Farmers Globally Use Untreated Wastewater to Irrigate Crops

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Irrigation is a necessity of farmers. But important news revealed recently that farmers all over the world are using untreated wastewater to irrigate their crops. In a study published in the journal, Environmental Research Letters, found out that 50% of farmers globally use untreated municipal wastewater to grow food.

The Use of Untreated Wastewater in Agriculture

This frightening statistic indicated that around 36 million hectares of croplands in urban areas rely on heavily polluted water for growing crops. In the study, five countries were identified that use 85% downstream wastewater to irrigate their crops, and these include China, India, Mexico, Pakistan, and Iran. This was a far cry from the 2004 study that noted only 20 million hectares of agricultural lands reuse wastewater.

The reuse of wastewater for agricultural purposes is caused by the increasing problem of water pollution as well as the declining availability of fresh water. According to the lead author of the study, Anne Thebo, the problem is very evident in many developing countries where many places lack wastewater treatment facilities.

To make matters worse, poor farmers who cannot afford to get commercial inputs like fertilizers rely on wastewater to provide nutrients to their plants. In a report released by Associated Press, several farmers in Mexico used wastewater as they produce bigger crop yields compared with treated water.  After all, sewage effluence may contain high amounts of human excrements but, while containing high amounts of nitrogen, also carry pathogens that can be transferred to food.

The Dangers of Farmers Using Untreated Wastewater

The use of untreated wastewater does not only pose threats to local farmers but also to the consumers. Consumers who unknowingly eat raw vegetables and fruits that are grown using wastewater may suffer from food poisoning. Food safety is a pressing issue in the food industry, and the use of untreated wastewater puts people at risk to the exposure of roundworms and pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella. In fact, there have been numerous instances when produce coming from Mexico has led to outbreaks.

 

Vegetables and fruits from Mexico, for example, were found to have been contaminated with Salmonella, hepatitis A, and Cyclospora (an intestinal parasite) include cantaloupes, basil, salad greens, and cilantro.  In 2013, consumption of these products had resulted in hundreds of people all over the United States to experience severe food poisoning while some people died from it.

The Implications of The Study

The published study aims to reveal what is happening in many agricultural lands all over the world. The result of the survey also indicates that considerable strides should be made all over the world regarding improving sanitation in urban areas by investing more in wastewater treatment plants. The thing is that further effort is necessary aside from developing wastewater treatment facilities but also implementing better sanitation policies to address not only the recycling of wastewater in agriculture but also for the protection of surface water and its quality.

Inspired by www.modernfarmer.com

Coconut Oil as Unhealthy as Butter and Beef Fat

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Coconut oil is extracted from the meat of mature coconuts using heat. It is preferred by many people because it can last for six months at room temperature without spoiling. While experts argue about the health benefits of coconut oil, recent studies suggest that this particular type of oil is as unhealthy as butter, lard and beef drippings.

Why Is Coconut Oil Unhealthy?                                                                                                           

What makes coconut oil unhealthy? The American Heart Association noted that coconut oil contains high amounts of saturated fat. Saturated fat is the type of fatty acid that is linked to the rise of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol in the blood. LDL is also dubbed as bad cholesterol that can clog arteries thereby increasing the risk of stroke and heart disease.

The fat in coconut oil is 82% saturated fat, which makes it larger than that found in butter (63%), pork lard (39%), and beef fat (50%). This is the reason why it is so important for people to limit the amount of coconut oil that they should take and replace it with vegetable oils such as sunflower oil, canola oil, or olive oil.

 

How to Cut Down on Saturated Fats

People should steer clear from any sources of saturated fat. According to the UK Public Health agency, an average man should consume no more than 30 grams of saturated fat daily while women should eat a lesser amount.

But the responsibility should not only fall in the hands of consumers. Food manufacturers should also be responsible for improving packaged foods with high amounts of saturated fat.

Opting for healthier cooking alternatives is also an excellent way to cut back on your consumption of saturated fats. So instead of frying your potatoes, you can boil, grill, or bake them instead. Before cooking meats, it is also recommended to trim all the meat from fats so that the fat does not render and become oil. You can also make conscious efforts of omitting ingredients containing saturated fats when cooking.

But Is Fat Healthy?

Many health and nutrition experts believe that fat still plays a vital role in our health. Fats are essential so that the body can absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, and E. It is important not to cut out fat completely from your diet.

But instead of stocking up on saturated fats, it is important that you consume healthier fats such as Omega-3 fatty acids. This type of fat increases your good cholesterol numbers so that the LDL cholesterol is pushed to the liver where they are disposed.

Inspired by www.bbc.com

Ingredients and Formats adapts for Healthier, Portable Candy and Snacks

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Snacking is popular among consumers, but with increased health awareness and wellness education, snack companies are now changing their format to adapt to the needs of shoppers. Brands are focused on clean-label snacks, organic, gluten-free, and non-GMO products to meet these new requirements.

Emphasis For Healthy Snacks

With the rise of health-conscious consumers, it is no wonder why snack companies are clamoring to fill this new niche. For instance, aside from using clean labels, companies are designing snacks made from fewer natural ingredients without the use of artificial coloring and flavors.

Consumers are now following different diet restrictions. People who suffer from celiac disease, for example, can now find snacks that are made without the presence of gluten. Other companies have specialized in making healthy snacks without the use of genetically modified ingredients.

Why Focus on Candy Bars and Snacks?

So why are companies focused on making healthy candies and snacks? The smaller serving size is perfect for people who are always on the go. According to Millennial, a US-based research company, consumers are looking for bite-sized snacks that are not only easy to consume but that offer portion control in a re-sealable format. This format is being adopted by food brands like Snickers, Milky Way, and Twix by producing 100 calorie sticks.

 

Aside from the portion sizes, the packaging of candies and snacks is changing. The change in the packaging is aimed at improving the shopping experience for consumers. Candy companies are also focused on changing the ingredient list. For instance, the infamous Mars bar uses gluten-free ingredients such as whole nuts, fruits, and dark chocolate for those who have gluten restrictions.

Better Opportunities for Snacking Companies

The strategies implemented by snack companies have resulted in a huge revenue of $13.7 billion this year, which is a 2.4% increase compared to the previous year. The increase provides real motivation to snack companies when it comes to innovating their products.

Most consumers are actively shopping for healthier food items, so the merchandising of healthy snacks often involve placing the snacks near the produce section. This is to give the consumers the idea that the snacks are healthy. On the other hand, the store that receives a high amount of traffic can also place their snack products on visual shipper displays to provide appealing storage.

The thing is that the snacking industry will be big given a few years’ time as more people demand products that contain healthier ingredients. With the steady increase in revenue as well as popularity, the category of healthy snacks will continue to grow.

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Vitamin Fortification Can Cause Off Flavors in Dairy Milk

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Adding value to food and drinks is a popular trend in the food manufacturing industry. Consumers are demanding food and beverage brands to find ways to improve the nutritional value of their products. In fact, you can see many nutrient fortified products from cereals to soda.

 

The Rise of Value-Added Beverages

This is the reason why there is an increase of probiotic-infused beverages in the market. Examples of probiotic-based drinks that are available to the public include kombucha, flavored yogurts, and even drinking vinegar. But aside from drinks filled with healthy bacteria, another trend is to fortify ordinary drinks with vitamins and minerals. This is the reason why coffee and tea fortified with vitamins have found themselves on many supermarket shelves.

Plant-based milk created from nuts and seeds is also on the rise. These plant-based counterparts are positioned as healthier alternatives to traditional dairy milk.  But for a long time, dairy milk has held on to fortifying milk with vitamins to make it a healthier beverage.

The Problem with Fortified Dairy Milk

The most common vitamins that are added to milk are A and D. In the United States, these vitamins have been added to dairy milk since 1930 to halt the possibility of children developing blindness, cancer, and other vitamin deficiencies. The practice of adding vitamins and minerals to milk has been the standard in making pasteurized milk.

While beverage manufacturers have good intentions in fortifying milk, some consumers are complaining. The vitamin fortification of milk often results to imparting a distinct flavor that consumers mistake for spoilage.

In a study conducted by researchers from the North Carolina State and Cornell University, they found out that water-soluble vitamin concentrates often used in fortifying milk can lead to off flavors. On the other hand, using oil-soluble fortifications often results in no taste difference from unaltered milk. In the same research, test subjects detected a slight difference regarding flavor between enhanced skim milk and unfortified skim milk.

The Implications of The Study

The study revealed that while fortifying milk is a great idea to improve its nutritional value, it is crucial for beverage manufacturers to use the right vitamin concentrates.  Having said this, food manufacturers need to improve their process and invest in solutions that can control the impact of vitamin concentrates on the flavor of the dairy product.  The researchers recommended using less water-soluble vitamins and rely more on oil-soluble vitamins to improve the quality of their milk products.

But this strategy can backfire when it comes to the organic milk niche. Consumers who value natural and unaltered dairy products might find the fortification against their volition, so they opt not to buy them instead. Milk brands need to be clear and transparent about whether their milk is fortified or unfortified. Companies should look for ways to add food based vitamins like GrandFusion. GrandFusion is a concentrated blend of vitamins from fruits and vegetables including vitamins A and D.

Inspired by www.fooddive.com

Eat Less for a Long and Healthy Life

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In the United States, about 16% of people between the age 50 and 64 suffer from chronic illnesses. The number of occurrence of chronic disease rises with each decade of increment of age. Aging is an inevitable part of the human process. But there are ways on how to delay aging so that –both physical and physiological–do not manifest at all.

Calorie Restriction

Researchers are now studying ways of how we can enhance not only the quality of our lives but also our lifespan. According to Julie Mattison from the National Institute on Ageing (NIA), the most effective way to live longer and healthier is to eat less. Also dubbed as calorie restriction, eating less goes further than just cutting back on fatty foods but it also involves making radical reductions in terms of portion size in the long run.

In many studies on animals, researchers revealed that flies, worms, rats, and monkies subjected to 30% reduction of food intake are able to live longer and more actively. While it has been proven within the lower animal taxa that eating less can contribute to longer lives, this can be applicable to humans as well.

Aside from scientific research, the benefits of the effects of calorie restriction have been recorded in historical texts. For instance, the great Greek physician Hippocrates claimed that many diseases were associated with gluttony.

What Happens When You Eat Less?

So how does eating less help one live longer? To understand what is going on, you need to look at what is going on inside the body.  In a study published in 2015, blood was extracted from people who underwent calorie restriction. The blood analysis revealed that the amount of good cholesterol inside the blood increased and the tumor necrosis factors (TNFs) reduced by 25%. The tumor necrosis factors are molecules that are associated with the tumor formation. The more you have them in your blood, the more likely you will develop cancer in the future.

Aside from TNF and cholesterol, calorie restriction also increases insulin sensitivity by 40% thus it can also stabilize the blood sugar levels back to normal.  But more than anything else, the most obvious benefit of eating less is massive weight loss. This is a very important advantage especially for people who have body mass index (BMI) above 30.

How to Eat Less Despite the Temptations

While it is easy to control the calorie intake of laboratory animals, the same thing cannot be said for humans. So how can we eat less despite the presence of too many temptations around us? It is important for us to have access to low-calorie meals whether we are eating at a restaurant or buying prepared meals in convenience stores. It is also crucial to develop discipline when it comes to eating foods because no amount of low-calorie food delivery can match your discipline.

Inspired by www.bbc.com

The World’s First Healthy Alcoholic Beverage

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COCO Cocktail is a healthy alternative to the traditional alcoholic beverage. With many clear benefits, consumers debate whether or not this drink will become a first alcoholic beverage of choice in the market. As stated in a news release, COCO Cocktail contains a noticeably larger nutritional value when set side by side against a top competitor, Pinot Noir. In addition to being created with 70% coconut water, COCO Cocktail also contains SuperFruits (considered to be very beneficial to health and rich with antioxidants), as well as 5.6% ABV from OTS Orange Wine. COCO Cocktail holds minerals and vitamins, both of which derive from non-GMO and all-natural food sources, without containing enriched, artificial, or synthetic ingredients. COCO Cocktail can be purchased in several different retail locations within Ohio, Florida, Indiana, and Texas.

Healthy Alcoholic Beverages in the Market Today

For the longest time, many of the top-branded craft cocktails were created using significant amounts of processed sugars. In this day and age, consumers are not content with their products being highly infused with artificial sweeteners. The young adult sector of today is constantly in search of craft cocktails that are made using high-end ingredients, while at the same time, not packed with sugar. Also, now more than ever, wine and spirit consumption is rising exponentially. Companies are choosing to take advantage of this up and coming market. Healthy Beverages appeals to and attracts the attention of consumers in this market by offering two separate flavors of their vitamin-enhanced, healthy wine.

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Healthy Beverages, LLC Achieves FDA Guidelines to Claim COCO COCKTAIL(TM) #POWER as “The World’s 1st Nutritious Alcoholic Beverage” (PRNewsfoto/Healthy Beverages, LLC)

According to the CEO and co-founder of Healthy Beverages, Franz Tudor, many consumers are looking for clean and natural ingredients. Tudor believes that the removal of artificial and GMO-filled ingredients would certainly not “take the fun away [from the COCO Cocktail].” Tutor states that natural foods possessing benefits to the heart and muscles of the body while also reducing bloating “seems like fun” to him.

Alcoholic Beverage Market

It is predicted that sales for all categories of alcoholic beverages are going to rise as a result of the growing number of consumers experimenting with alcoholic beverages. Whether or not healthy alcoholic beverages are going to be consumed more than their traditional counterpart as time goes on is still up in the air; however, the fact remains that new consumers will be drawn in due to the price as well as the taste of the beverage. Despite this, Healthy Beverages is making a wise decision of appealing to the niche of health-conscious and wine-loving consumers by testing out their new beverage.

Benefits of Healthy Alcohol

Research has already determined that a moderate consumption of red wine is tied in with many advantages such as boosting life expectancy, combating diabetes, heart disease, and several other illnesses. Researchers are nearing the completion of a pill that mirrors the positive effects of alcoholic beverage. However, in the end, some consumers will find difficulty giving up their drink of choice for a healthy alcoholic alternative, regardless of how great the drink is.

Inspired by www.fooddive.com

The Rise of Cauliflower Rice

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The recent rise of “riced” vegetables has led to criticism amongst food connoisseurs. Betsy Ward, the president of USA Rice, has boldly declared that “Only rice is rice, and calling ‘riced vegetables,’ ‘rice,’ is confusing and misleading to consumers.” One of the most well-known of these controversial food products is cauliflower rice, the result of pulsing in a food processor. Although cauliflower rice soaks up sauces and spices like classic rice, plenty of seasoning is necessary to enrich the dull flavor. One cup of cauliflower contains two grams of net carbohydrates; on the other hand, white rice includes 51 grams of carbs and brown rice 42 grams.

Healthy Alternatives Reflected in Other Food Sectors

Cauliflower Rice vs. Traditional White Rice CarbsJust as the term milk has broadened to include non-dairy based products, such as almond and soy milk, rice has followed suit and done the same. Although the new cauliflower product is not the consumer’s first pick, it appeals to people looking for healthy food options.

Similarly, the pasta business has seen its share of the growth of alternative pasta products, with squash and zucchini pasta becoming a more attractive alternative to starchy, traditional pasta. People are ready to grab and utilize the vegetables they already have at home, threatening industries that incorporate and sell carbohydrate-rich food products.

The dairy industry’s unsuccessful attempts to eliminate competition such as the nut, soy, and other non-dairy based milk drinks is an affair that could potentially be seen in the rice business. If the rice industry raises this concern to the FDA, however, they might be able to avoid this. The definitions of terms such as “milk” and “healthy” have long been in limbo, and some are unsure whether or not the current presidential administration will provide a traditional definition, finally putting an end to the conflict between conventional and unconventional, alternative food and beverage manufacturers.

Wise Marketing Strategies Will Help the Rice Industry

Despite the growing popularity of non-traditional rice products, there are ways for the industry to weaken the acclaim for cauliflower rice. Ripple, a plant-based milk brand, has introduced a game that educates consumers on the advantages of milk in comparison to traditional dairy milk. Rice businesses could use similar strategies to teach users on the rewards of eating regular rice. Through purposeful advertisement and other marketing strategies, the rice industry could certainly achieve this goal.

It is still unclear to all, whether or not cauliflower rice will be above its traditional counterpart. A possibility remains that cauliflower rice may not achieve the same success as alternative dairy products in the dairy industry. In the end, regardless of how successful or trendy cauliflower rice may become in the future, the rice industry should remain on their toes and ready to face more competition.

Inspired by www.fooddive.com

Flexitarian Diet Could Decrease Chance of Obesity by 50%

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Obesity is one of the most pressing health problems affecting many countries. With the wrong food choices and lack of activity, it has become a worldwide epidemic that is associated with different diseases like strokes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. While many types of diets claim to be useful in letting people shed off their unwanted pounds, none are as efficient as a pro-vegetarian diet.

A study conducted in Spain noted that a flexitarian diet could help reduce the risk of obesity by as much as 50%. A flexitarian diet is pro-vegetarian, but it encourages people to consume fish and meat occasionally and favors the consumption of more fruits, vegetables, and grains. The flexitarian diet is similar to the Mediterranean diet that encourages dieters to consume more grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables instead of red meat.

The Flexitarian Study

The study involves 16,000 individuals who were tracked for ten years on their diet preferences. The survey asked the participants to complete food questionnaires where they were scored on how flexitarian their diets were. Based on the studies, participants get more points for eating plant-based foods than meats. The points were deducted for the animal products consumed.

Based on the study, 20% of the respondents consumed more animal products while the others are leaning towards the vegetarian diet. Researchers found that those who consume mostly plant-based foods were 43% less likely to develop obesity.

How Much Is Too Much?

While consuming a few animal products is good for maintaining a healthy weight, the question is how much meat is too much? The study revealed that those who consumed 200 grams of red meat a day have higher chances of becoming obese. Consumption of fish was also noted, but it had little impact on the obesity rates.

 

According to one of the authors of the study, Professor Maira Bes-Rastrollo, the study recommended people to consume less red meat and opt for increasing the consumption of plant-based foods. The dangers of too much meat consumption are that it has been associated with higher intake of fat, calories, and less consumption of fiber from vegetables. This increases the risk of developing chronic lifestyle diseases.

Limitations of The Study

The study may encourage people to switch to a more pro-vegetarian diet, but the study has its weaknesses and limitations as it is conducted as an observational study. Researchers could have recruited people to eat a vegetarian diet to compare it with the other group – the one who ate mostly meat. To get the most benefits out of the flexitarian diets, nutritionists and health experts recommend cooking your own food instead of eating out to keep track of the ingredients used.

Although this may be the case, choosing to follow the flexitarian diet can bring a lot of benefits to the body. In fact, it is considered by many health experts as one of the most balanced diets anyone who wishes to stay healthy should follow.

Inspired by www.theguardian.com