Tips for Baking Perfect Fish Recipes
July 29, 2008
Whether you fancy testing some exotic tilapia fish recipes or perhaps a delicious baked catfish recipe, you might think that baking fish is easy. It is indeed an uncomplicated way of cooking fish but there are a few tips and tricks you should know, to guarantee your baked fish recipes turn out great.
Baking cooks fish quickly at a high temperature and you can bake fish fillets, steaks, whole fish, or seafood.
Baking is a very popular way of cooking fish and many fish recipes call for it to be baked in the oven. People tend to worry about their fish drying out and how to prevent that from happening. If you leave your fish in the oven for even a few minutes too long, this might mean the difference between a moist piece of fish and a slightly dried out one. When fish dries out, this means the natural fish oil has gone. You need to check the fish often when it is cooking and remember that it keeps cooking for a couple of minutes after you remove it from the oven.
Selecting and Preparing Fish for Baked Fish Recipes
When you purchase a fish, there are a few things to look out for here are just a few. The gills should be red or pink and the eyes should appear bright, clear and be slightly protruding. If the gills are gray and the eyes are pink, cloudy, or sunken, it is stale and you should choose a different fish.
Whether you are shopping for fish for a tasty baked cod dish or delicious tilapia fish recipes, the same rules apply. If the fish is very fresh, your recipe will turn out better.
You need to ensure the fish is properly defrosted to get the very best results from your fish recipe. Frozen fish has the same nutritional value as fresh fish and will keep in the freezer for weeks or even months, depending what kind of fish it is. To defrost fish, leave it on the lower shelves of the refrigerator for between 8 and 12 hours.
If you want to defrost it more quickly, you can place the fish in a bowl of cold water with 3 to 4 tablespoons of salt. Then it will defrost in a couple hours. If you have fresh or defrosted fish in the refrigerator, it ought to be used within 24 hours for the best fish recipe results.
Depending on what kind of baked fish recipe you are making, you might want to marinate the fish fillets in salt and lemon before cooking for firmer flesh, a fresh taste and to make it easier to handle. You can also soak your fish in water with vinegar before baking, to make it sweeter, more tender and hold its shape better.
Baking Your Fish
Because fish contains natural oils, it is not compulsory to add oil or fat before baking. To ensure the fish stays moist, you might like to brush a little oil or butter on top of it before cooking or top the fish with seasoned breadcrumbs or thinly sliced vegetables. There are many tilapia fish recipes, which make use of vegetables or breadcrumbs to add flavor and texture.
The general rule with fish baking is to bake the fish for 10 minutes for every inch of its thickness. 450F is a suitable temperature for most baked fish recipes. Unless the fish is an inch or less thick, you should turn it half way through the cooking time.
Tuck thin ends underneath to make sure the fillets cook evenly. Cooking times also vary depending how dense the fish is. Your fish is ready when you can flake it easily with a fork at its thickest point, when it is 145F internally or when it is opaque all the way through.
If you want to stop fish from sticking to the pan and therefore breaking up when trying to remove it, a good tip is to place the fish on a bed of celery, onions, or both. This will also give the fish extra flavor.
Why Is The Green Coffee Bean So Special
July 29, 2008
The green coffee bean sounds a little on the odd side when we say it. After all most people associate coffee beans with a dark or lightish brown colour, and few have seen a green coffee bean. The seeds that come from the plant are commonly known as ‘Green Coffee Beans’. They are not precisely beans, they are more like a berry. The ‘green coffee beans’ are collected from the coffee plantations and then sent to places where they are first roasted, and then ground, and then finely crushed to make coffee powder.
First, the green coffee bean must be picked from plantations. The coffee beans are most frequently picked by hand by labourers who get paid by the basketful. Since coffee beans are a type of drupe, with fruit flesh directly wrapping the coffee bean, after being gathered the flesh of the coffee bean must be promptly removed by soaking, scouring and mechanically rubbing the bean. The de-fruited coffee bean is then cleansed with water to remove sticking fruit and additional sugars before drying. The green coffee beans are then spread over a large concrete or rock plane, where they are dried by air and sunlight.
Coffee beans are given a categorization of the beans. This is done by color and size. Discolored, decayed and damaged beans are removed at this point
The process of going from the Coffee Berry to the dry green coffee bean can be relatively long and may even involve some fermentation.Once this has been completed the green coffee beans should be stored in some sort of container that will allow it to breathe and not impart another flavor to the beans: burlap bags, paper bags, etc. Plastic containers are never used for obvious reasons. They are stored at room temperature and out of direct light. They may be kept for a long period of time and are relatively easy to ship abroad.
Green coffee beans have polyphenols which act to help reduce free oxygen radicals in the body. The bean extract is sometimes standardized to more than 50% chlorogenic acid .
Coffee is now a major force in continental countries. It is loved by millions, and is the morning choice for those going to work to start the day. The green coffee bean is the start of the production line. There are many ways to produce the coffee, and depending what you do with the green coffee bean and where it comes from will determine the taste and the outcome of the coffee.
The Roasting Process. Depending on how log the coffee beans are exposed to the sun will depend on what the flavour or strength will be. The bean contains a wide variety of chemical compounds including proteins, fats, sugars, dextrin, cellulose, caffeine, and organic acids.
Some of these compounds volatise, oxidize, or decompose as part of the roasting process.The roasting process is very important in producing an aromatic cup of coffee. When roasted, the green coffee bean expands to nearly twice its initial size, changing in color and density.
At this point in the roasting process, the coffee beans will start cracking, quite like popping popcorn. The bean also expels moisture, and, upon reaching 400 degrees Fahrenheit, the color changes to yellow and then to a light ‘cinnamon’ brown, and oil is released from its interior.
This oil gives coffee its distinct flavor. The greater the amount of oil released, the stronger the flavor. The coffee beans will crack during the roasting process, which guides roasters as to how to gauge the progression of the roast. The bean will then continue to expel more oil while darkening its color, until such time it is removed from the heat. The final product can be crushed into savoury coffee powder.
Papua New Guinea is just one region that grows the coffee berry. This is mainly grown in the Highland regions rich volcanic soils between the altitudes of 4,000 and 6,000 feet above sea level. Every region has its own distinctive taste. Either by height, soil, sunlight and other varying factors to make coffee unique to that erea. It is believed that every factor that comes into play has a bearing on the outcome of the coffee bean. All contribute to the production.
Papua New Guinea coffee is well regarded by consumers for its uniqueness, consistency and special flavor characteristics. They export approximately 2% of the annual world green bean production.
Papua New Guinea coffee beans are highly sought, as they produce a distinct floral and citric flavor and nutty body, and are frequently used to blend with other coffees to produce unique gourmet coffees. Take a look at this website which specialises in the green coffee bean from Papa New Guinea. Visit Coffee Pacifica.
Brazil - continues to be the largest coffee exporter, although the green coffee market has recently been flooded with large amount of Robusta beans from Vietnam. Robusta coffees, which were traded in London at a cheaper price compared to New York’s Arabica, are the choice of large industrial clients consisting of multinational roasters and instant coffee producers; they favor these coffees because of the less expensive price. A rare and costly variety of Robusta is the Indonesian Kopi Luwak and the Philippine Kape Alamid. Owing to the indirect pressure exerted by the World Bank to the French government, experts believe that the influx of cheap green coffee resulted from the crisis in pricing that started in 2001, and continues to the present.
Robusta is the cheaper coffee bean. It packs lots of caffeine jolt, but offers only one-dimensional, front-of-mouth flavour. Much of it goes for instant, but a surprising amount becomes the filler in blends. Most industrial espresso roasters say it gives a better crema, or head, but this is rot - robusta is just a way to keep costs down and drinkers’ nerves jangled. Vietnam is the major robusta exporter, and has flooded the market with cheap beans. Most “espresso roasts” now include them, their blunt flavour hidden by roasting beans almost to the point of incineration.
Arabica beans have finer, more complex flavours and are less highly-caffeinated. As with wine grapes, they include many sub-varieties and variations in terroir, and different skills in picking, de-fruiting, drying, sorting, ageing, roasting and packing the beans offer a coffee lover endless opportunities for subtlety and surprise. I haven’t found an instant coffee I like, so won’t be mentioning one.
Where To Go For A Coffee In London. Dont just use Starbucks or Costa Coffee. There are plenty of hotels dotted around London that have coffee afternoons. Try one of htese and be pleasantly surprised.
If you are in Central London then I would recommend a visit to Connaught Square, commonly known as ‘Connaught Village’ just off the Edgware Road. It is a 2 minute walk from Marble Arch tube station, and 200 metres from the bottom end of Hyde Park. There is a small coffee shop on the corner of Connaught Square called Markus Coffee. It has recently been refurbished by the owner, who has been blending and producing his magnificent coffee for over 25 years. Roasting takes place every day and the fresh aromatic smell is amazing. It is the best coffee in London. Well worth a visit.
The Masterly Art of Tasting Coffee
July 29, 2008
Making coffee is a true art. There is some masterly about the perfect cup, but the perfect cup could mean something different to each person. ?Cuppers? are coffee tasters that help assist buyers, judge contests and write reviews. It is their job to help describe the coffee so that you can figure out if you would like it.
What a Cupper Does and How You Can Do It Too
When a cupper is working they look at different aspects of the coffee they are tasting. They look for these main attributes ? aroma, flavor, acidity, finish and subtle attributes. If you are interested in trying your skills out and being a cupper then you can recreate this scenario at home. It starts with having the supplies you need. You should use filtered water, so that there is nothing from the water that will influence the taste of the coffee. In other words, good water means you will truly be tasting the coffee, not the water. Any fresh bottled drinking water will work well. You will need a tray that can hold about a dozen small glasses. You will need a container for spitting the samples into once you have tasted them. You will also need some tools to scoop and measure the coffee and, of course, the coffee blends you are tasting ? use whole beans that you will grind yourself.
After assembling what you need, it is time to prepare the coffee. You want to boil the water and grind the beans. You should use a grinder with different settings so you can get different blends for each trial. You are going to be testing each type for different grinding settings. Brew the coffee, filter it and prepare a small cup of each sample. To do the actual sampling you start by smelling first. Be sure to note the aroma and any special characteristics. When you taste the coffee you should let it run over your tongue and hold it in your mouth for second or two. Then, as with any tasting, you spit it out. During the tasting you should note some aspects of the coffee. You will be building a profile of the coffee which will explain every detail of its character.
Things to consider include:
Acidity ? This is the tartness of the blend, basically, how dry the coffee tastes. Aging plays a big role in the acid content and is more noticeable in Mexican Sumatra brew.
Aroma ? This is the smell. It can have a range of smells form fruity to herb to floral.
Bitter ? Bitterness can be found by swishing it back and forth on the tongue. You should be able to pick up how much or how little bitterness the blend has.
Body ? Body describes the thickness of the feel on the tongue. A light roast will likely have less body then a dark roast.
Nuttiness ? As the name suggests, some coffees give off a roasted nut like flavor. Nuttiness is actually a flavor sensation that is not preferred and characteristic of a poor blend.
Sharpness ? This is the pronounced flavor of the blend. It is caused by the mixing of salt and acids.
Choosing Blends
You should try to get a nice variety of blends to test. Get them from different countries, vary the roasts form light to dark and experiment with the grinds. You will see a huge difference the more variety you have. Even with one bean you can see difference with just different grinds. Also experiment with the amount of coffee you use and the strength of the brew. Start out with a good average of two tablespoons to each six ounces of water. Also water temperature should be worked with stating from an average of 200F.
Drinking Coffee is a Historic Endeavor
July 29, 2008
As you sit and drink your morning java, it may help you to know that you are imbibing a long-respected beverage.While most of us think of coffee as a single species of plant and a single type of beverage, it is interesting to learn that there are more than 500 genera and more than 6,000 species in the Rubiaceae family of plants of which coffee is just one genus. Most of these varieties are either coffee shrubs or tropical trees that grow upwards of 30 feet. Brazil is the world’s largest coffee producer. Of these many types, Robusta and Arabica coffees are the main types used.Historians believe that coffee originated in Ethiopia but spread into Arabia. Its ability to help people stay alert made it a useful secret weapon at first.
Iced coffee seems like a fairly new innovation, but really it isn’t. It is believed that coffee was not originally a hot drink. It was originally drunk with the grounds. Arabic peoples used it in religious ceremonies and as a medicine, but not as a beverage until about the year 1000 A.D. Eventually people tried to drink just the liquid and leave the grounds alone. As people discovered how coffee helped them to stay alert, coffee became more popular. As civilization progressed, coffee houses were created so people could enjoy the beverage and socialize in groups.
Gradually people discovered the pleasures of hot coffee. They began drinking it in their homes, usually as part of a ceremony. Coffee became a very important part of Arabic culture. It is believed that at least one Turkish woman was allowed to divorce because her husband refused to give her coffee. For a time, it was forbidden to take coffee out of the Muslim world.
However, explorers brought coffee from Constantinople, Turkey, to Venice, Italy and thus began coffee’s conquest of Europe. Originally, it is said that Catholic priests forbade the use of coffee, because of its origins in Arabic/Islamic culture. Some said coffee was given to the Islamic peoples by God because they were forbidden to drink wine. One report says one of the popes investigated coffee’s properties and was so enticed by the aroma he tasted it, even, some say, baptizing it. At any rate, his approval of the beverage lead to the spread of its use across Italy and then the rest of Europe.
Whether baptized by the Pope or not, coffee and its caffeine is truly considered to be a blessing by many. By 1940, the U.S. was importing 70 percent of the world’s coffee crop. Whether you enjoy your coffee from the local coffee shop or out of your own Bunn coffee maker, we should be grateful for its existence!
Today coffee can be found in just about every nation on earth and is clearly one of the world’s most popular drinks. That’s a fun fact to savor with your morning brew.
How to Design Baskets for the Premium High-end Gift Market
July 29, 2008
The majority of gift baskets shipped are low-end gifts that cater to the masses of people sending inexpensive thank you and general appreciation gifts. This price range would not break anyone’s budget but would allow them an opportunity to show a friend, colleague or business associates some kind of message of good will. Sending baby gift baskets, thank you gifts, get well baskets and birthday gifts would fall under this category. The industry needs more high-end basket suppliers. Designers with skill and ability to create gifts for the upscale market. Gifts that will be sent to CEO’s and executives.
It’s difficult to select a container for a high-end gift basket. So many issues come into consideration. Is the vessel extravagant enough? Is it sturdy enough to hold so many products? These issues and others come into play. For Christmas, a giant metal sleigh would fit perfectly for the occasion. The shipping cost might be a problem due to the weight and dimensions of the box so this type of gift may be more suited for local hand delivery. Targeting local businesses with this choice is the best course of action. Selling the idea as a limited edition gift will play into the premium nature of the product. For photography purposes, adding fake snow in the picture will help emphasize the holiday aspect of the design.
When choosing a color scheme for a premium basket, it’s important to remember that sometimes the sheer number of products in the basket may not provide an opportunity to provide a uniform selection of colors. A high-end gift basket is often filled with dozens of products, and finding product of the same color or even color family will be difficult. In this case, it would be more important to ensure that the presentation of the basket is designed with maximum uniformity and cohesion. All products must compliment each other and not clash. This may be difficult and is what separates then men from the boys or women from the girls. The description of the gift in this case would accentuate the fact that there is so many products that the fact that it might not all match perfectly is inconsequential.
Ever thought of adding electronics to your premium gift basket design? Your competitors probably haven’t. Imagine your recipients receiving the latest iPhone. If sending corporate gifts to the executive committee, top of the line Blackberries, creating gifts around that specific product is a good idea. Add-ons such as holsters, productivity software and Bluetooth headsets could compliment the primary item. This idea only works if the company is planning to provide the recipients with the primary item. Imagine being gifted a phone that the company isn’t providing as your new company phone. If the recipient is stuck in a 3-year phone plan, the intent of the gift is turned on its ear.
Sometimes, the gift will be hand delivered by the sender. This is usually the case for local businesses sending to companies they personally do business with in their own city. The recipients are people they have met and have established a relationship with through the years. In this case, the sender will hand deliver the gift themselves. A gift card would not be necessary in this case. The personal presentation is key to the success of this option. Often it’s best to do this to an office rather than an individual since the individual may feel obligated to gift the sender in return. Sending to an office would avoid that uncomfortable situation.
It’s hard to imagine a high-end gift basket being sent for personal reasons. Most people don’t need a huge assortment of food items unless the gift is being sent as a family gift. Regardless of the many possible reasons for sending gifts, it’s most important to ensure that the gift received is the gift sent with the implied intentions. A gift should provide good thoughts and good feelings towards the sender. Whether as a thank you gift or sympathy gift, make the gift personal.
Coffee Variety: Low-Cost Brew to Pricey Espresso
July 29, 2008
The coffee bean has come a long way since its inception over two thousand years ago. It has virtually, become a market in and of itself as it now is a commodity with a monetary value only behind that of oil.
Although there are many varieties of beans, its plant falls into two main categories: the arabica or the robusta. Contrary to wine, the coffee berry (sometimes referred to as a ?cherry?) is valued for the bean inside as opposed to the fruit. After being aged, roasted, ground and brewed, this bean is what makes the four hundred million cups of coffee consumed daily throughout the world.
The beans are, generally, either green or red. The red beans have a higher aroma oil but a lower acidic content and, as such, as used in the finer brews. For this reason, picking is one of the most important stages of a coffee bean?s life cycle.
Most beans are hand-picked at a rate of only a few baskets daily. Separating the red and green beans is really a rather valued skill as it has a great impact on the final product. Once picked, the fruit is removed and the beans are washed to remove any skin still remaining on the bean. The beans are produced during this fermentation stage and then dried in the sun over concrete or rock slabs until there is only a twelve percent water content. The beans are then sorted either by size and color and aged anywhere from three to year years, while some are roasted within one year.
While being roasted at 400-degrees Fahrenheit, the beans eventually expand almost double in dry size, crack and change from a green to brown color as the oil inside is released. This oil is what gives different coffees their basic yet distinct taste.
There is a wide array of in-house roasting techniques. In Java and Kenya, for instance, the beans are often lightly roasted to produce their own distinct flavor. The beans are then de-gassed by being packaged in semi-permeable bags generally prepared for shipping.
The resulting beans are then ground to a variety of styles and sizes, ranging from a choppy, inconsistent sized granule to very homogenous-sized granule or powdery appearance for some coffees and cappuccino.
The final result is then brewed. There are almost as many different styles and techniques of brewing as there are brewers, yet all fall into the categories of pressure, boiling, steeping and gravity. When ?boiling,? hot water is run through the grounds after which they are filtered or settled. The pressure style, as with an espresso, forces lukewarm water through the grounds at a high rate of pressure. The gravity method drips hot water onto the grounds and the filter, whereas the steeping method is similar to using tea bags to make tea yet with coffee grounds instead.
Though coffee now ranges from a low-cost item to a pricey, specialty item, the history and journey to the stores and shops is much the same. Just something to think about the next time you are enjoying a hot cup of your favorite brew!
Coffee: Plain is Boring
July 29, 2008
Some think that the best way to drink coffee is straight, black! However, is this right or wrong? There are so many different blends and coffee experiences to be had, why miss out on those. The blenders of the world spend plenty of time developing these new mixtures and they should be enjoyed. For instance, there is a marvelous blend that both Sumatran and Papua New Guinea. This is an incredible full bodied coffee. Further to this, Sumatra is also blended with Colombian Patron. This leaves the beans and coffee with a smoky dark roast.
Some of the flavors added to coffee can be quite a delicate experience as well. Consider: almond, vanilla, or cherry which added to a coffee can reduce the acid and add some sweetness. However, nothing seems to compare to the deliciousness of the Tahitian vanilla latte.
Mochas are popular all over the world, but there are some specifics. For instance, the Yemeni coffee needs a touch of dark chocolate melted and added to perfection. Meanwhile, the American roasts are excellent with Ghiradelli milk chocolate instead.
Coffee variations are endless and even more enjoyable. The coffee does not have to remain with beans, roasts, and flavor variations. There are also plenty of liqueurs and liquors that will add to any coffee experience. For instance, Jamaican coffee is excellent with pears, brown sugar, and lots of rum. Then there is also a brandy twist with apricots instead. Amaretto is sure to sweet any blend from Costa Rica.
Cocoa and coffee does not have to be limited either. It can be served hot, cold, or Mexican. These are all excellent treats, depending on the style, for winter or summer.
Frozen cappuccinos seem to increase in popularity every year; perhaps this is the combination of cold and energy on a hot summer day. Add some chocolate and mint to make it even more refreshing.
Then there are thousands of options for the decaf coffee lovers. Some of the choices include Italian Espresso, Marrakesh, and Dutchman. Although who knows why coffee lovers love decaf. Perhaps they do not need to wake up in the morning.
Sometimes nuttiness is a quality of poor quality beans, but this is not always true. Macadamia and coffee, especially with white chocolate is a to die for treat. Or perhaps even raspberry or coconut can be explored. Just a touch of flavor is wanted though, because coffee should taste like coffee. The only complaint now then would be that coffee just cannot be tasted plain anymore, it must be mixed.
Health Through Reverse Osmosis
July 29, 2008
Do residential reverse osmosis water purification systems offer health benefits? If you’ve seen any television ads for them, you might have heard that they are the best choice. There are several things to think about before getting one. Here’s some of the things you need to know.
Reverse osmosis can remove microbial cysts from drinking water. If consumed, the dormant microbes inside will wreak havoc with your Gastrointestinal System. Cysts like these can be found in public water systems and even some bottled brands.
A purification system with sub-micron particle filtration is needed to remove cysts. Only some personal reverse osmosis systems are certified to remove these risks. Another cyst removal method is to boil the water to kill any harmful organisms.
Boiling does not remove chemical contaminants. In fact, boiling releases some chemical contaminants into the air, where they are just as hazardous. If boiling is necessary because of E coli contamination that can occur after a major flood or hurricane, then you should first use a filter with a granular carbon purifier.
Activated carbon purifiers and sub-micron filters are less expensive than reverse osmosis systems. For a complete filtration system though, a multi-step system is needed.
Check performance data to find out what chemical contaminants will be removed. Have your water tested for the presence of contaminants. If the only dangers that you face are chemicals and parasitic cysts, then you will not get any better health through reverse osmosis than you could through another purification method.
Everybody needs a home purification system. You need one in the bathroom and kitchen. The EPA warns that infection can occur while brushing one’s teeth or washing vegetables, because the cysts may cling to the food.
Many chemicals become airborne in the shower due to the heat of the water. Being exposed to byproducts of chlorinated water can cause cancer. The common data states that you have a thirty percent more likely chance for cancer. Some studies claim that it is a significantly higher risk. No researcher today doubts that colorectal and bladder cancer are caused by exposure to disinfection products.
Can you protect your future health through reverse osmosis? Ask the manufacturer if the system removes trihalomethanes or THMs. That’s the only way to be sure.
Multi-level carbon block purifiers will protect you and your family from THMs. You can also get them for a single showerhead or for the whole house. The cost is typically much less than what you would pay for home reverse osmosis systems.
Remember to learn as much as you can before buying anything. The disadvantages might not outweigh the benefits. Simply be sure to do something about your safety when it comes to water purification. Otherwise the risks of contamination might be grave.
Keeping Wine Gifts For Those Special Moments
July 29, 2008
The time has come to decide what to get your husbands best friend for his birthday. Something personal and something unusual normally works for the mans best friend. Hunting guns are out of the question and so are sports tickets and race track tickets. Trying to come up with something clever should not be so difficult. Wine is always the best answer. In fact, a red wine gift basket makes a perfect gift for a man who probably has everything.
Pay a visit to your local winery for sampling and suggestions. Wine stores have many different accessories for the wine enthusiast and even for someone who is not so enthused by wine. But they will have interesting and unique gifts in their shops. Of course, the best part of giving a red wine gift basket as a gift is sampling to find the best wine.
There are many items that can complement a white wine gift especially if the recipient is a woman. Nice smelling bubble baths, oils and soaps are always a nice addition to a white wine gift basket. Pretty wine corks and cheese trays and automatic cork openers to help the weaker of the sexes open her bottles of white wine always make a big hit. A gift certificate to a romantic restaurant is always a nice touch for one of these baskets as well. Taking some time to discover what your recipient likes and dislikes are and planning your basket in advance will give you assured success.
A good Ros or Blush completes my wine gift stash. Blushes are very popular and have reputation of going with just about anything. So no decent wine gift stash would be complete without them. Blushes are festive and light and feel almost as celebratory as sparkling wines.
A wine gift delivery will usually fit into anyones budget if you dont go for the really expensive brands of wine. White wines will usually be your best bet if you are on a budget. But you can find a good red wine gift basket if you research your subject carefully. Good red wines are more expensive then white wines, but if you do some taste testing you can find a good sample. Sending a wine gift delivery to a friend, colleague or relative is a very nice gift.
Mexican Food Not Only Healthy for You It Taste Great Too
July 29, 2008
If you ask the majority of Americans on when the last time they ate Mexican food was, usually it is within the last week. Mexican foods have become very popular in the United States. The problem is that the Mexican foods in America are not the same as they are in Mexico. Americans have added super fat and super sized the meals. If you go down to Mexico, you may not even find the same dishes because the dishes were created in America. Authentic Mexican food is rich in fresh vegetables, protein, and nutritious vitamins and spices.
Perhaps the most famous Mexican food eatery outside Mexico is Taco Bell. This is a popular fast food chain, serving burritos, quesadillas, and tacos to Mexican food lovers all over America. A lot of Americans who have not visited Mexico or an authentic Mexican food restaurant might be unaware that in Mexico you won’t get a large platter of tortilla chips with your meal and you won’t get a nutritionally depleted meal which is made in bulk with cheap ingredients, frozen and reheated in the microwave. American style Mexican food is high in calories, sodium, and fat and low in fresh vegetables.
Taco Bell is a popular American food chain, serving quesadillas, tacos, burritos and more. Mexicans do not normally eat large platefuls of tortilla chips or fat laden dishes. The Mexican food sold in the United States is less healthy than the real Mexican recipes, higher in sodium, calories, and fat and lower in vegetable content. Some Mexican dishes served in American restaurants are nothing like the original Mexican recipes they were based on.
Traditional Mexican dishes are usually healthy Mexican food. Tomatoes, which are used in a lot of traditional Mexican recipes contain lycopene, which fights cancer, and are rich in vitamins. This does not mean you should not enjoy American style Mexican food but you can make it healthier if you make your own or visit Mexican fast food outlets less often.
Mexican Food for a Healthy Heart
Beans are high in protein and fiber and can be added whole to recipes rather than refried because this cuts back on fat. Corn is a common Mexican food addition, which can maintain a healthy heart. It contains fiber and is high in vitamin content. Adding such ingredients as corn, whole beans and tomatoes to your Mexican recipes can promote health and cut back on fat while maintaining a great Mexican flavor in your dishes.
So, do Mexicans eat healthily? Well, there are plenty of health food stores in America where we can buy healthy food alternatives and there are also health food stores in Mexico. In fact, over $500 million is spent on health foods yearly in Mexico. Not everybody can afford to pay more for health foods however.
The consumers make up 5 percent of Mexico’s population. Their age range is from 20 to 50 years old. They usually live in metropolitan areas and can afford to buy these types of healthier foods. If they cannot afford it, they still are not getting all the fats and calories that we find in American foods, especially fast foods. Authentic Mexican foods still carry many vegetables and ingredients that are good for your body, and the way the food is cooked is healthier.
The Food Pyramid and Healthy Mexican Food
The food pyramid is a drawing used to show the percentages of proteins, fat, carbohydrates and other foods which make up a healthy diet. For example, fried foods and sugars occupy a small space at the top of the food pyramid, since you should eat these infrequently. American has fattened up traditional Mexican recipes so it is a good idea to choose authentic Mexican restaurants or make your own homemade healthy Mexican food.
