POPCORN “Perfect Snack Food”

Before we enter the cinema, we always look for a snack bar to buy a bucket of popcorn. We enjoy eating popcorn while watching movies because of the convenience we can get. In cinemas, popcorn is easy to eat because even the lights are out, we can just pick and eat the popcorn even without looking at it.

Popcorn is achieved when the kernels are popped using a stove top kettle, or an ordinary kitchen pot. There are also made popping machines for commercially use, microwavable popcorns for homes for easier preparations.

Popcorns that are homemade are healthier because the consumer can monitor the amount of salt, butter and calories to their popcorns. Readymade popcorns contain high level of salt and sugar. Readymade popcorn comes with different flavors such as caramel, cheese, taco, barbeque, wasabi, bacon and more different flavors that you want.

Popcorn benefits can compare to the nutrients that we can get from eating vegetables and fruits.

Popcorn also offers a lot of health benefits. 

·         Popcorns contains antioxidants called Ferulic Acid that is responsible for some therapeutic effects against diabetes, cardiovascular and neuro- degenerative disease

·         Popcorn is good source of Antioxidants; it strengthens our immune system, delays ageing, fights against cancer, fight damage cells from free radicals, good for heart conditions and other diseases.

·         Choosing popcorns without the hard husk can prevent damage teeth.

·         The hulls of the popcorn (the one that get stuck to your teeth) contain high polyphenols and fibre.

·         Contains anti inflammatory properties

Popcorn Bad Side:

·         Popcorns topped with butter which contains saturated can be dangerous to people who are suffering from heart disease.

·         Popcorn is one of the unfavorable foods for the teeth because it damages the teeth.

·         Popcorn can cause allergic reaction; people who are allergic to corn can be allergic to popcorns too.

·         Popcorn can cause choking to children who are below 4 years old. Guide your child when they are eating popcorns.

·         Flavorant Diecetyl is also in microwavable popcorns; in some studies they have shown that it is hazardous to our health.

·         People who are body weight conscious should avoid eating popcorn because they can gain weight.

·         Popcorn doesn’t contain vital vitamins and minerals that can be found in vegetables and fruits.

WARNING!

Air popped popcorns contains less calories. Microwave popcorn has the twice calories of the air popped popcorn.  About 43% of microwave popcorn is fat. The hull is the most nutritional part of the popcorn not the fluffy white one.

Choose organic popcorns for a healthier and tasteful popcorns, you can also prevent consuming pesticides.

People should preferred homemade popcorns than the readymade popcorns. Readymade popcorns can be too salty and fatty. The Flavorant Diecetyl can be also removed. Oil, butter and salt diluted the health benefits of popcorn and it is adding fat and doubling its calories.

“There’s nothing wrong in eating popcorn with little oil or a little butter within a balanced diet.”

                     -Shelke

“It is the only snack that contains 100% whole grain”

                         -Joe Vinson

Coffee is considered as a Super Food!

Every morning, we used to look for a cup of coffee, creamy coffee with creamer or milk or just a cup of plain black coffee.  Women, men, office workers, some teenagers used to drink a cup of coffee before going to office or in school.

According to research, coffee has more health benefits than having its bad effects to our body. Coffee is known to be the number product to have antioxidants. Coffee is known to have many compounds that can affect our body chemistry.

A Cup Of Coffee

Health Benefits of Drinking Coffee:

• Antioxidants helps our body to repair damage cells cause by  free radicals.
•  Protect you from cold
•   Keep you awake and alert
• Pain relief
•  Boost Mood

Coffee reduces the risk of having:

• Parkinson’s Disease- less 80% because of the caffeine, regular drinkers have a low risk
• Gallstones- Less 50% of risk when drinking at least 2 cups of coffee per day
• Cirrhosis- less 80% of risk when you drink 4 cups of coffee per day
• Colon cancer- less 50% of risk for an individual who drinks 2 to 3 cups of coffee per day
•  Dementia-  Less 65% of risk because it can block the damage cholesterol in our body
• Diabetes- less 60% of risk because of the antioxidants of coffee
•  Heart Disease- less 25% of risk for women who drink 2 to 3 cups of coffee a day
•   Headache relief- caffeine is usually used for headache and migraine
• Cavity Protection
• Asthmas Relief- coffee can manage asthma
• Prostate Cancer risk is decreased if a male drinks 6 cups of copy per day
• Alzheimer’s Disease- less 65% of risk, just drink 5 cups of coffee per day

The Most Expensive coffee in the world is known as the “KOPI LUWAK”. 

Kopi Luwak is made from the beans of coffee berries which have been eaten by an Asian Palm Civet and other civet, then passed through its digestive tract. A civet eat the freshly bean pulp, passing through the civets intestines the beans are defecated.  After gathering, washing, sun drying, light roasting and brewing these beans are made an aromatic coffee with less bitterness. It is sold for $160 per pound.

Kopi Luwak is produced in Sumatra, Javil, Basil and Sulawesi in the Indonesian Archipelago. It is also produced in the Philippines, where it is known as “kape alamid”.

      There are now different varieties of coffee to choose from: Types of coffee:

• Americano- a single shot of espresso with about 7 ounces of water added to the mix.
•  Black Coffee- brewed, a French style coffee served without milk
• Café Au Lait- made from brewed coffee, added a 1:1 ration of milk for intense taste
• Café Breva – cappuccino with half and half milk instead of adding whole milk.
• Caffe Latte – with a single shot of espresso in steamed milk, the ration of milk should be 3:1.
• Cafe Macchiato- with a single shot of espresso in steamed milk, the ration of milk should be 4:1.
• Cappuccino- with equal parts of espresso, milk and frothed milk. Comes with cinnamon or chocolate sprinkles on top.
•  Double shot- with 2 shots of espresso mix with the regular ingredients.
• Dry Cappuccino – a regular cappuccino with less amount of foam and no added steamed milk at all.
• Frappuccino- a registered trademark of Starbucks Coffee blended ice beverages.
•   Iced Coffee- is a cold variant of the regular hot beverages
• Decaf- made from a decaffeinated beans
• Instant Coffee- a powder made of heat dried freshly brewed coffee.

Americano

Black Coffee

Caffe Latte

Cappuccino Topped with Cinnamon Powder

Frappuccino

Double Shot Coffee

               Ice Cold Coffee

Coffees have many health benefits and that is good news for us. Remember that coffee reacts differently to different person. If you are not a regular coffee drinker, and you feel something or stomachache after drinking a cup of coffee, it’s better for you to stick to TEA.

A Cup Of Tea

Drink in Moderation. Remember that too much is totally bad for us.