You must read this before eating chocolates!

           Health Chocolate in its original form is beneficial for health, but it tastes bitter .Premium grade dark chocolate contains only cocoa butter, a fat that naturally occurs in cocoa beans, which is made up of stearic acid (34%), oleic acid (34%), palmitic acid (25%), and the rest of other fatty acids, whereby the combined effect of all the fats found in cocoa butter is quite neutral in regard to an individual's lipid (heart disease risk) profile. However, during preparation  process, chocolate is treated with different things to provide a different taste. Benefits of consuming Cocoa Products have increasingly made the news, following the discovery that they are a rich source of catechins, which are polyphenols of the flavanol group, and which are believed to protect against heart disease, cancer, and various other medical conditions.

 Chocolate manufacturers have been taking advantage of these findings by not onlytrying to make chocolate lovers feel less guilty about their addiction, but also by trying to target more health-conscious consumers with regular doses of "research studies" praising the supposed benefits of consuming chocolate, among them that:
  •  consuming chocolate helps to reduce migraine headaches,

  •  consuming chocolate reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer.

  •   chocolate consumption does not give someone acne or other skin eruptions,

  •  eating chocolate boosts appetite, but does not cause weight gain,

  •  eating moderate amounts of chocolate makes one live almost a year longer,

  •  eating chocolate releases endorphins in the brain, which act as pain-relievers,

 •  the sugar in chocolate may reduce stress, and have  pain relieving effect,

 What is the reality?

 If people were to consume pure cocoa, they might indeed be able to enjoy a few health benefits, including  a positive effect on blood pressure and glucose metabolism, however the majority of people eat processed  chocolate with all the other less desirable ingredients (i.e. added sugar, corn syrup,  fats / cream,hydrogenated oils, etc.), and where the actual cocoa content may be less than 20%, so unless premium dark  chocolate is consumed, and one does not suffer from copper overload, all bets regarding chocolate being a healthy food are off.
With claims made of sugar having a "pain-relieving" effect (babies fed a sucrose solution felt less pain from needles), it is doubtful that we will see chocolate bars replacing conventional analgesics any time soon, nor  are these same "researchers" making these sugar-promoting claims likely going to reach for a chocolate bar next time they suffer from a throbbing toothache, a pounding headache, or a kidney stone attack.While cocoa and sugar do not "cause" acne, the sugar present in chocolate will most certainly make acne,
or any other acne-like skin eruptions worse, as anyone suffering from these skin conditions can attest to.
Placebo-controlled trials showed that some of the chemicals in chocolate (phenylethylamine, theobromine,or caffeine), can indeed trigger migraines in some of those prone to suffer from migraine headaches. Chocolate contains theobromine and a small amount of caffeine, both being stimulants and members of the methylxanthine family.  Although it increases alertness, theobromine doesn't have the same jittery effect on the heart like caffeine.  However, theobromine can be toxic or even lethal to domestic animals such as dogs, cats, parrots and horses as a result of affecting their kidneys, heart, and central nervous system.
 Claiming that "eating moderate amounts of chocolate increases one's life span" is a most interesting example of how some "researchers" will twist and manipulate statistics to prove anything!
From a nutritional perspective - the average milk chocolate product is no less a junk food than ice cream or donuts, and it is equally unhealthy and fattening when large amounts are consumed on a regular basis.
   When milk chocolate, or lower grade chocolate is consumed, part of the total fat content of chocolate comes from milk fat  which do create a risk factor with cardiovasvular disease. Despite the good news on cocoa not raising LDL cholesterol, even dark chocolate is a very calorie-dense food, so while the fat content may not invite cardiovascular disease from an arterial clogging perspective, its regular consumption will add a lot of extra calories to someone's daily total, and as a result still affect those who have to watch their caloric intake. Sugar is a well-known cause, contributing, or aggravating factor with a host of medical conditions, including heart disease, inflammatory conditions, immune system disorders, impaired phagocytosis, mood disorders,
insulin and blood sugar disorders, leukemia, dental caries, yeast infections, depletion of essential nutrients,osteoporosis, obesity, and others.
Cocoa products also contains which have an anti-depressant and amphetamine-like effect; and they contain compounds that stimulate the brain to release an opiate-like substance called anandamide.  When drugs are used to block the brain's opiate receptors, the desire for chocolate (and other sweet and fatty foods) disappears -- confirming the addictive nature of these types of foods.



 But despite cocoa being such an opiate and endorphin-releasing pharmacological powerhouse, who would have guessed that when chocoholics were given cocoa in capsules - without the added fat and sugar, and without the feel of chocolate melting in their mouths - it had no satisfying effect at all! However, while eating the actual chocolate bar satisfied the cravings for it, studies showed that there was no improvement with mood, relaxation, feeling content, depression, or guilt, after eating chocolate.
Over consumption can cause bone  loss, and it can trigger or worsen blood sugar-related, and/or inflammatory conditions that may include chronic tonsil infections, rheumatoid-types of arthritis, or other problems of the immune system in pron individuals.
Another concern - particularly for young children - are the high Lead concentrations in manufactured cocoa and chocolate products, which are one of the highest reported for all food items
Cacao, the source of chocolate, contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay. However, chocolate with a high sugar content will negate this benefit. Dark chocolate contains significantly higher amounts of cacao and lower amounts of sugar than white chocolate, making it more healthful.
* The smell of chocolate may increase theta brain waves, resulting in relaxation.
* Chocolate contains phenyl ethylamine, a mild mood elevator.
* The cocoa butter in chocolate contains oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fat which can raise good cholesterol.
* Men who eat chocolate regularly live on average one year longer than those who don’t.
* The flavanoids in chocolate help keep blood vessels elastic.
* Chocolate increases antioxidant levels in the blood.
* The carbohydrates in chocolate raise serotonin levels in the brain, resulting in a sense of well-being.

  Like any food, if enjoyed in moderation,chocolate has several notable health benefits.  But there’s a dark side to chocolate that you ought to keep in mind Dark, bitter chocolate has the highest catechin content, but at the same time has also the highest copper level.  Light or milk chocolate has the lowest copper level, but also the lowest catechin content.

How safe is your refrigerator

Foods in the freezer — are they safe?
The confusion seems to be based on the fact that few people understand how freezing protects food. Here is some information on how to freeze food safely and how long to keep it.
What Can You Freeze?
You can freeze almost any food. Some exceptions are canned food or eggs in shells. However, once the food (such as a ham) is out of the can, you may freeze it.
Being able to freeze food and being pleased with the quality after defrosting are two different things. Some foods simply don't freeze well. Examples are mayonnaise, cream sauce and lettuce. Raw meat and poultry maintain their quality longer than their cooked counterparts because moisture is lost during cooking.
Does Freezing Destroy Bacteria & Parasites?Freezing to 0 °F inactivates any microbes — bacteria, yeasts and molds — present in food. Once thawed, however, these microbes can again become active, multiplying under the right conditions to levels that can lead to foodborne illness. Since they will then grow at about the same rate as microorganisms on fresh food, you must handle thawed items as you would any perishable food.
Trichina and other parasites can be destroyed by sub-zero freezing temperatures. However, very strict government-supervised conditions must be met. Home freezing cannot be relied upon to destroy trichina. Thorough cooking, however, will destroy all parasites.
Freeze food as fast as possible to maintain its quality. Rapid freezing prevents undesirable large ice crystals from forming throughout the product because the molecules don't have time to form into the characteristic six-sided snowflake. Slow freezing creates large, disruptive ice crystals. During thawing, they damage the cells and dissolve emulsions. This causes meat to "drip" and lose juiciness. Emulsions such as mayonnaise or cream will separate and appear curdled.
Ideally, a food 2-inches thick should freeze completely in about 2 hours. If your home freezer has a "quick-freeze" shelf, use it. Never stack packages to be frozen. Instead, spread them out in one layer on various shelves, stacking them only after frozen solid.
So how can bacteria harm you?
Improperly processed or packed meats and other foods can be contaminated with psychotrophic bacteria and moulds. The bacteria may also be present in unhygienic conditions in refrigerators or freezers. So when you eat foods contaminated with such bacteria, they will grow in your body and exhibit  pathogenic conditions. Some bacteria may not be harmful themselves but they release toxins into the food which causes food poisoning. Bacteria such as some Coliforms, Pseudomonas sp., Vibrio sp. and Listeria sp. and moulds such as Penicillium and Cladosporium sp. are all known to survive low temperatures and become harmful once they are inside the human body.
And what do you do to protect yourself from food poisoning?
The following practices can safeguard you and your family from food poisoning (see the links below for details):

• Keep your refrigerators clean by wipping up spills immediately, cleaning surfaces thoroughly with hot, soapy water and then rinsing.
• throw out perishable and expired foods that should no longer be eaten. A general rule of thumb for refrigerator storage for cooked leftovers is 4 days; raw poultry and ground meats, 1 to 2 days.
• Verify the temperature of the refrigerator. Refrigerators should be set to maintain a temperature of 40 °F or below.

For more details, visit www.moldbacteria.com  Follow the food safety and refrigeration rules and enjoy the coming celebration season!

Ten easy kitchen tips

Here are few tips for you right from my kitchen.Just experience them as it will save your time and food items as well!
1.Keep white egg yolk in refridgerator to cool and then beat,it will save your time and become soft and lighter.
2.To increase shelf life of an egg,apply some eadible oil on it.
3.To keep eggs fresh for long time keep them in cold water mixed with vinegar.
4.Add a spoon of vinegar into boiling water if an egg gets a crack and white yolk comes out.
5.While making sandwiches cut the bread edges with scissor.Dry the edges,crush it and use to spread on cutlets.
6.Use milk insted of water for making bread roll,it will save the oil while frying.
7.While making sandwiches,use mixture of gelatin and butter,so that bread slices adhere to each other.
8.While making omlet for your breakfast mix a spoon of milk and pinch of black pepper it will make the omlet tasty and crispy.
9.Use raw milk {unboiled}while making ice-cream it will become very soft.
10.To avoid tears,cool the onions in refridgerator before cutting.