The Healthiest Countries in the World Compared to The United States

 

Harley Pasternack, a celebrity trainer and nutritionist, traveled around the world to research how the healthiest countries on earth differ from the United States and stay so fit.  He discovered that the portions in the United States are huge compared to that of other counties. Our meals have increased their sizes slowly over the years. Americans consume tons of salt, sugar, and thickening agents, unlike other countries who think it is important to eat local and seasonal products. The Japanese eat a wide and nutritious range of seaweed. The Chinese try to include at least five different colors in a meal. The most important difference was that Americans walk and exercise drastically less than other countries he observed.

I think that portion control is one of the most important ways to manage weight. Eating junk food is not bad, but eating copious amounts is terrible for you. I absolutely love fruit, which gives my meals lots of variety and color. Vegetables, not so much, but celery, salad, and carrots are pretty good. What do you think is the best way to manage your weight?

This is a comparison of American portions a few years back to now.

 

Works Cited:



 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/16/healthy-diets-around-the-world_n_6446140.html

Know What Is In the Fast Food You Are Eating

 

A study was done to see how educated people are about their calorie intake at fast food restaurants. The British Medical Journey surveyed 4,300 adults, teens, and children at 89 different fast food restaurants. They asked the participants how many calories they thought they were consuming. The survey showed that teens underestimated their calorie consumption the most. Teens underestimated their calorie intake by 34%, adults 20%, and children 23%. In general, adults consumed 836 per meal, but thought they were eating only 661 calories. Adults with school-age underestimated their children's calorie intake by 175 calories. On average, teens underestimated their meals by 259 calories.

I  believe that  it is very important to know what you are putting into your body. Don't get me wrong, I could eat McDonald's chicken nuggets for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but knowing what effect that would have on my body keeps me from indulging too often on chicken nuggets. I do not think you should count your calories obsessively, but knowing what you are eating is important. Do you believe knowing your calorie intake is important?

Burger King Whopper: 660 Calories

Small Chick-Fil-A Chocolate Milkshake: 550 Calories

Taco Bell's Nacho Del Grande: 760 Calories

Big Mac: 550 Calories



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/24/calories-fast-food-underestimated-study_n_3331930.html?ref=topbar

Works Cited:
Polis, Carey. "Calories In Fast Food Meals Underestimated By Consumers, Study Reveals." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 24 May 2013. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.




                                                                            

Printable Food

A wonderful new machine has been invented that will be for sale starting at the end of 2014. The ChefJet was created by The Sugar Lab and 3D Experts 3D Systems. It is a 3D food printer used for creating sugar cake toppings. The software will help one get started with the size and general shape of the sugar cake topper desired. Then one can customize the complexity of the shape, but this takes some skill that only very experienced chefs can use. The machine has various colors and flavors one can choose from. The ChefJet spreads a fine coat of powder sugar on its printing surface, and then the machine sprays water on the sugar. The sugar crystalizes and hardens into the shape programmed into the machine. The process repeats itself until the sugar is complete. The machine has a price of $5,000- $10,000, so it will appeal more to professionals.

The ChefJet is an incredible machine. I think it is absolutely amazing that food can be printed. It really brings an industrial aspect to cooking.  I love to bake cakes from scratch, and I believe that these decorations give cakes a very modern and clean look. The detail that these decorations has is breathtaking. I wish I could have one, but they are definitely way too expensive. What do you think about printable food?

Works Cited:
Davies, Janie. "3D Food Printing Just Got Sweeter Thanks to ChefJet 3D Printer." Inside3dp Meet the ChefJet 3D Printer The Worlds First Kitchenready 3D Food Printer Comments. N.p., 13 Nov. 2014. Web. 16 Nov. 2014. http://www.inside3dp.com/meet-chefjet-3d-printer-worlds-first-kitchen-ready-3d-food-printer/.

American Foods That Foreigners Find Revolting

American foods are generally frowned upon by foreigners because of all the salt, sugar, and fat that are often the main ingredients in our dishes. It is not only our fried butter and double cheeseburgers that foreign tourists hate but also foods we consume every day. There a few specific foods that have an especially bad reputation from the perspective of travelers and immigrants to the United States. Here is a list of a few of the foods that disappoint foreigners.

1. Velveeta Cheese
It is frowned upon because of its fake taste. One foreigner said that it was right up there next to cheese whiz in terms of its fake taste. I love, love, love Velveeta in cheese dip, on noodles, and with almost everything Just saying.

2.Super Market White Bread
Foreigners dislike it because they think it is too sweet.

3.Twizzlers

One foreigner said he was very disappointed when he tried them for the first time. He said they tasted like cardboard and nothing like licorice.

4.American Bacon

In other countries, like Ireland, bacon is very thick and juicy. People outside of America do not like American bacon because it is very thin and crispy.

5.Beef Jerky

Beef Jerky is not popular among foreigners because of its texture and taste. One man said that it tasted like plastic and had the texture of a worn shoe sole.

People's taste buds are different all over the world. The United States is no exception. We have foods that we enjoy and look upon as delicacies and other countries have theirs. Foreigners criticize American foods, but from my viewpoint their cuisine may not be not exactly appetizing.  For example, a well loved dish in China is bird's nest soup and, yes, it is really made from parts of the birds nest. In Cambodia, fried tarantulas are a delicious snack. Koreans love live octopus. The octopus is cut up while it is still alive and then served. It sticks to the teeth of the diners and tries to fight its death. It is said to be a wonderful experience. These countries have their favorite dishes that Americans may find absolutely gross. Our cultures are different, so the foods we enjoy may not be the same. I believe that is fine because the world needs diversity. 

Works Cited:

Willett, Megan. "14 'All-American' Foods That Foreigners Find Completely Gross." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 07 Oct. 2013. Web. 02 Nov. 2014. <http://www.businessinsider.com/american-foods-foreigners-find-gross-2013-10>.

Connecting Puerto Rican Roots Through Food

A small community in Hartford, Connecticut has Puerto Rican food that is so authentic it has inspired two new scientific concepts. The similarities between the food in the marketplaces of Hartford and Puerto Rico really highlight the cultural value that the Puerto Rican community puts on its cuisine. Food is a very important element of the Puerto Rican communities identity, and it baffles biologists how the community has recreated the value put on cuisine in a culturally, climatically, and agriculturally different place. Botanists Gregory Anderson and David Taylor decided to analyze the community and its cuisine by measuring the diversity of the crops, the availability of the crops, the amount of market space given to each food, and the amount of money consumers would pay for the item. Over a period of two decades, the Taylor and Andrew patiently analyzed their data. The first scientific concept they discovered was "Culinary Cultural Conservation," and this is the preservation of cuisine over a great distance and time. The second is "Cultural Keystone Food Group," which are food groups that are more important to the cuisine than others.

I am 50% Puerto Rican, and I love Puerto Rican cuisine. When my grandma visits for the holidays, she infuses Puerto Rican flavors and dishes into our meals.  My dad was born in Puerto Rico, and he relocated to the United states at the age of ten. My family and I really got a taste of the Puerto Rican culture when we decided to visit my dad's family in June of 2007. We stayed at my great-great-aunt Titi Fina's house that greatly resembled a cage with its marquesina (covered patio) and burglar bars. Outside the  house was a mango tree that littered the street with its fruit that we snacked on all through our visit. Water was only available at certain times during the day, and the toilet only worked if you dumped a bucket of water into it after you used it. The heat index never seemed to drop below 100 degrees, and yet it was still the best vacation I have ever been on.

We visited Old San Juan and walked through the little shops and on the old cobblestone streets. The food was incredible. The sides of the highways were dotted with food stands selling bacalaito, a fish filled fried dough, alcapurrias, a  fritter dish, and tostones, which are called fried plantains. We visited Café Manolin, located in San Juan, that is so good it attracts locals and tourists alike, and creates many authentic meals like the ones my grandma makes. As a side dish you were offered arroz con habichuelas or arroz con frijoles, which means rice with red beans or black beans. Every morning we visited reposterias, which is Spanish for bakery, to find quesitos and café con leche.

A few of the other highlights of the trip were exploring the breathtaking El Yunque Rainforest, meeting relatives, and swimming in a bioluminescent bay. Visiting Puerto Rico was an amazing experience, and I look forward to visiting again and making new discoveries.

My sister Kate holding a mango.

My sister Julia and me in El Yunque Rainforest.



Metropol, a Cuban and Puerto Rican restaurant

Titi Fina

Bioluminescent Bay

Works Cited

Taylor, David W. "The Human Food Connection: Authentic Puerto Rican Food in Connecticut." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 15 Apr. 2014. Web. 19 Oct. 2014. <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140415181405.htm>.

A Renewed Interset in Authentic Italian Food

Italian food has become increasingly popular in the U.S. because of Americans wanting fresher, more delicious, and healthier food choices. I absolutely love dishes like spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, and authentic Italian pizza.

Antico Pizza Napoletano in Atlanta, Georgia is a wonderful example of the fresh Italian food that has grown in popularity with food fans. When one walks up to the modest building, the first thing one notices is a line that usually extends beyond the door. The wait is quick because of wood fire methods that Antico uses to cook the pizza to perfection in two minutes. The ingredients used are nothing less than the best. For example, their sauce is made from tomatoes flown in from Mt. Vesuvius, their sausage is from a supplier in Chicago, and they have their cheeses made specially for them. The dining area is directly beside the ovens and preparation area, so one can see the pizzas being created and baked. The food is so great that  diners do not mind sitting elbow to elbow and cheek to cheek with perfect strangers. Antico takes fresh to a new level of tasty.

 

Italian food imports grew 7% in 2013, which is more than double the national average of food imports. Concerning products such as oil, noodles, and cheese, Italian food controls the market share with more than 50%. Noodles are the leading import because Americans want colored noodles from Italy. Lucio Caputo, the President of the Italian wine and food institute in New York, attributes this renewed interest in Italian fare to better educated foodies.  

 

Works Cited:

 Cordero, Valentina. "Italian Food's Growing Popularity in the U.S." The Daily Meal. N.p., 23 Apr.   2014. Web. 28 Sept. 2014. http://www.thedailymeal.com/italian-foods-growing-popularity-us/42314.

Welcome to my blog all about delicious treats and sweets! I have always enjoyed trying new recipes and discovering their origins. This blog will explore the foods that come from different cultures, and teach you how to make them.