Cooking Tips

July 15, 2009

The Beneficial Side Effects of Maple Syrup and Derivative Maple Products

Many love maple syrup because it has a unique sweet taste making it perfect for many pastry foods including pancakes and waffles. However, maple syrup is not only good because of its taste but also because it of its health benefits. Maple syrup is, firstly, a purely organic substance. It is created by taking fresh sap from maple trees and boiling this sap until it thickens completely into syrup. Absolutely no preservatives added! It has also a lower amount of calories compared to sugarcane but is 3 times sweeter! Therefore, it is a perfect sweetener and ideal for the diabetics. It can be used as your pastry or coffee sweetener rather than honey or white sugar. In the US, grade b maple syrup are classified that way based on their color and flavor. No matter if you choose Canadian maple syrup or some other variety, you will be healthier for it. The health benefits of maple syrup supplies are numerous.
Manganese, a mineral that plays an important role in energy production and antioxidant defenses, is contained also in maple syrup. This is because the so-called “powerhouses” of our body, mitochondria, require manganese for it to be able to produce energy. The enzyme superoxide dismutase that functions in oxidation by disarming free radicals also needs manganese to function properly. Just an ounce of maple syrup is enough to provide our bodies with the daily needed amount of manganese which is 22%.
Aside from this, maple syrup is also good for the heart because it contains zinc. Besides functioning as an antioxidant, zinc also promotes the health of the hearth by decreasing substantially the development of atherosclerosis. Endothelial cells also need it in order to function properly. It has been established that endothelial cells with low levels of zinc are more susceptible to injury.
Furthermore, the doy’s immune system needs these two minerals, zinc and manganese, contained in maple syrup to perform its function correctly. Many immune system cells depend on zinc to properly function optimally, specifically in children. Studies have also shown that poor immune response and an increase in the number of white blood cells are some of the effects of low zinc levels. Moreover, manganese is important for healing since it decreases the swelling of sores and wounds.It also acts as a stimulant of the immune system.
Maple syrup is also very beneficial to reproductive health, especially that of men. This is because the prostate is where zinc is more highly concentrated than in any other tissue in the body. Studies have also shown a link between zinc deficiency and higher risks of prostate cancer and prostatitis development. As a matter of fact, many health care professionals use zinc as a therapeutic remedy that helps reduce the size of the prostate. On the other hand, reproductive health also benefits from manganese because is participates in the production of hormones that stimulate sexual drive.

Filed under Cooking Tips by the_cook

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Maple Syrup: Joyous for Your Sweet Tooth, Joyous for Your Health

Do you love eating sweets? Yes, sugar can give you an energy boost, but that’s only temporary. Actually, excessive intake of sugar can harm your health. Refined with sugar contributes to lower B-vitamin amounts, cholesterol accumulation, and tooth damage. Sugar doesn’t contain fiber or nutrients to keep the body functioning well. It is rich in calories, which are stored as fats when they’re not used by the body.

There’s a healthier alternative that’s just as sweet as sugar: maple syrup. You can still satisfy your craving for sweet foods while keeping your body healthy by making maple syrup a part of your daily diet. You can find many uses for maple syrup in your daily life including maple sugar candy and maple cookies ideas. This thick amber liquid, which is made from the sap of maple trees, offers a host of health benefits besides enhancing the flavor of any food. Maple syrup is a more nutritious sweetener than sugar, even if it has a high sugar content. It has more minerals and fewer calories than sugar and honey. A quarter cup of maple syrup has more potassium than a banana and more calcium than milk. Maple syrup is a rich source of phosphorous, iron, and B vitamins, which are very essential to your health. In addition to that, substituting sugar in favor of maple syrup lessens your chance of developing illnesses.

Because it contains manganese, maple syrup can help improve your energy production and antioxidant defenses. Manganese also helps in faster healing and lessening inflammations. Just one ounce of maple syrup a day can provide 22 percent of the recommended amount of manganese in the body. The manganese content of maple syrup is good for the immune system. Maple syrup is also an excellent source of zinc, a mineral that can boost immune defenses. And because maple syrup contains zinc, it can also keep your heart healthy. An essential trace mineral, zinc can minimize the likelihood of heart problems such as stroke, heart attack, and atherosclerosis or the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries. Maple syrup can help prevent prostate cancer that usually occurs in men because of its zinc content. On the other hand, manganese in maple syrup contributes to sex hormone production in men.

Maple syrup is not dangerous to health compared to processed white sugar. In fact, it has a very low sodium content (2 mg. per 50 mL. serving). Thus, maple syrup is safe for people suffering from diabetes, kidney disease, or hypertension. Also, maple syrup doesn’t contain substances that interfere with the various functions of the body such as purines, oxalates, and goitrogens. It doesn’t cause allergies in most people, too.

Sweet taste and good health can go hand in hand when you use maple syrup as a substitute to unhealthy sugar. Thus, it pays to lessen your intake of sugar and make sure that you buy your own supply of maple syrup on your next visit at the local supermarket. Making sure that you have maple syrup supplies can mean the difference between an unhealthy and a healthy you.

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July 8, 2009

Preparing Fish - My Personal Tips

Are you looking for great fish recipes? One of the best ways to cook an oily fish, such as mackerel, is to use a cedar board. When cleaning fish the best way to gut and remove the scales is on a cedar board with a light coat of olive oil. Stuff the body cavity of the mackerel with herbs such as rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. A nice addition to the fish is to add half of a lemon to the body cavity. The acidity of the lemon is a great way to cut through the oiliness of the fish. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the fish on the board, place in the oven, and bake for 30 minutes. After extracting from the oven, be sure to let the fish sit for 2-5 minutes before plating and serving.

This method of cooking oily fish is a pretty well-kept secret, but utilizing it can bring some life into this ordinarily underused dish. Check back often for more exciting fish recipes. My favorite way to make grilled fish is to baste it with a sauce made of soy sauce, garlic paste, ginger paste, and a small amount of ground cayenne. I place the fish in foil and grill the fish till it is browned. To go with this particular meat I have grilled some onions, garlic, potatoes and I've added some ripe mangoes.

This particular dish requires me to brown it and after I'm done I surround it with vegetable, fruit, and I put most of the ginger soy sauce on top. The choice of fish is your decision, although keep in mind that a milder fish will help to enhance the vegetables and fruits. While cookong this grilled fish dish is easy and makes a person feel like a gourmet chef, the better choice would be the fish with the stronger robust taste. A white wine that is light and fruity should be served with this. Each year my husband and some of his pals sponsor a fishing tournament.

They fish on Lake Erie and try to get perch and/or pickerel. They then count the fish, I;m not sure if the winner gets a prize, though. Those people are having a fish fry at someone's house where a large gathering of people will be invited. However, I believe that they are having this fish fry so that they can show it off later on. Everyone in the group usually brings their families with them and they bring some kind of side dish with them. Then, some of the guys fire up their deep fryers and make deep fried fish and some onion rings and French fries, too. Fried fish taste great, but it may not be the best thing for most people to eat, in the middle of the summertime because of the heat.

And copious amounts of beer are flowing too, which can be a little too much for some folks to stomach. I can't eat a lot of their fish because I'm somewhat afraid to try it, but I do enjoy indulging in tasting all the many different side dishes that they have to offer.

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