L1OR's Space!: Food/ Nutrition

Goji berries

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:58:19 GMT

Goji berries are closely related to the tomato. Interesting!

You can find beauty in the most unexpected places..... even in garlic!

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:47:46 GMT

Due to its strong odour, garlic is sometiems called the "Stinking Rose". Doesn't look much like a rose to me, but I think it's pretty.

Interesting fact: One way of accelerating the smell of garlic breath/ sweat (which comes from a compound called Allyl methyl sulphide in case you were curious) is using a sauna to quicken the release of the fumes!

Honeydew

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 18:42:27 GMT

Doesn't the word "honeydew" conjure up images of something heavenly and tasty? I thought so anyway..........until I found out what it was!

Wikipedia: "Honeydew is a sugar-rich sticky substance, secreted by aphids and some scale insects as they feed on plant sap.
Honeydew is then collected by certain species of birds, wasps and honey bees, which process it into a dark, strong honey (honeydew honey)."

yum......

Vitamin L

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:20:15 GMT

This is funny. In his book "Staying Healthy with Nutrition", Haas describes vitamin L - The Love Vitamin, which was coined by humanologist Bethany Argisle.
He writes:

"Sources: various... one example is a meal prepared by family and friends. [Grandma’s cooking is always tasty coz it has accumulated extra years of love]
Requirements: One of the most improtant nutrients for optimum health is a daily dose (or more) of love... Requirements vary from person to person. International hug experts advise a minimum of 4 hugs daily to prevent vitamin L deficiency.
Functions: energizes, good for the heart, and great for the circulation of warmth and joy. Digestion is dependent on vitamin L as is the enrvous system and hormonal function..
Toxicity: excess intake is rare but increases should be taken slowly to prevent side effects. Side effects include swooning, strange feeling in the centre of the chest, goose bumps, staring blankly into space or singing without cause.
Deficiency: signs of deficiency include fatigue, muscle tension, stress, digestive upset, diseases of the heart."

Artichoke liqueur anyone?

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:49:12 GMT

I was just reading about "Superfoods" for my course and reached a bit about artichokes and to my absolute amazment discovered there is such a thing as artichoke liqueur!! (yum....?)

Here's what wikipedia has to say about it: (link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynar)

Cynar is an Italian bitter apéritif liqueur made from 13 herbs and plants. Most predominant among these is, unusually, the artichoke (Cynara scolymus), from which the drink derives its name. Cynar is dark brown in color, has a bittersweet flavor, and its strength is 33 proof (16.5% alcohol).

Cynar can be drunk as either an aperitif (generally over ice), or as a cocktail (mixed with soda water and lemon or orange slice, or with cola, tonic water, or bitter lemon soda). Europeans often mix it with orange juice. Because of its artichoke component, Cynar is also regarded as a digestive.

Cynar is the main ingredient of the Iversen, which is 1 part Cynar 1 part Vodka (and lots of ice).

Cynar is manufactured and distributed by the Campari Group.

Interesting!