Category: Diet & Nutrition

Introduction

Sensory identification of consumed products by the tongue is called taste perception or gustation. Taste receptors located on the tongue react chemically with food allowing determining specific qualities of the substance. Until recent research, it was believed that there are four main categories of taste, including sweetness, sourness, saltiness, and bitterness. However, the development of science and in-depth study of gustation led to the discovery of the fifth category. In 1985 scientific community recognized umami as a new taste type. Evolution significantly influenced gustation, making it a unique survival instrument and finding nutritious food which is not harmful. For example, sweetness is an indicator of food containing energy-rich sugars. Sourness and bitterness helped people determine rotten or poisonous substances. Even though these functions are not as relevant now as they were centuries ago, potential discoveries may significantly influence the way humanity consumes food.

One of the latest theories influencing the basics of gustation is related to the perception of complex carbohydrates. Recent research has shown that tongue receptors may be able to determine carbohydrates as a distinct taste type. There is a wide variety of areas in which gustation is studied, and further research on the subject may contribute to the development of public catering, medicine, and food production technologies. Recent research focuses on the importance of expectations and emotional background for gustation. Scientists also study sweeteners’ consumption effects on taste perception and the interrelations between sweet taste liking and propensity for drug use.

Recent Research

There is considerable evidence of the dependence of sensory stimuli on anticipation. It was also discovered that expectations might influence the subjective evaluation of taste. Nevertheless, research was conducted in order to determine if expectations may also impact taste reception on perceptual levels (Wilton et al., 2018). Queuing participants of the experiment for specific tastes, such as high-sweet substances, yet providing the opposite influenced their gustation, tilting perception of the actual taste towards the expected one (Wilton et al., 2018). Experimental data and analysis have proven that there is a correlation between expectations and taste perception. Gustation experience may be influenced by a wide variety of personal aspirations and assumptions.

Such research may have substantial practical and theoretical value for humanity. The practical value may be expressed by the application of accumulated knowledge in marketing and business psychology. The above-mentioned study may explain why customers tend not to choose food labeled as “healthy” or “low-fat” (Wilton et al., 2018). People expect these types of food to be less tasty, and such expectations impact their taste perception. Sufficient knowledge of the subject may contribute to the development of specific approaches to changing food aspirations in order to improve the consumption experience.

Emotions and particularly emotional visual stimuli may influence the process of taste evaluation. Several studies have proven that there is an interrelation between human senses, which means touch, hearing, sight, smell, and taste may have a significant influence on each other. The latest research was conducted to determine if gustation experience depends on emotional content perceived through hearing or sight. The participants who tasted the substance under the influence of positive stimuli rated the taste to be sweeter compared to the impact of negatively-valenced incentives (Wang & Spence, 2017). Their results were similar for both visual and auditory stimuli (Wang & Spence, 2017). These studies may considerably contribute to the development of evolutionary psychology.

Experimental results may represent practical value for food or restaurant industries as they scientifically prove that related services and overall appeal directly influence taste perception. Various common and individual aspects of consumption experience may lead to a decrease or increase in demand for certain food products. Another valuable element of the above-mentioned research is its compliance with the principles of evolutionary psychology. Human senses are biologically designed as the main source of safety as they identify danger. In some cases, safety may be more important than such basic needs as food and water. Correlation between external stimuli and taste perception may indicate that during the evolution, disturbing sounds and images physiologically prevented food consumption.

Several studies have linked sweet taste preference to drug use in both animals and humans. Such interrelation may have practical value for drug abuse prevention and therapy. The recent research focused its attention on subjective responses to amphetamine in correlation with sweet taste preferences. The experimental study was conducted to determine if sweet preference could indicate higher stimulant drug rewards. The results have shown that in some cases, interrelation is not only dependent on sweet liking but on sex (Weafer et al., 2017). Researchers have found that sweet liking was closely linked with greater amphetamine effects (Weafer et al., 2017). However, results were not equal for female and male participants, as women represented a more significant association between sweet preference and amphetamine euphoria.

The above-mentioned study may significantly contribute to the evaluation of drug abuse in both men and women. These results may also indicate that people require a different approach to care and treatment depending on their sex and taste preferences. Further research in the related scientific area may develop new ways of fighting drug abuse and addiction. Moreover, studying the influence of taste preferences on subjective responses to drugs may lead to the establishment of new, less harmful alternative reinforces. Some studies have already shown that food may represent an alternative to drugs as it offers similar rewards.

Artificial Food Impact on Taste Preferences

As already mentioned, taste has evolutionary roots as it serves as the primary criteria to assess food. Bitter and sour tastes may warn both animals and humans of potential harm related to poisonous substances. Sweetness is the main indicator of high energy sources. During the process of evolution, tastes were established in a way that humanity tends to prefer substances which are not dangerous and are nutritious. However, the development of chemistry and technology introduced modern artificial food sources and flavor additives that conflict with the biological functions of gustation. For example, artificial sweeteners do not contain as many calories as natural sweet products. Such discrepancy between taste and nutritional value may cause changes in energy and body weight regulation as well as lead to the transformation of taste preferences (Vera-Rivera et al., 2018).

It is crucial to study how artificial food products influence energy and nutrition balance. According to some studies, consumption of non-caloric sweeteners may reduce the ability to determine post-ingestive caloric consequences of sweet taste (Vera-Rivera et al., 2018). Such results may indicate that artificial products have a considerable impact on both gustative and digestive functions. Further research in the area may prevent possible global health issues related to the introduction of new catering technologies. As expectations and emotions were also proven to be involved in taste perception, it may be vital to develop a specific gustation-based approach to nutrition, which contributes to a healthy lifestyle.

Conclusion

Gustation is an essential element of human senses and is an inseparable part of human evolution. The research on the topic of taste perception has already led to important discoveries related to various aspects of human life. Nevertheless, there are numerous possibilities for future studies as gustation-related knowledge may contain both theoretical and practical value. Studies determined the correlation between personal expectations with taste perception. Furthermore, it was proven that emotional states might also influence gustation experience. Such data may contribute to the establishment of new psychological approaches in medicine. Research results also maintain the idea of the strong correlation between physiology and psychology. Some studies in the area are of an applied nature, and their social and medical value should be taken into consideration. In addition, accumulated knowledge about taste perception mechanisms may contribute to the development of evolutionary psychology. Conclusively, surveys and discoveries related to gustation build unique knowledge in diverse areas, including psychology, physiology, sociology, and even business. It is essential to pay broader attention to the mentioned subject to not miss the numerous opportunities it offers.

References

Vera-Rivera, G., Miranda, M.-I., Rangel-Hernández, J. A., Badillo-Juárez, D., Fregoso-Urrutia, D., & Caynas-Rojas, S. (2018). Effects of caloric or non-caloric sweetener long-term consumption on taste preferences and new aversive learning.Nutritional Neuroscience, 23(2), 128–138. Web.

Wang, Q., & Spence, C. (2017). “A sweet smile”: the modulatory role of emotion in how extrinsic factors influence taste evaluation.Cognition and Emotion, 32(5), 1052–1061. Web.

Weafer, J., Lyon, N., Hedeker, D., & de Wit, H. (2017). Sweet taste liking is associated with subjective response to amphetamine in women but not men.Psychopharmacology, 234(21), 3185–3194. Web.

Wilton, M., Stancak, A., Giesbrecht, T., Thomas, A., & Kirkham, T. (2018). Intensity expectation modifies gustatory evoked potentials to sweet taste: Evidence of bidirectional assimilation in early perceptual processing.Psychophysiology, 56(3). Web.

Introduction

Lupin is a legume and classified as a non- starch seed that has high amounts of protein and low oil content. There are different species of lupin and the type that is used for food purposes is known as Lupinus angustifolius or sweet Australian (Duranti et al. 2008). Proteins are normally used as food additives since they contribute to sensory attributes and improve the stability of different food products (Rodriguez-ambriz et al. 2005).

Proteins from animal source such as whey protein isolate (Perez et al. 2009) and egg yolk which have good emulsifying properties are used in many food applications (Daimer and Kulozik 2009). However, the high cost that is associated with animal base protein led to the use of alternative sources such as lupin protein isolate and because they have an excellent emulsifying and foaming properties (Raymundo et al. 2002). Lupin protein isolate are used in a wide range of food applications including the preparation of mayonnaise (Rosenthal 1999).

Objective

The aim of this study is to examine the use of lupin protein isolate in producing vegetable based mayonnaise at different concentration levels.

Lupin proteins help to produce foam and are used as a vegetable alternative to egg-white foams in food products. One such product that requires large numbers of eggs for foam production include mayonnaise, which is an appetizing food consumed for its unique mouth feel and texture.

Lupin protein isolates are used at varying levels to indicate the effects of varying concentrations on the end product, i.e. mayonnaise. Vegetable based mayonnaise is normally prepared with egg whites. In this study, we have used lupin protein isolates to prepare mayonnaise, but the levels of the concentration of the protein molecules vary.

Our objective is to analyze the difference in the end results of the mayonnaise produced, for the texture, and the droplet size. We will see how, if any, the varying levels of lupin content in the preparation of the mixtures affect the results obtained, and then analyze the effects observed.

The importance of conducting this study would be to distinguish the effects of lupin protein isolates concentration on proteins. On achieving a result, we can recommend mayonnaise manufacturers to use isolates of lupin proteins to enhance their productions, if they are interested. It has health benefits for which it can be increasingly used in food products today (Sweetingham).

Methodology

Equipment

• Centrifuge machine
• Test tubes
• Graduated cylinder
• Pipets
• Balance
• Filtration devices

Reagents

• Lupin protein in different concentration
• Xanthan as thickening agent
• Flour sample
• Distilled water
• NaoH (0.1M)
• HCL ((0.1)

Protein extraction process

The flour sample, however, is dissolved in distilled water (10% w/v) for about 30 minutes and a concentration of 0.1 M of NaOH is included to correct the PH to 9 and then stirred for one hour followed by centrifugation at 3000 rpm for 20 minutes. The supernatant was acidified by using 1M HCl to adjust the PH to 4.5 for protein precipitation. The precipitated protein was separated by centrifuging at 3000 rpm for 20 minutes (Rodriguez-ambriz et al. 2005). The precipitated protein is freeze dried and stored at -20 C.

The formulation process

The protein that was extracted is mixed with a thickening agent such as xanthan gum in a distilled water for 30 minutes at 25 C at PH values between 6.0 – 6.5 and then a vegetable oil is included. All the three components are blend together in a homogenizer and by using different concentration of protein (2-7%), xanthan (0-0.49%) and vegetable oil such as sun flower (25-60%) ( Raymundo et al. 2002). The composition is then evaluated at different levels through texture, droplet size,. Droplet size distribution is measured by laser light-scattering experiments. The texture is evaluated by viscosity through the use of viscometer. However, commercial mayonnaise is used as a standard.

This same procedure is repeated with different PH, different lupin protein concentration, xanthan and vegetable oil.

The independent variables that are evaluated are Protein, thickener, vegetable oil, PH and salt concentration, while the dependent variables that are predicted are texture, oil droplet size.

With different concentrations of protein, vegetable oil, thickening agent and PH levels different oil droplet size and texture can be evaluated.

Literature review

There are many studies investigated the functional properties of lupin protein isolate in a wide range of food products involving mayonnaise.

Lupin protein has great nutritious significance and functionality which is very helpful for the formation and stabilization of food emulsions e.g. dough, frankfurters (Pozani, 2001). There are a lot of milk products like cream liqueurs, coffee whiteners , ice cream, whipped Toppings etc. such milk products along with other additives like polysaccharides help in formation and stabilization of texture and shelf life of nutritional colloid dispersions. The dynamic nutritional elements of such processing milk products are characterized with adsorption rate and viscoelastic, playing a vital role in emulsion of foaming foods (Patino, et al, 2009).

In the modern age, there is a great demand of the functional lupid protein, having good solubility and emulsifying characteristics. Lupin proteins are obtained from hexane deoiled lupin, comprising the high molecular weight proteins, conglutin (compound of alkaline extraction and acid precipitation). Lupin protein extractions are high-quality protein isolates, pertaining to exclusive emulsification, foaming properties and salt tolerance (Knauf, et al, 2001).

For the assessment of functionality of lupid protein, the adults rats are fed with egg albumin-based diets including lupin protein from Lupinus albus or casein (50 g/kg), a cholesterol-cholate mixture, supplements of (hypercholesterolaemic) or not (normolipaemic). Lupin proteins, containing lipids in plasma lipoproteins and hepatic mRNA are playing significant role in lipid metabolism (Stangl et al, 2008). Lupid protein plays the significant role in cholesterol and bile acid metabolism. According to the modern research & study plays a hypotriacylglycerolaemic action by regulating the fatty acid synthesis genes with low or high rates which are entirely hydrolysis process (Stangl et al, 2008).

The lupin processed proteins are very important nutritional ingredient in the food industry for manufacturing of milk or dairy products. Lupin protein, emulsion stabilizer plays a role of binder which is supportive in blending fat or water or some other protein isolates (Method to produce lupin protein-based dairy substitutes, 2009). Lupin proteins are very assistive agent to protect food products, pre-cooked or cooked ones for long time without spoiling them.

Animal based mayonnaise which is also known as commercial mayonnaise is normally derived from egg yolk and due to the high cost that is linked to this type, led to the use of alternative sources (Raymundo et al. 2002). One of the recent and emerging alternative sources a protein extracted from lupin that can be utilized as a main substance in preparing mayonnaise because it has excellent emulsifying properties and the capacity to produce highly stabled O/W emulsion. As a result, the texture and flavor are improved (Raymundo et al. 2002). Protein isolate also contribute in the formation of smaller oil droplet size improving the stability of emulsions and increasing the shelf life (Rosenthal 1999).

However, Pozan, Doxastakis and Kisseoglou (2001) point out that emulsifying property of lupin protein isolate could be improved by heat treatment as a result of ‘molecular unfolding’ and improved surface interfacial tension characteristic. The researchers concluded that the functionality of lupin protein isolate including emulsion stability can be increased significantly through heat treatment.

A study was conducted by Raymundo et al. (2002) on the use of lupin protein to produce mayonnaise and its ability to produce stable emulsion that has similar characteristic properties as the commercial mayonnaise. The researchers blend certain amounts of protein isolate, xanthan gum and sunflower oil 2% 0.49% and 60% respectively after adjusting the PH to 6.0 under defined condition. To induce mayonnaise nearly matching the properties of commercial product the protein was not thermally denatured and it was in its native state. The researchers concluded that higher concentration of protein, xanthan gum and oil resulted in better viscosity, firmness, and smaller oil droplet size.

A research study conducted by Pozani, et.al showed the foaming and emulsifying properties of lupin seed protein isolate (LSPI). This was done by the addition of dithiothretol (DTT), and by heating process. Both the heat treatment and addition of DTT showed emulsion stability compared to creaming. For the conduction of the experiment, aqueous solutions of LSPI which had 2% of protein were prepared in a phosphate buffer of pH 7.

After treatment with heat or DTT, 100ml of each solution was mixed with a mixer. When the foams were made, they were measured in measuring cylinders. The results showed a difference in the foaming according to the structural differences of the molecules on treatment of heat, or disulphide bond reduction. It was also seen that both of these conditions resulted in better foaming and emulsifying properties of the foams achieved.

Another study showed the emulsification process of mayonnaise in relation to droplet size. The size of the droplets determines the amount of oil that can be emulsified, and it has been shown that a wider range of droplets can emulsify a larger amount of oil. The droplet sizes can be varied by controlling the emulsification process. In the first step of the process, oil droplets of 20-100 |um are roughly dispersed in a slow mixing process. This is followed by a finely mixing process for the emulsification to take place. The rate of shearing of the machines would affect the emulsification; the more vigorous the breakup process, the better the results obtained.

One study by Kulozik and Daimer (2008), showed the emulsifying properties of eggs, by the use of egg yolks. The function of egg yolks depends very much on the pH and salt concentrations of the materials used with the eggs for emulsification. In this study, four different conditions were employed, ph 4 of commercial dressings is simulated, pH 6.5 is the pH of untreated egg yolks. Two concentrations of NaCl were also used, in their native and disrupted forms. The results of this study showed that the emulsifying properties differed due to the structural changes in the yolk granules, and not because of the treatment with the lyso-phospholipids.

References

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Bogracheva, T., Y. Davydova, N.Y. Bespalova, M.G. Kondrashina, E.E. Bezrukov, and V.B. Tolstoguzov, A Study of Stability of o/w Emulsions Stabilized by Soybean and Pea Globulins, Nahrung. 2:121–127 (1994).

Dickinson, E., and S.T. Hong, Influence of water-Soluble Nonionic Emulsifier on the Rheology of Heat-Set Protein Stabilized Emulsion Gels, 43:2560–2566 (1995).

Dickinson, E., and Y. Yamamoto, Rheology of Milk Protein Gels and Protein-Stabilized Emulsion Gels Cross-Linked with Transglutaminase, J. Agric. Food Chem. 44:1371–1377 (1996).

Elizalde, B.E., G.B. Bartholomai, and A.M.R. Pilosof, The Effect of pH on the Relationship Between Hydrophilic/Lipophilic Characteristics and Emulsification Properties of Soy Proteins, Lebensm. Wiss. Technol. 29:334–339 (1996).

Evageliou, V., S. Alevisopoulos, and S. Kasapis, Application of Stress-Controlled Analysis to the Development of Low-Fat Spreads, J. Texture Stud. 28:319–335 (1997).

Franco, J.M., A. Raymundo, I. Sousa, and C. Gallegos, Influence of Processing Variables on the Rheological and Textural Properties of Lupin Protein-Stabilized Emulsions, J. Agric. Food Chem. 46:3109–3115 (1998).

Franco, J.M., C. Gallegos, and H.A. Barnes, On Slip Effects in Steady-State Flow Measurements of Oil-in-Water Food Emulsions, J. Food Eng. 36:89–102 (1998).

Franco, J.M., M. Berjano, and C. Gallegos, Linear Viscoelasticity of Salad Dressing Emulsions, J. Agric. Food Chem. 45:713–719 (1997).

Gallegos, C., and J.M. Franco, Rheology of Food Emulsions, in Advances in the Flow and Rheology of Non-Newtonian Fluids, edited by D.A. Siginer, D. De Kee, and R.P. Chhabra, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1999, pp. 87–118.

Gallegos, C., M. Berjano, and L. Choplin, Linear Viscoelastic Behavior of Commercial and Model Mayonnaise, J. Rheol. 36:465–477 (1992).

King, J., C. Aguirre, and S. Pablo, Functional Properties of Lupin Protein Isolates (Lupinus albus cv. Multolupa), 50:82–86 (1985).

McClements, D.J., F.J. Monahan, and J.E. Kinsella, Effect of Emulsion Droplets on the Rheology of Whey Protein Isolate Gels, J. Texture Stud. 24:411–422 (1993).

McWatters, K.H., and M.R. Holmes, Influence of pH and Salt Concentration on Nitrogen Solubility and Emulsification Properties of Soy Flour, J. Food Sci. 44:770–781 (1979).

Montgomery, D.C., Response Surface Methods and Design, in Design and Analysis of Experiments, edited by D.C. Montgomery, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1991, pp. 521–563.

Nussinovitch, A., Xanthan Gum, in Hydrocolloid Applications, edited by A. Nussinovitch, Blackie Academic & Professional, London, 1997, pp. 154–168.

Raymundo, A., J.M. Franco, C. Gallegos, J. Empis, and I. Sousa, Effect of Thermal Denaturation of Lupin Protein on Its Emulsifying Properties, Nahrung 42:220–224 (1998).

Rossi, M., E. Pagliarini, and E. Pegri, Emulsifying and Foaming Properties of Sunflower Protein Derivatives, 18:293–299 (1985).

Sathe, S.K., S.S. Deshpande, and D.K. Salunkhe, Functional Properties of Lupin Seed (Lupinus mutabilis) Proteins and Protein Concentrates, J. Food Sci. 47:491–497 (1982).

Sprow, F.B., Distribution of Drop Sizes Produced in Turbulent Liquid-Liquid Dispersion, Chem. Eng. Sci. 22:435–442 (1967).

Velev, D.O., A.D. Nikolov, N.D. Denkov, G. Doxastakis, V. Kiosseoglu, and G. Stadilidis, Investigation of the Mechanism of Stabilization of Food Emulsions by Vegetable Proteins, Food Hydrocolloids 1:55–71 (1993).

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Pozani, et al, 2001, functionality of lupid seed protein isolate in relation to its interfacial behavior.

Patino, et al, 2009, Interfacial dynamic properties of whey protein concentrate/polysaccharide mixtures at neutral pH, Adria´n A. Perez a, Carlos R. Carrara a, Cecilio Carrera Sa´nchez b, Liliana G. Santiago a, Juan M. Rodrı´guez Patino b,* a Instituto de Tecnologı´a de Alimentos, Facultad de Ingenierı´a Quı´mica, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina.

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Stangl et al, 2008, Lupin protein influences the expression of hepatic genes involved in fatty acid synthesis and triacylglycerol hydrolysis of adult rats, Bettzieche A, Brandsch C, Weisse K, Hirche F, Eder K, Stangl GI. Institute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany. Web.

Method to produce lupin protein-based dairy substitutes, 2009. Web.

Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development (BOND) are essential for human growth since they provide relevant biological information. Iodine is necessary for human growth, and it mainly originates from the soil. However, humans consume foods grown in iodate areas; thus, they obtain iodine products from the plants. As a result, plants can experience iodine deficiency if the food products do not contain sufficient iodine. Most parts of the ground are usually iodide deficient due to both human and natural causes, and it is inevitable for people to consume food products that lack sufficient iodine (Rohner et al., 2014). As a result, people obtain iodine from subsidized food products, such as iodized salt.

Although changes in iodine are only based on the land, it can also be found in water bodies. In an ocean environment, iodine is carried to the atmosphere through a hydrological circle, and it later returns to the ground through rain and snow. However, the process is prolonged, and it cannot be relied on to replenish the ground iodine, which is lost at a faster rate (Rohner et al., 2014).

The health hazards caused by IDD affect both the young and the old although it is mainly common in children where most parts of the body are not fully developed. In the initial stages of pregnancy, the mother’s thyroid hormone crosses to the fetus, and it acts as the only source of the hormone before the fetus is fully developed. Therefore, it can lead to stillbirth, miscarriages and also mental disorders.

Additionally, During pregnancy, it causes severe short stature and also cretinism. Although IDD mainly causes goiter, it adversely hinders child maturity and growth (Rohner et al., 2014). In most parts of the world, it interferes mostly with neurological functions. It can sometimes result in permanent brain damage that cannot be reversed, especially when it causes low thyroid concentration during fetal growth. The excess of iodine also affects thyroid function, which eventually leads to brain damage.

Although several techniques can be used to estimate the amount of iodine consumed by an individual, there is still a need for functioning biomarkers of thyroid status to complement the current exposure markers to enhance iodine deficiency monitoring. Numerous organizations have tried to solve the issue of deficiency in multiple ways. For instance, WHO recommended that all foodstuffs be iodized due to the high number of people suffering from goiter, especially in low and middle-income countries (Rohner et al., 2014). Despite the worldwide recognition of the problem, few resources are still allocated towards tackling the issue.

Due to the low concentration of iodine in the soil, most food products contain inadequate iodine. However, people may not realize this because it is difficult to measure what people consume in a day. Humans are complicated beings that often eat a variety of meals in a day. Some meals may be snacks full of iodine, while others may not contain any element of iodine. Therefore, it becomes difficult to determine the quantity of iodine that a person can consume.

Reference

Rohner, F., Zimmermann, M., Jooste, P., Pandav, C., Caldwell, K., Raghavan, R., & Raiten, D. J. (2014). Biomarkers of Nutrition for Development—iodine review. The Journal of Nutrition, 144(8), 1322S-1342S. Web.

Alice will prepare stir-fried pasta with vegetables for her future parents-in-law. She believes the recipe is simple enough for her, but it is also appetizing and can appeal to any person regardless of the state. Alice will use the Barilla pasta, as she does not feel confident about making the dish from scratch. Thus, her goal is to buy a spaghetti box together with other ingredients and follow the instructions carefully.

Ingredients

• 1 pack of the Barilla pasta;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• 2 big spoons (like those that one uses to eat soup) of olive oil;
• 2 big spoons of vinegar;
• 1 onion;
• 2 carrots;
• 2 big chunks of broccoli;
• 2 big heads of cauliflower;
• 2 big spoons of soy sauce;
• 1 teaspoon (like that one uses to add sugar to tea or coffee) of ginger;
• 1 teaspoon of salt;
• black pepper to taste.

Steps

Step 1. Preparing the ingredients before they can be used for further instructions

The garlic:

• Take the chopping board and place it on the table.
• Then put one clove, which should be washed beforehand, on the board and take a heavy knife.
• Place the blade flat on the garlic (WARNING: the tip should be facing either your left or your right) and use your hand to press the knife.

• Do not forget to repeat the same process with the second clove.
• Put the crushed mass in a container and store it in the refrigerator for the time being.

The carrot.

• Scrape the carrots with a knife if they have black patches.

• Then put the carrots on the board and chop it into similarly sized round pieces.
• Put the chopped pieces on a separate plate and let it be until needed.

Step 2. Cooking the pasta.

Finding the instructions.

• Search the box cover from all the sides for the instructions.
• If the cover is rectangular, they are likely to be on the top or the back side.
• If it is square-shaped, it is probably on either the left or the right side.

Follow the instructions from the cover.

• Add about 20 cups of water to a large saucepan.
• Add salt to the water either before or after boiling it.
• Cover the saucepan with a lid and boil it by turning the burner to the high option.
• WARNING: use the mittens to proceed with the following steps.
• Once the steam is so intense that you cannot see the contents, turn off the burner, open the lid, and add the pasta.
• If you cannot fit the whole package immediately, wait until it softens in the water and push the rest with a spoon.

• Set the burner to the high option and boil the pasta uncovered for about 9 minutes.

Step 3. Preparing the mixture.

• Follow this step and the next ones while the pasta is boiling.
• Take a small bowl and mix vinegar, soy sauce, and hot water inside it.
• Set the bowl with the mixture aside until it is required.

Step 4. Cooking the vegetables.

• Take a large skillet, pour the olive oil into it, and put it on the burner.

• Turn on the medium-high heat and let the oil warm.
• Add the crushed garlic and ginger, stir them, and cook for 1 minute.
• Add the onion and fry it in the oil until it becomes soft.
• Mix in the carrots, the broccoli, and the cauliflower; keep stirring while the heat is on.
• WARNING: the process of cooking vegetables in this way is called stir-frying, so it is essential to do it properly.
• Cook the vegetables for no more than 5 minutes until they become tender.
• WARNING: tender means that a knife can easily slip through.
• Turn off the burner and wait for some time, then use a knife to check any of the vegetables on their “tenderness.”
• If the knife goes swiftly, proceed with the next step; if not, cook for 1 or 2 more minutes.

Step 5. Adding the mixture.

• Switch the burner to the medium-low function and add the soy sauce mixture.
• WARNING: by this time, the pasta should be ready, so prioritize it.

Step 6. Draining the pasta.

• Set a colander (a pan with holes in it) in the sink for draining.
• Turn off the burner and carefully remove the saucepan from heat.
• Carry the saucepan to the sink with caution, as not to spill anything (Rao, 2017).
• Pour the contents of the saucepan into the colander set in the sink beforehand.

• Raise the colander and let the remaining water leave.

Step 7. Combining the pasta with the vegetables.

• Once the pasta looks dry enough, take it to the cooker and add it to the vegetables.
• Bring them to boil, which is 212°F, then lower the heat cook until pasta is thoroughly warmed.

Step 8. Turn off the burner and move the skillet to the table.

Step 9. Take three bowls, in which you will serve the dish, and the necessary utensils.

Step 10. Put the pasta into the bowls and season it with salt and pepper.

Step 11. Serve warm, meaning that the cooking process should be done after the guests arrive.

Reference

Rao, V. (2017). Why you shouldn’t try that pasta-draining ‘hack’ that’s going viral. Today. Web.

Yogurt rich in proteins, calcium, and active bacteria is among the most beneficial products for humans’ health. Nevertheless, it is not as simple as it seems to be. Recently, manufacturers have started to attract the customers’ attention with flavored yogurts. Being aware of the product’s value, people decided that yogurts with fruits and berries are just as healthful as plain ones. A popular myth has grown rapidly from this idea, so it is essential for the buyers to tell the truth from the lie.

Indeed, it is easy to give in to the temptation and buy a product with banana or strawberry because they are considered good for health and should intensify the yogurt’s value. However, putting fruits and berries into a dairy product makes it more perishable, which is unprofitable for manufacturers. That is why many of them select canned fruit puree or jam with huge amounts of sugar. That is why even if they claim to be “all-natural”, flavored yogurts will be much higher in sugar and carbs (Dolson, 2020). Moreover, to make the product more appealing to the consumers’ taste, manufacturers often use artificial sweeteners.

Despite being free of calories and sugar, these additives negatively impact the perception of how foods taste, making natural products seem less delicious. Artificial sweeteners have been shown to decrease satiety and affect insulin secretion (Pearlman et al., 2017). Thus, despite being almost imperceptible for consumers, the changes in the list of the yogurt’s ingredients may result in health issues.

The shelves of shops around the world are filled with flavored yogurts. More and more people tend to buy them instead of plain dairy products, considering them a decent replacement. However, even though their taste is delicious and intense, flavored yogurts only create an illusion of healthy nutrition. Manufacturers make these processed foods full of sugar and artificial sweeteners, which significantly decreases their nutritional value.

References

Dolson, L. (2020). Choosing the right yogurt for a low-carb diet. Very Well Fit.

Pearlman, M., Obert, J., & Casey, L. (2017). The association between artificial sweeteners and obesity. Current Gastroenterology Reports, 19(12), 64. doi:10.1007/s11894-017-0602-9

Review

West Kendall Baptist Hospital is currently implementing a “Food Pharmacy” program first introduced in 2020. The essence of the program is providing “one meal daily for 20 days to high-risk individuals” (Baptist Health South Florida [BHDF], 2019, p. 9). The health needs that the “Food Pharmacy” program aims to address is malnutrition in patients, which can potentially lead to readmissions. The targeted population groups are those suffering from malnutrition and chronic diseases, especially unmanaged ones (BHDF, 2019). The short-term goal of the program is to negate the immediate danger of malnutrition for the patients and potential patients. The long-term goal is to reduce the rates of admission and readmission due to malnutrition in West Kendall Baptist Hospital. The implementation strategy for the “Food Pharmacy” program amount to involving patients, consumers, and family members. No specific partners, community or otherwise, are identified as related to this program in the report.

Proposal

Community Review

Zip code 33193 is mainly located in Miami-Dade County, Miami, Florida. According to the census of 2010, its population is 46,044 and growing (“Zip Code 33193,” 2021). Of this number, 41,842 are Hispanics, which constitutes almost 87 percent of the overall population (“Zip Code 33193,” 2021). There are also 4411 whites, which corresponds to 9.14 percent, and 998 blacks, which equates to 2.07 percent (“Zip Code 33193,” 2021). The male and female populations are roughly equal, comprising 47 and 53 percent, respectively (“Zip Code 33193,” 2021). In financial terms, roughly half of all households have a yearly income below $50,000, 35 percent have a yearly income of $50,000 to $100,000, and 16 percent earn more than $100,000 (“Zip Code 33193,” 2021). Overall, zip code 33193 is a predominantly Hispanic community with low to medium household income leaning heavily toward the low end of the spectrum.

Health Need

Selected health priority is healthy nutrition as a factor that can improve public health and decrease admission and readmission rates. This need was identified by assessing a combination of medical and socioeconomic factors. On a medical side, West Kendall Baptist Hospital identifies addressing malnutrition as one of the priorities in serving the needs of the population (BHDF, 2019). On the other hand, 76 percent of school students in zip code 33193 are eligible for free or reduced meals (“Zip Code 33193,” 2021). It suggests that the community may be lacking in terms of healthy nutrition.

Goal

The goal of addressing the health need is to promote a healthy diet and nutrition within the budgetary constraints faced by the local households.

Measurable Behavioral Objective

A measurable behavioral objective for this goal is the change in dietary habits to promote healthy lifestyles.

Intervention

Any intervention designed for zip code 33193 needs to take the overwhelmingly Hispanic composition of its population into account. Culturally speaking, women are viewed as primary caretakers in Hispanic families (Caballero, 2011). Moreover, since Hispanic men are expected to be primary providers, women are more likely to be responsible for household chores and, thus, have a considerable influence over the family’s diet (Caballero, 2011). As such, an intervention seeking to educate Hispanic women in the community about healthy dietary options within the budgetary limit of their households can be culturally effective.

Potential Partners

Potential local partners are patients and family members. A possible non-local partner is Florida International University, especially since it already cooperates with healthcare providers in the South Miami and West Kendall communities (BHDF, 2019).

Evaluation Recommendation

The changes in dietary behavior can be evaluated through self-reported measures.

References

Baptist Health South Florida. (2019). Community Health Implementation Strategy 2020-2022. Web.

Caballero, A. E. (2011). Understanding the Hispanic-Latino Patient. The American Journal of Medicine, 124(10), 10-15.

Zip Code 33193 Profile, Map, and Demographics. (2021). Zip Data Maps. Web.

A mindful experience brings multiple lessons and outcomes, and one of them is that there are no right or wrong answers about mindful eating because every individual is unique and free to make choices. The raisin eating experience of this course helped to learn the basics of mindful eating and interaction with food. According to Bays (2017), mindfulness is the ability of individuals to pay attention and be fully aware of what happens inside (the body, heart, and mind) and outside (the environment). This practice involves all senses and activates the nine aspects of hunger to enhance self-criticism and obtain inner wisdom separately from outer wisdom. This insight paper contains the description of a mindful experience with a raisin. A better understanding of mindfulness is achieved by combining inner and outer knowledge about food and its relation to the body, heart, and mind.

There are many ways of how to check the level of mindfulness independently. Bays (2017) introduces a line of experiments to establish the connection between a person and food, and the idea of investigating a raisin is a common method. A raisin was chosen to mindfully experience food through the body, mind, and heart. First, it was necessary to imagine that this product is a new one and examine it from the point of view of eyes (observe), fingers (touch), ears (listen), nose (smell), mouth (bite), stomach (taste), and cells (fulfillment). Each time, the level of hunger grew: for example, a baseline hunger rate was 6 and equaled the body hunger after seven evaluations. Mind hunger reached point 8, and heart hunger was between 9 and 10. The assessment of its qualities, from a strange appearance to a sweet taste, was organized. It was possible to eat a raisin in the first two seconds and get nothing except an ordinary feeling in the mouth. Mindful eating was applied to enjoy the offered food and its unpredictable associations.

Any mindful experience is important for people because of several reasons. First, mindfulness is hard to achieve in a short period, and people are obsessed with time and want to save it by any means. Bays (2017) underlines that developing mindfulness is a critical skill that requires diligent practice and time. Therefore, to obtain the benefits of mindful eating, time and space are required. Second, mindfulness is a chance to reawaken human pleasure and witness as many details, emotions, and thoughts as possible. Finally, mindfulness presupposes the realization of everything that is around people by means of touching, seeing, listening, or eating. This practice is based on the knowledge that any individual can develop either internally or externally.

In addition to the ability to recognize the role of mindfulness, the concepts of inner and outer wisdom were clarified. A mindful experience makes a person pay attention to the food, its quality, and other characteristics and use different types of knowledge. Inner wisdom is an awareness of physical needs and emotions that are developed in a person. Outer wisdom is the knowledge that comes from various outside resources like books, teachers, lectures, and other media sources. In addition to personal feelings and observations (inner wisdom), information and opinions (outer wisdom) allows creating a thoughtful image of a product and enjoying its potential.

In conclusion, the offered activity is a priceless experience that helps people comprehend a variety of tastes, smells, and feelings in this world. It is hard to imaging that mindful eating of a raisin may bring a number of positive outcomes like self-improvement, freedom, and advanced knowledge. Millions of people like to boast about their knowledge and practices neglecting the possibility to change their vision with one mindful experience. The establishment of the relationship with food is not a joke but a chance to look at life from another perspective.

Reference

Bays, J. C. (2017). Mindful eating: A guide to rediscovering a healthy and joyful relationship with food. Shambhala Publications.

My research topic is the effect of Mexican-American Cuisine on Brownsville’s obesity rate and increase in diseases. Since the methodology in the research included the analysis of several Mexican-American restaurants in Brownsville, the artifact would be presented in the form of an infographic. It will consist of a short description of the research and the survey methods, such as the number of participants, the aim of the project, and the findings. The images at the top of the infographic will be the most popular dishes of served cuisine in these restaurants, accompanied with the calculated percentage of sugar and calories to each dish.

Furthermore, since the data collection came from the conducted survey, the infographic will include an image of a person interviewing another person to represent the methodology. According to Pengpid and Peltzer, the cultural shift directly affects the dietary and physical behavioral pattern; therefore, the infographic will include a vector image reflecting the cultural merge, for example, Mexican cuisine served on one plate with typical American cuisine. The graphic will also illustrate the effect of eating habits developed in childhood on the obesity rate by providing an image of a person in different stages in life, growing a significant body mass.

Finally, the graph will conclude with the illustration of the suggestions on how to address obesity. One of the images will represent the advice to calculate the calories in restaurants by portraying a restaurant and a calculator together. The second image will be a person doing sports to promote physical activity in reducing the obesity rate. The third image will show a Mexican dish low in calories. The final image will portray an alcohol bottle with a red stamp on it, symbolizing the positive relationship between alcohol consumption and dietary issues.

Work Cited

Pengpid, Supa, and Karl Peltzer. “Associations between Behavioural Risk Factors and Overweight and Obesity among Adults in Population-Based Samples from 31 Countries.” Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, vol. 11, no. 2, 2017, pp. 158-166.

The Korean meal, kimchi, usually contains Korean radishes, Napa cabbage, and various flavors such as ginger, garlic, pepper, and fish sauce. Drying and salting are the oldest food conservation methodology’s most well-known practices (Patra et al., 2016). Likewise, the most common way of making kimchi includes tenderizing the vegetables to draw out the water. Kimchi is commonly aged by wild microorganisms ordinarily present on the vegetables. The development of natural acids brings about an ideal kimchi pH of slightly higher than 4 (Patra et al., 2016). The dish ferments at room temperature in just a couple of days or more leisurely in the fridge (Patra et al., 2016). For security, kimchi ought to be put away refrigerated and is best eaten in a week, as the nature of kimchi disintegrates with a more comprehensive process. During readiness, appropriate sterilization rehearses should be followed to forestall pollution by waste.

Lactic corrosive microscopic organisms are generally found on vegetable surfaces. Because of fermentative digestion, they produce natural acids. Lactic corrosive aging could continue by native microscopic organisms or starter societies’ guide to moving inborn bacterial populations to vegetable microbiomes. Albeit lactic corrosive microbes comprise a tiny part of the complete microorganisms present in crude vegetables, they rapidly adjust to conditions when exposed to a deliberate fermentation measure (Einson et al., 2018). The kimchi fermenting is done by different microorganisms present in the natural substances. Among lactic corrosive microscopic organisms, the genus Lactobacillus is accepted to be the central agent in making Kimchi (Einson et al., 2018). Lactic corrosive aging used to make kimchi is a similar cycle used to ferment different vegetables, including tomatoes, carrots, and melons, and make dishes like sauerkraut.

References

Einson, J. E., Rani, A., You, X., Rodriguez, A. A., Randell, C. L., Barnaba, T., Mammel, M. K., Kotewicz, M. L., Elkins, C. A., & Sela, D. A. (2018). A vegetable fermentation facility hosts distinct microbiomes reflecting the production environment. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 84(22). Web.

Patra, J. K., Das, G., Paramithiotis, S., & Shin, H.-S. (2016). Kimchi and other widely consumed traditional fermented foods of Korea: A Review.Frontiers in Microbiology, 7. Web.

Within the contemporary nutrition discussion framework, ancient grains represent a topic of intense interest. This group of foods comprises the grains and pseudocereals that are considered to have experienced little or no transformations instilled by humankind through selective breeding. In other words, these plants have preserved their original composition and properties throughout millennia (Boukid et al., 2018).

In most cases, the grains that are cultivated today are the product of specialized selective breeding, which transformed their image. Evidently, this process has been maintained with a particular purpose. More specifically, humanity has conducted selective breeding to improve the nutritional qualities of the foods, as well as their ability to be cultivated across different climatic zones. This way, the idea was to meet the increasing demand of the continuously growing population of the Earth.

Nevertheless, amid the pursuit of selective breeding, a range of grains have been able to avoid transformations. To this day, they preserve the original image, remaining the same as millennia ago when they fed ancient people. This list includes einkorn, emmer, spelled, millet, oats, quinoa, chia, and other varieties (Boukid et al., 2018). In fact, Boukid et al. (2018) report that humanity’s interest in ancient grains has been revived in light of the ongoing pursuit of healthier eating habits. This information is confirmed by Clark (2015), who reports that a wide variety of such grains has become a part of advanced menus around the world.

Furthermore, the popularity of ancient grains extends beyond the daily diets of different households, permeating the restaurant sphere, as well. Clark’s (2015) article for the New York Times relies on the examples of several exquisite restaurants. Their chefs have discovered a passion for the forgotten grains and pseudocereals.

Thus, these ancient varieties represent a highly promising culinary area that provides consumers with new healthy discoveries. While the focus of attention remains on such popular ancient grains as quinoa and chia, there are other varieties with equally high potential. Through the resurgence of ancient grains, the history of nutrition comes full circle, as millions of people enjoy the same tastes as their ancestors did thousands of years ago.

References

Boukid, F., Folloni, S., Sforza, S., Vittadini, E., & Prandi, B. (2014). Current trends in ancient grains-based foodstuffs: Insights into nutritional aspects and technological applications. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 17(1), 123–136. Web.

Clark, M. (2015). Beyond quinoa: The new ancient grains. Web.