9 Surprising Benefits Of Organic Honey

Honey is an essential commodity, and for more than 2,500 years ago, it is used by countless cultures. It is greatly used for healing wounds. Besides, it is also consumed by many for its astounding health benefits. You may either take it raw or mix it with lukewarm water or juice, whichever way you want! You can even add one teaspoon of honey instead of sugar in your juice. People prefer to have organic honey both for its taste as well as health benefits.

Amazing benefits of Organic Honey

· Healthy sweetener

Instead of using white sugar, you can always opt to use honey, which brings the sweet taste to your drink, as well as, contain 69% glucose, which is really amazing in terms of sweetening. It fulfills your requirement for the taste as well as ensures meeting your health benefits. Continue reading “9 Surprising Benefits Of Organic Honey”

Soup Facts – Fun Trivia!

Are you a lover of soup and soup recipes? Besides the great taste and variety that soup has, it also has a wide array of uses in our histories of the world. Here are some known and little-known soup facts that you might find interesting. I did!

o Can you believe that Americans sip over 10 BILLION bowls of soup every single year! That’s a lot of soup!

o Every year, 99% of all American homes buy soup – turning it into a $5 billion business. Whoa! I’m in the wrong business!

o Who eats more soup?. Men or women? Well, for a typical lunch, women seem to be more than twice as likely to eat soup as men. Statistics say, 9.6% vs. 4.0%.

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History of Laffy Taffy – America’s Candy

For those who have no idea what I’m referring to, Laffy Taffy is a chewy candy that is one of the most famous candy brands in America. Outside America, taffy is also known as toffee. Either way, it’s sweet, sticky and extremely popular among big and small kids alike.

The history of Laffy Taffy began in 1971 when they were produced as a tie-in to a movie that had been released that year. The movie did alright but Laffy Taffy stayed on. Each of these candy wrappers had a joke printed on it. This was done so that the word Laffy would always be made in relation to laughing. Children of the time played a part in the history of Laffy Taffy too – they sent jokes to the confectionery company, which then printed the best ones on the wrappers. Continue reading “History of Laffy Taffy – America’s Candy”

What in Chocolate Makes It an Aphrodisiac?

As far as we know, the first European to be served with a hot chocolate drink was the Spanish explorer, Hernando Cortez (1485 – 1547). When he first tasted this spicy drink, he was in the court of the Aztec emperor, Montezuma II. This drink was a far cry from the ubiquitous hot drinking chocolate we have today. It was made with ground cacao beans, chilli peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, and black pepper. As there was no sugar cane at that time in Central America, it may have been sweetened, (if it was), with honey. Sugar cane was not introduced into the South American continent until the mid-16th century.

Montezuma is reputed to have had a prodigious sexual appetite, and it is thought that the Aztecs believed that this could be attributed to the cacao bean and the drink. It is said that the emperor drank many goblets of hot chocolate, thus fuelling the belief that it was an aphrodisiac. The evidence for the link between chocolate and enhanced sexual performance is therefore purely anecdotal. Continue reading “What in Chocolate Makes It an Aphrodisiac?”

Famous Food Scientist Speaks About How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off!

While eating healthy and slipping in the right amount of exercise does take some work, it doesn’t really mean you have to put in a heroic effort. If you had enough of fad diets, its time you hopped off the bandwagon and followed real weight loss tips.

Celebrity weight loss usually includes private chefs, trainers, and nannies but successful long term weight loss in the real world is often stressed and overworked. According to food scientist, the biggest problem with the existing model of weight loss is that it is just too simplistic. It only talks about weighing in the calories but it’s much deeper than that. In order to lose weight and keep it off permanently, a few lifestyle changes will do the trick. Ahead are a few tips that will help you lose weight without sweating it out too much.

1. Eat more, not less – Instead of following fad diets which ask you to count calories, eat less and exercise more, they are all doing it wrong! Instead of subtracting foods from your diet, add healthy foods that you really enjoy eating. Taking away foods never works but adding foods to your diet always makes for an effective weight loss diet.

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How to Use Chicken Manure in Your Garden For Fertilizer

Growing up in Central Florida, I was fortunate to have good year-round growing conditions. My grandparents were avid gardeners, and I remember the big jar painted white sitting on the counter to collect food for the compost pile. Once it was filled, my granddad would take it out to the compost bin and turn in, creating a rich soil. Although he composted, I was not introduced to chicken poop fertilizer until I was much older.

I was lucky to grow up with an awareness of composting, and once I moved and started a garden of my own, I had to investigate composting and fertilizing on my own, including chicken manure fertilizer. I went through quite a few plants that I “buried” instead of planted, since I did not take the time to invest in the right soil.

After a friend told me about chicken poop fertilizer as a great organic compound, I had to investigate on HOW to use, of all things, chicken poop! I had never heard of such a thing from my city grandparents, since ours was all turned food products mixed with dirt. Continue reading “How to Use Chicken Manure in Your Garden For Fertilizer”

Inflammatory Foods: Gas on the Fire

In my previous article entitled Inflammation… It’s A Crock. I discussed how inflammation cooks the body just like an egg or a piece of meat in a crock pot. This article is a follow up to describe the particular foods that can put gas on that fire and speed the degeneration of tissues and organs in the body. This can lead to increased back pain and joint pain as well as other damages as you will see. I will keep the list of foods short and sweet (no pun intended) so that changes in your diet will be easier to remember.

The Three Major Gas Sources (no not that type of gas)

1) Sugar: Sugar in the blood in the wrong amounts adversely affects our hormones especially insulin. So do not eat simple sugars in large amounts and focus on carbohydrates that are very complex such as colorful fruits and vegetables. It is important to note that grains and breads are sugars as well and increase blood sugar and also increase insulin response. So limit the amounts of breads and starchy foods as much as you can. Try if you can to stick to whole grains as they are more anti-inflammatory but can be a problem because of the gluten content which in some people can cause even more problems. If you would like a starchy food, potatoes are our best choice – sweet, red, white and yams.

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Latin American Cuisine – A Colombian Breakfast

In this article, I will talk about the cuisine of Colombia, specifically the breakfast that is eaten in Medellin, Colombia. You will also learn some helpful Spanish words such as how to say egg whites and egg yolks in Spanish.

At least once a month and sometimes twice a month, I will receive an email from a customer who wants to know more about the culture of Colombia, especially about “Paisas,” the people of Medellín, Colombia.

I could go on and on forever telling you about Medellín. Most people think of Medellín, Colombia as the city that was once known for being the most dangerous city in the world (just 20 years ago — during the rule of former billionaire drug trafficker, Pablo Escobar).

But today Medellin is a metropolis with sprawling high-rise buildings, beautiful spring-like weather, friendly people, a night-life (which I enjoy even more than major cities in the U.S. such as New York, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta) and, of course, a city with strikingly beautiful women everywhere. But in this email, I will only talk about “el desayuno paisa” (breakfast of Medellín). Continue reading “Latin American Cuisine – A Colombian Breakfast”

Why Even Celebrities Endorse the South Beach Diet – A Food For Thought

The world is used to celebrity promotions, from politics, to clothing and everything in between. What is different when they promote a diet plan is that weight control is part and parcel to their careers. Most celebs need to maintain their trim, toned bodies as a part of their job. Packing on the pounds, will cause headlines proclaiming a weight gain nightmare for a starlet. Because their weight loss and fitness programs are a requirement to maintain their image, this is one endorsement where they are actually practicing what they preach.

What diet is the favorite of some of the celebs? The answer is the South Beach Diet and the reason is because they experience great results. Troy Aikman (of Dallas Cowboys fame) claims, “It worked for me, I’ve lost 10 pounds. It’s been good”. The reason the South Beach Diet is the one diet plan selected by so many celebrities is because it provides quick weight loss results and promotes a lifetime of healthy eating. Outlining a plan for successfully losing weight, the South Beach Diet does not permanently remove any one food group. Instead, the diet regimen prescribes a methodology for selecting good carbohydrates versus bad carbohydrates. There are good fats, which are allowable, and bad fats, which must be avoided. Continue reading “Why Even Celebrities Endorse the South Beach Diet – A Food For Thought”

Eat Anything in Oulu – From Fast-Food to International Cuisines

Oulu, located in northern Finland, is a great tourist destination with interesting places, good stay options and warm locals. But one thing which cannot be overlooked is certainly the culinary experience of this lively Finnish city. From the eateries to formal dining one can experience a variety of joints with even wider menus. Oulu has some of the high and elegant restaurants where the experience gets rich with the serene backdrop while the bars and clubs are also quite popular.

International Cuisines

When in Oulu you can have the international cuisines in the most opulent setting. Istanbul restaurant serves the best Turkish cuisines with an international flavor to it. Located in Kauppurienkatu 11 on Rotuaari, you must make a reservation in advance. One can have the butterfly shrimp for 20 USD and the popular Kuzu Shish for 40 USD. Crecian, the Greek cuisine restaurant is located at Kirkkokatu 55 serves authentic food in a pleasant atmosphere. The food is a good value for money and is served in big proportions. A meal here for two would cost about 75 USD. Ravintola Matala restaurant in promenade 6 has got a wide range of Italian and French cuisines apart from the Finnish dishes. The restaurant is a bit pricey as the 5 course meal with wine costs 120 USD but the service and taste makes it worth.

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