brazilian foods

Brazil is a place made up of a lot of different cultures, beliefs, and especially foods.The Tupí-Guaraní and other Indian groups that lived in Brazil planted manioc (a root vegetable like a potato) from which Brazilians learned to make tapioca and farofa , ground manioc, which is similar to fine breadcrumbs. It's toasted in oil and butter and sprinkled over rice, beans, meat, and fish. Farofa is still used as the Brazilians' basic "flour" to make cookies, biscuits, and bread.Rice, black beans and manioc are the main foods for many Brazilians. The main dish is feijoada a thick stew of black beans and pieces of pork and other pieces of meats, usually served with white rice or orange salad. Orange salad is just slices of orange peeled and sprinkled with salt pepper and sugar.these are just a few of the many types of dishes eaten in brazil.

The Secret of Pomegrantes

Not many people used to know all the health benefits the pomegranate fruit offers, let alone pomegranate juice. However, since people discovered the taste of the fruit, they also discovered the benefits that come with it in terms of health.

This is a healthier substitute for those of you who do not drink wine because pomegranate juice also reduces atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Pomegranate also increases the blood flow from the heart to the rest of the body and reduces heart diseases. This allows you to do more daily activities that require more effort because your heart is pumping strong from either eating the fruit or drinking the juice.

The fruit also helps in maintaining wrinkle free skin. Also, since pomegranate is so rich in antioxidants, it helps boost the immune system.

Published by Michael Jones and Susana Vuong

Pop! Not Lays.....

Doritos, corn chips, hot chips, no no no! Pop chips are baked, not fried. They come in different flavors like barbecue, sour cream and onion, cheddar and more.
Lets take a look at the nutrition facts: no trans fat, no cholesterol, no saturated fat, no preservatives! Pop chips are also kosher and have no gluten. I think its awesome that there can be something healthy that's found in a bag of chips.
I really only started seeing Pop Chips on the shelves recently, but they have been around since 2007. Even celebrities have jumped on the Pop Chip bandwagon. Oprah Winfrey and Ashton Kutcher swear by them!
When I first tried the chips, they tasted almost exactly like the same regular potato chips you would normally buy. Now, everyone has their own opinion about the chips of their choice, but I promise you, once you take a bite into Pop Chips, you'll think twice about buying "corner store chips."





Produced by: Theresa patterson

Not for alcoholics

WARNING: This article is not here to promote alcohol consumption by people under the age of 21.

Wine as we all know is an alcoholic beverage. It is made from pressed grapes and the resulting juice that has been left to ferment over various periods of time. It is said by regular wine drinkers to taste better with age.

Did you know that drinking wine can provide some health benefits? Researchers at the University Hospital of Zurich in Switzerland have discovered that moderate mealtime wine consumption benefits our body. MODERATE wine consumption can reduce strokes and heart attacks because the growth rate of the smooth muscle cells within the arteries are reduced. Why is that helpful? Because the growth of these smooth muscle cells within the arteries is a key element to atherosclerosis (when the artery walls thicken and prevents regular blood flow to and from the heart). Woman who drink wine moderately, say a glass of wine every dinner, have fewer risks of developing kidney stones. Also, the alcohol present in the wine is beneficial when taken during mealtimes because it can reduce the harmful substances that have been taken in by the body.

And what if you don't drink alcohol or are not of legal age to do so? Another way to benefit your health to prevent artery clogs (for those who do not drink) is to simply have a diet that is low in saturated and trans fat as well as exercising regularly to help keep your blood flowing and your stress levels down. There are plenty of healthy alternatives for keeping our arteries clean and healthy. Many different food products, most notably garlic, salmon, spinach, and olive oil have wonderful health benefits for not only your heart and arteries, but for your entire body.

Once again, this article was not written to support alcohol consumption, but instead,is here to provide facts of why MODERATE MEALTIME WINE consumption can be beneficial to your health.

Posted by: Michael Jones and Susana Vuong

Global Food Perspective:Brazil

Brazil is famous not only for its beauty but also for its great tasting cuisine, and especially its history of the famous sugar cane. Several people contributed to modern Brazilan cruisine, specifically Amerindians,African slaves and their decendants, and of course, Portuguese colonizers. Amerindians utilized locally grown ingredients such as corn, cassava, and fish. They also are credited with the cooking techniques grinding and roasting. The Portuguese contributed their own staples including smoked sausages, olive oil, and wine. African slaves brought with them palm oil, okra, and chiles. Amerindian, European and African contributions have come together in history to create the modern Brazilian cuisine we can enjoy today.

Little Mac

Getting a restaurant started in a small community is hard to achieve. Yet two women by the names of Allison Arevalo and Erin Wade made their dream come true, in the city of Oakland. Their specialty is old fashioned macaroni and cheese so they aptly named their establishment "LittleMac". They were excited about their accomplishment until suddenly their restaurant dreams got put on hold. They were forced to change their name "Little Mac" because another famous mac, the Big Mac. The senior intellectual property counsel at McDonalds felt that "Little Mac" will cause brand dilution; in other words, using the word "mac" might confuse McDonald customers. Are they serious? Who in their right mind will confuse a mac-n-cheese spot for a burger spot? Come on now.....
It's a shame to me that they can't even use the word 'mac' when all these women are trying to do is create good wholesome food. I could understand McDonald's issue if these women were selling burgers, but this is a totally different product. Our food industry is past being unhealthy, so women like Allison and Erin should be applauded they're not forcing fast food on people by use of ads on T.V. They simply want to share good food with their community, not harm or poisin our bodies, like many fast food restauants do. This whole incident is silly and hurts me to know that an unhealthy society is controlling our minds and the way we serve food in our communities.
Produced by: Rynesha Snowden

SF Sugary-Drink Ban: Let your voice be heard!!

A much needed change is taking place in San Francisco, due to Mayor Gavin Newsom's recently implemented executive order that places set standards for sugary beverages sold on city property. Unfortunately, Tuesday's article in the SF Chronicle "Sugary-drink ban starts to affect S.F. sites" is hardly applauding the new measure. The Strategic Alliance is urging the many who do support Newsom's executive order to write to the editor of the SF Chronicle. (The Strategic Alliance is an organization reframing the debate on nutrition and physical activity to focus on how corporations and government need to step up responsibility, rather than just focusing on how individual choice affects our health.)
Those San Franciscans who are not aware of the benefits of the order need to be, and here are some angles that can be addressed in response.

*Building healthy communities is a key strategy to improving health: SF is mired by recent surges in Type II diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and the list goes on. Healthy food must be available to everyone!
*Public health has a long, proud history of using policy to protect health and individuals: Every city needs to consider the health of its residents.
*Policies that protect children and families are necessary: when we have a system in place that makes unhealthy food more easily accessible and affordable than healthy food options, we are not protecting our children and families health. Having a new vending policy that provides healthier options will protect our consumers!

Please send your letters ASAP (by July 8th) to have the best chance for publication. The letter to the editor submission form can be found at
http://www.sfgate.com/c/submissions/

See you in the papers!

Junk Food is the New Tobacco

This is an excerpt from an email sent on 6/30/10 from the Strategic Alliance about how we as communities could approach getting rid of junk food. For the full article, please click here.

Junk Food is the New Tobacco

Yesterday, Los Angeles Times' columnist David Lazarus published an excellent column making the case for policy change to advance healthier diets. Lazarus likens the current fight against obesity to early tobacco prevention efforts. In the article, Toni Yancey, professor of health sciences at UCLA School of Public Health states, "We need to change social norms to make certain foods less appealing, just as we made it less appealing to smoke."

Industry groups fiercely oppose policy changes aimed at reduced consumption of junk food. Perhaps most notably, soda companies are increasingly banding together to mount an aggressive campaign opposing any new taxes on their products. To distract from advocates' calls for policy and industry change, industry groups try to turn the conversation back to individuals, calling for the personal responsibility, nutrition education, and a focus on physical activity.

Strategic Alliance applauds Mr. Lazarus for his important, piece--and thinks he could have made an even stronger case for real policy changes, like increasing access to healthy, affordable fresh food. We encourage advocates to show your support by writing letters to the editor to the LA Times. Your advocacy efforts are needed to keep the drumbeat for policy change going strong.

Here are some angles you could cover in your response:

* Kudos to David Lazarus for tackling an issue critical to Californians' health. While many articles covering the obesity epidemic focus on what individuals can do, Mr. Lazarus points to the real culprit here: a food industry that aggressively markets junk food to children and families.
* We need policies that protect children and families. Policies that increase access to healthy foods and decrease access to unhealthy foods protect consumers. When a bag of chips is cheaper than an orange, individuals and families who are trying to find the healthiest options for their families have the odds stacked against them.
* Building healthy communities is a key strategy to improving health. Increasing access to healthy food and opportunities for physical activity are crucial to reversing unprecedented surges in Type II diabetes and an array of health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and cancer. Healthy communities are vibrant and equitable communities.
* We'll need more than public education campaigns. Lazarus' article calls for public education campaigns like those used in tobacco control. While campaigns certainly play a role, stronger policies that make healthy foods more affordable and available, regulate junk food marketing, and levy taxes and fees on food and beverage companies whose products are major contributors to poor health.