meganutrition---FOOD SAFETY

THINK GLOBALLY , ACT LOCALLY.

A website on HEALTH and NUTRITION

authored by
Prof. Mohammed Masood Ahmed Khan,
 M.D.(AIIMS).

The other websites hosted are:
http://meganutrition.wetpaint.com/http://mega-nutrition.wetpaint.com , http://malnutrition.webnode.com and

 http://meganutritionhealth.yolasite.com. http://healthchoice.webnode.com.

 This is a non-government website without any profit motive, run on voluntary basis and designed to promote positive health and nutrition. I humbly dedicate this effort to my beloved mother who passed away in her early twenties on account of maternal affliction. 

"Confound not truth with falsehood, nor knowingly conceal the truth." 

(M. M. Pickthall 2/42)

 Tit-bits ( cooking/dietary tips )

1. Milk is part of a reducing diet i.e. low in energy/calories. Milk contains high quality proteins. Buffalo's milk has 6.5 g % of fat and 4.3 g % whereas human milk 3.4% and 1.1% respectively. Cow's milk is ideal for adults. Low-fat milk/curd advised for seniors.

2. Perishable foods are kept (for their preservation) in temperature safety zone(s)- 60 C to 100 C and below 10 degree C. Foods perish early in 10 C to 60 C - the danger zone.

3. Baking soda and common salt use/consumption adds to sodium content of the body and when consumed in excess may lead to water-logging in the body or even hypertension. Loss of vitamins is more in an alkaline medium i.e. with baking soda. Add iodized salt to the cooked food only.

4. Keep all foods (including oils/fats) dry sealed and airtight. This prevents rotting/rancidity and loss due to moisture and contamination.

5. Milk should be boiled and cooled rapidly and not kept at high temperatures.

6. Rice water should not be thrown away. Use water only up to a mark sufficient for its cooking. Too much water or polishing does away with certain nutrients.

7. Pulses, rice and seeds are soaked overnight- a process in sprouting.which improves their quality.

8. Vegetables are best washed before cutting and cooking, added to boiling water with vinegar/tamarind/raw mango, covering the pan/cooking utensil (to prevent oxidation) and cooked for not exceeding 15 minutes (enough to destroy lectins wich by and large are health harming). Lectins in the digestive tract invite disease and
   contribute to indigestion,weight gain and Rheumatoid arthritis.
   
   

9. Steam heat/pressure cooking is preferable.

10. Frying of foods (shallow or deep) in oil causes trans-fat production and loss of nutrients. The loss is less in deep frying. Do not reuse or reheat the oils.

11. Potatoes/sweet potatoes are boiled without peeling their skin.

12. Carrots, kheera and tomatoes may be eaten raw.

13. To ensure quality of protein in the vegetarian diet one should eat two or more vegetarian foods as their proteins supplement one another and provide a protein comparable to animal protein in terms of essential amino acids. Cereals e.g. rice are deficient in lysine and pulses in methionine and vice-versa. Lysine enriched bread is available. Cereals not pulses are the main source of energy including proteins in a vegetarian diet as pulses are more rich in proteins than cereal grains. To ensure quality of protein in the vegetarian diet one should eat two or more vegetarian foods as their proteins supplement one another and provide a protein comparable to animal protein in terms of essential amino acids. Cereals e.g. rice are deficient in lysine and pulses in methionine and vice-versa. Lysine enriched bread is available. 

14. Methi (Fenugreek) seeds soaked sprouts: The seeds contain protein 26.2, fat 5.8, carbohydrate 44.1, non-energy carbohydrates 7.2, minerals 3 and moisture 13.7% (g/100 g). A good source of PUFA/omega fats /EFA. Recommended in the prevention and treatment of Diabetes. The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a diet low in calories, rich in fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy products with salt restriction.   

15.  Methi (Fenugreek) seeds soaked sprouts: The seeds contain protein 26.2, fat 5.8, carbohydrate 44.1, non-energy carbohydrates 7.2, minerals 3 and moisture 13.7% (g/100 g). A good source of PUFA/omega fats /EFA. Soyabean sprouts rich in proteins and other nutrients are alkaline foods. Recommended in the prevention and treatment of Diabetes.    

16. The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a diet low in calories, rich in fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy products with salt restriction.
17. The ATKIN's DIET is low in carbohydrates and fats and rich in vegetales.                                                           The Atkins Diet  Atkins Nutritional Approach ( ANA ) is a popular low carbohydratediet and lifelong eating plan postulated by cardiologist Robert C Atkins in 1972 TO TREAT OBESITY and related diseases. This diet restrict carbohydrateswhile emphasizing protein and fats intake through natural sources. This approach to carbohydrates burns off body's fats.
    The ANA has several phases for weight loss and maintenance, starting out with a low carbohydrates eating plan in alliance with physical activity schedule.
    Iniitally ( INDUCTION ) cut off all carbohydrates to 20 g net calories/day, in a phased manner. Totally avoid Carb rich foods.
    These include sugars,jaggery, refined sugars.fruits ( raisins, dates, dry apricots, currants, mango, zizyphus, pomegranate, lichi, lime, sapota and seethaphal ), cereal grains, pulses, nuts legumes, potato, sweet potato, tapioca and oilseeds.
    Salad greens and cucumber along with other leafy vegetables to be added to the diet. White of egg, fat fish, walnuts and low fat milk should be the ideal choice. Pulses and lean meat may be added to the diet.
    
18. Bulky foods mostly based on carbohydrates more often result in primary malnutrition ( PROTEIN ENERGY MALNUTRITION ) in small children who become replete at the cost of most essential nutrients.
    

 A website on HEALTH and NUTRITION authored by
Prof. Mohammed Masood Ahmed Khan, M.D.(AIIMS).
Visit also : http://meganutritionhealth.yolasite.com .

 AVOID OVER-EATING. CHECK YOUR WEIGHT .
KNOW YOUR BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) ,

Waistline should be less than the chest ( by 2 inches).
In males: <38 and in females:<36.
BMI refers to body weight in relation to height and is
independent of age and sex variations.
It equals : Weight in Kg. divided by Height in meters square.
\ A range of 17.5 to 25 represents normalcy, a lower range
to under-nutrition and higher range to over-nutrition or
obesity ( i.e. 25 or more).

A BALANCED DIET IS REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN POSITIVE HEALTH
AND TO PREVENT DISEASE .
< TO FILL UP OUR SYSTEM / STOMACH :ONE THIRD OF WHAT WE
EAT SHOULD BE FOR MEALS , SECOND THIRD FOR LIQUIDS/ WATER AND THE OTHER THIRD FOR AIR / LEFT EMPTY.> the Hadith below in Arabic.
الحديث عن المقدام بنمعدي كرب سمعت رسول الله صلي الله عليه و سلم يقول ما ملا ابن ادم وعاء شرا من بطن
لقيما ت يقمن صلبه فان كان لا محاله فثلث لطعامه و ثلث لشرابه وثلث لنفسهو

Photo above :Vinegar ( PREFER! )& citrus Fruits e.g. lime, lemon (AVOID!) . CITRUS FRUITS in general ,interfere with drug absorption inhibit enzyme cytochrome p 450- a drug metaboliser) and have estrogen (female hormone) like activity. Many a vegetable e.g. Soybeans, Genistein, Ephedra -a performance enhancer! and pesticides e.g. D.D.T. and even Plastics/PVC bags in contact with water or milk, likewise may pose such health threats. Avoid citus fruits e.g. grapefruit, mousammi. narangi (except sweet orange and citron) and soybeans, performance enhancing drugs/juices and use not plastic bottles and bags for water/milk storage. CITRON (Citrus medica) - ovoid in shape, <whose taste is delectable and whose odor is redolent > is likened to <the believer who recites Koran>, by the Prophet (SAWS) Vide As-Sahih. Its peel/skin is bactericidal when applied to skin and pulp used for marinating. PREFER VINEGAR; it is a good dip (Bible), less acidic than citrus and helps digestion. <The house (provided) with vinegar will not be deserted.> Hadith (saws). ماأقفر بيت فيه خل POT-HERBS, CUCUMBERS, ONIONS, GARLIC and LENTILS - lower order foods- are rich in certain NUTRIENTS - antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and roughage . The FISH, LEAN MEAT and POULTRY (without skin) and FRUITS are SUPERIOR FOODS. FRIED FOODS, FAST FOODS, CAKES, sweetmeats, Refined sugars and certain cooking oils e.g. SAFFLOWER, SUNFLOWER and CORN oils (devoid of omega-3 fats and too rich in omega-6 fats), cabbage and cauliflower ( anti-Thyroid / goitrogens), are INJURIOUS to HEALTH. AVOID preparations with excess oil, deep fried foods e.g. Pakodas, Broast chicken etc METHI SEEDS' SPROUTS , WALNUTS , OLIVES and FLAXSEEDS are good for HEALTH.. MUSTARD OIL , WHEAT-GERM and CANOLA OILS may be preferred for cooking . The oils are to be sprayed and the foods to be coated with during cooking and not deep fried. Overheating or refining of oils leads to formation of TRANS FATS bad for health. Hydrogenated Oils e.g. Dalda and Vanaspati contain TRANSFAT.