Palm oil brings out flavour of ingredients

Palm oil brings out flavour of ingredients

 

Choong Mek Zhin | Kuali, The Star | Wed Feb 1 2012

Palm oil's balanced content of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids makes it less prone to oxidation when frying at a prolonged high temperature.

Malaysia, February 1, 2012

Palm oil is slowly changing its less favourable perception to one that signifies an overall better choice in the kitchen, where it is most commonly used as cooking oil.

Derived from the pulp of the oil palm fruit, palm oil - like all vegetable oils - is cholesterol-free.

Since palm oil is semi-solid at room temperature, a simple fractionation process is required to separate it into liquid (olein) and solid (stearin) parts. The palm oil that is widely sold in the market as cooking oil is actually olein.

Celebrity chef and cookbook author Amy Beh who has been using palm oil as cooking oil at home for many years, believes it to be a better choice overall.

"I find that by using palm oil, I am able to carry out deep-frying three or four times more using the same batch of oil before I need to change it. It is also a healthier choice and brings out the flavour of the ingredients," she said.



Beh also finds that food is less oily when she uses palm oil to cook. Cleaning up the kitchen becomes easier as well because palm oil produces less residue and smoke.

Palm oil's balanced content of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids makes it less prone to oxidation when frying at a prolonged high temperature.

This is cost-saving to housewives as the oil lasts longer in the kitchen compared to other vegetable oils like soyabean, corn and canola.

Palm oil is also rich in tocotrienols, another type of antioxidant Vitamin E.

Research has shown that Vitamin E tocotrienols are more potent than Vitamin E tocopherols in fighting against ageing and inhibiting certain types of cancer.

Another type of cooking oil in the market is red palm oil. Red palm oil has a naturally reddish colour due to its high content of beta-carotenes, the same substance that gives carrots and papayas their hue.



Once consumed, beta-carotene is converted to antioxidant Vitamin A in the body. Like olein, it also contains Vitamin E tocotrienols.

During a recent cooking workshop with Beh, participants were exposed to the goodness of palm oil and many gained a different point of view about the oil.

"I learnt many new and positive things about palm oil that I never knew before," said Mary Stuart, 52, a retailer, adding that she would consider using it to cook with in future.

Alice Aruthan, 59, who works as a general secretary, also said the workshop opened her eyes to the benefits of using palm oil.

Both were intrigued by the dishes Beh had cooked using palm oil such as the Fiery Dragon, Fortune in Abundance and Prosperity Yee Sang.

Eating fish tied to lower risk of colon polyps

Eating fish tied to lower risk of colon polyps

Wednesday, Feb 01, 2012
Reuters

NEW YORK - Women who eat about three servings of fish per week have a somewhat lower chance of having polyps found during a routine colonoscopy than women who eat just one serving every two weeks, according to a new study.

The research doesn't prove that seafood protects against polyps, but it "does increase our confidence that something real is going on," said Dr. Edward Giovannucci, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, who was not involved in this study.

A polyp, also called an adenoma, is a mushroom-shaped tag of tissue that grows in the colon and can develop into colorectal cancer.

The idea researchers have been pursuing is that the omega-3 fats in fish might have an anti-inflammatory effect, similar to aspirin, that could prevent the development of polyps.

Giovannucci said that earlier experiments in animals have showed that omega-3 fats can reduce the risk of this cancer, but that studies of humans have had mixed results.

In the latest study, the researchers surveyed more than 5,300 people about their eating habits. All of the participants had come in to the researchers' practices for a colonoscopy.

The team then compared more than 1,400 women without polyps to 456 who had adenomas detected during the procedure.

Among women with adenomas, 23 per cent were in the bottom fifth among fish eaters, while 15 per cent were in the top fifth. That means people who eat lots of seafood are somehow protected against polyps, because otherwise the percentages should have been the same.

After accounting for differences like age, smoking and aspirin use, women who ate the most fish -- three servings a week -- were 33 per cent less likely to have a polyp detected than those who ate the least -- less than a serving a week.

Of course, it's never possible to rule out that other factors could explain the findings. For instance, it's possible that fish lovers have other healthy behaviors that decrease their risk of polyps.

What's more, the study didn't follow the women to see whether either group was more likely to go on to develop cancer. But Dr. Harvey Murff, the lead author of the study and a professor at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, said polyps are a reliable predictor for cancer risk.

"Adenomas are generally believed to be the precursor" to cancer, Murff told Reuters Health. "You would think most things that would reduce adenoma risk would subsequently reduce cancer risk."

A 33 per cent lower risk is not enormous, but Giovannucci said "it is important because colorectal cancer is a common cancer."

About 140,000 new cases of colon and rectal cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States, and more than 50,000 people will die from the cancer. The lifetime risk of developing the disease is about 20 per cent, according to the American Cancer Society.

The men in Murff's study who ate a lot of fish did not see the same reductions in polyp risk as women, however.

Murff said he doesn't have a good explanation for that, but perhaps men are less sensitive to the omega-3s in fish and need to eat more to get any benefit. It could also be that men might eat more omega-6 fats, counteracting the effects of the omega-3s.

Omega-6 fatty acids are related to the production of a hormone called prostaglandin E2, which is associated with inflammation.

Murff explained that eating omega-3 fatty acids tamps down the body's levels of omega-6 fatty acids. In turn, the body then has reduced levels of prostaglandin E2.

He and his colleagues demonstrated this by showing that the women in the study who ate more fish -- and presumably, more omega-3s -- had lower levels of prostaglandin E2.

"We know people who have higher levels of this (hormone) are more likely to develop colorectal cancer. So in essence, by eating more omega-3 fatty acids, it's almost like taking an anti-inflammatory medication," Murff told Reuters Health.

There is still more work to be done to prove that the omega-3 fatty acids are actually the reason for the reduced colorectal cancer risk.

But, Giovannucci said, "I think this (association) has a pretty strong biologic rationale."

This is my favorite picture from January.

Report from The New Straits Times (Malaysia) dated 31 January 2012 :-

Curbing colon cancer

By Kasmiah Mustapha
 

A non-profit organisation is helping the lower income community in the Klang Valley get tested for colon cancer, writes Kasmiah Mustapha

Research found that celery may help lower the risk of colon cancer. Researchers discovered the antioxidant luteolin in celery is capable of blocking the cell signals needed for colon cancer growth

Dr Christina Ng, consultant oncologist

WITH early screening, detection and treatment, incidences of colon cancer will be reduced.

Unfortunately, there are still many who do not have access to such screening due to lack of awareness or financial problems.

Empowered! The Cancer Advocacy Society Of Malaysia has taken the initiative with providing screening for colon cancer for the lower income community

The first phase of the project, launched in 2010, focused on three underprivileged communities living in eight blocks of flats in Bandar Baru Sentul.

Last year, the second phase was carried out in Selayang and Gombak for residents of PPR Intan Baiduri, Taman Wahyu and Taman Prima Selayang.

From the first screening project, Empowered! president and founder Dr Christina Ng says eight per cent of the 15,000 people screened, were found to have blood in their stools. Of these, two per cent were found to have cancer and pre-cancerous changes in their biopsies.

“The good news is that they have undergone the necessary treatments including surgery and chemotherapy. Some of them have even been rendered free of cancer and are are going for follow-ups at hospitals.”
ON A ROLL
The second phase of the project, she says, was expanded to include 13 zones with more than 20,000 people. It was more challenging this time because there were more geographical locations and 700 people registered for the screening.

“We are now waiting for the results. We expect six per cent of the people to have blood in their stools. They are now waiting for colonoscopy at the hospitals to determine whether they have colon cancer.”

Dr Ng says the screening targets those aged 50 years and above as they are more at risk. Colon cancer is the second most common cancer affecting some 2,900 Malaysians each year. It is more common among Chinese males aged 50 and above. It is also the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality.

“However, when we did the screening we did not focus only on the Chinese. In the first phase, there were more Malays in the community compared to Chinese and Indians. But we found that those diagnosed with pre-cancerous and cancerous changes were mainly Chinese.”

The consultant medical oncologist at Sunway Medical Centre says the project has helped them gather more data about colon cancer in the country. She adds that the project has been successful in raising awareness of colon cancer.

“Based on the screening programme, we will have a greater understanding about the disease. A project such as this not only allows us to help the community but it also enables us to scientifically understand the disease better.
“
This way, we will be able to develop better ways of diagnosis and treatment in the future.”
HELPING MORE POEPLE
Dr Ng plans to run the Empowered! project yearly, going through every low income community in the Klang Valley. Eventually, she hopes, it will be extended to other parts of the country.

“We are hoping to create greater awareness of colon cancer with this programme. Colon cancer can be successfully treated if detected early. Chances of a cure is higher due to the ability to remove the cancerous growth before it spreads to other organs. It is a cancer that is worthy of attention.”

She says colon cancer can be present for years before symptoms appear. Symptoms may include blood in the stool, change in bowel habits, abdominal pains and weight loss.

“But these symptoms may also due to non-cancerous abnormality like peptic ulcers or inflammatory bowel disease. If you have any one of the symptoms, it does not mean you have colon cancer. But you need to have tests done. If these symptoms persist for two weeks, you need to see a doctor for further assessment.”

She says screening is recommended for those who are 50 and above, while those with a family history of colon cancer should have it at a younger age.

“Other risks are lifestyle choices — a diet low in fibre and high in fat and animal proteins may pre-dispose you to colon cancer. A healthy lifestyle may help prevent colon cancer,”

There are several screening methods to determine if a person is suffering from colon cancer.

These are faecal occult blood test (FOBT) or faecal immunochemical test (FIT) to detect blood in the stools which should be done yearly, flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years and colonoscopy every 10 years.

Fast facts
The largest intestine in the human body is composed of the colon, which stretches from four to six feet, and the rectum, which is only four to six inches long.

The inner lining of this “colorectal tube” can be a fertile breeding ground for small tumours, called polyps. Most colorectal cancers develop from polyps in glandular tissue of the intestinal lining.

If colorectal cancer is diagnosed and treated early while the tumour is still localised, the disease is highly curable, with five-year survival rates of about 90 per cent. If the tumour continues to grow, cancer can spread through the bowel walls to surrounding lymph nodes, tissues and organs as well as the bloodstream.

Risk factors
1. Other diseases: Colorectal cancer is strongly associated with certain other diseases. The high risk group includes anyone with a personal or family history of colon polyps, inflammatory disease of the colon such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, and cancers of the pancreas, breast, ovaries, or uterus.

2. Heredity: As with any cancer, susceptibility to colorectal cancer is at least partly determined by genetic makeup.

3. Diet: Food also contributes to the risk of colorectal cancer, although the cause-and-effect relationship is still unclear. People whose diets are high in fruit and vegetables seem to have a reduced risk.

Many studies implicate animal fat and protein as promoters of colorectal cancer, although researchers are cautious about drawing any definite conclusions. Some studies show that regularly eating red meat, which is rich in saturated fat and protein, increases risk, while others find no connection.

Some scientists think that fat is the main culprit, while others suspect protein. Others contend that it’s not the fat and protein themselves, but the way the meat is cooked. They note that fats and protein cooked at high temperatures — especially when broiled and barbecued — can produce a host of potentially carcinogenic substances linked to colorectal cancer.

4. Lifestyle: Smoking and alcohol intake of more than four drinks per week increase the risk of colon cancer.

5. Family history: Those with a first-degree relative with colorectal cancer have an increased risk of the disease. The risk increases if more than one first-degree relative have colon cancer.

Cancer patients advised to eat well to get well

Report from The New Straits Times (Malaysia) dated 31 January 2012 :-


Cancer patients advised to eat well to get well

Cancer patients undergoing treatment need to eat well to replenish lost energy. Syida Lizta Amirul Ihsan offers nutritious suggestions

Butter and olive oil

Peanut butter

Sandwich

Milkshake

Fruit juice

Dried fruit

Honey

Canned fruit

Beans

Water

FOR someone undergoing cancer treatment, eating is the last thing he or she wants to do. With mouth ulcers, soreness and body ache, meals are no longer a delightful routine. But a patient must eat good food to replenish the energy lost during treatment.

Mayo Clinic website suggests that food must be packed with nutrition and calories to nourish the body. Schedule mealtimes and eat small portions if the patient cannot eat a regular-sized meal. Select foods that don’t have strong smells in case he or she is put off by the aroma.

Always consult your doctor on what’s best to consume. But here are some tips and food suggestions for those undergoing treatments:

Butter and olive oil 1 To increase calorie intake, use butter on potato, bread and toast and olive oil on rice, pasta and vegetable. Don’t worry about the fat quotient. When you feel better, you can make better food choices.

Peanut butter 2 Peanut butter makes you feel full fast and the natural ones are packed with protein and good fats, so spread it on banana, apple, toast or pretzel.

Sandwich 3 Sandwich is an all-in meal that takes minimal effort to prepare. Fill up with tuna, lean chicken or turkey and vegetable. Add avocado as dressing.

Milkshake 4 Packed with calories, milkshakes can be made easily with fresh milk, ice-cream and your favourite flavour (chocolate or fruit) for a delicious refreshing drink. Or make a float or drinkchocolate milk.

Fruit juice 5 It provides calories and vitamins and when tastebuds are off, a glass of fruit juice is refreshing and invigorating. Try mixing different types of fruit for a different taste.

Dried fruit 6 It provides energy, vitamins and fibre. You can also add dried fruit to cereal.

Honey 7 Another calorie-dense option, honey is a good antidote for that bitter taste in the mouth. Add to drinks, water, cereal, bread or waffle.

Canned fruit 8 An easy way to get calories is from canned fruit in syrup since the sugar will deliver the much-needed extra energy. Canned fruit is also softer and easier to chew.

Beans 9 A good source of protein which is important for muscle building, beans (like black, kidney, pinto) can be added to soups and stews to warm the tummy.

Water 10 It is important to stay hydrated during treatment as water flushes out toxins, keeps the body cool and helps metabolise food better. So drink up to get well faster.

'To eat in moderation' is still the best way to jumpstart your weight loss

Tuesday, Jan 31, 2012
Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network
By Mitch Felipe Mendoza

 

 

To live in moderation is not an easy skill to learn and apply. You still need to exert more effort to be able to live consistently in moderation, especially if we apply it to eating and exercise.

But eating in moderation is the most effective way to attain long-term effective weight control according to numerous published studies. But what's the best way to jumpstart your weight loss?

When we talk about the best way, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's the fastest way to achieve something. Choosing the best strategy to jumpstart something like lifestyle change will primarily mean being able to sustain a strategy that you intend to start on, otherwise it will just be like something that never occurred at all-like fast weight loss and then fast weight gain.

Every start of the year, health, wellness and fitness professionals like us receive more and more questions from clients, friends and the community regarding the effectiveness of various quick-fix strategies. Presented below are the reasons why most quick-fix strategies to jumpstart weight loss will not guarantee that you can sustain a weight-loss lifestyle, and if you already started one of the strategies, explore the ways on how you can start to live your lifestyle in moderation.

Meal replacement products (MRP)

Replacing your usual meal/s with available meal replacement bars and shakes can save you from eating a huge amount of meal or snack. Just imagine taking a 250-calorie shake against a 1,500-calorie fast-food combo meal, what a huge difference! This is equivalent to 1,250-calorie (1,500 minus 250 calories) per day savings or 8,750-calorie savings per week that can already help you lose 2.5 pounds a week just by replacing one fast-food meal with a meal replacement shake.

This strategy can really help you lose a lot of weight especially during the first two weeks. However, there's a greater probability that you get dependent on MRPs to lose weight and, once you achieve your target weight, you would return to your old eating fast-food habits, then regain the weight back, or even more. Also reviews on MRPs show that it lacks fiber, nutrients, vitamins and minerals to be able to consider as a well-balanced and nutritious meal. You should be under a doctor or dietician's supervision if you are taking MRPs to ensure a well-balanced diet.

Using MRPs to lose weight may not give you the chance to learn how to eat a meal in moderation, like how to address eating when you are in social situations without your usual MRPs. Factors to consider when choosing an effective diet include taste, accessibility, nutrient composition and the ability to keep one from getting hungry.

If you are just taking MRPs to complete your nutrients for the day, let us say protein, then there's a good reason to have some, but not as a long-term replacement to your main meals so you can ensure healthy eating adherence as you maintain your weight.

Detox diets
Most people would think of getting detox diets (can be a combination of fasting, nutrient restriction and supplementation) at the start of the year to get rid of body toxins and at the same time remove the extra weight gain from the holidays. It is better to review your objectives before you undergo detox diets.

Using a detox diet to lose weight can actually work during the first week, but once you resume to your regular eating pattern, you can easily gain the weight back.

A recent entry in "Ask the Expert" blog of the American Council on Exercise (ACE) website discusses some disadvantages of the traditional detox diets like dehydration, fainting, decrease in lean mass, slower metabolism and muscle cramps due to nutrient depletion.

Detox diets will not work long-term, in case you have the intention to use it for weight loss. But if you plan to change your lifestyle by trying something to be able to eliminate junk food, caffeine or processed food from your daily routine, then a modified detox regimen can be done by substituting more fruits to your usual desserts, eating more vegetables with less meat during main meals and drinking water instead of sugared drinks.

Low-calorie and low-carb diets
This strategy is the most common among all the jumpstart weight-loss strategies because you can lose as many as 10 pounds (lean mass and fat) a week just by drastically restricting your food intake from 3,000 calories to less than 1,000 calories per day or by eliminating carbs (rice, bread, pasta) from your usual diet of five cups of rice per day. But too much calorie and nutrient restriction will not give you enough energy to do physical activities to retain your muscles and metabolism.

Low-calorie diet strategies can be used for people who may need immediate weight loss due to existing health complications of obesity but should undergo physical and even psychological screening, and should be strictly supervised by a doctor to avoid severe complications. But people who can still lose weight by trying lifestyle strategies of gradually modifying food intake and incorporating physical activities to their daily routine should not even consider these drastic strategies as the first option to lose weight to avoid various health problems, weakness, hormonal imbalances, even eating disorders.

There have been numerous diets that helped so many obese and overweight people lose a significant amount of weight and these results even helped them change their lifestyle and renew their discipline and motivation. But studies made on similar diets show that there's still a greater chance of regaining the weight if there will be no physical activities incorporated to the lifestyle to maintain the weight.

Also, if you do not learn how to eat and enjoy food in moderation, you may have a hard time avoiding your old favorite food once you get a chance to have a bite. Training yourself to eat everything in moderation while you lose weight, even slowly and gradually, is still the most effective solution to face the challenges two, five, 10 or 20 years from now.

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7 foods for a healthy heart

Thursday, Jan 26, 2012
YourHealth, AsiaOne

Eating right goes a long way when it comes to a healthy heart.

According to the Ministry of Health, Ischaemic Heart Disease accounts for 18.7 per cent of deaths in Singapore in 2010. It is Singapore's number two killer just after cancer.

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked causing poor supply of oxygen to the heart muscles. Some people have chest pains when heart attack happens but some people have no symptoms at all.

It is important to be aware of the risks of heart attack because most of them are preventable.

About.com reported that dietary advice for reducing heart disease risk includes eating a balanced diet with less saturated fats from red meats, more fresh fruits and vegetables, more fish, less sugar, more fiber and for many people, fewer total calories.

Try having these 7 foods to boost your heart health:

Oatmeal

Health.com reported that a review of 67 studies showed that diets high in soluble fiber, like the kind in steel-cut oats, decrease total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

So start your day with a steaming bowl of oats, which are full of omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium.

One bowl a day will go a long way in keeping your arteries clear.

Know these 10 superfruits

Click on thumbnail to view. Story continues after photos.(Photos: Internet)

Salmon
According to health.learninginfo.com, salmon earned its reputation as a superfood because it is naturally high in omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acid is healthy fat that helps reduce inflammation and keeps your blood flowing easily.

It also prevents the build-up of artery-clogging plaques in your heart and brain and reduces the risk of blood clots.

These fats work to keep your cholesterol levels healthy.

Eat salmon or other oily ocean fish like tuna, sardines or herring at least two times per week.

But according to studies done by Norwegian scientists in 2005, in an attempt to cut costs, some fish farmers are feeding their salmon with vegetable-oil instead of fish-oil.

They found that heart disease patients who ate the vegetable-oil fed salmon did not show the same cardiovascular improvements as patients who ate fish-oil fed salmon.

So if you want the maximum disease prevention benefits of salmon try buying wild-caught salmon instead.

YourHealth, AsiaOne



Nuts

Nuts can be a great source of healthy oils, vitamin E and other substances that will help keep cholesterol levels in check.

Mayoclinic.com says the type of nut you eat isn't that important, although some nuts have more heart-healthy nutrients and fats than do others. Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and almost every other type of nut has a lot of nutrition packed into a tiny package.

The best part? They're inexpensive, easy to store and easy to take with you to work.

YourHealth, AsiaOne



Extra-virgin olive oil

Several studies in Mediterranean countries have shown that the incidence of heart disease is lower than would be expected by blood cholesterol levels which can plausibly be explained by the high amount of olive oil in the diet in the region.

Health.com reported that a huge body of research confirms that its monounsaturated fats lower LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Studies show that extra-virgin olive oil, which contains more antioxidants than more refined olive oil, may offer better protection against heart disease.

Extra virgin olive oil contains polyphenols - compounds that work as antioxidants to protect the cells in your body from free radical damage. These can reduce inflammation and may help to prevent some forms of cancer including breast, ovarian and colon cancers.

YourHealth, AsiaOne



Berries

A Finnish study done in 2008 suggests that eating a moderate amount of berries may increase HDL (good) cholesterol and reduce blood pressure.

While all fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants, berries contain particularly high levels of polyphenols and according to a report in the Nutritional review, berries lower inflammation and have a host of other cardiovascular perks.

They are chock full of anti-inflammatories, which reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.

Other polyphenol-rich foods include chocolate, tea, and red wine, which also have been linked to lower heart disease risk.

YourHealth, AsiaOne



Beans

According to Health.com, people who ate legumes—like beans and lentils—at least four times a week had a 22 per cent lower risk of heart disease than people who ate them less than once a week.

Online reports say that beans, such as Kidney, Pinto, Navy and Black, are naturally low in total fat, contain no saturated fat or cholesterol, and provide important nutrients such as fiber, protein, calcium, iron, folic acid and potassium.

Their health benefits are consistent with many existing health claims approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, specifically those related to heart disease and cancer.

Studies also suggest eating beans as part of a healthy diet to help manage diabetes and cut the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.
YourHealth, AsiaOne



Broccoli

UK researchers said that eating broccoli could reverse the damage done to heart blood vessels by diabetes because the vegetable contains a compound called sulforaphane.

They tested sulforaphane the lab and found it increased enzymes that protect heart blood vessels and reduced the molecules that damage them.

This vegetable also has anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effects.

Rendering Tallow

Well, I finally got a huge job that had been looming large over my head finished. I got all the fat from the 1/2 side of grass-fed beef that we bought rendered into tallow. It amazes that 1/2 of an entire cow only had six and a half quarts of fat on it. 


I basically followed the same procedure as when I rendered lard a couple of months ago, except I did it in a bit lazier way. Instead of chopping all of the fat into 1" pieces, I simply put the slabs of fat into my containers whole. They were pretty large and I just didn't have space to chop it.

Both crock pots and my 9 quart Dutch oven were completely full of beef fat. I set both crock pots and the burner on my stove to low and let them be.


As the fat began to melt, I strained it into quart jars through a cheese cloth. Eventually I was able to add the fat from the red crock pot to the Dutch oven to save counter space.

These pictures show the liquefied fat during the melting process. This is what I pulled out with a ladle and strained into jars. I kept at this until there was no more fat to be rendered.

The fat in the crock pot was finished first. Here you can see the hard bits left over after the fat was completely liquefied. I need to mention that this makes your house smell like heaven while it's cooking. The bits of meat that are left on the slabs of fat when the cow is butchered are irresistible to certain meat-loving husbands, too. :0)

The Dutch oven still had a way to go by the time the crock pot was finished. This could have been because it was so much larger. I actually preferred this pot because the cast iron is wonderful at holding in heat evenly, allowing me to use a lower temperature to render the tallow. This is preferable, in my opinion.  


All in all, it took 3 days for all of the fat to be rendered into tallow. There was very little I had to do during that time, besides occasionally ladling the fat into jars. It may have taken less time had I cut the fat into smaller pieces before I started. Since I didn't really have room for that and wouldn't have to touch it much while it was working it's magic anyway, I just didn't see the need for that extra step.

Now I have six and a half beautiful quarts of a traditional, healthy fat to cook with in addition to the lard I have left. Although, this took a long time - it took very little effort.  Even the clean-up was a breeze. After I emptied each crock pot and the Dutch oven, I filled them with water and let the water heat in them for a while. This pulled almost all of the fat residue off the sides and bottoms of the pots. I then dumped the water and washed as usual. There was no problem with bits and pieces stubbornly sticking to it.


Traditionally, tallow was used in soap-making and for candles as well as for cooking. I'm glad to know that I could use it for those purposes in case of an emergency, but think I'll stick to cooking with it myself.


So tell me - have you ever bought a share of a cow? And, if you have - did you save the fat for tallow? Do you think it's something you would ever consider doing?


OK...on to something else briefly. I want to give you a sneak peak of what's been keeping me so busy and away from my blog lately. Ready?

I'm linking up at Homestead Barn Hop, Monday Mania, These Chicks Cooked, Traditional Tuesdays, Teach Me Tuesdays, Fat Tuesday, Hearth and Soul Blog Hop, Simple Lives Thursday, and Real Food 101.

Beware of fake medical products

 

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By Rashvinjeet S. Bedi
The Star (Malaysia) /Asia News Network
Sunday, Jan 29, 2012

 

PETALING JAYA, Malaysia - They say laughter is the best medicine but many traditional drugs available in grocery stores or night markets are no laughing matter.

Most of them are unregistered products such as counterfeit medicine, fake sex stimulants, food supplements and even cosmetics.

According to Health Ministry's director of pharmacy enforcement Mohd Hatta Ahmad, the Pharmaceutical Services Division confiscated 33,274 such items worth RM22.5mil (S$9.3mil) during raids, inspections and entry point screenings last year.

There has been a steady increase - in 2010, the authorities confiscated 24,852 products valued at RM21.5mil, while in 2009, 19,764 items were seized valued at RM10.4mil.

"People could be ignorant, buying these products which are within easy reach and cheap. They look legitimate and impressive with their attractive packaging," he said.

Hatta said many of the unregistered medicine were sold at night markets, grocery stores and roadside stalls.

Another means of distribution was direct selling and a substantial amount of the unregistered medicine was confiscated from the houses of the distributors, he said.

Hatta said these so-called traditional items were often used to treat simple ailments such as cough and cold, fever and aches.

"Some of the medicine claims to be effective for joint pains. When we studied them in our labs, we found that they contained steroids or anti-inflammatory ingredients," he said.

Some of the products even contain heavy metals which can cause kidney damage.

He said some cosmetics might contain hazardous chemicals such as hydroquinone, mercury and tretinoin, which can cause skin damage.

The fake sex stimulants were food products and supplements laced with active ingredients like tadanafil, sildenafil and verdenafil, all of which were used to treat impotence.

Hatta said they were harmful to one's health if taken without proper consultation and could even cause loss of vision.

"These products are available because there is a demand for them. If there are no buyers, there will be no sellers," he said.

Datuk Eisah A. Rahman, the ministry's senior director of pharmaceutical services, said any unregistered product was considered to be unsafe as its quality, safety and efficacy had not been evaluated.

"When we conduct pre-approval testing of medicine, about 10% of the medicines contain contaminants, what more these types of medicine which have not even been registered and tested?" she said.

Calories count, but not where they come from: Study

Monday, Jan 30, 2012
Reuters

NEW YORK - Sticking to diets with strict proportions of fat, carbs and protein may not be more effective for people who want to lose weight and fat mass than simply cutting back on calories, according to a new comparison of four diets.

The results suggest that it doesn't matter where the calories come from, as long as dieters reduce them.

"If you're happier doing it low fat, or happier doing it low carb, this paper says it's OK to do it either way. They were equally successful," said Christopher Gardner, a Stanford University professor who was not involved in the study.

Dr. George Bray, who worked on the new study, said earlier research had found certain diets -- in particular, those with very little carbohydrate -- work better than others. Diet books also often guide consumers to adopt a particular type of meal plan, such as low-fat or low-carb-high-protein diets.

But there hasn't been a consensus among scientists.

So Bray, of Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and his colleagues randomly assigned several hundred overweight or obese people to one of four diets: average protein, low fat and higher carbs; high protein, low fat, and higher carbs; average protein, high fat and lower carbs; or high protein, high fat and lower carbs.

Each of the diets was designed to eliminate 750 calories a day from the people's energy needs.

After six months and again at two years after the diets started, the researchers checked in on people's weight, fat mass and lean mass.

At six months, people had lost more than nine pounds of fat and close to five pounds of lean mass, but some of this was regained by the two-year mark.

People were able to maintain a weight loss of more than eight pounds after two years. Included in that was a nearly three-pound loss of abdominal fat, a reduction of more than seven per cent.

The team found no differences in weight loss or fat reductions between the diets.

"The major predictor for weight loss was 'adherence.' Those participants who adhered better, lost more weight than those who did not," Bray told Reuters Health in an email.

But sticking to a diet is tough, Gardner said. Many of the people who started in Bray's study dropped out, and the diets of those who completed it were not exactly what had been assigned.

For example, the researchers hoped to see two diet groups get 25 per cent of their calories from protein and the other two groups get 15 per cent of their calories from protein. But all four groups ended up getting about 20 per cent of their calories from protein after two years.

"They did have difficulties with adherence, so that really tempers what you can conclude," Gardner told Reuters Health.

Because many people struggle with dieting, Gardner said, they should select the one that's easiest for them to stick with.

Bray recommended a diet developed by some of his co-authors, and which is also endorsed by the National Institutes of Health, called the DASH plan, or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.

"We would encourage patients to follow this diet modified as they and their Health Care Provider chose to emphasize macronutrient changes that they thought might work best for them," Bray said.

He added that it will be important for future research to determine how best to get people to maintain their diets.

"This area of 'weight loss and weight maintenance' seems to me to be one where fresh insights are most needed," Bray concluded.

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