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Wine

Submitted by Wouter Liekens on Sat, 14/01/2012

WINE

Many scientific studies have been searching for the answer to the so-called ‘French Paradox” this concerns the anomaly of people in southern French and other Mediterranean countries having an incidence of coronary heart disease which is significantly lower than that in other developed countries, despite a high consumption of fat. Scientists now think that diet, in particular regular intake of red wine, is responsible for this cardio-protective effect.

Source: Blanc Vite

SUPERFOODS CONTINUED

Submitted by Wouter Liekens on Mon, 09/01/2012

MEAT, POULTRY AND GAME

The meat of animals, poultry and game is the principal source in the human diet of complete protein, and is a good provider of many B vitamins and minerals; lean meat, for example, is a good source of manganese, potassium and selenium; red meats (beef, lamb, pork, venison) contain a lot of iron. Offal, especially liver, is a good source of iron, copper and iodine, and is rich in B vitamins. All meats contain saturated fat. Game is often lower in this than farmed livestock.

Absorption of copper from goose liver (foie gras) is higher than from goose meat; women are able to absorb far more copper from goose liver than from other sources of foods.

NUTS AND SEEDS

Source: Blanc Vite

Tood For Thought

Submitted by Wouter Liekens on Tue, 03/01/2012

Food for Thought

SUPERFOODS

Submitted by Wouter Liekens on Thu, 29/12/2011

MEAT, POULTRY AND GAME

Absorption of copper from goose liver (foie gras) is higher than from goose meat; women are able to absorb far more copper from goose liver than from other sources of foods.

NUTS AND SEEDS

Source: Blanc Vite

SUPERFOODS

Submitted by Wouter Liekens on Wed, 28/12/2011

Grains

Whole grains have not been refined or adulterated. They may have been processed in some way – by milling, rolling or flaking – but nothing should have been extracted and nothing added. Whole grains are good sources of carbohydrate, particularly fiber and vitamins, including the B vitamins, copper, manganese; iodine, selenium and magnesium, and together with legumes or pulses (or other dietary components) can provide complete proteins. Foods made from whole grains – pasta etc. – contain the same nutrients. Buckwheat is a good source of bioflavonoids, corn of zinc. Oats are naturally cholesterol – lowering. Brown rice is rich in Vitamin E and B vitamins, including niacin (nicotinic acid), which are helpful in the metabolism of the rice. Whole wheat is a rich source of Vitamin B6 and niacin; the bran contains niacin, Vitamin B6 and folate; the germ has B1, B6 and folate.

Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices are often the richest sources of aromatic compounds and essential oils, bioflavonoids and minerals.

Source: Blanc Vite

SUPERFOODS

Submitted by Wouter Liekens on Fri, 23/12/2011

These are foods, which have natural health-giving and even medicinal effects. As stated before, most foods can be eaten for health, so long as they are unrefined and produced in an organic way, so most foods are Superfoods to some extent.

Chocolate

Chocolate and cocoa powder come from the pods of the tropical tree, Theobroma cacao. Despite its relatively high content of saturated fatty acids, chocolate can contribute a significant amount of dietary antioxidants and bioflavonoids. The caffeine content can in excess produce palpitations and other side effects, but in ordinary consumption, chocolate can improve mental performance, memory, alertness and feelings of well being, and delay physical fatigue. Chocolate is a major source of dietary copper, contains significant amounts of manganese and magnesium, and cocoa can be used in zinc deficiency.

Dairy Products

Source: Blanc Vite

BMI

Submitted by Wouter Liekens on Wed, 21/12/2011

Body Mass Index
BMI is the common acronym given to Body Mass Index, a number calculated from your weight and height that roughly correlates to the percentage of your total weight that comes from fat, as opposed to muscle, bone or organ. The higher a person's BMI, the higher the percentage of fat in their body. If your BMI is under 20, you might be underweight. Between 20 and 25, you are probably at a good healthy weight for your height. A BMI over 25 is considered overweight, and over 35 is considered obese.
Charts and calculators to determine your BMI are easily found on most health and diet sites. Of course, these calculators are rough translations of true percentages, and there are a number of factors that might influence whether or not your BMI is a true reflection of your total body fat.

Source: BMI

Les Vegetariens

Submitted by Wouter Liekens on Wed, 21/12/2011

LES VEGETARIENS

By nature, we are omnivorous, not vegetarian. Our system is designed to metabolise meat, fish, vegetables, grains and many other foods. Yet I understand why many people become vegetarian.

Traditionally, chefs have Olympian ignorance about – and a great prejudice against – vegetarians, but I find it quite pleasing that one eats as one thinks and as one lives. Most of my vegetarian guests and friends are actually extremely appreciative of their food, and very knowledgeable. They have to be, as they need to follow essential nutritional guidelines in order to have a completely balanced diet.

Vegetarians can be deficient in nutrients, particularly protein. Lacking the complete proteins of meat, they have to combine the incomplete proteins of grains, beans and lentils to make complete proteins or eat some of these with some protein from dairy produce or eggs. Some possible combinations re: legumes (lentils, peas or beans) with nuts; legumes with all grains; fresh vegetables with rice or other whole grains; fresh vegetables with mushrooms.

Source: Blanc Vite

Le Bon Viveur

Submitted by Wouter Liekens on Sun, 18/12/2011

LE BON VIVEUR (The One Who Lives a Merry Life)

Let’s eat, drink and be merry.

Even up to twenty years ago, most British bons viveurs were beset with health problems. And today Great Britain still tops the chart for cardiovascular problems, heart attacks etc., the results of too much heavy, cream-laden food, sugar and not enough vegetables, good fibre and fruit. Things are changing though, and expense-account restaurants, the traditional haunt of the bon viveur, are now offering better food lifestyles, under the influence of the French, the Italians and Asians. However, steak and kidney pudding, a British classic, is actually an excellent food, rich in protein and folic acid, but few would benefit from eating it at every meal. Moderation and balance are the key to health. With a little knowledge of nutrition, one can live and enjoy most of the pleasure of life, especially good food and good wine. For instance, a simple idea, but one that is a basic nutritional precept, is to start a meal with a salad of raw vegetables: this stimulates the digestion beneficially and, of course, reduces the need for over-indulgence thereafter!

Source: Blanc Vite

The Sad Truth About Kitchen Knives

Submitted by Wouter Liekens on Wed, 14/12/2011

Section One: The Sad Truth About Kitchen Knives

To a chef, there is nothing more important than his knife. It is not only an extension of his hands, it is an extension of his very personality. The knife is a chef’s paintbrush.

So why are most kitchen knives so bad?

The knives found in most commercial and home kitchens are designed for the lowest common denominator. The manufacturers of these knives make a series of compromises calculated to keep the largest number of people happily using their knives for the longest period of time. Like supermarket tomatoes bred for sturdiness and uniformity rather than flavor, these compromises seriously degrade the performance of your knives.

The first compromise begins with the steel. Steel is the heart of the knife. Most manufacturers (Henckels, Wusthof, Forschner, et al.) have proprietary steel blends and are very close-mouthed about the actual formulation of their steels. According to industry insiders, these steel blends are closely related to or equivalent to a steel known as 440a. By and large 440a steel is formulated for stain and wear resistance rather than holding a high performance edge.