Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Energy Drinks Endanger Health to Kids

A critical editorial published by Canada’s leading medical journal is the latest move a mounting effort to convince the federal government to crack down on the sale of caffeinated energy drinks to minors.

Energy drinks that contain high amounts of caffeine – some more than five times the amount in a can of cola, or nearly double the amount in a cup of brewed coffee – can pose serious health risks to children and adolescents and require stronger warning labels, according to the Canadian Medical Association Journal’s editorial.

“It is time for the federal minister of health to be awakened and alerted to concerns about energy drinks sold to children,” states the editorial, written by Noni MacDonald, section editor of population and public health at CMAJ, Matthew Stanbrook, CMAJ’s deputy editor, scientific, and editor-in-chief Paul Hébert. “Strict regulations are required if business practices and consumer trends are not curbed.”

The editorial comes as an increasing number of health experts and consumer advocates are urging action.

The Medical Society of Prince Edward Island has been pushing for the province to restrict the sale of caffeinated energy drinks to young people.

The House of Commons health committee has also been investigating the use of caffeine in energy drinks and other carbonated beverages. In June, it heard from a man named James Shepherd who said his 15-year-old son died from an unexplained arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) in 2008 after he had consumed a Red Bull energy drink. He said he believes the drink contributed to his son’s death.

Chris Turner, Health Canada’s director-general of the marketed health products directorate, said the department has received several dozen reports of adverse reactions linked to energy drinks, and that 15 of them were cardiac events.

Red Bull is one well known example of a caffeinated energy drink. But as the market has exploded in recent years, a growing number of products that deliver high levels of caffeine are available.

Unlike cola drinks or similar carbonated beverages, energy drinks usually contain much higher levels of caffeine.

For instance, a 250-ml bottle of Coca-Cola contains 26 milligrams of caffeine, according to the company’s web site. But a 75-ml bottle of Rockstar “energy shot” contains 200 mg of caffeine. A 355-ml can of Red Bull contains 113.6 mg of caffeine.

Health Canada says children between 10 and 12 should not consume more than 85 mg of caffeine a day (children 4 to 6 should not exceed 45 mg, while those 7 to 9 should not exceed 62.5 mg). Healthy adults shouldn’t consume more than 400 mg a day, the department says. ([Saints See: More about energy drinks and kids - There was a lot of discussion this week about kids and teens consuming caffeinated energy drinks.
The coverage was spurred on by an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal calling for Health Canada to ban promotion of energy drinks to kids and teens and to make labelling clearer.
In Marketplace's 2005 report, "Raging Bull", Marketplace took a look at kids and the energy Red Bull. Here is an excerpt from our online feature:
Can kids buy Red Bull?
One of the warnings on the Red Bull can says the product is "not recommended for children."
But Red Bull is carried in corner stores (it's already a number one seller in 7-11's) and a group of 10-year-old kids we sent out had no problem buying the beverage.
"Lots of kids are buying it but we can't control that," says Red Bull Canada's Jim Bailey.
"If a parent allows their child to consume caffeine or coffee or Coke, I think it's really up to the parent to decide," he adds.
"The retail sale is not part of Health Canada's jurisdiction," says Health Canada's Robin Marles. "It's the manufacturer and their responsibilities."
He adds that Health Canada works "as much as we can to educate the public about appropriate use of products. But people have to take some responsibility themselves."] Job 36:13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: [Saints See: Energy Drinks: The New Gateway Drug? - I remember the days when the D.A.R.E officer would come into my school and warn about the dangers of smoking and drinking as they were the gateway drugs to hard illegal ones.
It now appears that certain people are pushing to add energy drinks to the list.
According to the LA Times, Roland Griffiths from John Hopkins University, has recently published a paper outlining the dangers of energy drink consumption. He also had 97 addiction experts sign the paper and then he sent it to the US Food and Drug Administration calling for federal regulation of energy drinks.
He believes that energy drinks should be considered gateway drugs and that kids who consume them will be more likely to use illegal drugs in the future.][Saints See: Monster energy drinks winning the caffeine wars - Energy drink sales are rising in the U.S. and the big winner is Monster, according to analysis by UBS analyst Kaumil Gajrawala. Hansen Natural Corp., the California-based parent company of Monster energy drinks, is taking market share from energy drinks owned by Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.
Energy drink sales rose 7.6 percent in the four weeks leading up to July 10, while Hansen's sales rose 14.8 percent, according to Nielsen data. That was an acceleration for Hansen. The data only represent about 25 percent of sales, but recent checks indicate the convenience store numbers "should also show Monster strength," Gajrawala wrote Thursday in a note to clients.
Monster's share gains continue to come at the expense of PepsiCo and Coca-Cola brands. Hansen's dollar market share increased to 25.8 percent, which was 1.6 share points higher than in 2009. Red Bull gained 1.5 share points during the period. But Rockstar lost 0.2 share points while PepsiCo's energy brands lost one point and Coca-Cola's energy drink brand lost 1.4 share points.])

It doesn’t have specific limits for teens because it says there is “insufficient data,” but recommends caffeine consumption for that group not exceed 2.5 mg per kilogram of body weight.

Excessive caffeine consumption can lead to irritability, loss of sleep or nervousness. But there is also concern that its stimulating effects can cause rapid heat rate, an abnormal rhythm or other problems that could have serious health consequences.

One of the major reasons for concern, according to the editorial, is that makers of energy drinks regularly target young consumers through event sponsorships and promotional materials.

For instance, Rockstar sponsors off-road racing and extreme sports events.


Health experts are also concerned by the fact many young people may mix energy drinks with alcohol, a potentially dangerous combination because the stimulating effects of caffeine can allow an individual to drink more over a longer period of time, which could lead to alcohol poisoning or risky behaviour.

Caffeinated energy drinks are sold as natural health products in Canada. They must undergo a review to determine they are safe and effective and those that are approved have a licence number printed on their label, according to Health Canada spokesman Gary Holub.

But since there is a major backlog of products to be reviewed and approved by Health Canada’s Natural Health Products Directorate, the government has allowed many to go on sale while waiting for approval. That could mean some energy drinks and other natural health products on the market have never been reviewed for efficacy or safety.

But Mr. Holub suggested some energy drinks could represent a section of the market that may soon see increased scrutiny. He wrote in an e-mail that Health Canada is “reviewing the latest information and safety data on energy drinks and reassessing the labelling requirements for these products.”

To date, Health Canada has approved 18 energy drinks as natural health products, including eight varieties of Red Bull and six types of Full Throttle energy drinks.

Red Bull and other companies that sell caffeinated energy drinks did not respond to requests for comment.

Refreshments Canada, an industry association representing beverage makers, issued a statement saying companies that sell caffeinated energy drinks are responsible and don’t engage in marketing campaigns aimed at children. It states that energy drink labels clearly indicate the products should not be consumed by children and that the products have been approved for sale in more than 100 countries.

It also sent a letter to Dr. Hébert stating the CMAJ’s editorial wrongly insinuates that energy drink makers target youth or are unregulated.

“Energy drinks are intended for adults and clearly indicate on the label that this category of beverage is not recommended for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women and people who are sensitive to caffeine,” Refreshments Canada president Justin Sherwood said in the letter.

Courtesy Globe and Mail http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/energy-drinks-pose-serious-health-risk-to-kids-canadian-medical-journal/article1652080/
http://www.ajc.com/business/monster-energy-drinks-winning-576272.html?printArticle=y
http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/blog/2010/07/more-about-energy-drinks-and-kids.html
http://www.energyfiend.com/2008/10/energy-drinks-the-new-gateway-drug

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Saturday, June 6, 2009

Gelatin in Halal Food Production

Gelatin is useful for many products such as in foods (jellies, dairy, confectionary, etc), pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, medicinal, dietetic, and therapeutic uses. Gelatin is recovered from collagen in any parts of animal/vertebrates by hydrolysis. There are two types of gelatin: Type A and Type B. Type A gelatin is exclusively made from pork skins, and is hence haram for Muslims to consume. Type B gelatin is made either from cattle and calf skins or demineralized cattle bones. Cattle and calf skins used in gelatin manufacture are usually from animals slaughtered by non-Muslims. Whether this type of gelatin is permitted or prohibited for Muslims is still controversial. Fish skin gelatin is halal as long as it is free from contamination from other sources.

CONTROL POINTS IN PRODUCTION OF HALAL GELATIN

The most important issue in manufacturing halal gelatin is obtaining the proper raw materials. Plants that produces gelatin from pigskin should not be considered for halal production because it can’t be used or forbidden.



HCP1: Raw materials
All sources, hides, and bone chips should be accepted and monitored constantly. Gelatin plants usually receive pieces of hide and bone chips. They must hold controls at their supplier to make sure raw materials are properly segregated.

HCP2: Degreasing of fresh bones
This step is commonly carried out in the rendering plants, but halal gelatin producers have to make sure that they suppliers have proper controls while degreasing the halal bone in order to minimize cross-contamination from non-halal sources.

HCP3: Acid Treatment
This step takes place in vats or pits. It is best if vats are dedicated for halal bones.

HCP4: Lime Treatment
A similar setup may be used for lime treatment. Again, it is advisable to use dedicated setup.

HCP5: Extraction, Evaporation, Extrusion, and Drying
These steps are generally carried out in tandem and continuously. The system and equipment should be thoroughly cleaned and the cleaning documented before starting a halal run.

HCP6: Milling and Blending
Gelatin is always ground to meet granulation specification and gelatins of different bloom strengths are blended together to get the desired gel strength. The mills and blenders including all charging, discharging, and conveying equipment should be properly cleaned to rid the equipment of any non-halal materials that were previously handled on the equipment.

HC7: Packaging and Labeling
Finally, halal gelatin must be packed in clean containers and labeled properly with halal markings to avoid any mix-up with non-halal gelatin.

Digested from:
Riaz, MN and Chaudry MM. Halal Food Production. CRC Press. New York
Sakr, A. H. 1999. Gelatin. Foundation for Islamic Knowledge (Lombard, IL) and Islamic Food and NutritionCouncil of America (Chicago, IL), pp. 13-28
Winarno, F.G. 1994. Kimia Pangan. Gramedia. Jakarta

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Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Reuni Smansa 04

Terima kasih teman-teman telah melakukan vote di posting sebelumnya www.freeurvoice.tk tentang pemilihan bentuk reuni kita. Sekarang panitia kita sudah terbentuk, dan teman-teman diminta partisipasinya untuk bergabung di milis (mailing list) kita untuk share, berbagi cerita kocak, lucu, menarik, sedih, kabar sesama terutama untuk submit data kalian untuk pembuatan album. Secara kita belum punya album kaaaan. Jadi belum terlambat untuk itu. Konsepnya kita pengen data yang lengkap dan nggak biasa. Ntar deh dijelasinnya. Sekarang saya minta teman-teman untuk gabung dulu di milis kita, denga cara sebagai berikut (kita pake id yahoo).

Klik http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smansapmk04 kemudian klik tombol JOIN THIS GROUP. Ikuti langkah-langkah selanjutnya yang dipandu YAHOO sampai tuntas.

ATAU

Kirim mail kosong ke smansapmk04-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Tunggu balasan dari Yahoo! Untuk confirm keanggotaan. Kemudian kalian akan dibawa ke halaman group dan ikuti langkah-langkah selanjutnya.
Setelah join grup ini teman-teman bisa kirim apa saja yang teman-teman mau – bisa kabar, lelucon, iklan juga boleh dan yang terutama data plus foto untuk pembuatan album nie. Caranya tinggal kirim aja surat alias e-mail ke alamat smansapmk04@yahoogroups.com

Isi data diri, kemudian kirimkan kembali sebagai attachment e-mail (jangan lupa fotonya juga yaaa) ke smansapmk04@yahoogroups.com

Untuk teman-teman yang tidak memakai ID yahoo (karena tidak bisa bergabung dengan flexible) nggak papa kok. Jangan khawatir karena masih bisa submit data dan poto kalian. Seperti biasaaaa, Download file data diri, isi, dan kirimkan kembali ke smansapmk04@yahoogroups.com

BOCORAN KONSEP REUNI KITA
Selustrum kurang lebih kita nggak ketemu. Dan kayaknya pasti seru kalo kumpul-kumpul bareng lagi. Pasti ada yang berubah. Sikap, wajah, kedewasaan, ada yang tinggal di negeri orang, ada yang udah berkeluarga, yang nggak kenal jadi kenal. Lucu deh hehehe... Pasti ntar ada yang komen
”Lho, ini kamu, kok....?” ”Kamu dimana sekarang?” *yang ini mah klise :D* ”Anaknya yaaa.... ih,,, lutuna *sambil cubit pipi*”

Hohohoho... Langsung ke inti dah. Dari pengalaman tahun kemaren, angkatan senior kita, memiliki konsep yang teramat sederhana. Dengan budget Rp. 50.000 mereka ngadain kumpul bareng di sekolah kita tercinta dengan fasilitas seadanya berupa konsumsi.
Nah, kita juga sebenernya dengan konsep sederhana tapi seru dan dengan budget sekecil itu akan banyak yang kita dapat.
Kami, sudah memperkirakan jika setengah dari penghuni sekolah seangkatan kita berkumpul kembali dengan fee sekecil Rp. 60.000 (masih dalam konfirmasi lagi siy, bisa turun bisa naik, moga aja kurang yaah) akan memperoleh:

a. Buku album memory
b. CD biodata lengkap yang gak standar alias luar biasa hehehee..
c. Mirror Pin
d. Corrugated board gift package
e. Konsumsi
f. Sparkling surprisingly experience (halakhhh.. bener gak yaaa?? Hohohoho)

Masalah pengumpulan fee akan diumumkan selanjutnya. Rencananya siy lewat transfer bank dan atau ke seorang coordinator di Pamekasan. Begitu juga dengan pengumpulan data, bisa lewat milis tadi juga ke coordinator (yang ditentukan next time).

CP. Ruly 081808544417

Gi tu aja deh…
Salam sukses... Groetjes Ruly
^_^

P.S. Buat teman-teman yang berminat, ada penawaran dari clothing Li Four Three berupa polo shirt dan t-shirt (tersedia bahan lacos dan cotton combat, segala tulisan bisa diedit sesuai slogan angkatan kita) buat “seragam kenangan” kita. Hubungi sayah sajah. Ruly 081808544417. ^_^




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Thursday, April 9, 2009

Good Food For Your Mood

What you eat can affect your mood. You are what you eat. Eating right food with well balanced diet regularly is important for body and mind health. The moods of us are related to the production or utilization of some brain chemicals. Natural chemicals in foods can change the way we feel. Food influences neurotransmitters by attaching to brain cells and modify the way they behave. This opens pathways to those cells so that other mood-altering chemicals can come through the gates and attach themselves to brain cells.

You have to enjoy your foods delicately. No force to eat if you loathe the food. Facing certain foods that you hate is a small form of stress. Eating under stressful conditions should be avoided. Arguments and bad moods while eating. lead to digestive disorders.

Just take a look to this example which is linked to eating habbit. Japanese people can be forced to eat oriental food (Chinese food). And so for Chinese people, they can be forced to eat Japanese food if they are not accustomed to. This is can affect their mood. If they hate the food, bad mood will appear. They can’t eat that food for more or get digestive disorder. Someone have to adapt for certain new food. Sometimes some people may not eat that new food forever.


You can try these foods I f you want these moods. These are great recipes from besmart-eatsmart-livesmart.com.
Chill Out - Try whole grain cereals, legumes, nuts, poultry, fish, meat eggs,
milk and other dairy products, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables.
What They Do - They contain antioxidants such as Vitamin A, beta-carotene, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, selenium, zinc, copper and manganese, which are also
anti-stress nutrients.

Make Cooler - Try whole grain - from cereals to pasta and white rice, dried beans, nuts, fish, eggs, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables.
What They Do - They contain water-soluble vitamins like B-complex vitamins especially thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine and cobalamin, which aid in the proper functioning of the brain and the nervous system, by improving the blood circulation to the brain and converting the food we eat into energy that the brain can use. B-vitamins enhance the functioning of the brain neurotransmitters and improve the ability to think, reason, learn and imagine.

Get Energized! - Try green vegetables, peas, pumpkin, broccoli and others, which are rich in minerals.
What They Do - They contain minerals such as iron, manganese and potassium, which counter anemia. Anemia (common among young women) causes weariness, affecting physical as well as the mental health.

Push PMS Away - Try dairy products like milk, curd, buttermilk, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, broccoli
and dried fruits especially figs.
What They Do - They are rich in calcium, which not only helps bone development, but can also prevent
those dark moods during premenstrual days as well as menstrual cravings. Calcium helps the nervous system especially in the impulse transmission. It thus helps maintain a balanced and calm mind.

Get Happy - Try green vegetables such as spinach and meat, seafood and bananas.
What They Do - They contain magnesium which aids in fighting gloominess, misery and
confused states of mind.

Be Calm - Try beetroot, cabbage, celery, fruits and fresh vegetables.
What They Do - Fiber in these foods ensures a good bowel movement. Irregular bowel movements cause irritability and quick temper.

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Monday, March 2, 2009

Green Fried Rice

I was hungry at that morning. And I needed instant food to eat soon! I just remembered to THE YUMMY GREEN FRIED RICE! Well, I never make it yet. But I tried and well done. Just good precision of composition.
Dad said that it's sooooo amazing to eat my food creation. But I wondered if Dad lied to me just to make me happy. But my brother said the same too! Hahahaa he always be honest about taste! So, I share how to make fine green fried rice!!

You need:

  • Cooked Rice - of course
  • Big green chili (cabe ijo gede hehehe), onion, garlic, bisa juga ditambahin kencur kalo suka --> beat till soft (sok dihalusin ajah)
  • Corned beef
  • Vegetable oil and margarine or just margarine


DIRECTION:
  • Heat oil in a skillet or wok
  • Add the seasonings, stir and fry
  • Put the rice
  • Blend in the salt
  • Combine the rice with the meat or corned beef and vegetable mixture. Stir constantly to heat the rice throughout.
  • Well done!!


***You can add mushrooms, bean sprouts and any other vegetable you like to this recipe.


Intinya yang bikin ijo tuh cabe ijo yang guede, dan aroma khas dari kencur. Tapi kencur nya dikit ajah, ntar jadinya kayak jamu hehehehe...

More info: http://www.yuwie.com/blog/entry.asp?id=648688&eid=532193&t=%20Recipe%20of%20Green%20Fried%20Rice

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Soto Fried Rice

This morning I was out of spices. But I still have 2 portions of rice to eat. Hmmm.. I remembered to my seasonings from instant noodle. My brother loves eat raw noodle without recooking, so the seasonings remain hehehee. But trust me, this is a great delicious recipe without salt. Yups, I add no salt into my fried rice to be! Imagine: garlic, pepper, and salt wouldn't make fried rice sooo tasty. And unfortunately I don't have anymore spices. But, here is my idea... Just blend seasonings from instant noodle (any tastes are fine!), vegetable oil, sauce (just too little drops), and black shrimp paste. Blend and fry it in a skileet/wok together with cooked rice. Stir constantly to heat the rice throughout and done!

Emang siy ga biasanya kalo hari kerja gini make sumthin to eat. Apalagi monday, cuma biasa makan roti pagi-pagi buta! Tapi saya butuh perubahan, harus ada makan pagi karena aktivitas hari ini sepertinya akan melelahkan. Kasihan adek juga jadi terbiasa kelaparan. Tapi yaaah, apa dikata persediaan makanan dan bumbu-bumbu abis buuuu...

Jadinya ya berpikir secara instan aja kayak bumbu instan. Tapi ya ga punya juga kalo khusus untuk nasi goreng hehehe... Nasi goreng putih alias Chinese fried rice, nasi goreng ijo, nasi goreng coklat, nasi goreng merah udah pernah semua dicoba. Just simply, racik aja sisa-sisa bumbu mi instan (akhir-akhir ini aku suka mengorek-ngorek sisa-sisa :D)). Wuihhh... banyak banget ternyata. Aku siy asal aja comot salah satunya. Warna kuning entah apaan itu. Aku sempet curiga jangan-jangan expired, tapi pasrahlah daripada dibiarain starving dan udah kubuka juga. Aku kasih terasi, minyak yang dari mi tiga kali gunting, sausnya juga dua kali gunting, tapi bumbunya siy satu. Udah deh bismillah entah apa yang terjadi.

Ternyata sodara-sodara, enak banged! Rasa Soto Terasi. Wah... Aku jago ya? Hehehee... Kapan-kapan aku coba mungkin ada yang rasa kare tersisa. If I were the R&D staff, I would be rewarded! Ato aku jual aja ide ku ke perusahaan bumbu instan. *foodtech soul :D*

Kesimpulan:
Resep Nasi Goreng Soto:

  • Nasi (2 porsi)
  • Bumbu mi soto instan (1 sachet)
  • Terasi (black shrimp paste - secukupnya, aku pake 1 sachet processed paste, yang biasa dijual-jual instan itu loooh)
  • Saus tomat (jika terpaksa bisa pake yang dari mi instan juga :D))
  • Vegetable oil
  • Fried onion di mi instan juga *buat kriuk-kriuk*


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Sunday, March 1, 2009

Milk Can Cause Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a result of bones that experience premature aging. We may be surprised that milk can causes osteoporosis. Old doctrine told that the more calcium is consumed, the stronger our bones get. But, excess calcium (from milk and other calcium diet or supplement) enhances osteoporosis. How come?

This is proven by statistical data that showed countries where much milk is consumed, osteoporosis / hip-fracture incidence should be clearly higher than in countries that does not have tradition of consuming milk. The osteoporosis risk higher in US, Netherland, Switzerland, Finland, Australia, New Zealand than in Asia and Africa. If you notice the countries I mention, white people have higer risk. But this is not due to genetically factor. Osteoporosis incidence in female Asians is much lower than in Asian females living in the USA just like osteoporosis incidence (and calcium consumption) in African Bantu women is much lower than in Bantu women living in the USA. And both calcium intake and hip-fracture rate is far lower in South African Blacks than in African Americans.

Calcium absorption needs osteoblasts activity, that also have composing new bone matrix function. Deportation of calcium from bone needs osteoclast. If the more calcium is absorbed into bones, production and activity of osteoblast and osteoclast is also increased. The more calcium is absorbed, the more calcium is exhausted. Osteoblasts die in new bones matrix formation. Osteobalst death is related to osteoporosis.
But only if too much calcium is actually absorbed into the bones can cause osteoporosis. The body normally absorbs just as much calcium from our food as it needs. Only about 200 mg is absorbed into the blood, on the average. Imagine if we consume 300 mg, 500 mg or even 700 mg calcium dietary daily!
How about the bone mineral density? People get stronger bones by consuming milk, doesn’t it? Bone mineral density (BMD) can be increased by consuming much calcium, but that will exhaust your bones sooner. Stronger bones is just temporarily effect, not a life time effect. A low BMD is a preventive way If you consume little calcium all your life. If calcium intake is very low, there will still not be a lack of calcium for the calcification of bone-matrix. The only difference will be that the bones will not age prematurely, and that they will not contain abundant calcium. But the opposite reason is not a preventive: if the BMD is low as the result of exhausted osteoblasts. BMD is decreased in osteoporosis due to the lack of new bone-matrix. Holes do not contain calcium.
We’d better consuming natural food but not too excessive. Fish and eggs would be the solution (but remember: not in high amount).

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