Monday, August 18, 2014

Dates

Dates nutrition facts

What nutrients are there in dates? A lot indeed! Here are sweet, delicious fruits from the tropical oasis, brimming with much-needed minerals and energy to help you stay fit and healthy.

Botanically; they are the fruits grow on the palm tree belonging to the family of Arecaceae in the genus:Phoenix and scientifically named as Phoenix dactylifera. The tree is believed to originate in the lands on the banks of Nile and Euphrates Rivers of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Date palm is now grown extensively for its edible fruits under warmer climates across all the continents.

The date fruit is a "drupe" in which outer fleshy part (exocarp and mesocarp) surrounds a shell (the pit or stone) of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. The fruit is oval to cylindrical in shape, 3–7 cms long, and 2–3 cms diameter, and when ripe, range from bright red to depending on the variety.

There are many varieties of date palm cultivated. ‘Amir Hajj’, ‘Saidy’, 'Khadrawy' and 'Medjool' is some of the important varieties that are popular for their superior quality.

Health benefits of dates

Wonderfully delicious, dates are one of the most popular fruits packed with an impressive list of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that are required for normal growth, development and overall well-being.
Fresh dates compose of soft, easily digestible flesh and simple sugars like fructose and dextrose. When eaten, they replenish energy and revitalize the body instantly. For these qualities, they are being used to break the fast during Ramadan month since ancient times.
The fruit is rich in dietary fiber, which prevents LDL cholesterol absorption in the gut. Additionally, the fiber works as a bulk laxative. It, thus, helps to protect the colon mucous membrane by decreasing exposure time and as well as binding to cancer-causing chemicals in the colon.
They contain health benefiting flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants known as tannins. Tannins are known to possess anti-infective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-hemorrhagic (prevent easy bleeding tendencies) properties.
They are moderate sources of vitamin-A (contains 149 IU per 100 g), which is known to have antioxidant properties and essential for vision. Additionally, it is also required maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin. Consumption of natural fruits rich in vitamin A is known to help to protect from lung and oral cavity cancers.
They compose antioxidant flavonoids such as ß-carotene, lutein, and zea-xanthin. These antioxidants found to have the ability to protect cells and other structures in the body from harmful effects of oxygen-free radicals. Thus, eating dates found to offer some protection from colon, prostate, breast, endometrial, lung, and pancreatic cancers.
Zea-xanthin is an important dietary carotenoid that selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea, where it thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions. It thus offers protection against age-related macular degeneration, especially in elderly populations.
Dates are an excellent source of iron, contains 0.90 mg/100 g of fruits (about 11% of RDI). Iron, being a component of hemoglobin inside the red blood cells, determines the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
Further, they are very good in potassium. 100 g contains 696 mg or 16% of daily-recommended levels of this electrolyte. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that help controlling heart rate and blood pressure. They, thus, offers protection against stroke and coronary heart diseases.
They are also rich in minerals like calcium, manganese, copper, and magnesium. Calcium is an important mineral that is an essential constituent of bone and teeth, and required by the body for muscle contraction, blood clotting, and nerve impulse conduction. Manganese is used by the body as a co-factor for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase. Copper is required for the production of red blood cells. Magnesium is essential for bone growth.
Further, the fruit has adequate levels of B-complex group of vitamins as well as vitamin K. It contains very good amounts of pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), niacin, pantothenic acid, and riboflavin. These vitamins are acting as cofactors help body metabolize carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Vitamin K is essential for many coagulant factors in the blood as well as in bone metabolism.

See the table below for in depth analysis of nutrients:

Dates (Phoenix dactylifera), medjool,
Nutritive Value per 100 g
(Source: USDA National Nutrient data base)
Principle	Nutrient Value	Percentage of RDA
Energy	277 Kcal	14%
Carbohydrates	74.97 g	58%
Protein	1.81g	3%
Total Fat	0.15 g	<1%
Cholesterol	0 mg	0%
Dietary Fiber	6.7 g	18%
Vitamins
Folates	15 µg	4%
Niacin	1.610 mg	10%
Pantothenic acid	0.805 mg	16%
Pyridoxine	0.249 mg	19%
Riboflavin	0.060 mg	4.5%
Thiamin	0.050 mg	4%
Vitamin A	149 IU	5%
Vitamin C	0 mg	0%
Vitamin K	2.7 µg	2%
Electrolytes
Sodium	1 mg	0%
Potassium	696 mg	16%
Minerals
Calcium	64 mg	6.5%
Copper	0.362 mg	40%
Iron	0.90 mg	11%
Magnesium	54 mg	13%
Manganese	0.296 mg	13%
Phosphorus	62 mg	9%
Zinc	0.44 mg	4%
Phyto-nutrients
Carotene-ß	89 µg	--
Crypto-xanthin-ß	0 µg	--
Lutein-zeaxanthin	23 µg	--

Selection and storage

Dates are readily available throughout the groceries' year around. Some varieties of fresh, soft, good-quality fruits, however, are found from September through December. In certain dry regions of Africa, they picked while just reached maturity and allowed to ripen inside the jars.

In the stores, one may come across soft, semi-dry, and dried types put for sale. At home, store them at room temperature in cool place inside an air-seal container where they stay well for several months.

Preparation and serving method

High quality dates have been handpicked directly from the bunch and sold as the premium variety in the markets. On a commercial scale, most are harvested by cutting the entire cluster, fumigated, cleaned, graded, packed, stored under refrigeration, and released to markets according to demand.

Here are some serving tips:

Dry and soft dates are usually eaten out-of-hand.

They can be stuffed with fillings such as almonds,walnuts, candied orange and cream cheese.

They can also be chopped and used with fruit salad and in a range of sweet and savory dishes.

Dates are also being used to prepare juice and Jallab(a type of syrup popular in the Middle East and made from dates, grape molasses, and rose water).

Thursday, August 14, 2014

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Wednesday, August 13, 2014

What is it? Prsglio?

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Why did the Bees die?

http://guardianlv.com/2014/03/monsantos-pesticides-are-partly-responsible-for-the-collapse-of-the-bee/

Monsanto’s Pesticides Are Partly Responsible for the Collapse of the Bee

Over the years research has been conducted to understand why the bees have been disappearing, and the culprit seems to be Monsanto’s genetically modified herbicides and pesticides. Monsanto, a chemical and agricultural biotech company, has received quite the bad reputation from activists across the spectrum because of research linking them to human related issues like autism, cancer, and obesity. But, evidence suggests that Monsanto’s GMO’s have negative ecological consequences as well, and are partially responsible for the collapse of the buzzing bees.

The history of the declining bee population, known as colony collapse disorder (CCD) goes back to 2002 when a bee-specific virus had been identified, which was causing their numbers to plummet. The Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) had originated in Australia and scientist assumed that IAPV was to blame for what was steadily becoming a global bee colony collapse. Yet the sudden onset and devastating results of IAPV had researchers looking for possible causes that would have compromised the immune system of the honey bee, leaving the entire population vulnerable to such a virus.

Developing research found that the bees were ingesting systemic pesticides that were now a part of the DNA structure of the plants that bees were pollinating. Historically speaking, when pesticides were used in the past, they were sprayed on leaves or the body of the plant, which left the pollen and bees unaffected. The pollen now, however, carries the same DNA as the rest of the plant, thus contaminating the entire food supply that the bees depend on.

A clear picture of how Monsanto’s pesticides are partly responsible for the collapse of bee colonies is becoming more evident. Tests done on bees that were exposed to Monsanto’s Mon810 corn, a genetically engineered corn crop that produces insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) showed that, once ingested by the bees, Bt binds to receptors within the gut which stop the bees from eating. This results in bees that are weaker and unable to produce enough honey to sustain their colonies. Research on the mechanisms and function of Bt, from the University of California, San Diego, explain that Bt was designed to work this way within insects; first by reducing an insects capacity to eat, then breaking down the intestinal wall, which, lastly, exposes the insect to spores and bacteria that would otherwise be controlled and isolated within the gut of the insect.

Whats more, is that it is not just Bt thats causing the problem. On their Save The Bees page, Greenpeace explains the use of pesticides, especially neonicotinoids, causes acute and chronic poisoning not just of one bee, but of the entire colony. When the bees collect the nectar and pollen from flowers of plants engineered to produce these systemic pesticides, they bring it back to the hive and store it in the honeycombs. The younger generations of bees, which eat these reserves, are then exposed to the pesticides severely damaging their ability to function normally. Unlike Bt which attacks an insects immune system, neonicotinoids targets the central nervous system (CNS) of insects, damaging their navigational capabilities, impairing their memory, and eventually leads to paralysis. If bees cannot find their way back to the hive, due to impaired navigational capacities, then they cannot bring the nutrients back which are necessary for sustaining the colony and its honey production. Similarly, if a bee cannot fly, then a bee cannot pollinate, which is necessary to the lifecycle of flowering plants and sustaining our agriculture.

Understanding the effect that the use of Monsanto’s pesticides has on a bees ability to maintain a healthy immune system and functioning CNS, it becomes clear how these pesticides make bees more susceptible to CCD. With a compromised CNS, bees lose their ability to adequately provide nourishment to the colony, which keeps the colony functioning. A weakened immune system prevents bees from the natural ability to ward off parasites or bacteria that make them vulnerable to disease. The bees simply cannot fight off the virus in such a compromised state.

Research from governments around the world have come to the same conclusion regarding the hazards involved with systemic pesticides and bee collapse. In May of 2012, Poland officially banned the use of Monsanto’s MON810, holding it responsible, at least in part, to CCD. France also imposed its own ban on Monsanto’s pesticide, and in general the European Food Safety Authority found the use of systemic pesticides unacceptable. The United States, however, has yet to embrace the research of the harmful effects that Monsanto’s genetically engineered pesticides has on the bees, or ecology in general.

Bees and other insects, are susceptible to a wide range of viruses, just like mammals are. The IAVP is just one example of such a virus but other dangerous ones exist such as the Nosema virus, a fungal parasite, and the deformed wing virus, which impairs flight and has spread outside the honey bee population to the bumble bee as well. These viruses are contributing to the overall decline in numbers of our most precious pollinators. Monsanto’s genetically engineered pesticides may not be the cause of the collapse but they certainly play a role in making bees more vulnerable to the viruses which are drastically reducing their numbers.

By Natalia Sanchez

Sources:

The Honey Colony
Bacillus Thuringiensis
Greenpeace
Natural News
Global Research

Read more at http://guardianlv.com/2014/03/monsantos-pesticides-are-partly-responsible-for-the-collapse-of-the-bee/#wJDW4553XJdUFrhx.99

Thursday, July 24, 2014

The Miracle of Israel

Poison in Bleached Flour

https://www.seleneriverpress.com/historical-archives/all-archive-articles/119-white-flour-poisons-let-this-be-a-lesson-to-us

By Dr. Royal Lee

Summary: Dr. Royal Lee was one of the original fighters against the bleaching and refining of flour products. He considered it a national crime, and spoke out about it tirelessly from the early 1920s through the end of his life. In this article, aimed at homemakers, Dr. Lee gives a brief history of the practice of flour bleaching as well as the noble efforts to stop it. He also highlights the discovery by scientists that the chemicals involved in flour bleaching were deadly. "It seems that English investigators have found that the bleaching chemical universally used in this country for many years has been found poisonous enough to kill dogs in a few weeks if they receive the bleached flour, or bread made from it." 1947.

[The following is a transcription of the original Archives document. To view or download the original document, click here.]

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/03/26/The-Little-Known-Secrets-about-Bleached-Flour.aspxby Dr. Mercola

Nearly everyone knows that white flour is not healthy for you, but most people don’t know that when white flour is bleached, it can actually be FAR worse for you.

It’s generally understood that refining food destroys nutrients. With the most nutritious part of the grain removed, white flour essentially becomes a form of sugar. Consider what gets lost in the refining process:

Half of the beneficial unsaturated fatty acids
Virtually all of the vitamin E
Fifty percent of the calcium
Seventy percent of the phosphorus
Eighty percent of the iron
Ninety eight percent of the magnesium
Fifty to 80 percent of the B vitamins

And many more nutrients are destroyed -- simply too many to list.

The Journey of the Wheat Berry

Have you ever wondered how white flour is made?

The website Healthy Eating Politics has an interesting article about the process.

Most commercial wheat production is, unfortunately, a “study in pesticide application,” beginning with the seeds being treated with fungicide. Once they become wheat, they are sprayed with hormones and pesticides. Even the bins in which the harvested wheat is stored have been coated with insecticides. If bugs appear on the wheat in storage, they fumigate the grain.

A whole grain of wheat, sometimes called a wheat berry, is composed of three layers:

The bran

The germ

The endosperm

The bran is the layer where you’ll find most of the fiber, and it’s the hard outer shell of the kernel. The germ is the nutrient-rich embryo that will sprout into a new wheat plant. The endosperm is the largest part of the grain (83 percent), making up most of the kernel, and it’s mostly starch.

White flour is made from the endosperm only, whereas whole-wheat flour combines all three parts of the wheat berry.

Old time mills ground flour slowly, but today’s mills are designed for mass-production, using high-temperature, high-speed steel rollers. The resulting white flour is nearly all starch, and even much of today’s commercially processed whole wheat flour has lost a fair amount of nutritional value due to these aggressive processing methods.

White flour contains a small fraction of the nutrients of the original grain, with the heat of the steel rollers having destroyed what little nutrients remain. But then it is hit with another chemical insult--a chlorine gas bath (chlorine oxide). This serves as a whitener, as well as an “aging” agent.

Flour used to be aged with time, improving the gluten and thus improving the baking quality. Now, it is treated with chlorine to instantly produce similar qualities in the flour (with a disturbing lack of concern about adding another dose of chemicals to your food).

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Parsha Dessert

http://parshadessert.blogspot.sg/2013/07/parshas-masei_3.html

Parshas Masei

Hashem commands Moshe to write down the name of the 40 places Bnei Yisrael trekked through to get to Eretz Yisrael in their 40 years in the midbar.

This Oatmeal chocolate chip cookie is shaped into one huge cookie and decorated with icing to resemble a map showing their route from Yetziat Mitzrayim till eventually getting to Eretz Yisrael.

I copied this map....