as a snack, then 2 tbsp should be ample, but if used with lunch, you can stretch to 4 tbsp.

Hummus is versatile and easily stored in the fridge, making it an easy addition to your diet. Hummus is great served with crudités or oatcakes as a snack, as a base in a wrap or crispbread for lunch, or on top of a salad.

How to buy the healthiest hummus

When buying hummus, first of all, reach for the normal versions rather than the low-fat options. All the fat contained in a traditional hummus is good, polyunsaturated fat and so there is no need to reduce or lower this, providing that you’re exercising good portion control.

Secondly, check the ingredients. Some brands will replace olive oil with sunflower or rapeseed oil as a cheaper alternative, but this increases the saturated fat and lowers the unsaturated fat content. Be mindful that some brands may add unexpected extras, such as cornflour (used as a thickener) or sugar (which is added to flavoured hummus, such as caramelised onion and sweet chilli).

Homemade hummus is really easy to make if you have a suitable blender and allows you to control the ingredients and quantities that you use. However, if you can find a shop-bought brand that uses olive oil and limits the sugar and salt content, then it can still be a great choice. If you want flavored hummus, making your own would be better so you control the ingredients and avoid adding sugar and cornflour.

Source : bbcgoodfood

The post Is Hummus Healthy? appeared first on Ηellas Food World.

If you’re spending more time indoors, you may not be getting enough vitamin D that you would usually get from being outdoors. To help with this, we recommend taking a daily supplement of 10 micrograms (µg) of vitamin D.

Make a plan, feel prepared

Before going shopping, think about your meals for the week ahead, check what you have in the cupboards, and plan your list around the ingredients you need. If you group the items under categories on your shopping list, such as all fruit and vegetables together, this’ll help you get around the supermarket quicker.

Eat with family

The extra time spent at home at the moment is a good opportunity to try new foods or recipes, and get other family members involved in preparing and cooking meals. This can be a fun way to try something new and, for some, learn a new skill.

If you are missing meals that you’d normally have outside of the home, our simple beef curry recipe with all the usual sides is a great alternative option – you might save a bit of money by making it yourself too!

Eat to keep you going for longer

Starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice and potatoes are an important part of a healthy balanced diet. They are an important source of energy and a good source of a range of nutrients in our diet such as fibre, vitamins, calcium and iron.

You might find you’re snacking more than usual at the moment but meals based on starchy foods will help reduce the urge to snack.

Stay hydrated

To stay hydrated, you should try to drink at least 6-8 glasses of fluid every day.

Water is the healthiest choice for quenching your thirst as it has no calories or sugars that can damage your teeth.

Tips to drink more water:

• Try adding sliced fruit for flavour – frozen slices of lemon and lime do the same job as ice cubes, making for an extra refreshing drink
• Add a reminder to your smartphone calendar to keep your water consumption on track
• Take a bottle of tap water with you as part of your daily walk, cycle or run

Remember, Scotland has great water fresh from the tap, it’s free and tap water is better for the environment than bottled water.

Source: Foods Standards Scotland

The post Eat Well At Home appeared first on Ηellas Food World.

Summer season with its scorching heat calls for special attention to the human body, for many reasons. The summer season in India is from April to June and is the hottest time of the year with longer days and shorter nights. With the mercury reaching an all-time high, the sweltering heat and dry hot winds require that you make changes in your diet for your body to cope with the high temperatures.

Extreme temperatures and dry conditions cause a number of heat related health problems and staying fit in summer is everybody’s primary concern. The food and drink that you will be consuming during the summer are going to play a vital role to help you tide through the heat wave because even healthy people can succumb to heat-related health issues.

Summers are a time for mostly staying indoors, wearing light colored, loose cotton clothes, eating light and drinking loads of water. Being outdoors increases risk of dehydration, skin allergies and nutritional deficiencies. While drinking enough water is crucial, you must also eat the right foods to stay fit, cool and healthy in summer.

Excessive heat in the summer season is known to cause irritability, lack of concentration, physical exhaustion and sleep problems. Infants, elderly and people with chronic health problems are most at risk in the hot summer months.

Importance of Diet During Summer

In summer the risk of dehydration, indigestion, food poisoning and vitamin and mineral deficiencies increases. Hence go for food that is fresh, easily digestible and keeps your body cool Eating seasonal fruits and vegetables offer us protection from the sun as they contain high amounts of water and nutrients. Junk food like pizzas, burgers are a big “NO” and are best avoided in summer. You must plan to eat frequent small portions of food instead of large portions as they will be difficult to digest and you may end up feeling feel lazy, heavy and bloated.

With summer comes extreme thirst. You should increase your fluid intake to prevent getting dehydrated. It is advisable to drink water frequently even when you are not thirsty. Alcohol and beverages that are caffeinated, carbonated or high in sugar level are best avoided.

Foods to Eat in Summer

Curd and Butter Milk – They help you remain cool in the summer heat and are packed with calcium, protein and contain probiotics [beneficial bacteria] that keep your digestive system running smoothly. You can add a few fresh mint leaves, cumin powder and black salt to the buttermilk for an added zing.

Gooseberry (Amla) – It is a rich source of vitamin C and fiber. Studies show that it is a collagen booster, especially benefits heart and hair, and reverses the aging effects caused by strong sun rays. You can eat them raw, boiled or prepare amla juice by adding four fresh chopped amlas to a glass of water. Blend fresh gooseberry in a mixer, strain the liquid and add a tablespoon of honey and crushed ice for extra taste.

Sweet Corn – It is best to consume organically cultivated corn. Corn is a rich source of vitamin A, B, E, fiber and minerals. It contains lutein and zeaxanthin [found in leafy greens and deep orange or yellow colored foods] which help lower your risk of developing age related macular degeneration, which is a common cause of blindness in the elderly. You can grill, bake or boil the corn according to your liking. You can also steam the corn with other vegetables such as zucchini and bell peppers which go especially well with corn for a tasty vegetarian salad.

Tender Coconut Water – An ideal energy drink provided by Nature. It contains vitamins, minerals, calcium, potassium, magnesium in their natural form which replenishes the body with the nutrients lost due to sweating and dehydration.

Fresh Summer Fruits – Watermelon, musk melon, pears, papaya, plums, berries, apricots, cherries, mango, and oranges are found abundantly in the summer season. These fruits are chock- a- block with vitamins, minerals and fiber. They can be cut into small bites and eaten or consumed as juices and tasty fruit salads. Simply chop up a few fruits of your choice and sprinkle a little lemon juice on top to enhance the taste. The salads are best prepared fresh as they will lose their crunchiness if stored in refrigerator. You can also add finely chopped fruits of your choice to curd and sprinkle with cinnamon powder, basil seeds and dried fruits for a crunchy tasty dessert. Milkshakes prepared from mangoes and bananas are a favorite with children. You may also use coconut milk instead of dairy milk for variety in taste.

Lemonade or Nimbu Paani – It is the most common summer drink in India. Add the juice of one or two lemons to a glass of water and add a pinch of roasted cumin powder, mint paste and black salt to it for a salty taste. You can add sugar and black salt for sweet lemonade.

Fresh Summer Vegetables – These contain antioxidants which prevent cellular damage due to intense heat of the sun, vitamins and fiber which help improve heart health, lower cholesterol and prevent chronic diseases such as cancer. Tomatoes offer extra protection from the sun as they contain lycopene which prevents sunburn. Zucchini, cabbage, bell pepper, broccoli, cauliflower and cucumber are found in abundance during the summer months. Cucumber or tomato slices seasoned with some salt and pepper or mixed with other vegetables for a salad is a healthy way to cool off this summer. Toss it with olive oil, salt, pepper and a dash of lemon to enhance the taste.

Dark, Leafy Greens – You can fill up on fresh spinach, kale, turnip greens, drumstick greens and mustard greens in summer to protect skin from sun damage. They decrease sensitivity to UV light and mend flaky and dry skin, strengthening the skin’s defence against the damaging rays of the sun.

Iced Tea – Tea is rich in flavonoids [a type of antioxidant] which make your bones, teeth and gums healthy. Freshly brewed tea has maximum health benefits. Boil a glass of water and add one teaspoon of tea leaves and let it simmer for ten minutes. Cool and add honey to taste. It is advisable to drink only one or two cups of iced tea daily as more quantity may result in sleep and stomach disturbances.

Sprouts – They are easy to digest and contain high levels of water and nutrients. They can be eaten alone or mixed in a salad or added to other vegetables. A water melon, pineapple, cucumber and sprout salad is a tasty way of beating the summer blues.

Foods to Avoid in Summer

Hot and Spicy Food-Though spices like chilli, nutmeg, mustard, pepper, ginger and cinnamon contain ingredients which are beneficial to our body, they should be used sparingly in summer as they boost the rate of metabolism and have a thermogenic effect on the body. It is advisable to avoid curry-based dishes as they too contain lots of oil and spices and may cause an upset stomach in summer.

Fried food, Junk food and Street Food – Deep fried fast food such as samosas, vada pav, bhajias, junk food, burgers, pizzas, french fries are difficult to digest in the summer months. These foods tend to make your digestion sluggish and negatively impact your overall health.

Non Vegetarian Foods – Foods such as red meat, mutton, and beef generate excessive body heat and are best avoided during summer. Also, meat gets contaminated easily in summer if it is not properly frozen and so it is a common cause of food poisoning in the summer season.

Tandoori Food – These foods are extremely popular, but the grilling and the spice mix used to flavor tandoori food is known to create gastric problems during the summer. Also, tandoori food is charred slightly to enhance the taste which may irritate the stomach lining.

Ice Creams and Cold Drinks – Both ice creams and cold drinks are body warming foods. They make your stomach feel hotter a few minutes after ingestion instead of providing relief from the heat.

Tea and Coffee – Caffeine which is present in both tea and coffee has a dehydrating effect on your body. Also, caffeine tends to heat up the body if taken in excess and may also affect your sleep.

Minimize Intake of Dried Fruits – Even though dry fruits are extremely healthy, they contain very less amount of water, very high content of sugar and are known to increase body heat. So, it is advisable to minimize the intake of dry fruits during summer and instead focus on fresh fruits.

Sauces and Processed Foods – These contain high levels of salt, preservatives and artificial flavourings which are harmful to your body.

Sugary drinks – Aerated drinks, sherbets, and packaged fruit juices lead to an increase in calorie intake and are a common cause for weight gain and diabetes. They also dehydrate our body and affect the kidneys.

Source: Med India

The post Summer Foods: What To Eat And What Not appeared first on Ηellas Food World.

The post Healthy Summer Foods For Your Diet appeared first on Ηellas Food World.

To keep up with that growth, processors will need to increase output in the coming years. Companies that process nuts, seeds, and grains are also thinking about how to maintain food safety and the healthy characteristics of the food itself as they grow to meet demand. Consumers don’t want to sacrifice the essential nutrition in nuts, seeds, and grains for price or availability. They want it all.

For some time, regulations have been in place that require pasteurization of common and high-risk foods such as dairy products. But, to maintain high food safety standards, pasteurization should be considered for many other types of foods, including nuts, seeds, and grains.

Pasteurization of Nuts, Seeds, and Grains Achieves Food Safety

The post Organic, Non-Thermal Pasteurization Method appeared first on Ηellas Food World.

Beer

Focus on Quality and Safety

Product quality and safety is a central focus of the California wine industry, according to Tracy Genesen, JD, vice president and general counsel of the Wine Institute. “We have one of the few standing technical committees in the global alcohol industry,” Genesen says.

“The committee’s mandate is to address quality, safety, authenticity, and technology issues for the wine industry,” says Tim Ryan, PhD, senior director of regulatory affairs and compliance for E. & J. Gallo Winery, Modesto, Calif., and chair of their technical advisory committee (TAC). “To that end, we have working groups that focus on five areas—namely, wine components; wine labeling; food safety and product integrity; U.S. and international technical regulations; and education, communications, and outreach.” Dr. Ryan points out that product safety and integrity currently centers on making sure Golden State wineries comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

During 2017 and 2018, Wine Institute hosted 10 eight-hour training sessions throughout California to make sure that member wineries would be in full compliance with FSMA. “In 2017, some 216 California wineries were audited for FSMA, and a total of only four minor issues were cited on the audit reports,” Genesen says.

Dr. Ryan emphasizes that wine is microbiologically safe. Relative to potential physical contaminants, TAC is currently developing a good manufacturing practice for minimizing the risk of glass in product, including filtration and monitoring. “Chemical residues are not typically an issue with wine, but in consideration of consumer demand, we monitor crop protection chemicals to make sure chemicals used in our wineries meet all regulatory requirements,” Dr. Ryan says. “This is especially important for international trade. Pesticides are well-regulated in California, but as tolerance levels get lower in Europe, we must lower our levels.”

As a member of FIVS, a France-based organization that serves the global wine, spirits, and beer sectors on public policy issues, and the World Wine Trade Group (WWTG), which includes Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, Republic of Georgia, South Africa, Uruguay, and the U.S., the Wine Institute collaborates on efforts to standardize international regulations for product safety and trade. “The goal of these organizations is to eliminate technical barriers to trade,” Dr. Ryan relates. “In recent years, the WWTG has issued a series of regulatory principles based on best practices that enhance trade and minimize regulatory requirements such as testing and certification. Member governments of WWTG endorse these principles and use them in regulation of wine.”

Currently, the biggest challenge for producers of wine, distilled spirits, and beer is getting used to and complying with the FSMA requirements, according to Anna Katharine Mansfield, PhD, associate professor of enology in the department of food science at Cornell University in Geneva, N.Y. “The alcohol beverage industry is accustomed to answering primarily to the TTB,” she points out, “so to also have to deal with a whole new set of guidelines coming from a different regulatory organization is confusing to many producers.”

The Cornell Enology Extension Lab offers an online certification program called EnoCert that is intended primarily for winery employees in any geographic location who want to expand their practical knowledge of winery operations. “As part of this program, the course called EnoCert 203, Sanitation and Safety, covers all of the sanitation and safety basics required for FSMA,” Dr. Mansfield says. “In April 2020, we also presented a FSMA-specific webinar for wineries and other TTB-permitted producers, which is posted on our website for free access.”

Distilled Spirits

The U.S. produced 239 million 9-liter cases of distilled spirits in 2019, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. U.S. distilled spirits suppliers tallied 2019 gross revenue totaling $29 billion in four categories: value, premium, high end, and super premium. Some 45 states exported distilled spirits in 2019.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the distilled spirits industry is mostly concerned about keeping their staff and the public they serve safe, while promoting their businesses to the extent allowable under current restrictions, according to Kevin Atticks, DCD, executive director of the Maryland Distillers Guild, Maryland Wineries Association, and the Brewers Association of Maryland. “Maryland’s distillers have risen to fill the need for hand sanitizer, prioritizing hospitals and other healthcare facilities, first responders, and prisons,” Dr. Atticks says. “The Maryland Distillers Guild consolidated requests from interested parties, including hospitals, assisted living facilities, first responders, government agencies, and matched each request with one of the 17 distillers (of the state’s 30 licensed distillers) producing sanitizer. Maryland brewers and wineries contributed beer and wine to be distilled by the distilleries, providing a much-needed base alcohol.”

The European Perspective

Wine and spirits are the EU’s top exports, according to FoodDrinkEurope. The organization’s EU Food & Drink Industry Data & Trends, published in October 2019, reports that 2018 EU exports of wine totaled 11.572 billion million euros, with the top three destinations being the U.S., Switzerland, and China. Total 2018 EU exports of spirits reached 11.342 billion euros; the top three destinations were the U.S., Singapore, and China.

For the past three decades, European spirits producers have dealt with continuously changing regulatory requirements and standard quality and safety guidelines for an ever-increasing level of consumer protection, according to Teodora Coldea, PhD, a lecturer in the department of food technology at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. “In the EU, production of spirit drinks is regulated by the European Commission, with additional rules in each member state,” she says.

Dr. Coldea points out that, while fruit spirits, in particular, are very popular worldwide, the Eastern and Central European countries of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, and Czech Republic are arguably among the most notable nations for producing fruit distillates. Two categories of fruits are typically used for distilled spirits, Dr. Coldea says, one with stones (plums, cherries, sour cherries, apricots and peaches, etc.) and the other without stones (pears, apples, and other berries).

Volatile Compounds Influence

The most important quality and safety parameters of fruit spirits are associated with the content of volatile compounds, including ethanol, esters, aldehydes, higher alcohols, methanol, furfural, heavy metal compounds, and hydrogen cyanide (HCN), Dr. Coldea notes. “While naturally occurring in fruits, or produced during fermentation or distillation, excessive amounts of these compounds can be toxic to humans when consumed,” she says. “Thus, the maximum allowable amounts in each type of distilled beverage are all specified in the EC regulations.”

“The legal limits of contaminants in alcoholic beverages are sometimes accidentally exceeded,” Dr. Coldea says. “The European Food Safety Authority recommends a limit of 1 mg/L in stone fruits spirits, but some European countries have regulated this content to even lower levels.”

Dr. Coldea emphasizes that all distilled spirits processed through industrial channels in Europe are tested for contaminants in accredited laboratories. “In some European countries, fruit spirits are often homemade and are not sufficiently tested for contaminants, which poses a risk for consumers,” she relates.

To solve the problems associated with both unintentional chemical contamination and intentional adulteration of alcoholic beverages, European spirits producers urgently need rapid, budget-friendly, in-house testing solutions, Dr. Coldea contends. “At present, chemical analyses are possible only in testing laboratories, which can be particularly costly for smaller sized spirits distillers,” she says.

Source: Food Quality and Safety

The post Quality and Safety Of Distilled Spirits appeared first on Ηellas Food World.

Arguably, meat products are not the most fashionable foods right now, with some of the belief these products are unhealthy. Despite this negative public perception, a large proportion of the meat regularly consumed is in the form of processed meat. This is interesting as processed meat has been linked with an increased risk of cancer.

What is processed meat and why is it popular?

‘Processed’ means the meat has been transformed through salting, curing, fermentation, smoking, or other processes to boost flavour or improve preservation.

Reasons for purchasing processed meat includes the fact that they are tasty, cheap, versatile and convenient. In the UK, Spain and Denmark a lot of meat is consumed; more than 80kgs per person per year in the UK and Denmark, and more that 90kgs per person per year in Spain.

Recently, there has been an increased interest in lowering meat consumption because of health, environmental or ethical reasons. However, many people find it especially hard to change their dietary habits and they struggle to move from a meat-centric diet to a plant-based one.

Meat and technology

In the last few years, technology has improved massively, enabling us to now produce meat products that contain less fat, salt and additives. At the same time, it is also possible to reformulate meat products to add beneficial plant-based compounds such as fibres or omega-3 fatty acids. What is not clear yet is what consumers think of these products, what the best meat products are to use and the best plant-based ingredients to match them with, how much consumers are willing to pay, and the best message to have on the packaging of these products.

A lot of effort is also being placed on the development of in-vitro meat. In 2013 the first successful production of a burger made in a Dutch lab at Maastricht University was reported.

The material was made from stem cells extracted from a cow’s neck. The first synthetically grown burger cost €250,000 to produce.³

Today, a lot of progress has been made in this field, and many companies are looking to invest. Food tech start-up, Aleph Farm, for example, claims that a small piece of lab-grown steak now costs only $50 to produce.⁴ It is possible that the first cultured meat products will hit the shelves by 2022 as production costs continue to fall.

Hybrid meat

Our project ‘Consumer attitudes towards healthier meat products’ is attempting to find an answer to these questions. Funded by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT Food), the project is led by the University of Reading. Other partners include ABP in UK, the University of Aarhus in Denmark, and the Spanish National Research Council.

So far, we have completed co-creation focus groups in the three countries, where we asked consumers of different ages and meat consumption levels to come up with their favourite healthier meat product. The most popular concept across the three countries was adding plant-based ingredients such as pulses, vegetables and grains to create a hybrid meat product that is part meat and part plant-based.

We think that this approach would be beneficial for both ‘flexitarians’ who want to reduce their meat intake, but also for heavy consumers of meat products, who might miss the taste and texture of meat too much if they jumped straight into plant based meat alternatives such as Quorn or tofu.

We believe hybrid meat products have the potential to become a transition product to a more plant-based diet. The plant-based part of the meat product could also have advantages linked to juiciness and flavour if ingredients rich in umami compounds such as mushrooms and tomatoes are used.

Many retailers in the UK have already shown an interest in hybrid meat products, with Waitrose, then Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and most recently M&S having launched ranges in the last few years.

We are now continuing our project with large scale surveys in the three countries where we will explore the hybrid meat product topic further. We will also test the price and provide different types of information to consumers to see which one works best.

I believe exciting times are ahead for the meat industry.

Source: New Food Magazine

The post The Rise Of Hybrid Meat appeared first on Ηellas Food World.

The post High Fibre Saves Lives, But Food Processing May Remove Benefits appeared first on Ηellas Food World.

Rachel Hicks, a spokeswoman for the American Beverage Association, previously issued a statement from the group that said many people around the world have safely consumed energy drinks for more than 25 years. “Many of the ingredients in energy drinks, such as B vitamins and taurine, are found naturally in many foods,” the statement said. “The fact remains that energy drinks have been extensively studied and confirmed safe for consumption by government safety authorities worldwide including a recent review by the European Food Safety Authority. America’s leading energy drink manufacturers voluntarily go beyond all federal requirements when it comes to responsible labeling and marketing practices, including displaying total caffeine content — from all sources — on their packages,” the statement said. “As recently as 2015, EFSA again concluded that it is unlikely that energy drink ingredients such as taurine interact adversely with, or enhance the effects of, caffeine.” Here’s a look at how certain parts of your body may be affected after guzzling more than the recommended amount of energy drink, according to experts.

‘Arteries of his heart were completely locked up’

After chugging an energy drink, you might notice your heart rate increase. Your rapidly beating heart could pose a health risk, as “energy drinks not only have been shown to raise stress levels, increase heart rate, increase blood pressure, they’ve also been shown to make the blood a little bit thicker,” Higgins said. The impacts that energy drinks may have on your heart and cardiovascular system could be due to how the caffeine interacts with other ingredients, such as the taurine, Higgins said. Taurine, a common amino acid, can affect the levels of water and minerals in your blood. Bits of guarana, the plant from the Amazon, are commonly added to energy drinks and already contain caffeine, which can increase a drink’s total caffeine amount. “There’s been several cases described of people that have gone into cardiac arrest after consuming more than one energy beverage, and when they’ve done sort of further analysis on these individuals, they haven’t been able to find anything abnormal other than the very high levels of caffeine and taurine in the toxicology,” Higgins said. “In one case, a young 28-year-old who drunk eight cans of an energy drink actually went into cardiac arrest, and they found his arteries of his heart were completely locked up. When they were able to open them up, all the testing revealed nothing wrong with this person other than he had high levels of caffeine and taurine,” he said. The possible interaction of caffeine with the other ingredients in energy drinks may impact the function of your arteries by inhibiting them from dilating properly, especially during exercise, Higgins said. “The blood vessels in the heart during exercise have to get larger; they dilate and get larger so that more blood flow can get to the heart,” he said. Large amounts of caffeine, however, might affect not only your body, but also your brain.

Source: CNN Health

The post Energy Drinks: Unintended Health Risks appeared first on Ηellas Food World.