Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Gidalar Hakkindaki Bilimsel Bilgiler

Butun bakteriler zararli degildir. Hastalik yapici ve hatta oldurucu etkiye sahip bakterilerin yaninda; yararli bakteriler de vardir.

* Mesela, yogurt yapiminda kullanilan ve sutun yogurda donusumunu gerceklestiren starter kultur olarak kullanilan yogurt bakterileri: Streptecoccus thermophilus ve Lactobacillus bulgaricus

* Peynir yapiminda kullanilan starter kulturlerden bazilari ise: Lactococcus lactis ssp cremoris, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus ve Leuconostoc turevleri.

* Kimi bakterilerde asi veya antibiyotik olarak tip sektorunde insanlara daha saglikli bir hayat sunmak icin kullanilirlar. Bilindigi uzere oldurulmus veya zayiflatilmis bakteriler insan vucuduna enjekte edildiginde, vucut bu bakterilere karsi antikor uretmeye baslar ve bu zayiflatilmis veya olu olan bakterilere karsi bir ustunluk saglar. Bu olaya tip alaninda bagisiklik denmektedir. Vucut gucsuz bakterilere karsi kendini hazirlamis olur ve guclu, saglam bakterilerle karsilastiginda nasil davranmasi gerektigini ogrenmis olur. Bildiginiz gibi gunumuzde de tetanoz ve verem gibi, bir çok hastaligi onlemek için cesitli bakteriler kullanilir ve bir cesit onlem olarak kabul edilirler.

* Yine benzer sekildeki bazi bakteriler tip sektorunde antibiyotik yapiminda kullanilirlar. Streptomycin adi verilen bir bakteri cesidi; Bacitracin, Polymyxin ve Erythromycin adi verilen antibiyotikler uretmektedir. Bu antibiyotikler hastalik onleyici olarak cogu zaman insanlar tarafindan kullanilmaktadir.

* Ayrica yine Clostridium bacterium adi verilen bir bakteri cesidinin fermantasyonu sureci sonunda ortaya cikan butil alkol ve aseton kimya sektorunde çok kullanilan degerli kimyasal maddelerdendir.

* Yine benzer sekilde insan kaninin plazmasinda bulunan Dextran adli yararli bir madde; Leuoconostoc adli bir bakteri tarafindan yapilmaktadir.

* Bazi bakteri turleri; bazi hayvanlarin bagirsaklarinda ozellikle seluloz sindiriminde kullanilmaktadir ve selulozun karbonhidratlarin temel tasi olan glikoza indirgenmesini saglar ve böylece hucreler için gerekli olan enerji de bulunmus olur.

* Eger curukcul bakteriler olmasaydi olu insan bedenleri ve canliligini yitirmis bitki parcaciklari olduklari gibi kalacak ve bunlarin ana organik maddelere donusumu olmayacakti. Boylece karbon dongusunun onemli bir parcasi yerine getirilmemis olacakti. Bu curukcul bakteriler yaptiklari bu parcalama islemiyle ayni zamanda topraklari da beslerler ve verimli hale getirirler.


Ispanak Gercegi:

Yillardir, icinde cok demir oldugunu sandigimiz ispanak, aslinda marul ya da diger yesil sebzelerle ayni oranda demir tasiyor diyebiliriz. Kayisi dahi ispanaktan daha fazla demir iceriyor.
Bilimsel olarak; gidalarda demir 2 ayri formda bulunur. Bir cesidi vucut tarafindan %30 emilir (bu demir cesidi; kirmizi et, kanatli etleri ve balikta bulunur ).Diger cesit bitkilerde bulunur ve % 2-10 emilim gosterir. Sonuc olarak, etlerden aldiginiz demir vucudunuzda daha fazla emilir ve fayda gorur.
Ispanaktaki durum: demir orani yuksek ama emilen demir orani dusuktur.
Mecimek ise: ispanaga gore demir orani dusuk, ama yararlanilabilen (emilen) demir orani daha yuksektir.


Yogurdun Faydalari

* Hastaliklara karsi direnci artirir

*Bagisiklik sistemini guclendirir ve hastalik yapan mantarlar da dahil olmak uzere tum mikroplardan, sindirim sistemi kanserlerine kadar pek cok hastaliktan korur.

* Buyume- gelisme caginda; dis ve kemik gelisimini hizlandirir.
* Rasitizmden (cocuk felci) korur.
* Menopoz sonrasi kadinlarda ve yasli erkeklerde kemikleri guclendirir, kirilmalari onler.
* Yogurt, bebeklere altinci aydan sonra ek olarak verilen ilk besinlerden biridir. Boylece bebeklerin kemik ve dis gelisimine yardimci olur.

* Bagirsaklardaki yararli bakterilerin olusumunu hizlandirir.
* Ishalden korur ve kabizligi giderir.

* Bagirsak hareketlerini duzene sokar ve bagirsak ulserlerinden korur.
* Agiz kokusunu ve dis tasi olusumunu onler.
* Uyku sorunu olanlarin yatmadan once bir kase yogurt yemesi onerilir.
* Diyabet hastalarina iyi gelir
* Kotu kolesterolu (LDL) dusurur, iyi kolesterolu (HDL) yukseltir.
* Vucuttaki yaglarin yakimini kolaylastirir ve kilo almayi onler.
* Cok yogurt yiyenlerin az yiyenlere gore daha uzun omurlu ve daha saglikli yasadiklari gozlenmistir.

* Yogurt, vitamin icerdigi icin suyu suzulmeden yenmelidir. Suzme yogurt B vitamininden fakirdir.
* Yogurt, buyuk bir Calcium kaynagidir, gunluk % 40 ihtiyaci karsilar.
* Laktoz intolerans (laktaz enzimi eksikligi olanlar, sut sekeri olan laktozu sindiremez) yuzunden sut tuketemeyenler icin yogurt cok idealdir.

* Yogurdu soguk tuketmeye dikkat edin. Yogurttaki yararli bakteriler sicakta hayatta kalamazlar.

Evde yogurt yapimi.....

Brokolinin Faydalari

Brokoli, icerdigi maddeler acisindan insan sagligi uzerinde bir cok olumlu etkiye sahiptir.
* Vitamin degeri acisindan; A, E ve C, Karoten vitaminlerini icermektedir. Demir, Selen, Kalsiyum, Bakir ve Potasyum kaynagidir. Icerdigi flavonoidler bakimindan bagisiklik sistemimizi guclendirir.
* Antibiyotik ozelligine sahip olusu, prostatitis'e (prostat enfeksiyonu) karsi cok etkilidir. Genel olarak antibiyotikler, insan hayati icin hayati onem tasiyan, vazgecilmez ilaclardir, fakat bagisiklik sistemini zayiflatirlar. Brokolinin en onemli ozelligi; hem bagisiklik sistemini guclendirmek, hem de antibiyotik vazifesi gormektir.
* Brokoli; meme, prostat, bagirsak ve idrar kesesi kanserlerine karsi guclu bir koruyucudur. Amerika'da ozellikle bu kanser turlerine karsi brokolinin icerdigi bazi maddeler (Sulforafen, Indol-3-Carbinol, DiIndolMethan v.s.) zenginlestirilerek kanser tedavisinde basari ile kullanilmaktadir.
* Brokoli icerdigi bazi indol ve indol turevleri (bitkisel hormonlar) sayesinde vucudumuzdaki hormon dengesini ayarlayici ozellige sahiptir. Yine Amerika'da bazi klinikler menopoz donemindeki bayanlar icin ostrojen hormonunun duzenli calismasi icin brokolideki bitkisel hormonlardan yararlanmaktadirlar.
* Brokolinin kendine ozgu olan selulozik yapisi (lifli yapi) bagirsaklarda olusan toksinlerin atilmasini saglar ve vucutta bulunan agir metallerin diskiyla disari atilmasinda buyuk rol oynamaktadir.
* Brokolinin lifli yapisi; bagirsaklarin calisma duzeninin dengelenmesine yardim eder ve diskinin duzenli bir sekilde disari atilmasini saglayarak, kabizligi onler.
* Bugun dunyada; hakkinda en cok arastirma yapilan sebzeler: beyaz lahana, turp, domates, brokoli ve havuc ilk siralarda yer almaktadir.
* Brokoli; prostatit, iyi huylu prostat buyumesi, ulser, idrar yollari enfeksiyonuna karsi onleyici ve tedavi edici guce sahiptir.
* Brokoli, ozellikle prostat ve meme kanserine karsi etkin 5 farkli koruyucu madde icermektedir. Bunlardan en guclu olani Sulforafen dir.
* Brokoli ayni zamanda guclu bir antioxidandir. Yani hucre zarlarina (membran) ve hucre DNA'sina zarar veren serbest radikalleri notralize (zararsiz hale getirmek) etmektedir. Hucre DNA sini bozabilen serbest radikaller bu ozelliklerinden dolayi kanserojendirler. Beta-karoten ve C Vitamini, Kalp Hastaliklari,Katarakt ve cesitli kanserlerinde icinde bulundugu bir cok hastaliga yakalanma riskini azaltir.
* Brokolinin fazla pisirilmesi ya da islem gormesi, Indol ve Glutation gibi bazi antioksidanlarin yok olmasina neden olur. Brokoliyi cig ya da az pismis olarak mikrodalga ve kavurarak tuketin. Gaz uretimini azaltmak icin, brokoliyi zencefil ya da sarimsak ile yemeyi deneyin.
* Brokoli, kolestrol dusurucu lifler bakiminda zengindir. Bu sayede virus ve ulser onleyici olarak aktiftir. Ayrica, Krom bakimindan cok zengin olusu, kan sekeri ve insulinin ayarlanmasina yardim eder.
* Brokoli, sut icmeyenler icin onemli bir Kalsiyum kaynagidir. Arastirmalara gore Kalsiyum sadece kemikleri guclendirmekle kalmaz, yuksek tansiyonun kontrolunde ve Kolon Kanserinin onlenmesinde de rol oynar.

Omega-3 ve Omega-6 nin Faydalari
Omega 3 vucut tarafindan yapilamayan ve disaridan yiyeceklerle alinmasi gereken doymamis yag asitlerindendir.En iyi Omega 3 kaynagi baliktir. Omega 3 yag asitleri her yas grubundaki bireyler icin gereklidir.
*Yapilan calismalar, Omega 3 yag asitlerinin LDL kolesterol denilen kotu huylu kolesterolu dusurdugu, iyi huylu kolesterolu yani HDL kolesterolu artirdigini belirtmektedir. Bu durum da kalp damar sagligini koruyucu ve koroner kalp riskini azaltici etki gosterir. Kalp ritim bozukluklarini onleyebilir.
* Bunun yani sira, trigliserid seviyesini dusurur, aterosklerotik plak olusumunu engeller. Damar sagligini koruyucu etki gosterir. Pihtilasma hucreleri trombositlerin yapiskanligini azaltarak pihtilasmaya bagli damar tikanmasi riskini de dusurur. Ayrica; kani incelterek felc riskini dusurdukleri, beynin kanlanmasini guclendirdikleri, bellek sorunlarini azalttiklari da biliniyor.
*Omega 3 yag asidinin ogrenme kabiliyetini artirici etkisi vardir.
*Omega 6 yag asitlerinin cogu bitkisel yaglarda bulunur, linoleik asit gibi (LA; bunu Omega-3 yag asidi olan alfa-linoleik asit ALA ile karistirmamaya dikkat edin). Linoleik asit vucutta gamma-linoleik aside (GLA) donusur ve daha sonra arasidonik aside yikilir (AA). AA dogrudan etten alinabilir ve bircok bitkisel yag kaynakli yaglardan alinabilir.
*Hamilelik sirasinda, bebek Omega 3 yag asitlerini anneden alir. Bu nedenle, hamilelik surecindeki annenin balik tuketmesi gereklidir.
*Cocuklarin surekli ve iyi bir Omega 3 yag asidi kaynagina ihtiyaclari vardir. Cocuklarda dikkat yetersizligi, konsantrasyon bozuklugu ve hiperaktivite ile mucadelede ozellikle DHA son derece etkili bulunuyor.
*Bellek icin yararli etkileri ozellikle bebekler ve buyume cagindaki cocuklarda onemlidir. Bu yastaki cocuklarda ogrenmeyi, problem cozme yetenegini ozellikle DHA’nin iyilestirdigi biliniyor. Cocuklardaki zeka gelisimine yardimci oluyor ve bu durum beyindeki yagin ana bilesiminin Omega-3 yag asitleri iceren DHA (Docosa Haxaenoic Acid) olmasindan kaynaklaniyor.
Bu yaglar bebek ve cocuklarda gozlerin gormede temel islevler goren retina tabakasinin gelismesini destekliyor. Yaslilarda sari noktanin zayiflamasina bagli gorme kayiplarini azaltiyor. *Omega-3 yaglari bakimindan zengin beslenenlerde Alzheimer hastaligina yakalanma olasiligi daha dusuk oluyor.
*Omega-3 yaglarinin kan basinci kontrolunu kolaylastirdigi biliniyor. Cunku Omega-3 yaglari atar damar duvarlarinin esnekligini artiriyor. DHA ve EPA’nin kanserden korudugu da biliniyor.
*Ozellikle meme, prostat ve kolon kanserinden korunmada bu yaglar faydali oluyor.
*Yiyeceklerle bol miktarda DHA alan kisilerde bagisiklik kokenli saglik sorunlarina ve romatizmal problemlere seyrek rastlaniyor.
*Omega-3 yaglarinin depresyona yakalanma olasiligini azalttigi, depresyon tedavisini kolaylastirdigi bilimsel olarak kanitlanmistir.
*Omega-6 yag asitlerinin bazi formlari alkol aliskanligindan kurtulmaya yardim eder ve karacigerin zarar gormesini engeller.
*GLA formundaki Omega-6 yag asitleri, seker hastalarinda gorulen sinir bozukluklarini (ayak ve ellerde his kaybi, agri, uyusma, karincalanma gibi…)onlemeye yardimci olur.
*Yine GLA formu goz kurulugu gibi bazi goz hastaliklarina iyi gelir.
*Omega yag asitleri vucuttaki trigliseridi azalttiklarindan dolayi kilo vermede yardimci olurlar.
*Omega-3 yaglarini vucut uretemiyor. Disaridan besinlerle alinmalari gerekiyor. Bu yaglar en cok balikta ve deniz urunlerinde bulunuyor. Ozellikle soguk sularda yetisen yagli baliklarda. Su ne kadar soguksa baligin Omega-3 uretimi o kadar fazla oluyor. Bunun nedeni Omega-3 yaglarinin balik vucudunu soguktan koruyan bir antifriz gorevi yapmalaridir.
Ayrica ceviz ve diger kuruyemisler, keten tohumu ve yesil yaprakli sebzeler de omega 3 bakimindan zengindir. Keten tohumu yagi kullanarak, (taze kullanmaya, koyu renkli sisede ve buzdolabinda saklamaya dikkat edin) ekmek ve kurabiyelerinize keten tohumu ekleyerek, daha fazla tam bugday, findik tuketerek ve salatalariniza daha cok semizotu ekleyerek vucudunuza daha cok Omega-3 yagi kazandirabilirsiniz.
Kisacasi Omega-3 yaglari gercek birer saglik mucizesi. Bu yaglarin her ucunu de vucudunuza dogal yolla mumkun oldugu kadar fazla miktarda kazandirmaya calisin. Gunde 2-3 gram Omega-3 almaniz yeterlidir ve en az 150-160 mg EPA ve DHA tuketmeyi hedeflemek gerekiyor.
Unutmayin, Omega-3 yaglarini yeterince alamazsaniz urettiginiz hucrelerinizin zarlari yeteri kadar saglam olmaz. Gucsuz, zayif, kalp krizine, kalp ritim bozukluguna, felce, kansere, insulin direncine egilimli hucreler uretirsiniz. Omega-3 yaglarindan faydalanmayi bir aliskanlik haline getirin.

Yemek Pisirmek icin Pratik Bilgiler

***Daha lezzetli patlican yemekleri icin, patlicanlari pisirmeden once 20-30 dakika boyunca su ya da tuzlu suda bekletin. Suyun kahverengiye dondugunu goreceksiniz.

***Daha lezzetli yemekler pisirmek icin, yemeklerinizde sicak ya da ilik su kullanin. Soguk su yemeginizin lezzetini kacirir.

***Et pisirirken; eger tuzu baslangicta ilave ederseniz et sert olur.

***Ayrani bir an once tuketin. Cunku bir sure sonra yogurt dibe cokecektir.

***Turk cayinin parlak ve berrak olmasi icin cayi demlemeden once soguk su ile yikayip suzun.

***Cilekte bulunan bir cesit protein, serotonin hormonuna etki eder ve bu hormon mutluluk hissini arttirir. Ayni zamanda stresi ve istahi azaltir.

***Yemeginizin tuzu fazla olduysa, soyulmus bir patatesi parcalara ayirarak yemegin icine ilave edin. Cig patates yemegin fazla tuzunu alacaktir.

***Eger patates kizartmasini kitir kitir seviyorsaniz, kizartmadan once dilimlediginiz patatesleri bir sure su icinde bekletin. Su patatesteki nisastayi alacak ve kizartma sonrasi kitir kitir patates elde edeceksiniz.

***Kizartma yaparken, kokunun butun eve yayilmasini onlemek icin kizartma yaginin icine bir kac dal maydanoz atin.

***Mantari hicbir zaman yikamayin. Yikanan mantar su ceker ve lezzetini yitirir. Mantari kucuk mantar fircasi ile, veya bir bez parcasi ile fazla bastirmadan silerek temizleyin.

***Pisirdiginiz kek kalibindan cikmiyor ise, kabin altina islak bir bez yayarak 5-10 dakika bekletin.

***Kullandiginiz salcalarin bozulmamasini istiyorsaniz uzerini duzleyerek biraz zeytin yagi ilave ederek uzun sure saklayabilirsiniz.

***Kuru bakliyatlari bir gece onceden ilik suya koyun ve haslarken icine biraz karbonat ilave edin.

***Pisireceginiz pilavin tane tane, beyaz ve parlak olmasi icin tencereye incecik bir dilim limon veya bir kac damla limon suyu koyun.

***Ellerdeki sarimsak kokusunu cikarmak icin avucunuza biraz tuz alip, hafifce nemlendirdikten sonra iyice ovalayin. Sabunla da iyice yikarsaniz sarimsak kokusunun cikmis oldugunu goreceksiniz. Hatta sogan ve balik kokusu icin de ayni islemi uygulayabilirsiniz.

***Sogan soymaya baslamadan once parmaklarinizi sirkeye batirirsaniz, sogan kokusunun elinize bulasmadigini goreceksiniz.

***Kizartma yaptiginizda mutfaginiza koku yayilmasini istemiyorsaniz bir kapta sirkeli su kaynatin.

***Balik kizartirken cikan kotu kokuyu onlemek icin yaga limon suyu sikin. Boylece ayni yagi baska bir kizartmada da kullanabilirsiniz.

***Etleri limon suyu ile pisirirseniz hem cabuk piser hem de lezzetli olur.

***Patates pisirirken, suyuna bir kasik sirke koyulursa hem rengi sari kalir hem de daha lezzetli olur.

***Sutu tencereye koymadan once, tencere soguk suyla calkalanirsa sut kaynarken dibine yapismaz.

***Konserve acildiktan sonra cam kavanozda saklanirsa daha dayanikli ve saglikli olur.

***Balik kizartirken yapacaginiz bir iki ufak degisiklikle cok daha degisik tatlar yakalayabilirsiniz. Ornegin, kizartma yaginin icine bir tutam tatli kirmizi biber serpin. Bu sekilde baligin rengi cok daha guzel ve parlak olur. Ayrica, kirmizi biber de baliga degisik bir lezzet verir.

***Balik hem lezzetli hem de kirmizi ete gore daha saglikli olusu nedeniyle sofralarimizin vazgecilmez besinlerindendir. Fakat yagda kizartilinca, cok fazla yag cektigi icin sindirimi zor olabilir. Baliklari yikayip kuruladiktan sonra uzerine sivi yag surup una bularsaniz daha az yag cekecektir.

***Buzdolabindaki kotu kokulardan kurtulmak icin bir kase sutu buzdolabina koyun ve 1-2 gun sureyle birakin. Sonra sutu kullanmadan atin.

***Yesil salata yapmadan once, marul ya da kivircik yapraklarina biraz limon suyu ilave etmeyi deneyin.

***Makarnanin haslama suyuna yag ilave ederseniz, kullandiginiz makarna sosu, makarnadan siyrilacak, butunlesmeyecektir.

***Patates salatasi yaparken, haslanip dogranmis patatesleri sogutun ya da dondurucuda soklayin.

***Domatesin kabugunu kolay soymak icin, domatesi kaynayan suyun icinde 10-20 saniye kadar bekletin ve sonra soymayi deneyin.

***Pisirdiginiz kurabiyeleri aylarca hazir ikram olarak saklayabilirsiniz. Soguduktan sonra; plastik buzdolabi postelerinde ya da stretch film ile cift kat sarilarak dondurucuda 3 ay saklanabilir. Cozundurmek icin; kurabiyeleri dondurucudan cikarip, poset ya da sargilarindan cikarin. Tek sira halinde duz bir yuzeye yayin ve 15-30 dakika bekletin. Tuketilmeyen kurabiyeleri agzi sikica kapatilmis kaplarda saklayabilirsiniz.

***Tavugu suda haslayip sonra yemeklerde kullanacaksaniz, once suyun icinde sogumasini bekleyin, sonra parcalayin. Bu sayede lezzeti iki kat artacaktir.

***Sebzelerinizin yesil kalmasi icin soda kullanmayin. Soda C vitaminini yok eder.

***Kizartma yaparken yaginizin kizgin olmasina dikkat edin. Dusuk ateste yapilan kizartmalarda sebzeler cok yag ceker. Ayrica kizgin yaga ilave edilen yeni yag da sebzeler tarafindan hemen emilir.

***Sogani dondurarak saklamanin 3 yolu vardir. Dondurma islemi soganin doku ve yapisini degistirir, bu yuzden dondurulmus sognlar sadece yemek yapiminda kullanilmalidir.

1-Soganlari dograyin ve yagli kagit uzerine koyup, dondurucuda donduktan sonra; alip dondurucu kaplarina ya da torbalarina koyun ve agizlarini kapatin. Bu yontem ile istediginiz zaman istediginiz miktari alip kullanmanizi saglar.
2-Butun sogani dondurmak isterseniz; soyun, yikayin ve plastic buzdolabi posetlerine koyarak dondurun.
3- Ayrica dogranmis soganlari biraz tereyagi ya da siviyagda kavurduktan sonra, sogutup, buzdolabi posetlerinde dondurabilirsiniz.

Kurutma: soganlari dograyin ve firinin en dusuk isi ayarinda kuruttun. Tamamen kuruyunca (kahverengi olmadan) firindan cikarin. Oda sicakliginda hava almayan kaplarda muhafaza edin.

***Baliklar bir bas sogan, biraz maydanoz, 2 defne yapragi, ince dogranmis yarim limon karisimiyla ovulursa ya da bu karisim baliklarin yuzeyine suruldukten 15 dakika sonra pisirilirse cok lezzetli olur.

***Baliklar pisirilmeden once biraya batirilip kizartilirsa; daha citir ve lezzetli olur.

***Baklagiller tam olarak pismeden tuz ilave etmeyin, pismeden atarsaniz yumusamalari zorlasir. Tuz baklagillerin uzerindeki kabugu sertlestirir ve taneler parcalanir. Kaynamaya basladiktan 10-15 dakika sonra tuz ilave edin.

***Kebap etlerinin daha lezzetli olmasi icin etleri bir cay bardagi sogan suyu, bir cay bardagi zeytinyagi ve bir cay bardagi sut karisimiyla ovup 10-12 saat buz dolabinda bekletip marine edilmeli ve sonra pisirilmelidir.

***Firinda kizartma; etleri, ozellikle kanatlilari pisirmede kolay ve hizli bir yontemdir. Firinda kizartma yapmadan once firini onceden yuksek bir dereceye isitin ve eti piserken kurumamasi icin yaglayin. Yuksek isi etin tadini ve yumusakligini korur. Kanatlilar kizartilirken, gogus kismi altta olarak baslanir ve piserken ters cevrilerek icindeki sivinin esit dagilmasi saglanir. Firin tepsiniz kizarttiginiz etin sekline ve boyutuna uygun olmalidir. Eger tepsi buyuk ise, etiniz kuruyup, yanacaktir. Eger kucukse, etiniz tepsinin kenarlarina yapisacak ve et aromasini kaybedecektir

Saglikli Gidalar icin Pratik Bilgiler

***Capraz bulasma, zararli bakterilerin; insandan, nesnelerden ya da ortamdan diger ortamlara transferi ya da fiziksel hareketidir. Gida zehirlenmelerinin anahtar faktorudur ve temel kaynaklari: gidalar, insanlar, kullanilan arac gerec ve calisma alanlaridir.

Dikkat etmeniz gereken noktalar:
* Cig gidalara, ozellikle cig etlere dokunduktan sonra ellerinizi iyice yikayin.
* Pismis ve cig/ onceden pisirilmis ve onceden hazirlanan gidalar icin ayri kesme tahtalari ya da ayri gida temas yuzeyleri kullanin.
* Pismis ve cig/ onceden pisirilmis ve onceden hazirlanan gidalar arasinda temas olmamalidir.
* Buyuk kutle halindeki gidalari, tezgah uzerine koymayin.
* Butun arac gerec ve aletler icin dogru sanitasyon prosedurlerini uygulayin.
* Temizlik bezlerinin tek kullanimlik ya da yeterince sanitize oldugundan emin olun.
* Cig ve yemege hazir gidalari ayri muhafaza edin.

***C vitamini, havadaki Oksijen, isi ve gunes isigi ile temasindan 30 dakika sonra degerini yitirir. Bardaga doktugunuz meyve sularini ve dilimlediginiz meyveleri bir an once tuketin.Meyve sularinizin kapagini acik birakmayin, isi ve gunes isigindan uzak yerlerde muhafaza edin.

***Yuksek riskli gidalar; zararli bakterilerin uredigi ve pisirme gibi bu bakterileri yok eden on uygulama yapilmadan tulketilen ve dolayisiyla kolay bozulan gidalardir.
Bunlar:
* Butun pismis kirmizi et ve kanatlilar.
* Sos, et-tavuk suyu ve sandivic malzemelerini iceren pismis etler.
* Sut, krema, yapay krema, sutlu tatlilar ve sut urunleri.
* Pismis yumurta ve yumurta iceren urunler; mayonez gibi
* Kabuklu deniz hayvalari ve diger deniz mahsulleri.
* Pismis pirinc.

***Brokoliyi pisirmeden tuketmeye calisin. Pisirmek ya da kaynatmak brokolideki vitaminleri ve mineralleri azaltir ya da yok eder.

***Tarcini sutlaci kaselere doker dokmez koymayin. Cunku; mikroorganizmalar tarcin ve sicak sutlacin temasiyla; yuzeyde hizla ureyecektir. Bu durum gida zehirlenmesine yol acabilir. Tarcini koyarken sutlacin soguduguna ve servisten hemen once olmasina dikkat edin.

***Mikroorganizmalarin gelisme olasiliginin en yuksek oldugu durumlar:
* Oksijen bulunan ya da bulunmayan ortamlar
* -7 ve 70°C civari araligindaki sicakliklarda
* pH 0-11 araliginin yukarisi
* Su aktivitesinin 0.6 dan yuksek oldugu ortamlar
(Belli bir gidanin bozulmasi; mikroorganizmalarin o gidadaki ve cevresindeki kosullara uygun olusuna baglidir.)

*** Gida bozulmalarinin belirtileri:
* Kotu kokularin olusumu.
* Gidalar, bakteri populasyonunun artisiyla yapiskan ve sumuksu bir hal alir.
* Gidalar, mikrobiyal gelisme sonucu renk degisimine ugrar.
* Gidalar, bakterilerin asit uretmesi sonucu eksimeye baslar.
* Mayalar ve bakteriler, genelde gas ureterek gidalari etkilerler.

***Domates, guclu bir antioksidan olan likopen deposudur.

***Cay yapraklarinin kaynamis su ile ani temasi, caydaki C vitaminini yok eder ve icindeki mineral degerlerini azaltir. Ayni zamanda kaynamis su, cayin icindeki tanen maddesini parcalar, yok eder ve bu da kansizliga yol acar. Bunu onlemek icin demlige koydugumuz cayi temiz su ile yikiyoruz ya da 1-2 kasik soguk su ile islatiyoruz.

***Dondurulmus balik cozundururken; once dolapta (4C) 12 saat boyunca bekletin. Sonra oda sicakliginda 4-5 saat boyunca cozundurun ve hemen pisirin. Dondurulmus baligi direk oda sicakliginda cozundurmemeye dikkat edin. Cunku bu, hastalik yapici organizmalarin hemen gelismesine ve baligin uzerinde yayilmasina sebep olacaktir.

***Salatanizi servisten en fazla 30 dakika once dograyin. Dogranan sebzeler, hava ile temas ettikten 30 dakika sonra, ozellikle C vitamini olmak uzere, vitamin kaybina ugrarlar.

***Pismis sebzeler buzdolabinda en fazla 4 gun, pismis etler ise 3 gun saklanabilir.

***Pismis ya da cig balik buzdolabinda 2 gunden fazla saklanamaz.

***Buzdolabindaki soguk hava, bakterileri oldurmez sadece onlari durdurur, gelismelerini yavaslatir ve boylece enfeksiyon riskini azaltir.

***Yumurta, sut ve yogurt gibi kolay bozulan besinleri buzdolabinin ust raflarina yerlestirin. Et, balik ve peynir gibi besinlerin uzerlerini aluminyum ya da seffaf folyoyla kapatip orta raflara yerlestirin.

***Kullandiginiz kizartma yagini tekrar kullanmayin ve yanmis yiyecekler tuketmeyin. Yanik gidalar ve yanmis yag kanserojen maddeler icerir.

***Makarna, eriste gibi gidalarin pisme sularinin dokulmesi besin degerini dusurur. Pilav pisirir gibi, cekecegi kadar su koyarak pisirin, boylece besin degeri daha yuksek makarna tuketmis olursunuz.

***Yumurtayi cig olarak tuketmemelisiniz. Sindirimi zordur, besin zehirlenmesi yapabilir ve B grubu vitaminlerinden biyotin yararli etkisini gosteremez.

***Yumurtayi en fazla 6-8 dakika sureyle haslamalisiniz. Uzun sure haslanan yumurtanin sarisi etrafinda olusan yesil halka, besin degerinin azaldigini gosterir.

***Dondurulmus sebzelerin icerdikleri besin ogelerini maksimum oranda korumak icin pisirmeden once kesinlikle cozdurmemelisiniz.

***Kullandiginiz salcalarin bozulmamasini istiyorsaniz uzerini duzleyerek biraz zeytin yagi ilave ederek uzun sure saklayabilirsiniz.

***Yesil salata ve marulun yapraklarini yikadiktan sonra bicakla keserek dogramak yerine, elinizle koparin. Boylece vitamin kaybini onlemis olursunuz.

***Konserve gidalar, acildiktan sonra cam kavanozda saklanirsa daha dayanikli ve saglikli olur.

***Bal, saklama kosullarina dikkat edilmezse sekerlenir ve besin degeri kaybolur. Bu yuzden bal kavanozunu sicak olmayan serin ve karanlik bir yerde saklamak daha iyi olacaktir. Gun isigi alan bal bozulur. Ayrica kavanozun kapagi acik kalirsa nem alir ve tadi acimtrak olur.

***Cilekte bulunan bir cesit protein, serotonin hormonuna etki eder ve bu hormone mutluluk hissini arttirir. Ayni zamanda stresi ve istahi azaltir.

***Patateslerin burusmasini ve filizlenmesini onlemek icin; patateslerin bulundugu ortama bir elma koyun. Patatesleri daha uzun sure sakladiginizi goreceksiniz.

*** Cig sogan yemek, ya da cignemek, agzinizdaki ve dislerinizdeki bakterileri yok eder.

Scientific Facts about Food

Not all the bacteria are harmful. Some of the bacteria are useful even though others can cause illness that could even result in death.

*For example yogurt bacteria that we use as starter culture to make yogurt from milk: Streptecoccus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus

*Some starter cultures that are used in making cheese are: Lactococcus lactis ssp cremoris, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus and Leuconostoc derivatives.

*Some bacteria can be used as antibiotics and vaccines that are useful for healthy life. As you might know, when death or weakened bacteria are injected to human body, our body starts to produce antibodies. These antibodies fight with those bacteria and wins. This is called immunization. Our body learns how to fight with strong bacteria by training himself through fighting with weakened bacteria. As you know this method is being used very effectively for tetanus and tuberculosis.

*Similarly some bacteria are being used to produce antibiotics in medicine. Streptomycin, a bacterium, is being used to produce Bacitracin, Polymyxin ve Erythromycin. These antibiotics are being used for preventing diseases of human beings.

*Also, as a result of fermentation of a bacterium, Clostridium bacterium, butyl alcohol and acetone are produced which are precious compounds for chemical industry.

*Similarly, Dextran, a useful compound in our blood plasma, is being produced by a bacteria called Leuoconostoc.

*Some bacteria are being used in some of the animals’ intestines to digest cellulose. They produce glucose, fundamental substance of carbohydrate from cellulose. This process also produces the energy for cells.

*If saprophyte bacteria are not available, human corpses and death plants will not be decayed to main organic ingredients. This would stop the carbon cycle. These saprophyte bacteria also fertilize the soil by doing the mentioned process.


Reality of Spinach:

For a long time, we believed that spinach has the most iron content. But in reality, it has the same amount of iron as lettuce or other green vegetables have. Even apricot contains more iron than spinach.

Scientifically, there are two types of iron in food. Our body absorbs 30% of one type of iron which is evident in meat (beef, poultry and fish) and 2-10% of the second one that is evident at plants. The iron content and its absorption rate vary amongst the vegetables. For example; amount of iron is high but its absorption rate is low for spinach while amount of iron is low but its absorption rate is high for lentil. As a result, the iron we got through meat has been observed more and is more beneficial.


Nutritional Benefits of Yogurt

* Yogurt is a huge source of Calcium, 40 % of daily value (DV)
* It makes the immune system stronger.
* It helps to improve the bones and teeth during the childhood and adolescence.
* Helps to growth of the beneficial bacteria in the intestine.
* It helps to prevent rachitis.
* It helps to cure costiveness and diarrhea.
* It prevents the tartar and bad breath.
* Yogurt is given to babies after six months as an additional nutrition. It improves the growth of teeth and bones.
* It helps to prevent bone fractures and osteoporosis in old women and men.
* It helps to have a good sleep, when you eat yogurt before going to bed.
* It decreases the bad cholesterol (LDL), increases the good cholesterol (HDL)
* It is good for diabetics.
* It is a very good source of Calcium for people, who don’t have enough of the enzyme lactase, needed to properly digest the sugar or lactose in milk.(lactose in tolerance)
* Yeast infections are caused by a fungus can also be helped by the bacteria in yogurt.
* The bacteria in yogurt can strengthen in the immune system.
* It can help fight against bacterial infections like salmonella or food poisoning.
* Yogurt helps to prevent your body from ulcers, especially in the stomach and intestine.
* Be sure to keep and consume yogurt cold. The helpful bacteria in yogurt cannot withstand high heat.
* Do not filtrate yogurt, because the vitamins are in the water. So you can lose the vitamin B.
* It helps to get rid of the fats in the body and helps not to gain weight.

How to make yogurt at home....


Benefits of Broccoli on Health

* Broccoli's significant nutrients include Vitamin C, Vitamin A (mostly as beta-carotene), Calcium, Copper, Iron, Selenium, Potassium, Folic Acid, and fiber.
* Broccoli is an important calcium source for those who don't consume dairy products. Calcium does more than build strong bones. Research shows that this mineral may play a role in the control of High Blood Pressure, and it may work to prevent Colon Cancer.
* Broccoli is not only a rich source of fiber, but half of its fiber is insoluble and half is soluble, helping to meet your needs for both types of fiber. Fiber helps you to remove the heavy metals and toxins from your intestines. Also it prevents the constipation
* Broccoli provides a health bonus in the form of protective substances that may shield you from disease. Botanically, broccoli belongs to the Cabbage Family, collectively known as cruciferous vegetables.
* Broccoli is a spectacular and unique package of versatile disease fighters and abundant in numerous strong, well-known phyto chemicals and antioxidants, including indoles, isothiocyanates, quercetin, glutathione, beta carotene, vitamin C, folate, lutein, glucarate, and glutathione.
* Broccoli is extremely strong in anticancer activity, particularly against lung, colon, prostates and breast cancers. Like other cruciferous vegetables, it speeds up the removal of estrogen from the body, helping suppress breast cancer.
* Broccoli is rich in cholesterol-reducing fiber and has antiviral and antiulcer activity. It is a super source of chromium that helps regulate insulin and blood sugar.
* Broccoli is also a good source of calcium, thus help fight osteoporosis. However, broccoli is one of the leading intestinal gas producers.
* Broccoli adjusts the balance of the hormone levels in our body, with the help of indole and indole derivatives (botanical hormones).
* Heavy cooking and processing destroy some of the anti oxidants and phyto chemicals such as Indoles and glutathione. Eat raw or lightly cooked as in microwave and stir-fry. To reduce its gas production, eat broccoli with ginger or garlic.
* Nowadays the world wide researches are mostly done about; white cabbage, radish, tomato, broccoli and carrot.
* Broccoli is a very strong antioxidant, which helps to neutralize the free radicals which damage the cell membranes and cell DNAs. Beta-carotene and vitamin C are important antioxidants which help to reduce the risk of numerous conditions, including Heart Diseases, Cataract, and several cancers.


Nutritional Benefit of Omega-3 and Omega-6

Omega-3 fatty acids are considered to be essential for human health but they cannot be produced by the body. For this reason, omega-3 fatty acids must be obtained from the food we eat. They can be found in fish (e.g. salmon, tuna, and halibut) and other marine life (e.g. algae and krill), certain plants (including purslane) and nut oils.
Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain functions as well as for the growth and development of brain. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon) at least 2 times a week. It is advised that pregnant women, mothers, nursing mothers, young children and women who might become pregnant should eat several types of fish, including swordfish, shark, and king mackerel.
There are three major types of omega 3 fatty acids in foods that can be used by our body:

alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Once eaten, the body converts ALA to EPA and DHA, the two types of omega-3 fatty acids that can used easier by the body. Extensive research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and help to prevent the risk factors associated with chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. These essential fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be particularly important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function. In fact, infants who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids from their mothers during pregnancy are at risk for developing vision and nerve problems. Symptoms of omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include extreme tiredness (fatigue), poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings or depression, and poor circulation.
It is important to maintain an appropriate balance of omega-3 and omega-6 (another essential fatty acid) in the diet, as these two substances work together to promote health. An inappropriate balance of these essential fatty acids contributes to the development of disease while a proper balance helps maintain and even improve health. Together, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development. EFAs belong to the class of fatty acids called polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). They are generally necessary for stimulating skin and hair growth, maintaining bone health, regulating metabolism, and maintaining reproductive capability. A healthy diet should consist of roughly 2 - 4 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids.
There are several different types of omega-6 fatty acids. Most omega-6 fatty acids are consumed in the diet from vegetable oils as linoleic acid (LA; be careful not to confuse this with alpha-linolenic acid [ALA] which is an omega-3 fatty acid). Linoleic acid is converted to gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) in the body and then further broken down to arachidonic acid (AA). AA can also be consumed directly from meat, and GLA can be ingested from several plant-based oils including evening primrose oil (EPO), borage oil, and black currant seed oil.
Excess amounts of LA and AA are unhealthy because they promote inflammation, thereby leading to several of the diseases described above. In contrast, GLA may actually reduce inflammation
The typical American diet tends to contain 14 - 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids, and many researchers believe this imbalance is a significant factor in the rising rate of inflammatory disorders in the United States.
In contrast, however, the Mediterranean diet consists of a healthier balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and many studies have shown that people who follow this diet are less likely to develop heart disease. It also contains another fatty acid, omega-9 fatty acids, which have been reported to help lower risks associated with cancer and heart disease. The Mediterranean diet does not include much meat (which is high in omega-6 fatty acids) and emphasizes foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, including whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, olive oil, garlic, as well as moderate wine consumption.


*Several clinical studies suggest that diets or supplements rich in omega-3 fatty acids lower blood pressure significantly in individuals with hypertension.
*Who consume high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish, also tend to have increased HDL cholesterol and decreased triglycerides (fatty material that circulates in the blood). In addition, fish oil supplements containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have been reported in several large clinical studies to reduce low density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
*One of the best ways to help prevent and treat heart disease is to eat a low-fat diet and to replace foods rich in saturated and trans-fat with those that are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (including omega-3 fatty acids). Clinical evidence suggests that EPA and DHA found in fish oil help to reduce the risk factors for heart disease including high cholesterol and high blood pressure. There is also strong evidence that these substances can help to prevent and treat the atherosclerosis by inhibiting the development of plaque and blood clots, each of which tends to clog arteries
*Strong evidence from population-based clinical studies suggests that omega-3 fatty acid intake (primarily from fish) helps to protect against stroke caused by plaque buildup and blood clots in the arteries that lead to the brain. In fact, eating at least 2 servings of fish per week can reduce the risk of stroke by as much as 50%.
*Individuals with diabetes tend to have high triglyceride and low HDL levels. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil can help to lower triglycerides and apoproteins (markers of diabetes), and raise HDL, so people with diabetes may benefit from eating foods or taking supplements that contain DHA and EPA. ALA (from flaxseed, for example) may not have the same benefit as DHA and EPA because some people with diabetes lack the ability to efficiently convert ALA to a form of omega-3 fatty acids that the body can use readily.
*Clinical studies suggest that overweight people who follow a weight loss program that includes exercise tend to achieve better control over their blood sugar and cholesterol levels when fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids (such as salmon, mackerel, and herring) is a staple in their low-fat diet.
*Most clinical studies investigating the use of omega-3 fatty acid supplements for inflammatory joint conditions have focused almost entirely on rheumatoid arthritis. The diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids (and low in the inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids) may benefit people with other inflammatory disorders, such as osteoarthritis.
*Omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA help to increase levels of calcium in the body, deposit calcium in the bones, and improve bone strength. In addition, studies also suggest that people who are deficient in certain essential fatty acids (particularly EPA and gamma-linolenic acid [GLA], an omega-6 fatty acid) are more likely to suffer from bone loss and osteoporosis than those with normal levels of these fatty acids.
*Omega-6 fatty acid supplementation, in the form of GLA from EPO or other sources, may assist nerve function and help prevent nerve disease experienced by those with diabetes (called peripheral neuropathy and felt as numbness, tingling, pain, burning, or lack of sensation in the feet and/or legs).
*GLA may be beneficial in dry-eye conditions such as Sjögren's syndrome (a condition with symptoms of dry eyes, dry mouth, and, often, arthritis).
*Some speculate that dietary LA (from, for example, corn oil) may prove beneficial for these skin conditions by replenishing the low levels of LA in these lesions.
* Some forms of Omega-6 fatty acids may help lessen cravings for alcohol and prevent liver damage.
*People who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids or do not maintain a healthy balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in their diet may be at an increased risk for depression. The omega-3 fatty acids are important components of nerve cell membranes. They help nerve cells communicate with each other, which is an essential step in maintaining good mental health. In particular, DHA is involved in a variety of nerve cell processes.

Reference: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-6-000317.htm
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-3-000316.htm

Tips for Cooking

***To cook more delicious eggplant dishes, leave the eggplants in salty or plain water for about 20-30 minutes, before cooking. The water will turn to brown.

***To cook more delicious dishes you should use hot or warm water when you are cooking. Cold water harms your dish.

***When cooking meat; if you add the salt at the beginning the meat would be hard.

***The frying oil should be hot and sizzling in order to prevent your food absorbing much oil. Also adding new oil to existing hot oil, makes the food absorb the recently added oil.

***Consume ayran as quick as possible since upon time yogurt would be gathered at the bottom.

***To obtain a clear and bright Turkish Tea, wash the tea leaves with cold water before brewing.

***Strawberry has a protein which affects the serotonin hormone that makes you happy. Also, it lessens the stress and appetite.

***If your dish is too salty, peel a potato and cut it into a few pieces and add into your dish. Raw potato will absorb the excess salt in it.

***If you like crispy French fries, leave the sliced potatoes in water before frying. Water will absorb the excess starch of the potatoes and your fries will be crispier.

***To prevent the frying odor to be spread all over the house, place a few pieces of fresh parsley into the frying oil.

***Never wash the mushrooms. Washed mushroom will absorb water and lose its taste. Try to clean mushrooms gently with a little soft brush or with a cloth.

***If you can’t take out the baked cake form its pan, cover its bottom with a wet cloth and leave it for 5-10 minutes.

***To prevent your tomato paste from going bad, flatten its surface and add some olive oil. This cuts the air contact and prevents bacteria growing. You can keep the tomato paste fresh for a long time by this method.

***Place the dry legumes in warm water from the previous day of cooking. Also while cooking add some baking soda in.

***To make the pilaf shiny and whiter, add a thin slice of lemon or a few drops of lemon juice to the pot.

***To take the garlic odor off your hands, get some salt and wet it a little. Then rub it in your hands. Afterwards wash finely with soap, you will realize that the smell is gone. You can do the same for onion and fish smell.

***If you dip your fingers in vinegar before peeling or chopping onion, the odor of onion will not stick to your hands.

***While frying something, simmer water with vinegar on another pot. This will prevent the frying odor to spread all over the kitchen.

***While frying fish, add some lemon juice to the frying oil to prevent the bad odor. By this way you can also use the frying oil several times.

*** If you cook the meat with lemon juice, they will cook faster and will be more delicious.

***While boiling potatoes add a spoon of vinegar in it in order to have yellow and more delicious potatoes.

***To prevent the boiling milk stick to the bottom of your pots, wash the pots with cold water before placing it on the stove with milk.

***After using canned food, maintain the rest in glass container to keep them fresh longer and healthier.

***You can obtain different tastes while frying fish. For example, sprinkle some paprika in the frying oil. By this way the color of fish will be better and shiny. Also paprika gives a delicious taste to fish.

***Digestion of fried fish is may be sometimes difficult, because it absorbs too much oil. To prevent this after washing the fish, brush with oil and dip into flour, then fry them.

***To prevent the bad odors in the fridge, place a bowl of milk into the fridge and leave for 1-2 days.

***Try adding a little bit of lemon juice to romaine leaves before preparing caesar salad.

***Do not add oil to pasta water, it makes sauce 'slide' off of the pasta.

***When making potato salad, cool, or 'shock' the cut, boiled potatoes in the freezer.

***To remove the skin from a tomato, plunge the tomato into boiling water for 10- 20 seconds.

***Freeze baked cookies for months of ready-made snacks. Cooled cookies, double-wrapped in plastic sheets or plastic storage bags will last up to 3 months. To thaw, remove cookies from freezer, unwrap and place them in a single layer on wire racks for 15 to 30 minutes. Store not eaten cookies in a tightly covered container.

***After stewing a chicken for diced meat for casseroles, etc., let cool in broth before cutting into chunks. It will have twice the flavor.

***Don't use soda to keep vegetables green. It destroys Vitamin C.

***There are three ways you can freeze your onions. Freezing changes the onions texture, so frozen onions should be used only for cooking.

1- Chop and place onions on a cookie sheet in the freezer. When frozen, remove and place in freezer containers or bags, and seal. This allows you to remove the amount you want, when you want.
2- You can also freeze whole onions. Peel, wash, core and place onions in a plastic bag and freeze.
3- You may also slice your onions and saute them in a little butter, cool and then freeze in freezer bags.

Drying: Chop onions and dry in oven using lowest setting and remove when thoroughly dry but not brown. Store at room temperature in airtight container.

***Before cooking the fish, if you dip fish into beer, they will be crispier and more delicious.

***For cooking more delicious fish; before cooking rub them with a mixture of an onion, some fresh parsley, 2 bay leaves and finely sliced lemon pieces. Also you can just spread this mixture on fish and leave for 15 minutes. Then cook.

***For cooking more delicious kebabs; rub the meat with a mixture of ½ cup olive oil, ½ cup milk and ½ cup onion juice. Then leave in the fridge for 10-12 hours and cook afterwards.

***Do not salt beans until they are fully cooked or they will never become tender. The salt supposedly toughens the skins and makes the beans split. Salt after they have been simmering for 10-15 minutes.

***Roasting is a quick and easy way to cook meat, particularly poultry. Roast meat in an oven preheated at a high temperature and baste meat before roasting it to contain flavor. The high temperature seals the flavor in the meat and prevents it from losing its juices while cooking. Poultry should be roasted breast down and finished on the opposite side to give juices a chance to flow evenly into the breast meat. The roasting pan should comfortably hold your chosen cut of meat. If it is too big, your meat will likely burn. If the pan is too small, it will stick to the sides up, and lose most of the flavor.

Tips for Healthy Food

***Cross Contamination is the physical movement or transfer of harmful bacteria from one person, object or place to another. It is a key factor in food borne illness (food poisoning), and it’s common sources are: food, people, equipment and work surfaces.
Make sure:

* thoroughly washing hands after handling raw foods, especially raw meats,
* using separate cutting boards and food contact surfaces for raw and cooked / pre-cooked and pre-prepared foods,
* not to make contact between raw and cooked/pre-cooked and pre-prepared foods
* not placing bulk food containers on bench surfaces,
* using correct sanitation procedures for all utensils and equipment,
* that cleaning cloths are single service or are adequately sanitized,
* keep raw foods and ready to eat foods separate.

***Vitamin C, is destroyed by the oxygen in the air, heat and sun light in 30 minutes of contact. Consume your fruit juices or sliced fruits as soon as possible. And store them far from the sun light and heat.

*** High Risk Foods are those perishable foods which can support the growth of harmful bacteria and are intended to be eaten without further treatment such as cooking, which would destroy such organisms.

They include:
* All cooked meat and poultry.
* Cooked meat products including gravy, stock, and roll/sandwich fillings.
* Milk, cream, artificial cream, custards and dairy products.
* Cooked eggs and products made with eggs, eg. mayonnaise.
* Shellfish and other seafood.
* Cooked rice.

***Try to consume broccoli without cooking. Cooking or boiling destroys the vitamins and minerals in it.

***Signs of food spoilage:

* Bad odors (off odors) occur.
* Foods become slimy as the bacterial population grows.
* Foods become discolored by the microbial growth.
* Foods go sour when certain bacteria produce acids.
* Yeasts and bacteria often produce gaseous by- products that can affect food.

***Do not sprinkle the cinnamon right after you pour the rice pudding to the bowls. This would let the microorganisms grow fast contacting the cinnamon with the hot surface of the rice pudding and this may lead to food borne diseases. Make sure you sprinkle the cinnamon just before serving the cooled rice pudding.

***Most probable growth conditions of microorganisms:

* In the presence or absence of oxygen.
* At temperatures between -7 to around 70°C.
* Over a pH range from 0 to 11.
* At water activities above about 0.6.
(Spoilage of any particular food will be by the organisms most suited to the conditions in and around that food.)

***Tomato is a very good source of lycopene, which is a very powerful antioxidant.

***The immediate contact of the tea leaves with boiled water would lose the Vitamin C and affect the minerals in it. Also boiled water damages the tannin(tanen) material and it causes anemia(kansizlik).To prevent this situations wash the tea leaves in the brewer or wet them with 1-2 tbsp of cold water.

***While thawing the frozen fish, first leave it in the fridge (4C) for 12 hours, then thaw it at room temperature for 4-5 hours and cook immediately. Make sure you do not leave the frozen fish directly at the room temperature. This would cause the pathogenic organisms to grow and spread over the fish quickly.

***Make sure you make your salad maximum 30 minutes before serving. Because chopped vegetables starts losing the vitamins, especially Vitamin C, when they contact with air after 30 minutes.

***Cooked vegetables can be kept max 4 days and cooked meats 3 days in the fridge.

***Make sure you do not keep cooked or raw fish in your fridge more than 2 days.

***The cold atmosphere in the fridge do not kill the bacteria, it just stops their growth and decrease the infection risk.

***Do not use the frying oil twice; make sure not to consume burnt food. Burnt food and oil contains carcinogenic agents.

***To drain the pasta and egg noodles will lead to a decrease in nutrition value. While cooking them, add the exact amount of water, which evaporates, like in pilaf. So, you will cook more nutritious pasta and egg noodles.

*** Do not consume raw egg. Its digestion is difficult and a food borne disease can occur, also the biotin, from the group of Vitamin B will be damaged.

***You should boil the eggs for maximum 6-8 minutes. Otherwise, the green layer on the surface of the egg proves the loss of the nutrition loss.

*** Do not thaw the frozen vegetables before cooking. By this way you will use the maximum nutrition value.

*** To prevent your pastes from going bad, flatten their surfaces and add some olive oil. This cuts the air contact with the paste and bacteria cannot grow. You can keep the pastes for so long that way.

***To prevent the Vitamin loss while preparing green salads, do not use knife to cut them in pieces, try to use your hands for lettuce, parsley and etc.

***After opening your canned food, replace it to a glass container to keep longer and healthier.

***The best way to keep honey is to place it to a cool and dark place. It should not contact with sunlight. Do not leave its cover open, honey will gather moisture and its taste will turn somewhat bitter.
If you do not pay attention for keeping honey, it will crystallize and lose its nutrition value.

***Strawberry has a protein which effects the serotonin hormone and this hormones make feel happy. Also it lessens the stress and appetite.

***To prevent the potatoes crinkle and sprout, place an apple among them. By this way, you will keep them for a long time.

*** Eating raw onions kills the bacteria in your teeth and mouth.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Benefits of Broccoli (Brokolinin Faydalari)

* Broccoli's significant nutrients include Vitamin C, Vitamin A (mostly as beta-carotene), Calcium, Copper, Iron, Selenium, Potassium, Folic Acid, and fiber.

* Broccoli is an important calcium source for those who don't consume dairy products. Calcium does more than build strong bones. Research shows that this mineral may play a role in the control of High Blood Pressure, and it may work to prevent Colon Cancer.

* Broccoli is not only a rich source of fiber, but half of its fiber is insoluble and half is soluble, helping to meet your needs for both types of fiber. Fiber helps you to remove the heavy metals and toxins from your intestines. Also it prevents the constipation

* Broccoli provides a health bonus in the form of protective substances that may shield you from disease. Botanically, broccoli belongs to the Cabbage Family, collectively known as cruciferous vegetables.

* Broccoli is a spectacular and unique package of versatile disease fighters and abundant in numerous strong, well-known phyto chemicals and antioxidants, including indoles, isothiocyanates, quercetin, glutathione, beta carotene, vitamin C, folate, lutein, glucarate, and glutathione.

* Broccoli is extremely strong in anticancer activity, particularly against lung, colon, prostates and breast cancers. Like other cruciferous vegetables, it speeds up the removal of estrogen from the body, helping suppress breast cancer.

* Broccoli is rich in cholesterol-reducing fiber and has antiviral and antiulcer activity. It is a super source of chromium that helps regulate insulin and blood sugar.

* Broccoli is also a good source of calcium, thus help fight osteoporosis. However, broccoli is one of the leading intestinal gas producers.

* Broccoli adjusts the balance of the hormone levels in our body, with the help of indole and indole derivatives (botanical hormones).

* Heavy cooking and processing destroy some of the anti oxidants and phyto chemicals such as Indoles and glutathione. Eat raw or lightly cooked as in microwave and stir-fry. To reduce its gas production, eat broccoli with ginger or garlic.

* Nowadays the world wide researches are mostly done about; white cabbage, radish, tomato, broccoli and carrot.

* Broccoli is a very strong antioxidant, which helps to neutralize the free radicals which damage the cell membranes and cell DNAs. Beta-carotene and vitamin C are important antioxidants which help to reduce the risk of numerous conditions, including Heart Diseases, Cataract, and several cancers.

Omega 3 & Omega 6

Nutritional Benefit of Omega-3 and Omega-6

Omega-3 fatty acids are considered to be essential for human health but they cannot be produced by the body. For this reason, omega-3 fatty acids must be obtained from the food we eat. They can be found in fish (e.g. salmon, tuna, and halibut) and other marine life (e.g. algae and krill), certain plants (including purslane) and nut oils. Also known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain functions as well as for the growth and development of brain.
The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon) at least 2 times a week. It is advised that pregnant women, mothers, nursing mothers, young children and women who might become pregnant should eat several types of fish, including swordfish, shark, and king mackerel. There are three major types of omega 3 fatty acids in foods that can be used by our body:
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Once eaten, the body converts ALA to EPA and DHA, the two types of omega-3 fatty acids that can used easier by the body. Extensive research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and help to prevent the risk factors associated with chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. These essential fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be particularly important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function.
In fact, infants who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids from their mothers during pregnancy are at risk for developing vision and nerve problems. Symptoms of omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include extreme tiredness (fatigue), poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings or depression, and poor circulation.
It is important to maintain an appropriate balance of omega-3 and omega-6 (another essential fatty acid) in the diet, as these two substances work together to promote health. An inappropriate balance of these essential fatty acids contributes to the development of disease while a proper balance helps maintain and even improve health. Together, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids play a crucial role in brain function as well as normal growth and development. EFAs belong to the class of fatty acids called polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). They are generally necessary for stimulating skin and hair growth, maintaining bone health, regulating metabolism, and maintaining reproductive capability.
A healthy diet should consist of roughly 2 - 4 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. There are several different types of omega-6 fatty acids. Most omega-6 fatty acids are consumed in the diet from vegetable oils as linoleic acid (LA; be careful not to confuse this with alpha-linolenic acid [ALA] which is an omega-3 fatty acid). Linoleic acid is converted to gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) in the body and then further broken down to arachidonic acid (AA). AA can also be consumed directly from meat, and GLA can be ingested from several plant-based oils including evening primrose oil (EPO), borage oil, and black currant seed oil.
Excess amounts of LA and AA are unhealthy because they promote inflammation, thereby leading to several of the diseases described above. In contrast, GLA may actually reduce inflammation The typical American diet tends to contain 14 - 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids, and many researchers believe this imbalance is a significant factor in the rising rate of inflammatory disorders in the United States.
In contrast, however, the Mediterranean diet consists of a healthier balance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and many studies have shown that people who follow this diet are less likely to develop heart disease. It also contains another fatty acid, omega-9 fatty acids, which have been reported to help lower risks associated with cancer and heart disease.
The Mediterranean diet does not include much meat (which is high in omega-6 fatty acids) and emphasizes foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, including whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, olive oil, garlic, as well as moderate wine consumption.

*Several clinical studies suggest that diets or supplements rich in omega-3 fatty acids lower blood pressure significantly in individuals with hypertension.

*Who consume high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish, also tend to have increased HDL cholesterol and decreased triglycerides (fatty material that circulates in the blood). In addition, fish oil supplements containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have been reported in several large clinical studies to reduce low density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

*One of the best ways to help prevent and treat heart disease is to eat a low-fat diet and to replace foods rich in saturated and trans-fat with those that are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (including omega-3 fatty acids). Clinical evidence suggests that EPA and DHA found in fish oil help to reduce the risk factors for heart disease including high cholesterol and high blood pressure. There is also strong evidence that these substances can help to prevent and treat the atherosclerosis by inhibiting the development of plaque and blood clots, each of which tends to clog arteries

*Strong evidence from population-based clinical studies suggests that omega-3 fatty acid intake (primarily from fish) helps to protect against stroke caused by plaque buildup and blood clots in the arteries that lead to the brain. In fact, eating at least 2 servings of fish per week can reduce the risk of stroke by as much as 50%.

*Individuals with diabetes tend to have high triglyceride and low HDL levels. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil can help to lower triglycerides and apoproteins (markers of diabetes), and raise HDL, so people with diabetes may benefit from eating foods or taking supplements that contain DHA and EPA. ALA (from flaxseed, for example) may not have the same benefit as DHA and EPA because some people with diabetes lack the ability to efficiently convert ALA to a form of omega-3 fatty acids that the body can use readily.

*Clinical studies suggest that overweight people who follow a weight loss program that includes exercise tend to achieve better control over their blood sugar and cholesterol levels when fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids (such as salmon, mackerel, and herring) is a staple in their low-fat diet.

*Most clinical studies investigating the use of omega-3 fatty acid supplements for inflammatory joint conditions have focused almost entirely on rheumatoid arthritis. The diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids (and low in the inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids) may benefit people with other inflammatory disorders, such as osteoarthritis.

*Omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA help to increase levels of calcium in the body, deposit calcium in the bones, and improve bone strength. In addition, studies also suggest that people who are deficient in certain essential fatty acids (particularly EPA and gamma-linolenic acid [GLA], an omega-6 fatty acid) are more likely to suffer from bone loss and osteoporosis than those with normal levels of these fatty acids.

*Omega-6 fatty acid supplementation, in the form of GLA from EPO or other sources, may assist nerve function and help prevent nerve disease experienced by those with diabetes (called peripheral neuropathy and felt as numbness, tingling, pain, burning, or lack of sensation in the feet and/or legs).

*GLA may be beneficial in dry-eye conditions such as Sjögren's syndrome (a condition with symptoms of dry eyes, dry mouth, and, often, arthritis).

*Some speculate that dietary LA (from, for example, corn oil) may prove beneficial for these skin conditions by replenishing the low levels of LA in these lesions.

* Some forms of Omega-6 fatty acids may help lessen cravings for alcohol and prevent liver damage.

*People who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids or do not maintain a healthy balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in their diet may be at an increased risk for depression. The omega-3 fatty acids are important components of nerve cell membranes. They help nerve cells communicate with each other, which is an essential step in maintaining good mental health. In particular, DHA is involved in a variety of nerve cell processes.
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