Dev Fit blog

Ontario has just witnessed its first flurry and I was out in the  morning , chilly winds blowing through my hair with a cup of Chai tea in my hand and the words , ` There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life.’ - by   Lin Yutang   made so much  sense  .  It is the second most consumed drink , second only to the  water. Health benefits of tea have been highlighted in manuscripts , for years it was believed  that it caused a placebo effect-but as the modern day science unraveled tea , it has provided a basis for this belief.  Tea has been cultivated for years around the world not merely for its taste but also for  medicinal properties and every research published in scientific literature provides a stronger  evidence for these claims.  Tea is loaded with antioxidants and polyphenolic compounds ( catechins and theaflavins) that provide most if not all the health benefits . They have been shown to be beneficial in cardiovascular disease

  Shellac   If Eve was to walk in a super-store and be spellbound    by a shiny Apple that created all the problem , she sure will find herself picking the the apple coated with Shellac. Yes you read that right , Shellac . Almost all commercially available citrus fruits are coated with it . Most of us know of Shellac as a non - toxic polish that prevents the wood from loosing moisture. Shellac plays the same role in food industry too , it is often present in a lot of food commodities disguised as    "Candy Glaze” , “ Confectionery Glaze” , “ E904“ , “ Lac resin” and more .  Vegetables and fruits produce their own  wax, but once harvested and processed , which usually involves rinsing and washing ; the natural wax is partially or completely removed from the surface of the fruit.  This wax is of great use as it  inhibits the mould growth Slows down ripening  Prevents the loss of moisture from the fruit  Also acts as a barrier against microbes  Keeps fruit firm , fresh and plumpy  In

Jerky meat has been a part of our culture for centuries. Jerky is a unique name given to any type of meat ( pork, beef, chicken,turkey)that has been dried to remove moisture content, Jerky  meats usually have a very low water activity and low moisture content, in addition to that it also has salt added to it to fasten the process of drying. Jerky bars have always served the purpose of being a great saviour in the times of crisis like famines.  in the recent years there has been a rise in the trend of eating Jerky bars. They are high in protein (9-10 gm approx per bar) , low on carbs and sugars and a decent source of fats . All of these characteristics make jerky bar a good Mid or post ride option. It is a good option for those who like sticking to paleo diet ( moderate carbs) specially diabetic patients as they have to monitor their carbohydrate intake. Since it has salt present in it , some would argue that it can impact BP levels negatively and can deteriorate the condition of popula

  How many times as a consumer you have walked inside a grocery store or liquor store or a fast food junction and asked the question ‘Is my food ethically made?’. Conscience is an ability that distinguishes whether one’s actions are right or wrong. There are many companies that let go of their conscience and follow unethical practices , so this serves as a potential risk for the consumer. These insatiable hunger for profits often cloud the judgement of manufacturers, and this temptation leads to adulteration, or inferior quality food commodity being made. I could not think of a company that would love to lose its revenue. One example of this unethical practice was made by Nestle. In 2018 Nestle India was served with summons regarding their excess content of MSG in their top selling commodity Maggie noodles. The company tried to add extra MSG to their spice recipe, MSG is a flavour enhancer and there are limits set to its consumption. MSG is also linked with its potential carcinogenic e

RAW MILK Vs THE PASTEURISED MILK DEVESH GUPTA INTRODUCTION During the early 20 th  century, Foodborne illness became a bigger issue. Milk as we know is a perfect meal, but at the same time milk is highly perishable item and due to this it caters a perfect environment for the growth of the microbes. Due to Industrialization and urbanisation more and more people moved towards the cities, moving away from the source of the food; thus, it become more important to preserve milk and food commodities in general. In context of this preservation techniques were made, one such technique is PASTEURISATION. Pasteurisation was developed to preserve the beverages in general and this technique  is widely used to preserve the milk. This however has led to debates among the masses whether to consume treated milk or not. I personally belong to the group of masses that promotes the consumption of treated milk and I highly recommend drinking only pasteurised milk. DISSCUSION A simple

PROBIOTICS: OUR LITTLE FRIENDS Introduction When ingested in a proper count, probiotics are the microorganisms that impart health benefits to the host [1]. Most commonly used strains are Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus , which are the predominant group of the gut microflora [2]. The Probiotics have been around for more than a decade now and due to numerous researches done on them, the probiotics have gained a recognition because of their multiple health benefits. The general population as well the food market has become very interested in this type of microorganisms. Often claims have been made by the food industries that their probiotic product is the best, but the selection of the microbes is a tedious job and depends upon the gastrointestinal mucosa, gastric acid, bile ability to stick to the intestinal lining and the competitive expulsion of the bacteria [3]. The mechanism behind the benefits provided by the probiotics are unknow but are most likely to be multi factori