Facts And Benefits Of Potatoes

Throughout the World, potatoes are popular vegetables, even being ahead of other well known vegetables such as lettuce and onions.

You can cook potatoes in a variety of ways, and they are included in one out of three meals eaten by almost everyone worldwide.

When they are prepared in a healthy way, a potato can be an excellent source of energy and also pack a nutritional punch.

Like oranges, potatoes are very high in vitamin C. The fact is, one medium potato contains 45% of the vitamin C that's recommended for good health. Potatoes are also high in fiber and carbohydrates and contain more potassium than banana.

A potato is naturally low in calories and contains no fat, sodium, or cholesterol.  The skins of the potatoes provide a helpful dose of fiber, iron,  potassium, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, and several B vitamins.

You can prepare potatoes by boiling them, steaming them, or even roasting them.  If at all possible, you should avoid putting potatoes in the refrigerator or freezing them, as cold will turn the potato starch to sugar and cause them to turn dark when they are cooked.

When you store potatoes, keep them in a cool, dark place. Too much light will cause them to turn green.
You can store them in the basement if you have  one, as the basement is the best place to keep potatoes.

From mashed potatoes to baked potatoes, a potato is something we all know and love.  They serve  many different tasty foods, and they provide our bodies with plenty of healthful benefits.

We all eat potatoes, some of us even grow our own.  Whether you grow your on or buy them, the potato is the one vegetable that makes everything just a  little bit better.

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

A lot of studies and research has shown that kids who eat breakfast perform better in school and  have a healthier diet.  Eating breakfast will help promote the proper growth and maximize school  performance as well. 

Breakfast is often times a victim of the morning time crunch. Even though you may be tempted to skip breakfast, you can simplify your morning  routine by following these 8 tips:

    1.  Finish homework and pack school bags at night.

    2.  Decide on what your children will wear to school before you go to bed and locate lost shoes for the    
         following day.

    3.  In the morning, get up 15 minutes earlier.

    4.  Give up computer games and morning television.

    5.  Have healthy foods on hand. You should also shop for breakfast foods with your kids and take into
         account their personal preferences.

    6.  Set the cereal out the night before. For younger children, fill a zippered plastic bag with her portion,
         then add the milk in the morning.

    7.  Allow your children to use the microwave often, as most breakfast foods can be prepared in under 5
         minutes.

    8.  Allow your kids to eat in the car or on the way to school.

There are several foods that you can eat for  breakfast, even leftovers from supper if they  are sufficient.  You can eat bagels, pizza with fruit juice, pretzels, or the normal bacon and eggs that breakfast is known for. 

Most foods are a snap to prepare, and won't take you but a  few minutes.

The next time you are in a hurry in the morning, remember that you are probably about to skip the most important meal of the day. If you follow the tips above, you'll find that you have plenty of  time for breakfast.

Food Poisoning And How To Prevent It

Food poisoning is an acute gastroenteritis caused by the consumption of a food material or a drink which contains the pathogenic micro organism or their toxins or poisonous chemicals.Food poisoning is common in hostels,hotels,communal feedings, and festival seasons.

A group of persons will be affected with same type of symptoms ,and they give a history of consumption of a common food before few hours.

Types of food poisoning

1) Bacterial food poisoning:

Here the micro organisms called bacteria are responsible.The food material may contain the pathogenic bacteria or their toxin and will be ingested along with the food.

2) Non bacterial food poisoning:

Due to the presence of toxic chemicals like fertilizers,insecticides,heavy metals and etc.

Since bacterial food poisoning is common it is discussed here.

Bacterial food poisoning:

All bacteria are not harmful.There are some pathogenic bacteria which secrete toxins and cause clinical manifestations.These organisms enter the human body through food articles or drinks.

How food poisoning occurs:

1) Presence of bacteria in the water.

2) The raw materials for the food may contain toxins.

3) Premises where the food is prepared may contain micro organisms or toxins.

4) Food handlers may have some infectious diseases.

5) Some animals like dogs,rats may contaminate the food.

6) If prepared food is kept in the room temperature for a long time and heated again can make a chance for food poisoning.

7) Purposely some body mixing toxins in the food.


Some common bacterial food poisonings.

1) Salmonella food poisoning:

There are three different varieties of salmonella bacteria.(salmonella typhimurium,salmonella cholera suis,salmonella enteritidis) These bacteria are present in milk, milk products and eggs.  Symptoms of this food poisoning include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.  Fever is also common.

2) Botulism:

This is the dangerous type of food poisoning caused by clostridium botulinum.   The spores of these organisms are seen in the soil and enters the human body through pickles and canned fish etc.Compared to other food poisonings here vomiting and diarrhea are rare Mainly the nervous system is affected.The symptoms starts with double vision,numbness with weakness.Later there will be paralysis with cardiac and respiratory failure ending in death.

3) Staphylococcal food poisoning:

It is caused by staphylococcus aureus. These organisms usually cause skin troubles like boils and eruptions.It causes mastitis in cow.Through the milk and milk products it enters and causes gastroenteritis.There will be vomiting,abdominal cramps with diarrhea.

4) Closteridium food poisoning:

This is caused by closteridium perfringens.They are present in stool,soil and water. They enter the body through,meat,meat dishes and egg etc.If food articles are cooked and kept in room temperature for a long time and heated again before eating can result this food poisoning.Symptoms include vomiting ,diarrhea and abdominal cramps.

5) Bacillus cereus:

The spores of these organisms can survive cooking and causes enteritis.  Diarrhea and vomiting is common in this infection.


How to investigate food poisoning?

1) Examine each and every person affected.

2) Water sample should be tested.

3) Kitchen, store room and food samples should be examined.

4) The cook and food handlers should be questioned and examined.

5) Samples of vomits and stool of all victims should be tested to identify the bacteria.


How to prevent food poisoning:-

1) Only purified water should be used.

2) Hygiene should be maintained by all persons keeping contact with food.

3) Workers should use masks, cap and gloves during cooking and serving.

4) Sick individuals should not come in contact with food materials.

5) Kitchen and premises should be neat and clean.

5) Vessels should be washed with soap and hot water.

6) Should not keep the prepared food for a long time in room temperature.

7) All food materials should be kept in closed containers.

8) Animals like dog, cat, rat etc should not come in contact with food materials.

9) Vegetables should be washed before cooking.

10) Meat should be fresh and should be purchased from recognized slaughter house.