Tag: <span>frozen food</span>

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Let me share this tip with you from a local RV dealer. He recommends that you put a single ice cube in a paper cup and leave it in your freezer and check it daily to be sure there had not been a power failure at the campground while you were away for the day, or that nothing else has happened to cause the frozen foods to partially thaw and re-freeze again.

If the freezer has been working well, the ice cube should retain it’s original shape. If it has melted and re-frozen the ice will be puddled in the bottom of the cup and chances are that the quality of your food in the freezer and refrigerator will be comprised.

RV Roof Inspection, Maintenance and Repair

Inspecting the roof sealant on an RV is something you should do twice a year. Why?

Because that is the likely place that a water leak will first develop. Water runs downhill, of course, and a tiny leak on the roof will turn into a major problem within the structure of the RV.

Think about this – one drip per minute (through a pinhole leak) adds up to 1440 drips per day or 10,080 drips in a week.

I don’t have time to figure out how many gallons of water there are in 10,080 drips, but I think you see my point.

Closely inspect the roof sealant condition on every protruding fixture on the roof. Any cracks or thin spots can be touched up with the appropriate material. If the roof sealant is peeling or flaking in any way, then the old coating must be physically removed.

On metal roofs I use a 1′ wide scraper with a firm blade, like the ones used by auto technicians for scraping off old gaskets. For rubber roofs I made a similar sized plastic scraper that won’t cut the rubber membrane.

If you heat the old coating with a hot air gun, it will come off fairly easily.

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Source by Les Doll

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After working many years in a frozen dough factory supplying frozen products to bakeries, cafes and restaurants, I had the chance and the pleasure to get quite a lot of experience in the production of good quality frozen dough. A good quality frozen dough product is a product which, after having been frozen for up to 6 months, still comes out of the oven as beautiful, appetising, attractive to the eyes and tasty as a fresh product. So it gives me a great pleasure to share with you some of the secrets about frozen dough production.

First do not get mixed up with “Retarded Dough System” and “Frozen Dough Technology”. Those are two different ways of processing the dough, the first one is very simple and the second one is very much more elaborate.

– The Retarded Dough System is just normal dough that we place in a normal freezer, to be used up at a later time, may be 1, 2, or 3 days later. This dough loses some of its performance capability during the freezing process and cannot be kept frozen for more than a few days only. This is just a convenient process that we can use in some short term situations.

– The Frozen Dough Technology on the other hand is a very detailed and specific way of processing the dough, that enable the user to get the optimum performance out of the dough which has been frozen for a longer period of time. This period of time could be from just a few weeks to a few months; 6 months being regarded as a maximum for a live dough containing yeast. This is exactly what this article is all about.

• First, how many kinds of frozen dough processes can we differentiate?

1) Ready to Prove Frozen Dough, good for most yeast dough and puff pastry as well.

2) Ready to Bake Frozen Dough, recommended especially for croissant and Danish pastry items.

3) Part Bakes Frozen Dough, good for bread items, not recommended for croissant, Danish pastry items, and sweet bread and bun items.

4) Full Baked Frozen Dough, good for sweet bread/bun and soft roll, not recommended for bread, croissant, Danish pastry and puff pastry items.

5) Raw Frozen Dough Ready to Bake (Proving in the oven), not available yet, new technology still under intense research and development.

• Critical points to succeed in frozen dough preparation

1) Make sure that the fermentation process does not start at any stage during the production.

To achieve that: one must control the temperature of the dough during all the different stages of the process, from the very beginning (mixing) to the very end (proving – baking).

Ideally dough temperature must not exceed 16°C (61°F) during the mixing, dividing and filling of the products.

After the blast freezing procedure the ideal storage temperature is from -18°C (64°F) TO -22°C (72°F).

2) To keep the dough temperature under 16°C (61°F), at all time during processing, is the most difficult part and to achieve this goal we need to:

a) Keep the room temperature at between 16°C (61°F) and 20°C (68°F).

b) Use cold flour. Before use, the flour should be stored in a chiller (+4°C) (39°F).

c) Use cold water from a chiller or a water cooler.

d) Replace 25% of the liquid used (water/milk) with ice flakes. Or if ice flakes are not available the use of icy cold water (+2°C) (35°F) is recommended.

e) Work the dough straight away from the mixer without or with as little rest as possible between the different stages.

f) Freeze the dough, after shaping and filling, as fast as possible and this is when we need a blast freezer to freeze the product very fast up to the core. Why do we need to freeze the dough as fast as possible? The answer is: To bring the temperature deep inside the products to around -8°C (17°F) to -15°C (5°F) very fast, around 10 to 30 minutes, depending of the size of the products. This way the ice crystals formed during the freezing process are very small and do not damage the dough structure. If the freezing process is too long (from 3 to 6 hours with a conventional freezer) the crystals formed inside the dough are very big and will damage the yeast and the gluten structure. Then in this case the product will be very long to prove and will not rise to its maximum desired size, this is typically a low quality frozen dough.

Now looking at each kind of frozen dough processes one by one, we can say that for bread items the part baked system is the best and gives very good results. For croissant and Danish pastry items (as well as bread items) the ready to bake system gives outstanding results, but demands strict supervision, good equipment and premise.

Regarding the ingredients used in the production of frozen dough, they are almost the same as for the normal type of dough except two slight differences.

• First, the yeast. Instant yeast and fresh yeast are both good to use but we always have better results with fresh yeast, products are faster to prove with more oven spring as well. Also when it comes to the quantity of yeast used, we have to increase it quite a lot (up to 2 to 3 times the normal quantity) to compensate the yeast dying during the freezing process.

• Second, the dough/bread improver used should be a special kind of improver for frozen dough only. There are many brands available on the market.

Hopefully this article has given you some useful things to think about before you start mixing the dough and I really hope you enjoyed this introduction to the process of frozen production.

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Source by Jac Paillard

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Otocinclus catfish can be very handy fish to have in your aquarium. They will gladly graze on any soft brown or green algae that grows in your tank. However, what happens when your Oto eats all the algae and it doesn’t grow fast enough to sustain your catfish? Well, there are several other types of food that you can add to supplement your Oto’s diet.

1. Otos love to eat fresh vegetables. Veggies such as spinach, romaine lettuce, parsley, cucumber, zucchini, green beans, and peas are all great options. Cut them into small pieces and then blanch them, as these catfish need the veggies to be soft in order to eat them. If there are any vegetables left in the tank around 24 hours later, make sure to take them out before they dirty the water.

2. Another food that you can feed your Otocinclus that they love is frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp. These are a good source of protein that your catfish might not otherwise get, as they are mostly vegetarian. If you have other fish in your tank, be aware that your Oto might not get to the frozen food before any other fish do, as nearly all tropical fish go crazy for these frozen foods.

3. A third great option is algae pellets and flakes. These are convenient to feed and are fairly nutritious. Make sure that the ingredient list has spirulina (algae) near the top, as that is what attracts the catfish and may be the difference between your Oto ignoring the food and eating it.

As you can see, there are many different foods that you can feed your Otocinclus if your tank doesn’t have enough algae for the fish to eat.

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Source by Angela Marie

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Cheap Pizza

Ferrous Sulfate:

Is a waste product of steel after being washed with sulfuric acid. It was given to slaves in the 18th and 19th century to “cure” them of aliments. Many slaves died from this practice, its also used in Inks and Wool Dyes.

Ferrous Sulfate is used to treat iron-deficiency anemia, people after treatment felt nausea & epigrastric (Epigastric problems may cause tension with Asthma)

Mozzarella Cheese Subtitute:

Is made with (See hydrogenated oils) partially hydrogenated oils.

Sodium Aluminum Phosphate:

Autopsies on a large amount of people who have died of Alzheimer’s disease showed accumulations of up to four times the normal amount of aluminum in the nerve cells in the brain, especially in the hippo campus which plays a central role in memory. Also increased aluminum can cause low **reproduction development of the ovarian lesions.

Aluminum in the body can cause kidney damage this is because it can interfere with phosphate metabolism.

Things to look out for in Aluminum based products

Antacids (There is some without check the labels) Antidiarrheal Products (There is some without check labels)

Buffered Aspirin (Regular Aspirin does not have aluminum)

Containers (Aluminum coated waxed containers, used especially for orange and pineapple juices, causes juices inside to absorb aluminum. Beer and SOFT drinks that are stored in aluminum cans also absorb small quantities of aluminum. Bottled beverages are better.

Deodorants (Natural Deodorants do not add Aluminum) Douches (Natural Douches do not add aluminum you can also use vinegar and water)

Food Additives (Like The processed cheeses used on cheese burgers at fast food restaurants, which contain aluminum, which is added to make the cheese melt better. To self-rising dough and processed cheese food.)

Shampoos (Some add aluminum some don’t check labels to make sure)

Potassium Chloride:

The chemical compound potassium chloride (KCl) is a metal halide salt composed of potassium and chlorine. In its pure state it is odorless. It has a white or colorless vitreous crystal, with a crystal structure that cleaves easily in three directions. Potassium chloride crystals are face-centered cubic. Potassium chloride is also commonly known as “Muriate of Potash”.

Potash varies in color from pink or red to white depending on the mining and recovery process used. White potash, sometimes referred to as soluble potash, is usually higher in analysis and is used primarily for making liquid starter fertilizers. KCl is used in medicine, scientific applications, food processing and in judicial execution through lethal injection.

You can also find Potassium Chloride in waters as well, although Potassium Chloride is a used substance in the human body, consume it naturally!

From personal experience potassium chloride in my water caused irregular heart beat when I worked out, it also caused retained ear-pressure.

Sodium Benzoate:

Benzene in soft drinks (and food additives) has received some scrutiny because benzene is a carcinogen, or cancer-causing agent. Its levels are regulated in drinking water nationally and internationally, and in bottled water in the United

States, but only informally in soft drinks. Within recent years, some soft drinks have been found to contain high levels of benzene. Benzene contamination of soft drinks is a public health concern and has caused significant outcry among environmental and health advocates.

In combination with ascorbic acid (vitamin C, E300), sodium benzoate and potassium benzoate may form benzene, a known carcinogen. Heat, light and shelf life can affect the rate at which benzene is formed. Other factors that affect the formation of benzene are heat and light. Storing soft drinks in warm conditions speeds up the formation of benzene.

Sodium Phosphate:

Some foods contain phosphate but are not labeled as such (i.e. dehydrated onions). Other symptoms of phosphate intolerance may include severe and sudden diarrhea, vomiting, skin eruptions, bladder infection, bloating and abdominal cramping.

(common)

Phosphate additives have also been linked to ADD in children in Australia.

Retrieved from:

Wikipedia

Titanium Dioxide:

Used as a white food colouring it also acts as a pigment to provide whiteness and opacity to products such as paints, coatings, plastics, papers, inks, foods, medicines (i.e. pills and tablets) as well as most toothpastes.

Its also used in sunscreens & if you are not aware most cases of skin cancer are formed from the Sunscreen we use in combination of not being able to absorb energy from the Sun which is very important, recently I heard there is more suicides in the winter because there is a lack of sunlight and the energy is like a anti-depressant so to say keeps your psychically and mentally healthy, so if you ingest Titanium Dioxide it could settle in your skin and you be putting on a shield against your Sun energy (which I believe is a certain vitamin D).

Magnesium Oxide:

May cause irritation in eyes or respiratory tract May lead to muscle weakness, lethargy and confusion. This is in its real form why would you want to eat this?

Sodium Nitrite:

Recently, sodium nitrite has been found to be an effective means to increase blood flow by dilating blood vessels, acting as a vasodilator. While this chemical will prevent the growth of bacteria, it can be toxic for mammals. A principal concern is the formation of carcinogenic N-nitrosamines by the reaction of sodium nitrite with amino acids in the presence of heat in an acidic environment. Sodium nitrite has also been linked to triggering migraines.

Recent studies have found a link between high processed meat consumption and colon cancer, possibly due to preservatives such as sodium nitrite. On top of this I believe Sodium Nitrite acts as a catalyst (from the dilation is does to your veins) which aids in all these other nasty ingredients to hurry themselves through your body just like Cayenne pepper and other foods with sculville units in them (hotness).

BHA, BHT & TBHQ:

In high doses, it has some negative health effects on lab animals, such as precursors to stomach tumors and damage to DNA. A number of studies have shown that prolonged exposure to TBHQ may induce carcinogenicity. Other studies, however, have shown protective effects for TBHQ and other phenolic antioxidants.

BHA, BHT & TBHQ are petroleum based that’s why it keeps food preserved (it will preserve your body which is bad times).

Partially Hydrogenate Oils:

Trans fats are neither essential nor salubrious (useful) and, in fact, the consumption of trans fats increase one’s risk of coronary heart disease by raising levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and lowering levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. 1 gram of trans fat a day has been linked to a 33% higher chance of catching the coronary heart disease. A 6 piece of chicken nuggets has 6 grams of trans fat, fries have 4 grams of trans fat.

Its common name is monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fat.

The human lipase enzyme is ineffective with the trans configuration, so trans fat remains in the blood stream for a much longer period of time and is more prone to arterial deposition and subsequent plaque formation. While the mechanisms through which trans fats contribute to coronary heart disease are fairly well understood, the mechanism for trans fat’s effect on diabetes is going to find that it increases symptoms.

Monocalcium Phosphate:

Calcium dihydrogen phosphate (also called mono-calcium orthophosphate) Ca(H2PO4)2 is a chemical compound. It is commonly found as the dihydrate, Ca(H2PO4)2·H2O, which releases a water molecule before it melts at 109 °C. It decomposes at 203 °C.

Phosphorus is an important nutrient and so is a common component of fertilizers Calcium dihydrogen phosphate is also used in the food industry as a leavening agent to cause baked goods to rise. Because it is acidic, when combined with an alkali ingredient – commonly sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or potassium bicarbonate

– it reacts to produce carbon dioxide and a salt.

Xanthan Gum:

(Allergy Warning)

Some people are allergic to xanthan gum, with symptoms of intestinal gripes and diarrhea. Workers exposed to xanthan gum dust exhibit nose and throat irritation as well as work-related illness, with symptoms becoming more prevalent with increasing exposure.

Also, since xanthan gum is produced by a bacterium that is fed corn to grow, some people allergic to corn will also react to it.

MSG/Natural Flavors:

The 1987 Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization placed mono sodium glutamate in the safest category of food ingredients.

A 1991 report by the European Community’s (EC) Scientific Committee for Foods reaffirmed mono sodium glutamate safety and classified its “acceptable daily intake” as “not specified”, the most favorable designation for a food ingredient. In addition, the EC Committee said, “Infants, including premature, have been shown to metabolize glutamate as efficiently as adults and therefore do not display any special susceptibility to elevated oral intakes of glutamate.”

A 1992 report from the Council on Scientific Affairs of the American Medical Association stated that glutamate in any form has not been shown to be a “significant health hazard”.

A 1995 FDA-commissioned report acknowledged that “An unknown percentage of the population may react to mono sodium glutamate and develop mono sodium glutamate symptom complex, a condition characterized by one or more of the following symptoms:

Burning sensation in the back of the neck, forearms and chest Numbness in the back of the neck, radiating to the arms and back Tingling, warmth and weakness in the face, temples, upper back, neck and arms Facial pressure or tightness,Chest pain, Headache, Nausea, Rapid heartbeat, Broncho spasm (difficulty breathing), Drowsiness, Weakness Sweating.

A 2002 report from researchers at Hirosaki University in Japan found rats fed on diets very high in glutamate (up to 20%) suffered eye damage. Lead researcher Hiroshi Ohguro said the findings might explain why, in eastern Asia, there is a high rate of normal-tension glaucoma.

Monosodium glutamate has been shown to indirectly cause obesity in lab rats by down regulating hypothalamic appetite suppression and, thus, increasing the amount of food the lab rats consumed Because glutamate is absorbed very quickly in the gastrointestinal tract (unlike glutamic acid-containing proteins in foods), glutamate could spike blood plasma levels of glutamate.

Glutamic acid is in a class of chemicals known as excitotoxins, high levels of which have been shown in animal studies to cause damage to areas of the brain unprotected by the blood-brain barrier and that a variety of chronic diseases can arise out of this neurotoxicity.

The debate among scientists on the significance of these findings has been raging since the early 1970s, when Dr. John Olney found that high levels of glutamic acid caused damage to the brains of infant mice.

Updated Information 04/02/09:

Keep in mind that the MSG/excitotoxins also contribute to addictive behaviors (gambling, overeating, violence, mood swings, depression, etc.) since the excitotoxins stimulate other hormones in the brain. when they’re stimulated, your dopamine and other hormone levels go haywire.

changing your diet is all it takes to snap out of it. its amazing how simple it is, but so many are hooked on junk food and processed foods.

Sorbitan monostearate (also known as Span 60):

Is an ester of sorbitan (a sorbitol derivative) and stearic acid and is sometimes referred to as a synthetic wax. It is primarily used for emulsifying water and oils together. Sorbitan monostearate is used in manufacture of food and health care products, and is a nonionic surfactant with emulsifying, dispersing, and wetting properties.

It is also employed to create synthetic fibers, metal machining fluid, brighteners in the leather industry, as an emulsifier in coatings, in pesticides, and various applications for the plastic, food and cosmetics industries.

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Source by Nathan Scheer

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Do you feel that planning menus takes too much time or is too complicated? I think people that don’t take the time to make out a meal plan end up causing themselves lots of stress and are more tempted to eat out and spend more money. Just a few minutes of your time can save you hours in the long run. Here’s how to plan a menu without much effort. The key to easy meal planning is all in the recipe.

1. List meals your family likes – Each person should be able to come up with at least a few favorites. If they can’t think of any, just start listing some meals you know they don’t like and they will probably quickly think of some they would rather eat. Or you can just keep a running list of meals your family likes as they come to you.

2. Use the grocery store – Look around the frozen food section in the grocery store to get ideas for meals. It’s tempting to buy all the prepared box meals and frozen meals, but they are loaded with preservatives, sodium and many other things that you don’t want to be putting into your body. Just use this grocery trip for collecting ideas.

3. Create a recipe book – Get a 3 ring binder and a bunch of sheet protectors and extra paper. Go through your recipe file and place your favorites in the sheet protectors. If you have recipe cards, just tape a few of them to a sheet of paper and put them in your binder. This way you will have all your favorite recipes on hand for when you make your meal plan. You can put any other recipes in another file or throw them away. Your recipe book should only contain recipes that you use often that you enjoy cooking and eating.

Then take 10-15 minutes to write out 10-15 meals that you want to fix. Be sure to write down any ingredients you don’t have on hand for those meals. Take that list to the grocery store and then you have all the ingredients you need to make those 10-15 meals. Each day you can choose a meal from your list and when they are all crossed off it is time to go grocery shopping again.

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Source by Heidi Johnson

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The Chest Freezer

One of the most popular home freezers appears to be the chest type which is available in several sizes. The 6 cu feet freezer holds approximately 200 pound of frozen foods if stacked correctly. The 10 cu feet size will hold approximately 350 pound. Both these sizes will suit the smaller family. They keep everything fresh no matter how high the temperature outside, and give easy access to food. However, the larger family or farmer’s wife would probably need the 16 cu feet freezer which holds 550 pound or the 22 cu feet size holding around 800 pound. Foodstuff may be kept frozen all year round in the large chest freezer which makes them economical for country properties.

The chest type freezer usually has a magnetic seal around the complete lid, which prevents warm air getting into your freezer. The quick freeze area is situated over the electric motor end, however good quality freezers have the freezing pipes all around the walls and at the bottom, not just at one end. Vinyl coated dividers are provided with the larger chest freezers. The dividers enable you to keep different types of food separate. Vinyl coated baskets are also supplied with the chest type freezers. These are ideal for an assortment of small items.

Most well made chest type freezers have a temperature control situated on the outside, which enables you to switch to quick freeze when putting a large quantity of food in at the one time. Any type of food which is frozen quickly is of far better quality when eaten later.

The Upright Freezer

If kitchen space is a problem I would strongly recommend the upright or vertical freezer as it is a great space saver, taking up very little valuable floor space. Once again, there are several sizes to choose from. The top quality upright freezer usually has vinyl coated adjustable shelves and steel interior lining, with freezing pipes situated all round, lining sides, back, bottom and top i.e. inside the lining, out of sight.

The quick freeze area is situated at the bottom directly over the freezer motor. A temperature control and quick freeze switch is also usually positioned at the bottom. With a touch of the toe you can switch to quick freeze. Once food is frozen switch back to thermostatic control. Remember the quicker you freeze food the better the quality. There is usually plenty of door space for easy access to smaller items. An ice bucket and several ice cube trays are also usually supplied. Once again, a magnetic door seal gives a perfect seal every time.No chance of warm air getting in which means no waste of precious power. Of course, the convenience of the upright freezer should not be forgotten for when the shelves are full of frozen food, it gives you a supermarket in your own kitchen!

The Refrigerator Freezer

If you need a new refrigerator and have never owned a deep freeze, I would suggest you trade in your old refrigerator for a new two door dual temperature refrigerator freezer. This is two appliances in one, a household refrigerator plus a true long term deep freeze cabinet. You will never regret the extra cost because you will have the pleasure of automatic frost-free in both compartments. Frigid fresh air is injected by a fan into the refrigerator and freezer and circulates continuously so there is no frost or consideration. Defrosting is unnecessary and you can identify your frozen food immediately because it does not ice up. You can buy frozen food specials at the supermarket, store them in your freezer and save several dollars a month on you grocery bill. You will also find your first deep freeze a great convenience as left over foods can be packaged, frozen and used weeks or months later.

The deep freeze storage cabinet of the refrigerator freezer is usually positioned on top of the refrigerator cabinet. In some models they are side by side, and a few have been manufactured with the freezer under the refrigerator compartment. All models are usually fitted with an interior light and vinyl coated adjustable shelves. In the refrigerator compartment there is an egg rack, a dairy chest for butter and cheese and a crisper for vegetables. Once again, magnetic door seals are fitted to all quality refrigerator freezers to keep cold air in and warm air out. The dual refrigerator freezer takes up very little precious kitchen floor space. You will never regret buying a good quality deep freeze.

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Source by Yao Daphnie

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Many people buy a toaster oven so that they don’t have to turn on their energy hogging full-sized oven for small meals. Then, to their dismay, they notice that most prepackaged frozen meals have this warning: “Do not cook in a toaster oven.” These countertop ovens are just smaller versions of normal ovens, so is it really a bad idea to cook frozen meals in them?

First, lets look at the differences between toaster ovens and full-sized conventional ovens. Both produce dry heat and in general, both have the same temperature range. The method of heating varies from oven to oven, with conventional models using either gas or electricity as the primary energy source. Toaster ovens rely solely on electric heat, but this is no different from many regular ovens out there. So why would you not be able to cook a frozen meal in a toaster oven?

I had some idea of why this would be, but rather than rely on conjecture I went straight to the source. I contacted four major companies whose products warned against using a toaster oven. All four gave me the same answer: uneven and unpredictable heating could lead to improperly cooked food. This can lead to food poisoning.

I have tested many toaster ovens throughout the years and I can tell you that they do not all have uneven and unpredictable heating, but many do. The issue with many is a discrepancy between the heat setting and actual internal oven temperature. You may have set the oven to 375 degrees F as directed by the package instructions but have an actual temperature of much less than that. This is especially true with cheap models that are poorly insulated. This can lead to undercooked foods which can be dangerous to consume.

Is there a way around this problem? There certainly is! Accurate instant-read thermometers are easy to find and inexpensive. Many have probes that can be left inside the oven while it is in use. This will allow you to ensure the internal oven temperature is where it needs to be. This will take care of any issues regarding unpredictable heating or temperature.

Uneven heating is much more difficult to overcome. Many inexpensive toaster ovens cook food very unevenly, leaving some portions of the food burnt while others are raw or undercooked. This isn’t just a problem with frozen meals; it is problematic with anything you cook. The problem is just amplified when you start with a product that is frozen rather than room temperature or close to it. I would never attempt to cook a frozen meal in an appliance that has issues with uneven heating. I would also not want to use that appliance for any of my other cooking needs.

So is it safe to cook a frozen meal in a toaster oven? I would say the answer to that is “maybe.” You probably should not risk it unless you are absolutely sure the appliance you are using cooks things evenly and accurately. Use a thermometer to monitor your actual temperature and check the internal temperature of the food once it is done. Most packaged foods will tell you what the internal temperature of the food needs to be for that food to be safe. There are also temperature guidelines provided by most local health departments. Use those if you are unsure of what the target temperature of the finished product needs to be.

Visit Toaster Oven Reviews to find the best toaster oven for frozen meals and so much more. You will find thousands of reviews as well as a handy buying guide to help you along the way.

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Source by Heather Krasovec

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With hectic schedules and busy lifestyles, most families choose to cut down on preparation time when it comes to meals and go for quick fix dinner options. This has brought about the immense popularity of frozen foods, which ensures that there is always something to eat at home and on top of this, freezing leftover meals can actually prevent wastage of food too. However, with many people opting for frozen food, misconceptions regarding it have been rising as well.

Frozen food is not nutritious

Frozen food could sometimes lose out on some nutritional value but the reality is that they are generally more nutritious than the fresh food that’s available at the grocery store. The reason for this is that out-of-season produce is picked before it has completely ripened and then stored, cutting down a great deal of nutritional value before you finally eat it. By comparison, frozen food is picked when it’s ripe and then frozen, so it only loses some nutritional value during storage.

Too processed

While grocery freezers are packed with unhealthy frozen dinners, there are some great healthy choices as well. This is why it’s important to go for whole and natural foods by checking through the list of ingredients and avoiding any that include additives or preservatives. Another interesting fact to note is that the process of freezing can actually stop bacteria from developing because microbes cannot grow of food that are stored at minus 0 F, making it far healthier than most people think.

Way too expensive

Generally, it is less expensive than fresh food. For example, most fruits and vegetables that are not in season are priced very high but stocking up frozen fruits and vegetables can actually save money on your grocery bills.

All food can be frozen

While there are plenty of foods that can be frozen and yet retain the original texture and flavor, this is not the case with all food. There are certain foods that tend to lose its flavor when frozen and these include cream-based sauces and fruits and vegetables that contain high water content.

Can last forever

Frozen foods have a longer lifespan than when it’s fresh but it can lose the taste and quality when stored for too long. However, there are some ways in which the storage life of frozen food can be extended and this is done by blanching vegetables before freezing and covering the food in moisture-proof packaging.

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Source by Farhan Fawzer

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Eating healthy in this day and age can indeed be quite difficult with all of the temptation that is out there today, but it is having the determination and the will-power to stick to it that will see you through. As mentioned in the title of this article, there are five types of acidic foods to stay away from, each of which will be discussed as followed.

We will be covering each of these types: dairy, meat and poultry, processed and frozen foods, refined sugar and products made with refined sugars and beverages. This article provides the latest information on 5 highly acidifying foods:

Acidic Food # 1: Dairy Products

The different types of acidic dairy foods include butter, cheese, cream, custards, eggs and yogurt.

Dairy foods are filled with hormones, pesticide residues, microforms, mycotoxins, and saturated fats. Layer on top of all those goodies milk sugar (lactose) that breaks down like any sugar and feeds harmful microforms.

Cheese and yogurt are made by fermentation. And dairy is the leader of all foods in forming sticky mucus. It is highly acid-forming. Furthermore, pasteurization destroys the beneficial enzymes milk starts out with.

Acidic Food # 2: Meat and Poultry Products

Of this category, there is meat, chicken, beef, shellfish, goat, lamb, pork, rabbit meat and turkey.

Meat and poultry and their by-products are highly acidic foods. The animals feed on stored grain and pass along all the associated problems in their meat.

There is a strong correlation between animal protein and several kinds of cancer, particularly breast, thyroid, prostate, pancreatic, endometrial, ovarian, stomach, and colon cancers. Studies show that people who get 70 percent of their protein from animal products have major health difficulties compared to those who get just 5 perfect of their protein that way. Besides, animal foods are simply dead.

Acidic Foods # 3: Refined, Processed and Frozen Food Products

Which is pretty much anything that is frozen, like frozen peas, carrots, broccoli and also the frozen mixed vegetables, not to mention take out meals or frozen meals. But it also includes many foods you may not have considered, such as canned soup, chips, cookies, doughnuts and just about anything you can get at fat food restaurants. Refined, processed and frozen foods are loaded with sugar, salt, artificial coloring and flavoring, additives, preservatives, and butter, margarine, or hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated (hardened) vegetable oil – and deficient in fiber. All these types of foods are acidifying.

Acidic Food # 4: Refined Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners

Majority of people in the US is getting more than the 149 pounds of sugar a year. Did you know that you body needs only two teaspoons of blood sugar at any tie in order to function properly? This amount can be easily obtained through the digestion of unrefined carbohydrates, protein and fats.

Refined sugar, as tempting as it may be in all those cakes, candies, and cups of coffee, is, in fact, more of a pharmaceutical drug than it is a nurturing food. The minerals needed to digest sugar – chromium, manganese, cobalt, copper, zinc, and magnesium – have been striped from the sugar during the refining process. This, in turn, forces that body to deplete its own mineral reserves to process the sugar.

Acidic Food # 5: Beverages

Alcohol, coffee, black tea, sodas and concentrated juices all have a negative effect on your body’s pH level.

All these products produce a lot of acid and a lot of mucus.

All of these acidic foods can affect the pH balance in your body in a very negative way. A healthy human body is slightly alkaline measuring 7.4 approximately. This ideal blood measurement means that it is slightly more alkaline than acid.

Many people wonder why they lack energy and feel so sluggish all the time. We wonder why we can not seem to lose the weight that we want to and why some of us have poor digestion. When our pH level is out of whack our bodies reflect it like this.

The human body has to have a balanced pH like any other living thing or it does not function properly. The alkaline level is important because as research has already proven, diseases can’t survive in an alkaline state. But they will live in an acidic environment.

An acidic environment will decrease your body’s ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients. It decreases your body’s energy production and limit it’s ability to repair damaged cells. It’s ability to detoxify heavy metals will be limited also. It will also make the body more susceptible to fatigue and illness.

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Source by Christina Baker