Gelatine

Gelatine

Often recipes such as marshmallows, mousse, jams, jelly and other recipes will call for an ingredient “Gelatine” in order to set, and gel together substances.

What is Gelatine?

Gelatine is a tasteless clear substance is made from collagen inside animal’s skin, bones, hooves and connective tissue, this includes pigs. Hence why a lot of vegetarians and members of certain religions object to foods containing animal gelatine. Gelatine is used as a gelling agent in food; pharmaceuticals, photography, and cosmetic manufacturing, with E number E441. Gelatine is available in sheets, or powder. Some gelatine’s are available to use instantly, whilst others need to be soaked in water before use. When gelatine is dissolved in hot water, the liquid will gel as it cools. When reheated, the gel melts.

Where is Gelatine Found?

• You can find gelatine in chewy gummy candies, marshmallows, trifles, mousse, jams, jelly, ice-creams and even low fat yoghurts. Gelatine is also used as a stabilizer or thickener, or texturizer in foods such as jams, cream cheese, margarine and yoghurts. Gelatine is used in low-fat products to replace the fat feel and create volume without calories.

• Gelatine is sometimes used for the clarification of juices, such as apple juice and of vinegar. Isinglass made from swim bladder of fish is currently still being used as a fining agent for wine and beer, and is one of the oldest sources of gelatine. Gelatine was used for hardening paper in Colonial times.

• Some dietary or religious customs forbid the use of gelatine from certain animal sources, and medical issues may limit or prevent its consumption by certain people.

• Pharmaceutical companies use gelatine to for capsule shells, in order to make patients swallow easily. Hypromellose is a vegan friendly alternative to gelatine, but is expensive to produce.

• Gelatine is used as a binder in match heads and sandpaper.

• Gelatine is used in implantable medical devices, for example in some bone void fillers. Doctors should discuss this with their patients in cases where religious beliefs might be important.

• Gelatine is also used in makeup applications. The gelatine is often tinted in different colours to match the models natural skin tone. A variant of gelatine ‘hydrolyzed collagen’ is used as well in cosmetics.

Substitute for Gelatine?

Agar is derived from seaweed and agar is used as a substitute for gelatine. Soak the agar in liquid for 15 minutes, bring to a gentle boil, then let it simmer whilst stirring until its dissolved. The liquid will gel as it cools. Agar is full of protein but also contains rich number of minerals. Agar comes in flakes, powder, or bars.

Substitute one tablespoon powdered gelatine for every tablespoon of powdered agar.

1 tbsp gelatine (powdered) = 1 tbsp agar (powdered)

Carrageen (Irish moss) is extracted from purple seaweed, widely used in British Isles to make puddings and molded gelatine desserts, or to thicken soups, and often used to make ice-cream, and jelly. Wash the dried seaweed then soak it in water until it swells. Next add the carrageen to the liquid you wish to set, boil for 10 minutes and strain our and remove the carrageen. Carrageen is found in health food stores.

Vege-Gel is a proprietary product made by Supercook, and available in most large supermarkets and is a good substitute for animal gelatine.

Kosher gelatines are available, and some of these are also vegetarian.

Gelatine Measurements

4 sheets leaf gelatine = 1 envelope of plain granulated gelatine = 1/4 oz = 1 tablespoon = 7grams, (enough to gel two cups liquid).

Top Ten Home Remedies for An Itchy Scalp

Itchy Scalp is quite an irritating problem that can be caused by a variety of reasons like dandruff, dermatitis, dry scalp, lice infestation etc. Are you really embarrassed about having to scratch your itchy scalp in public? Not only is it a source of awkwardness, but it can also be the reason for a lot of discomfort and hair loss. Itch relief for the scalp, can still be effectively treated by some common products found in the average home.

Scalp irritation, redness, pain and itching are the primary symptoms of Itchy Scalp. It may also affect infants for a short period of time. All of which can be treated with the help of various natural methods and other medical treatments. So, here in this article we have compiled a list of best and useful itchy scalp home treatment tips.
The Helpful Itchy Scalp Treatment with Home Remedies

    Lemon juice is also considered good for hair. Thus, simply rubbing some lemon juice on the scalp and rinsing the hair after a few minutes is one of the most effective Itchy Scalp home remedies.
    Tea tree oil, with its excellent anti-bacterial properties, is effective in treating itchy scalp caused by scalp acnes, scalp rashes, scalp pimples and scalp sores. Neem oil has fungicidal properties and therefore, it is also very effective in treating itchy scalp. Mix one spoon each of neem oil, tea tree oil and rosemary oil (with a carrier oil like olive oil) and apply it on your scalp regularly.
    A vinegar mixture of equal parts water and vinegar is said to work well. Rinse hair in clear water and apply mixture directly to scalp with cotton balls or pads. Rinse with clear water. If desired, shampoo with a mild shampoo.
    Avoidance of Anaesthetics and lotions are suggested for dealing with sunburn effects as its use amy cause allergic reactions.
    One of the easiest remedies for an itchy scalp is to make a paste with baking soda and water. For best results, rub some olive oil on your scalp before you apply the baking soda and water. Then, make a thin paste by dissolving baking soda with water and applying it to your scalp. Leave the paste on for about 10-15 minutes then wash it all out.
    Massaging the scalp with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water is another natural cure for reducing Itchy Scalp considerably. To prepare this home remedy, mix one part of apple cider vinegar in four parts of warm water.
    A combination of rosemary oil, carrot oil, jojoba oil and sage oil can be used for treating itches on your scalp.
    Aloe Vera gel from the plant itself can be applied directly to the scalp. Let sit for 10 to fifteen minutes, shampoo out.
    If you use witch hazel as a part of your skincare routine, you’ll be happy to know that you can also use it to calm and comfort an itchy scalp. Mix one part witch hazel with two parts distilled water and pour onto your scalp. Massage the mixture into your scalp and let it set for a few minutes before you wash and rinse it out.
    Application of olive oil, margosa oil, coconut oil and tea tree oil is also beneficial in Itchy Scalp home treatment. In this regard, a combination of olive oil and almond is regarded as a therapeutic natural remedy for Itchy Scalp caused by dandruff.

There are many ways you can treat an itchy scalp and now we know that we don’t have to spend a lot of money in order to get good results! If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or share it with your friends using the Facebook, Google+, Twitter and Pinterest buttons given here.
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Food Diaries Vegetables and Fruits

Fresh, filling and heart-healthy, fruits and vegetables are an important part of your overall healthy eating plan. They are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber and low in fat and calories. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables may help you control your weight and your blood pressure.

Vegetables and Fruits:

Enriched with vitamins, antioxidants and fiber. Not only are they low in calories they are a terrific source of nutrients and vital for a healthy life.

• Try to add a portion in every meal. If it’s snacking you are after, then they should be the first choice.

• A minimum of the five portions a day will go a long way.

• Antioxidants in these foods will keep ailments away.

• Dark leafy green vegetables are a vital part of a healthy diet since they are packed with nutrients such as calcium, nesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E and K. Greens help to strengthen the blood and respiratory  systems. Be adventurous in your choice of greens: kale, mustard greens, broccoli, Chinese cabbage are just a few of the  many options.

• Naturally sweet vegetables are an excellent way to add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets. Some examples of sweet vegetables are corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes or yams, winter squash, and onions.

• Eating a wide variety of fruit is another very healthy part of any diet. They provide us with beneficial properties such as natural sugars, fiber, Vitamins and antioxidants. Choose fresh or frozen, and focus on variety. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.

• The brighter, deeper colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Avoid: Fruit juices can contain up to 10 teaspoons of sugar per cup; avoid or dilute with water. Canned fruit often contains sugary syrup, and dried fruit, while an excellent source of fiber, can be high in calories. Avoid fried veggies or ones smothered in dressings or sauces – you may still get the vitamins, but you’ll be getting a lot of unhealthy fat and extra calories as well.

Protein:

• Our bodies need protein to maintain our cells, tissues and organs. A lack of protein in our diets can result in slow growth, reduced muscle mass, lower immunity, and weaken the heart and respiratory system.

• During digestion, protein in food is broken down into the 20 amino acids that are the basic building blocks our bodies use to create its own protein.

• Protein gives us the energy to get up and go –and keep going. Keep in mind that it is vital to eat healthy protein that is free of hormones and antibiotics.

• Focus more on getting higher quality versus more quantity. Each person is individual and may need different amounts of protein depending on their body and activity level.

• A complete protein source is one that provides all of the essential amino acids. Examples are animal-based foods such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, and cheese.

• Complementary proteins are two or more incomplete protein sources that together provide adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids. For example, rice and dry beans. Similarly, dry beans each are incomplete proteins, but together, these two foods can provide adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids your body needs.

• Nuts, Seeds, Beans, and Tofu: alternative sources for healthy proteins

• Choose: Black beans, navy beans, garbanzos, lentils, and other beans. Nuts like almonds, walnuts and pecans. Soy products like tofu, soymilk, and veggie burgers. All of these are great sources of protein for vegetarians.

Avoid: Salted or sugary nuts; refried beans.

Carbohydrates:

• Food composed of some combination of starches, sugar and fiber - provide the body with fuel it needs for physical activity by breaking down into glucose, a type of sugar our cells use as a universal energy source.

• Bad carbs are foods that have been “stripped” of all bran, fiber, and nutrients. They have been processed in order to make cooking fast and easy. Examples are white flour, refined sugar, and white rice. They digest so quickly that they cause dramatic elevations in blood sugar, which over time can lead to weight gain, hypoglycemia or even diabetes.

• Good carbs are digested more slowly. This keeps your blood sugar and insulin levels from rising and falling too quickly, helping you get full quicker and feel fuller longer. Good sources of carbs include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables, which also offer lots of additional health benefits, including heart disease and cancer prevention.

• Whole Grains for long-lasting, healthy carbohydrate energy

• In addition to being delicious and satisfying, whole grains are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which help to protect against coronary heart disease, certain cancers, and diabetes. Studies have shown people who eat more whole grains tend to have a healthier heart. Make whole grains an important part of every meal.

Whole grain:

• Make sure you're really getting whole grains. Focus on including grains that are in their whole form, such as whole grain brown rice, millet, quinoa, and barley in your meals.

• When you want to eat healthy grains in the form of breads or cereals be aware that the words stone-ground, multi-grain, 100% wheat, or bran, don’t necessarily mean that a product is whole grain. Look for the new Whole Grain Stamp from the Whole Grains Council.

• If there is no stamp look for the words “whole grain” or “100% whole wheat,” and check the ingredients to make sure each grain listed is specified as whole grain. Some good sources are dark breads and toasted wheat cereals.

Avoid: Refined grains such as breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals that are not whole grain.

Fiber:

Dietary fiber is found in plant foods (fruit, vegetables and whole grains) and is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Fiber helps support a healthy diet by:

• Helping you feel fuller faster and longer, this can help prevent overeating.

• Keeping blood sugar levels even, by slowing digestion and absorption so that glucose (sugar) enters the bloodstream slowly and steadily.

• Maintaining a healthy colon - the simple organic acids produced when fiber is broken down in the digestive process helps to nourish the lining of the colon.

The two types of fiber are soluble and insoluble:

• Soluble fiber can dissolve in water and can also help to lower blood fats and maintain blood sugar. Primary sources are beans, fruit and oat products.

• Insoluble fiber cannot dissolve in water, so it passes directly through the digestive system. It’s found in whole grain products and vegetables.

• A healthy diet should contain approximately 20 to 30 grams of fiber a day, but most of us only get about half of that amount.

Emotional Overeating Treatment

Researchers found the main cause of emotional overeating and ways to overcome it.

Woman is eating a huge sandwich
Eating Fat Foods & Sweets While Stressed

Many of us have been faced with the urge to eat something fat ot sweet after a stressful situation. And now a new study has revealed why the craving for cakes arises in a depression. Experts from the University of Würzburg in Germany argue that under stress people feel the taste of fatty food differently. In their study, scientists invited a group of volunteers to try some creamy drinks, all of which contained different amounts of fat.
The Emotional Overeating Study

Before trying the desserts, participants were shown three different movies. The first depicted a happy scene, the second was neutral, and the third was sad. The neutral video did not have any impact on the volunteers and their taste sense. However, after watching the two other – more emotional – videos the participants were less able to distinguish between the drinks and found them all the same. The conclusion is that emotions have an impact on fatty foods perception.
How to Prevent Emotional Overeating

Eating without differentiation when the body actually requires something completely different, can affect the health and figure adversely. Thus, the researchers have developed key strategies to help overcome emotional overeating:

    let off steam and calm down before running to the fridge
    do not focus only on the food
    hide food out of reach.
    stop the addiction timely

Food Buzz

WHAT to do when the scale gets stuck!

You eat right and work out but can’t seem to get off a plateau? Switch to swimming or cycling if you have been walking or cut jogging mileage somewhat and alternate with a tennis match.

“We do not know for sure why a change helps,” says a professor of science and sports “but we think that switching back and forth keeps a greater variety of muscles toned, and muscles burn more calories than flab does”. Particularly effective: taking up aerobic if you have been walking.

Eat junk food, live longer

Artificial flavorings, common ingredients or junk food, may help prevent heart attack. According to the American Heart Association, many of these additives contain salicylates, which are chemically related to aspiprin and aspirpin is known to cut the risk of Heart Attack by preventing blood clots. A study determined that an average person consumes approximately 80 mgs of artificial flavorings in processed foods every day. Equivalent to about one baby aspinin. Researchers say the findings may help explain why the incidence of heart attack has been dropping steadily for the paste thirty years.

Coffee lowers suicide danger

Women who regularly drink coffee are far less likely to commit suicide than those who avoid caffeine, according to the Archives of Internal Medicine. A study of more than eighty-six thousand nurses found that participants who drank two to three cups or a java a day were at one-third the risk of taking their own lives than were non-coffee drinkers. Researchers say the statistics hold up when caffeine intake from other sources is considered. The most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world; caffeine can improve mood and well being.

Fridge checkup

The dial on your refrigerator’s thermostat probably reads cold, colder, coldest, but to protect your food and ensure efficient operation, you will need to be more precise than that. Any temperature over 40 degrees is like a fever to your fridge. These higher temperatures allow bacteria to grow at an unacceptable rate and create a health risk for you and you family. Refrigerators can catch cold, too. Obviously, any temperature below 32 degrees will freeze your milk. Some foods, such as leafy vegetables, cannot stand temperature below 34 degrees; lettuce will wilt and spinach gets soggy.

Ideally, refrigerators should be set to maintain a temperature between 36 and 38 degrees. To test the temperature, put a kitchen thermometer in a glass of water, put the glass in the refrigerator and let it sit overnight. If the thermometer reads above or below the suggestions range, adjust the thermostat slightly and allow 24 hours for the temperature to adjust. After reaching the right temperature, you can improve efficiency by keeping the fridge full. The thermal mass created by the food will help offset the effect of warm air that enters the refrigerator when you open the door.

The king lives

A rich source of vitamin C, pineapple has some surprising properties. It can be used as a marinade to tenderize tough cuts of meat. You can tell a pineapple is ready to eat if it has a sweet aroma and the underneath stem is a creamy color. Always eat pineapple within a couple of days of purchase.

Quickest way to gain

Yes, some people have the problem of being too thin. Honestly! Especially on a hot summer day, drinking extra calories is easier than eating them and the most effective way (for skinnier) to put on pounds quickly is to drink fruit juice. Which ones work best? Probably grape juice or apple juices are better choice. Now you know what drinks to avoid if you’re trying to lose. And don’t forget that water is an excellent no-calorie thirst quencher!

Useful Skin Care Tips for Acne in Summer

Useful Skin Care Tips for Acne in Summer

Summer starts today! The nice weather outside means more time spent outdoors, which means a lot more sweat, bacteria and dirt on your skin. While acne can be a big problem all year round, sometimes summer can make things a lot worse. For some people, summer is a tough time for skin. For other people, acne and blackheads disappear without a trace.

There are many factors that can contribute to acne breakouts: sweat, outdoor pollutants, dirt and dust. Keep acne under control this summer with these simple solutions to common acne issues: Let’s take a look at what you can do to treat your acne during these seasons.
The Best Summer Acne Care Tips

    Always use a good sunscreen to avoid solar damage. SPF 15 or 30 are the best choices for your face. Make sure that you choose an oil-free sunscreen.
    Get a pair of loofah gloves and lather them up in the shower. Use these gloves to wash every square inch of skin while scrubbing particularly hard in problem areas such as shoulders, upper arms, chest, neck, behind ears and lower back. Use an exfoliation scrub on face since loofah gloves are too rough to use on facial skin.
    If you happen to get a sunburn, relying on natural, homemade remedies can be a good choice as it might help you avoid potentially comedogenic ingredients. Aloe vera, tea bags or apple cider vinegar are a few natural options you can try.
    To control oil production you should use a product containing salicylic acid. Shower to remove sweat from your face and body.
    Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. This will help keep your body and skin hydrated.
    A great way to keep your skin vibrant and reactive to good care is to switch facial products periodically. A great time to make this switch is at the beginning of summer.
    Regular exfoliation with a face scrub can help remove dead skin cells and lessen red marks on the skin.

Seven New Natural Beauty Tips

Want a beauty routine as fresh and natural as the look you’re going for? There are a lot of products on the market for all kinds of beauty routines. Most of these products are very expensive. Many of them contain ingredients that can cause allergic reactions for a large number of consumers.

Here are our favorite natural beauty tricks that are new on this year. I’ve used all of these amazing tips and highly recommend them. You can enjoy trying them out with your friends or alone. They cannot be wrong, and you do not need to worry about side effects, and most of all they are affordable.
The Most Effective Natural Beauty Tips

    We usually clean, and moisturize our face skin, but forget our neck and hands. Those age too, and also get drier as we get older. So, as a good beauty tip, do not forget to apply your face moisturizer on your neck too, and use a body cream for your hands.
    Using sea salt for all over scrub and face wash instead of store-bought washes full of harsh chemicals.
    simply combine ¾ cup of olive oil, ½ cup of honey and 3 tbsps of lemon juice and set aside. After shampooing your hair, towel dry and comb lemon juice mixture through and cover hair with a plastic cap. After ½ hour, shampoo hair and rinse thoroughly. It works beautifully and will make your hair shine.
    moisturizer and sunblock. The only things you need to make your skin look super soft and flawless.
    A protein mask help to nourish your skin. Soak a teaspoon of urad dal and 5-6 almonds overnight. Grind this to a fine paste apply this protein mask on face and wash it off after half an hour. This mask nourishes the facial skin and also enhances the complexion.
    Drink lots of water and always take off your makeup before bed.
    Sunscreen lotion from kitchen: Prepare a homogenous mixture of cucumber juice, glycerin and rose water. Apply this mixture on face. This mixture can be refrigerated.

Those homemade beauty tips are just few among those available in your kitchen. All natural and much more fun when trying out with your friends. So why do not you try some of these beauty tips?