How to Choose the Best Coffee Maker for you

Nearly every coffee lover would like to have the best coffee maker in their own home and office. For the serious coffee lover, even the RV must have a perfect coffee machine. But different coffee machines fit different people and different locations. For those interested in aesthetics, nearly any finish, color, and style of a coffee machine can be found.
More pragmatic variations exist in coffee machines. You can get automatic coffee machines, espresso coffee makers, French presses, vacuum coffee machines, drip coffee makers, pods, and stove top coffee makers. Additionally, nearly all of these coffee machines can specialize in producing hot or cold brewed coffee. Many coffee machines also do the coffee grinding for you.

There are hundreds of companies that have their brands on at least one type of coffee machine. Among the most common types of coffee machine makers are Sunbeam, Senseo, Saeco, Breville, Delonghi, and Jura.

In addition to coming in a variety of colors, coffee machines can be made of a variety of materials. Plastic, stainless steal, and glass are the most common materials composing coffee machines. The main material to be aware of is shatterproof glass. You want your carafe to be shatterproof glass.

If you have a giant kitchen or a large office coffee room, you will want to get a commercial coffee machine that can make twenty or more cups of coffee at one time. Many of these commercial coffee machines will also include some very nice extra features such as a thermostat, warming plate, filter, timer, and frothing system. As you might guess, a coffee machine with most of these features can be quite expensive. The main thing to remember is that the price can be adjusted downward by doing without various features. Some have found the price reasonable enough to buy one of these models for the home.

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How Gourmet Coffee Can Benefit Health

The reports we hear and see about the benefits and risks of drinking coffee can be confusing. Some reports say that drinking coffee offers many health benefits. While other reports say that drinking coffee carries health risks. One week the gourmet coffee you love to drink is good for you, and the very next week it is bad for you.

A lot of the confusion begins with the caffeine content found in coffee. It is the caffeine that makes coffee such a stimulating drink. Caffeine gives you a quick energy boost and may even help you focus more on what you are doing and can help you remember details a little better. But caffeine has also been shown to cause health risks when consumed in large amounts. How much is too much is hotly debated in health circles, and a clear consensus on the allowable amount of caffeine that can be consumed daily without risking health, remains to be reached. Taking a more cautious stance on the suggested amounts of caffeine that can safely consumed however, many health experts do recommend a limiting of no more than 3 cups of caffeinated coffee per day for coffee drinkers, and reducing caffeine intake from other beverages like teas and sodas.
Lost in the shadows of all the debating over caffeine in coffee are the health benefits that gourmet coffee, for example, offers. Gourmet coffee is derived from the seed or bean of the Arabica coffee plant. It has far less caffeine content than the coffee that is made from the seeds of other varieties of the coffee plant. The Arabica coffee plant is typically grown in elevations ranging from 1000 to more than 5,500 feet above sea level, and in regions with rich soils and climates that foster the healthy growth and development of this plant. Because of these conditions, the beans retain higher amounts of their healthy properties while less-desirable properties such as caffeine are reduced.

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Banana Bread

Banana bread seems to be a favorite with most of us.  So try this special bread this fall when pumpkins are so plentiful and are just screaming "Fall" at you.  Actually, this bread is good any time of the year and pumpkin is very nutritional.  So once you try it, you will probably want to make it year round.  This recipe calls for pumpkin pulp.  You do not have to scrap a pumpkin and cook it, you can always buy canned pumpkin.  Just be sure you buy pumpkin and not pumpkin pie mix.  They are two different products.

SUE'S PUMPKIN/BANANA BREAD
1 cup Splenda granular
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cup pumpkin pulp
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and lightly flour two loaf pans; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the Splenda granular, sugar, and shortening.  Beat the eggs and add to the mixture along with the bananas, pumpkin, and vanilla.  Mix together well.

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Do You Have to Eat 20 Bananas in a Single Sitting to Go Raw?

If you have frequented any raw food forum, I'm sure you've come across some pretty interesting people. Some people who eat little fruit, some people who eat little fat, some people who barely eat at all!

Then there are the truly "wacky" ones. The raw foodists who claim to eat 20 bananas for just one meal.

How can this be? Is it even possible?

Yes, friends, it is possible. There are plenty of people who really do eat that much food in a single sitting.

I know what you're thinking. "So now that I've *finally* gotten a hold of eating just 3 small bananas in one sitting, you're telling me that I have to eat 20!"

Not unless you are a very large man, a world-class athlete, or just someone who really likes bananas!

In fact, I have a secret to tell you...I have *never* eaten 20 bananas for a meal.

Why? Because the amount of food you eat depends upon how many calories your own body requires.

20 medium-sized bananas is just over 2000 calories. Now, at 5'4" tall and 108 pounds, there is simply no way I would need that many calories for one meal. That's actually how much I eat for an entire day!

The people who actually do eat that much fruit in one meal do so because their body requires it. Generally, these people spend much of the day on their feet participating in intense activity.

On the other hand, I tend to spend much of my day on my butt participating in intense web-surfing.

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Banana-Walnut Muffins

BANANA-WALNUT MUFFINS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar (For diabetics, measure 1 tbsp sugar into 1/4 cup measure and finish filling with Splenda or Equal)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 muffin tin cups.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. In a small bowl, mix the milk, egg, water, oil, banana and walnuts together well. Pour the milk mixture into the well of the flour mixture. Mix the batter just until all the flour mixture is moistened. Do not over mix muffin batter! Spoon the batter (using an ice cream scoop makes muffins even in size) into the prepared muffin tin cups. Bake at 400 degrees about 15 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and muffins are golden.

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Apple Banana Smoothie For A Wholesome Breakfast

First, peel the apples and run them into the juicer. Collect the apple residue from the retaining basin and run it again by the juicer in order to maximize the sap extraction. Peel off the honey bananas and insert them into the blender together with frozen ones. It is unnecessary to cut them into smaller pieces as the honey bananas are quite petite and soft.
Pour the quarter cup of plain yogurt into the mix. Blend the ingredients for a good 45 seconds. Next add the extracted juice and include white sugar into the blender and merge the mix together for about 30 seconds.
This serving can be added with shaved ice as this would add a chilled sensation to the beverage. Originally this serving is adequate for three people and can be blended together with ice cubes. As for the sugar measurements, the quantity can be controlled according to personal preference or replaced by honey altogether, to add energy to the beverage. The ingredients can be halved or quartered according for individual consumption.

The quest to wake up in time to get to work is better encouraged with a supplemented nourishing breakfast as naturally people are sluggish in the morning.  A productive person would want to be part of an efficient working environment and the key in achieving a prolific lifestyle.
A smoothie is often mistaken for milkshake although the two are quite similar ingredients-wise. Milkshakes usually offer additional health dosage such as egg whites and protein powder. However an apple-banana smoothie packs all the required fruit fibers and calories in just a few easy steps.

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Fibres of Technical Textile Industry

Technical textile industry is new and growing sector in India. It generates good revenue for the country. This industry is rich with many natural and synthetic fibres. All these fibres are useful in different ways. Synthetic fibres are made from doing some special chemical processes on natural fibres or obtained directly from chemicals. These fibres have greater qualities than simple man made fibres so it is widely used in the industry not only for the apparel use but is used in other various applications also. Some synthetic fibres are Acetate, Rayon, Nylon, Polyester, Acrylic, Olefin, PLA and Modacrylic and some fibres with special properties are Saran, Vinalon, Vinyon, Spandex, Modal, Sulphar, Twaron, Kevlar, Nomex, PBI, Loycell, M5, Zylon, Dyneema/Spectra, Vectran, Glass fibre, Metalic fibre and Acrolynite. In this article we are covering the major five fibres used in the technical textile industry. The properties, applications and leading manufacturers of these fibres are also covered. These fibres are listed below.

1.Polyethylene
2.Polyester
3.Nylon
4.Carbon
5.Polypropylene

Polyethylene
Introduction:
Polyethylene is a polymer. Many no. of ethylene monomers join with each in the synthesis of polyethylene polymer. Polyethylene is obtained by the polymerization of ethane. Cationic coordination polymerization, anionic addition polymerization, radical polymerization and ion polymerization are the different methods by which polyethylene can be produced. Every method gives different types of polyethylene.

Banana Facial Mask

Bananas are not only a great source of nutrients for our body, but also they can help our skin to look young and healthy when used in a facial mask. Bananas contain a lot of Vitamin C, A, B6 and B12, and also potassium and magnesium. Moreover, the fruit acids in bananas help to remove dead skin and energize the complexion.Oatmeal is good for thickening the face mask as well as working soothing on your skin. Honey is moisturizing and calming for the skin, while olive oil or even a whole egg is great for dry skin. If you use only the egg white it will have a tightening effect on your pores, making them smaller. If you use only the egg yolk it will be incredibly nurturing and soften up the driest of skins. Other things like yoghurt or milk can be used as well.

A facial mask is generally defined as a substance that is applied to the face, much like smearing on cream. It is thick, and frequently resembles clay. Many masks make use of clay or gel as a base, as these will stay in place when applied, and they are generally harmless to most skin types (although gel is used most for sensitive skin, as heavy clays irritate it). They are meant to cover the entire face and then stay in place for a few minutes before washing off. The materials in most masks are safe to be washed down the drain.The greatest advantage of home facials is that you are using natural ingredients that are excellent for your skin. Oily skin, for example, gets cleansed and exfoliated with the appropriate face mask. In general, this inexpensive beauty treatment removes dead skin cells, excess sebum and tones, making your face look bright, healthy and firm. A good face mask makes you feel fresh and confident and leaves your skin looking lovely.

Combine one egg yolk with a half cup cooked oatmeal, half a mashed banana and a tbsp. honey. Allow to cool to the touch. Apply, let set for fifteen minutes and then rinse off with cool water.Now that you've learned how to make a face mask yourself, you can make them together with your friends and have the best time throwing a spa themed girls' night in. Remember not to wear your best outfit when trying out homemade beauty face masks, as there usually is some spilling involved!

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Moisture Absorbent Fabric

Now-a-days Moisture Management Fabric is the new and demanding concept in the Textile Industry. It is a kind of fabric which absorbs the moisture from the wearer and moves it away from the garment. This kind of action helps to make skin moisture free. The action of this fabric helps in preventing the moisture next to the skin. During hard physical activity body sweats and the moisture traps out in conventional clothing like cotton. The moisture locks out between clothing and body and then it increases body temperature and perspiration even more. Excessive perspiration can lead one to diminished performance and fatigue. In very hot conditions this is the usual condition which happens due to the trapped moisture. Hypothermia and chilling is the common condition happen in the cold temperature due to the trapped moisture. The moisture near to the skin makes skin cold when wind blows in the cold days. Excessive moisture can add weight to the garment and even it irritates the skin of the wearer and increases the chances of the skin diseases.

This Moisture Management fabric is very useful if worn next to the skin at the time of the exercise. It keeps skin dry. This is the fabric of new age technology and its usage in new technology is expanding day by day. It proves its worth in the sportswear also.

Moisture travels by the capillary action. The spaces between the fibres act as tubes and moisture travels through it. The fabric which has narrower spaces gives up moisture more quickly. So these fabrics are best for moisture transport.

The moisture absorbent capacity of fabric also affects the moisture management. The higher absorbency leads to the more comfort levels. Little water absorbent capacity helps to maintain muscle performance and delay exhaustion.

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Learn How to Lose Extra Weight With the New Banana Diet

Find the: Best Diet Plan

First you want to follow the steps of Hitoshi Watanabe who lost 38 pounds on the banana diet. He got help from his wife who said he needed to lose the weight that he gained form eating late and eating often.

Best Tips for: Losing Weight Now

When you have decided to try the diet then the plan is relatively easy. You can eat all the bananas you want for breakfast because they are low in calories. Then eat a sensible lunch and dinner and make sure you do not eat after 8:00pm. You are also allowed to have regular snacks between meals.

The basis to how this diet helps you lose weight is that you are filling your stomach in the morning with raw fruit. You then will naturally eat less through the day so you will be consuming less calories as a result of the banana eating. Try it is is fun and it work too.

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Organic Innovation in Duvet Covers

Newcomer Fou Furnishings, scooped a finalist award for Best Organic Textile Product in The Natural and Organic Awards 2009,  for its clever, ‘Fou duvet’ top-opening cover, meaning you will never struggle with a duvet cover again. The design allows you to easily load your duvet from the top and tuck each corner into place. The hidden opening also combines form, making an attractive design feature, and function.

Fou Furnishings’ new bed linen and accessories collection in 100% organic cotton offers luxuriously high thread counts of up to 475 finished to the very highest natural standards; which means a softer, silkier feel and comes in a choice of cool, comfortable cotton percale or lustrous, luxurious sateen finishes.  These beautiful and original duvet designs and matching bedroom essentials will enhance both contemporary and traditional interiors and will provide a really comfortable night’s sleep.

“Fou Furnishing’s aim is to offer sustainable luxury at prices that don’t cost the earth by ensuring ethical practices right through the business and supply chain combined with original  and innovative design and exceptional quality and customer service,” says founder Stephanie McIntosh who has spent 20 years working with major fashion and furnishings retailers across Europe.

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Mark's Organic Banana Bread

Organic Banana Bread (Gluten Free)

I picked up this recipe while working in the USA.

I became addicted to the Banana Bread my colleague’s mother used to make. She loved to cook great food with great friends. This was one of the easiest recipes and
was an excellent staple for a busy week ahead - perfect for spring. This can also be used for packed lunches or a day outside with family.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups gluten free all-purpose flour mix
  2 tsp gluten free baking powder
  2 tsp cinnamon & nutmeg
  1 cup brown sugar
  100g shredded coconut
  1 egg, lightly beaten
  2 egg whites
  300ml milk
  50g butter, melted
  2 Organic medium ripe bananas, mashed

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a 10cm X 23cm loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon & nutmeg into a bowl. Stir in the
sugar and coconut and make a well in the centre.
3. Whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk and butter, pour into the well
and stir until just combined. Fold in the mashed bananas.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1 ¼ hrs or until a
skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre.
5. Serve warm, cold or toasted, with your favorite spread (I've seen both
organic strawberry jam, Vegemite and butter used with great enjoyment)

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Softwares for Textile Design

CAD softwares are used in coloration & designing.Datacolor software provides the facility of transfering digital sketches through internet.Datacolor  using Imagemaster helps from designer to dyer.Pantone provides software for colour mixing/seperation..Hexachrome is a 6 colour process printing system..Photoshop are applied widely.Scotweave software enables the designer to create new designs & immediately the designer can see in the screen.CAD provides real stimulation of a weave done in looms.It helps to produce blankets for a coming season.

Ace Technologies Plaid Maker enables the designer to create woven fabric on weaves like Plain,Herringbone,Twill.Viable Systems software enables designer to create jacquard fabric designs.Monarch  Design Systems allows designers to generate colour prints,weaves ,it also has a stored library of different weaves from its database software.Surfacemagic & Weavemaker is versatile in designers knowledge on symmetry it provides information on harness,number of colours ,weave construction.It acts as a virtual dobby loom.SurfaceMagic helps the designer in surface images,jacquard designs.Weave Maker features automatic pattern generation,loom variations,repeats,prints,analysis of full fabric float correction,3Dimage viewer.Nedgraphics software provides texture mapping facility..Star Fabric Development Kit utilities of scanning & image.

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Textile Related to Earth: Geotextiles

As its name suggests Geotextiles refers to textiles related to earth or soil. When any permeable material used with rock, soil or earth it is termed as Geotextiles. The basic function of this technology is to prevent soil erosion to strengthening heavy concrete structures. This technology has not yet gained much attention in India, but is widely used in many countries for construction of bridges, roads, railway tracks to improve its strength. Many researchers have view that this technology is not newly developed but is in use from past thousands of years.

Formation of Geotextiles
Geotextiles can be formed of synthetic fibers, natural fibers or combination of the two. In past Geotextiles were made of natural plant fibers while today are usually formed of synthetic polymers such as polyester, polypropylene (PP), polyamides (PA) and polyamides (PA). Geotextiles made from natural fibers are less durable as they get decomposed with passage of time.

Choice of formation depends on the required properties and service life for which it is used. For example, natural fiber base Geotextiles is used for erosion control mats where durability is not a critical factor.

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The state of Textile Industries in Nigeria

The state of textile Industry and the wellbeing of over 3500 workers who lost their jobs due to the closure of the textile industries have continued to be an issue of concern among the government, stakeholders, and the masses. Over the years, this concern has been related to evolution of crude oil, unavailability of raw materials, infrastructural decay in situation of government interferences and lack of equipment upgrade. Resulting from this have lead to the closure of one hundred and fifty out of one hundred and seventy five textile industries in Nigeria leaving only 25 textile industries working on the mercy of nature.

In a bid to reverse the dwindling fortunes of Textile Industries, the Federal Government intervened with a stimulus package of N70billion to bailout the textile industries, aimed at ensuring the textile industries regain their past glories and continue to be relevant in the economy and development advancement of Nigeria through production of quality and globally competitive goods.

What are the states of textile industry in Nigeria now compared to what it is used to be?

The status of the textile industries now is incomparably to what it is used to be before the evolution of crude oil, the glories of the textile industries are no more. Despite the efforts of the Federal Government to revive the textile industries it looks like the Federal Government have only mocked the textile industries rather than coming to their rescue.

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World Textile And Apparel Trade And Production Trends: The Usa, Argentina

In Mexico the industry continued to struggle as US importers shifted orders to China and other low cost Asian countries. In the first half of 2009 alone, Mexican textile and clothing exports declined by 17.5% after falling by 6.2% in 2008.

SUMMARY
USA
Consumer demand
Retail market
Imports
Textile and clothing imports by product
Textile and clothing imports by supplying country
Production
Employment
Factory closures
Anti-dumping and countervailing duty actions
Exports
ARGENTINA
Textile and clothing exports: 2008
Textile and clothing exports by product
Textile and clothing imports: first quarter 2009
Textile and clothing exports by leading destination
Domestic textile and clothing retail sales
Textile production
Trade policy
Textile and clothing imports: 2008
BRAZIL
Textile and clothing exports: 2008
Textile and clothing exports by product
Textile and clothing exports by leading destination
Textile and clothing exports: January-July 2009
Textile and clothing production
Domestic textile and clothing retail sales
Employment
Textile and clothing imports
Textile and clothing imports by product
Textile and clothing imports by leading supplying country
Trade policy
COLOMBIA
Textile and clothing exports: 2008
Textile and clothing exports: first half of 2009
Textile and clothing exports by product
Textile and clothing exports by leading destination
Textile and clothing imports
Textile and clothing imports by leading supplier
Textile and clothing production
Trade policy

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World Textile And Apparel Trade And Production Trends

Textile and clothing output fell sharply in the EU in the first six months of 2009, and declined at double digit rates in almost all member states for which data are available.

The falls reflected declining export demand for EU-made goods as well as falling domestic sales as a result of the global economic crisis and recession in many countries. Total exports to countries outside the EU were 17.9% lower, with sales of textiles down by 20.4% and clothing by 14.9%. Within the EU, Italy was the largest textile exporter, followed closely by Germany. The largest destination for EU textile exports was the USA, followed by Tunisia and Turkey. Italy was also the biggest exporter of clothing, followed at some distance by Germany and France. The largest destination for

EU clothing exports was Switzerland, followed by Russia and the USA. Imports also fell significantly as EU consumer spending weakened, and retailers and distributors cut back on inventories. The fall also reflected weaker demand for raw materials as activity in the textile and clothing industry was curtailed. Total EU textile and clothing imports were down by 8.5% in value, reflecting a 12.7% fall in internal trade, although imports from outside the EU were down by only 3.5%. Of the total, textile imports from outside the EU fell in value by 18.2%. Clothing imports from outside the EU, on the other hand, rose in value by 2.3% but fell in volume by 7.7%, reflecting a rise in the average import price. The leading external supplier of textiles was China, followed by Turkey and India. In clothing, the leading supplier was China followed by Turkey, Bangladesh and India. Many suppliers increased their prices in order to maintain or raise their revenues in the face of falling order volumes. Only two of the EU's 20 leading clothing suppliers increased their deliveries in volume terms—namely India and the USA—but nine increased their value.

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Indian Textile Industry Facts

Indian Textile Industry Facts  prove that Indian textile industry is one of the oldest and the largest industries in India. Indian textile industry is growing at the rate of 20% each year and it is contributing 4% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In terms of employment textile industry in India is the second largest employer, only second to agriculture, employing more than 35 million people across the nation.

Indian Textile Industry Overview
Global textile industry stands at US$ 4,395 bn and the total global trade for textile and clothing is of US$ 360 bn. The Indian textile industry is expected to be at US$ 36 bn, which makes 27% of total foreign exchange earned by India. Out of this the export from textile is US$17 bn. The Indian textile industry at global level has many products as cotton yarn and fabrics, synthetic yarns, man-made yarn, man-made fabrics, wool and silk fabrics and variety of garments.

For the period of three decades after independence there has been seen considerable growth in the  Indian textile industry but the next decade has seen considerable growth. Moreover with the Economic Policy of 1991 and the Textile Policy of 1985, the liberalization of trade and economy came into existence that has given boost to the textile industry. So the growth in fourth and fifth decade is immense. Also India has the huge manufacturing base for the textile industry and immense production of raw material. In this Cotton textile is the base of Indian textile industry. Cotton's share in this industry is 60% whereas other man made fibers are at 25%.

Government of India is also taking initiatives for the growth of textile industry. Many new schemes and policies are coming into shape to uplift the textile sector. 50 new textile parks under the scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP), are expected to come that is proposed by the Ministry of textile and out of 50 textile parks 30 have already been sanctioned. Apart from this Technology Mission on Cotton (TMC), Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS), Setting up of Apparel Training and Design Centres (ATDCs), Revival plans of the mills run by National Textiles Corporation (NTC) etc has also been done by the Government. Achieving all these will surely change the face of Indian textile industry.

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Electronic Textiles

Definition of Electronic Textile by E-Textile Research Group
“Electronic textiles (e-textiles) are fabrics that have electronics and interconnections woven into them, with physical flexibility and size that cannot be achieved with existing electronic manufacturing techniques. Components and interconnections are intrinsic to the fabric and thus are less visible and not susceptible to becoming tangled together or snagged by the surroundings. An e-textile can be worn in everyday situations where currently available wearable computers would hinder the user. E-textiles can also more easily adapt to changes in the computational and sensing requirements of an application, a useful feature for power management and context awareness.”

Advancements in Electronic Textiles
Scientist have developed the wireless key board fabric called 'Eleck Tex' a form of e textile. This is the patented accomplishment of Eleksen. This electronic textile is just 0.6 mm thick and used in handheld PCs, personal digital assistants and smart phones. This cloth is light in weight, wearable and washable.

Another efficient e-textile has been developed by Virginia Tech (VT) researchers. This electronic textile can observe your movements that include walking, running, sitting or standing. The e-textile is called Hokie Suit and has the capability of detecting any change in the direction and speed of motion of a person as it has interwoven wires and sensors. To wash this fabric just remove the sensors and wash it with wires. The data collected by sensors can then be transferred to computers to monitor your health during movements.

Smart Fabrics and Interactive Textiles (SFIT) has a dedicated team and many projects related to smart fabrics. These include Biotex (Bio-Sensing Textiles to Support Health Management), PROETEX (Protection e-Textiles: MicroNanostructured fibre systems for Emergency-Disaster Wear), OFSETH (Optical Fibre Sensors Embedded into technical Textile for Healthcare). Under the OFSETH project the optical fibers are used that can use light both as carrier and sensor. By this the oxygen content of the blood can be measured. This smart fabric can be wore around the neck.

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The Textile Industry

The economic health of the country acts as a barometer when it comes to growth and investment of the textile industry. Prior to recession, India economy was throbbing, posting a robust growth rate of 9.4 percent p.a. The benefits of economic growth undoubtedly seeped its way down to the people of the country as evidenced by the rising per capita income of India.

The rise in the purchasing power of the middle class, thanks to booming IT-BPO sectors, triggered a huge demand for fashionable clothes which led to the emergence of some world class Indian designers launching latest designer apparels. The Indian middle class, at present, stands somewhere around 351 million.

Today, the textile sector contributes about 14 percent to industrial production, 4 percent to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and 16.63 percent to export earnings.

Therefore, one can easily assume that market size of India is growing at an accelerated pace. Little wonder, foreign investors are making a beeline for investment in India in an attempt to get hold of this expanding pie. With increasing demand for Indian textiles in the global markets, even new players are trying to cash in by jumping into the fray and even the existing mills are planning to raise their capacity so as to increase supply.

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Ginger Essential Oil

Recent years, as people increase their health awareness, increasing emphasis on the natural food ingredients and additives and health of sex, making it once again concerned about the ginger used as food and the medicine of food resources, and scientific means to study it in the health prevention, the efficacy of the treatment of chronic diseases. Moreover, with the food processing technology, the use of modern technology made of ginger essential oil of ginger extract and other deep-processed products, as high-quality, high-value trade goods more highly praised by the food industry, the rapid development in foreign countries, has gradually become one of the main raw material for food industry, and its application in China is just beginning.

Therefore, the strengthening of ginger essential oil deep processing of products such as research and development, can take advantage of the active ingredient in ginger, increase their value, to promote the flavor of food and related food processing industry towards the deep processing, the convenience, natural health direction, and international practice. Use of modern biochemical and pharmacological techniques found in the specific effect of ginger essential oil components, not only for the practice of traditional Chinese medicine treatment provides a theoretical basis, a more valuable traditional Chinese medicine opens the door to the world market. The use of ginger is given new content and meaning, and use of resources for the ginger to open up unlimited prospects.
Development and application of ginger essential oil products Xin Hong temperature ginger essential oil, sweet and strong, but also has some biological activity function, can be used as cosmetics, spices, food spices and herbs. Therefore, ginger essential oil products in food and cosmetics industry is very broad application prospects.

Taste of ginger essential oil in the field of food warm, spicy, with pleasant aroma, not spicy. The main area for food to drink, alcohol-free soft drinks, baked goods, special rum and ginger beer, ginger wine and other liquor flavoring, seasoning, is a natural food flavoring; is also commonly used tobacco flavor material.

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STRESS CAN AFFECT YOUR BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL

Everyone experiences stress in their lives - emotional, physical and occupational.

Day in and day out, life and our reactions to it cause physiological stress on our bodies. This stress not only triggers a spike in our sugar level, but also can result in more serious illness.

So how does stress cause an increase in blood sugar?

Stress results in overproduction of Cortisol, a hormone that counteracts the effect of insulin and results in elevated blood sugar. Cortisol is also known as our fight or flight hormone, this means the more stress we have the more Cortisol our body will produce which over time this will reduce the bodies sensitivity to insulin. Cortisol, as an insulin antagonist, makes it harder for glucose to enter the cells and, therefore raises blood sugar.

Consequently, stress can lead to chronic elevated sugar blood sugar. People with diabetes may be additionally stressed from trying to cope with the disease. Daily stress can interfere with the management of diabetes and make it difficult to control our blood sugar.

The good news is that the best way to relieve stress is to focus on bettering your health and well-being. When you experience improvement, especially blood sugar control, you're naturally going to feel better.

Below mentioned steps will help you keep your blood sugar in balance and bottom line will let you reduce your stress by taking control of you health. Studies have shown that by reducing stress you can lower your blood sugar.

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BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL-- MONITOR YOURSELF

Blood sugar refers to the level of glucose in the blood. It is transported through the bloodstreams and is the principal energy source for the cells in our bodies. In general, blood sugar level is affected by the following:

1. Stress

2. Activity level

3. Diet

4. Insulin in the body

Blood sugar concentration (also known as serum glucose level) usually varies for different people, but the normal or acceptable range is within 70 to 150 mg/dl. This varies or fluctuates throughout the day, with the lowest sugar level occurring usually in the morning (before the first meal) and rising after every meal.

The level of blood sugar in a person should be highly regulated. Failure to do so could lead to diseases, the most common of which is diabetes. Diabetes is a disease that is caused by either lack of or too much insulin in the body (insulin is a hormone that controls the glucose level in the blood). Other health problems that are related to diabetes, which are also considered fatal include the following:

Hypoglycemia - characterized by a very low drop in the blood sugar level. A person suffering from hypoglycemia may experience the following symptoms:

1. Sweating

2. Hunger

3. Anxiety

4. Exhaustion and weakness

5. Impaired mental functioning

6. Irritability

7. Loss of consciousness

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If you are diabetic it is important to know What are Sugar Spikes ?

When we eat food, the carbohydrates are digested into simple sugars and absorbed into your blood through your intestinal walls. In normal healthy people, blood sugar levels are kept within narrow limits by the antagonistic effects of insulin and glucagon.  When glucose levels rise, insulin is released which will work to lower the blood glucose levels back down to the normal range. This leads to an increase in blood sugar levels seen as a sugar spike.

In diabetics, these spikes are more serious since the endocrine system (hormonal system) of the body dealing with glucose regulation is faulty and blood sugar levels remain high, leading to a state of hyperglycemia.  When the blood contains elevated levels of sugars, it draws water out of the cells of the body by osmosis, causing an increase in blood volume, increased urine production and dehydration.  Left untreated, high sugar levels can be extremely dangerous.

There are many reasons for blood sugar spikes, it is important to know what cause spikes and how to prevent them. Usually everyone’s blood sugar levels spike after a meal. The point is that this spike is higher in diabetics than non-diabetics. Many diabetic patients have experienced sugar spikes after a coffee Usually this is an unexpected condition. But in general, coffee reacts in different ways to different people.

To reduce blood sugar spikes, diabetic patients need to choose their meal carefully. Certain vegetables and ingredients (and many more in your meal) may cause sugar spikes after meal and diabetic patients are advised to reduce the consumption of such.

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Balance Your Blood Sugar

If too much glucose is present in the blood stream it will be stored short-term in the liver, or stored as body fat to be used as a reserve. If not enough glucose is present in the blood stream you may feel tired and irritated, you could loose the ability to concentrate, and you will probably experience a headache and nausea. For your body to function in harmony with itself it is very important to keep your blood sugar in balance.

When glucose levels increase in the bloodstream, it is the pancreas's jog to produce and excrete insulin, which transfers it into the cells create energy. The function of insulin is to control sugar levels and prevent it from reaching dangerous levels in the blood. When the cells become over-saturated with fat due to diet or lack of insulin production, problems with your health can become apparent. The first condition that occurs is that the cells are not getting enough energy, and the blood becomes saturated with dangerous levels of glucose. This condition causes reduced energy levels a term known as insulin resistance, which could develop into Type II diabetes.

So now that we are aware that over abundance of sugar in the blood converts into fat, it is important to understand that refined carbohydrates and simple sugar consumption can lead to diabetes. Some substances that can raise blood sugar to unstable levels are stimulants such as coffee, tea, chocolate, cola drinks, smoking, concentrated sweeteners, and alcohol. Prolonged stress causes an increase of the production of adrenaline and cortisol, which can also raise blood glucose levels. It is important to try to avoid these substances and excessive stress to minimize the onset or development of diabetes.

The disease juvenile diabetes, or Type I diabetes, is caused by lack of insulin production, which allows too much glucose to be present in the bloodstream. This type of diabetes begins in children and is sometimes due to pancreatic injury or infection, there are other factors that could indicate a genetic predisposition. To prevent diabetes in children it is essential to provide a balanced diet, free of refined sugars, excessive carbohydrates and high fat content. Because juvenile onset diabetes is caused by lack of insulin production, the individuals affected must rely on insulin injected into the muscle to regulate blood sugar levels. Another option to avoid having to take daily insulin shots is to receive a pancreatic transplant.

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How to Date a Libra Male Sugar Daddy

Women who are looking for how to date a Libra male should always consider that what they may really be looking for is a way to date a financially balanced and secure male.

Learning How to Date a Libra Male Successfully
There in an entire world of available men out there who are financially secure and who happen to be a Libra. The reasons for this trend appear to be because a Libra can strike a perfect balance where they have little interest in money, but their social use of that money, in today's market where social networking is such a powerful business tool, results in many Libra men becoming extremely successful financially. Lucky for you, Libra is one of the most attractive signs, meaning that when you decide to learn how to date a Libra male, it's absolutely possible to find someone who's wealthy, attractive and kind.

Is Dating a Sugar Daddy a Possibility?
While you may not be aware of it, there's an entire culture filled with men and women who are seeking the mutually beneficial relationship of the sugar baby and sugar daddy lifestyle. Looking beyond the cute labels, this sort of relationship is one that a Libra prefers. Why? Because the wealthy Libra male seeks a lifestyle with balance, so when a Libra male is extremely financially successful, the natural desire is to find a woman who can care for all of his needs.

What a Relationship With a Male Libra Sugar Daddy is Like
While the labels imply a physical aspect to these relationships, the truth is that those needs that a Libra male naturally desires include emotional, household and companionship needs in a very big way. With the sugar baby and the sugar daddy not only accepting, but embracing those roles, it makes for a much more loving and emotionally satisfying relationship for both partners.  But this kind of relationship is especially satisfying for the female, because Libra men naturally prefer companionship in everything they do. This means that for the woman, this relationship involves all of the following.

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Natural Supplements for Women's Health: Blood Sugar

Tackling the Diet

Carbohydrates are important for your body, but eating too many of them in your diet can cause your blood sugar to have more drastic highs and lows. In addition, you'll find that more fat collects along your midriff and hips. By being selective in the types of carbs you ingest, you will still get what you need in your diet but without those blood sugar swings.

Just say no to processed foods. Basically white foods - anything with white flour and sugars - are converted more quickly to glucose in your body. This causes a spike in your blood sugar levels that lasts just a short time. Before you know it, your energy plummets and you feel lethargic because that "sugar rush" is gone. Then, in order to get that energy level back up, you eat more carbs and the cycle starts all over again.

By choosing carbohydrates that are found in whole grain foods, your body has to work harder to process them. What this means for you is that extreme high-low factor goes away and you are left with a more balanced blood sugar level and your energy level is more consistent. And because your body works harder to process these types of carbohydrates, you are expending calories, meaning less fat gets deposited in your mid-section.

Vitamins and Supplements

While taking care with your diet helps greatly, sometimes you just need an additional boost. This is where women supplements and vitamins for women come in. Business is booming with herbal supplements and special vitamin formulas. But which ones help with your blood sugar?

When your blood sugar levels fluctuate, it can be draining on your body and leave you feeling a bit sluggish. Taking supplements for women that contain chromium might give you a boost and alleviate some of that fatigue. If you have diabetes or might be prone to developing it, ginseng can also be beneficial. It has been known to boost metabolism and help control blood sugar.

If you are looking for vitamins or supplements you have to make sure you only buy high quality products. Always look for products from companies that only specialize in vitamins and supplements products for women. One of the companies that makes nutrients for women and specializes in supplements for women health is nutraOrigin.

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How and Why the No Flour, No Sugar Diet Works

To see how eliminating flour and sugar from your diet can dramatically reduce the number of calories you consume, let’s compare the caloric content of two breakfasts -- one with flour and sugar and one without. If you normally start your day with a bagel (about 250 calories) spread with a pat of butter (50 calories) and a tablespoon of strawberry jam (50 calories), and coffee with two teaspoons of sugar (30 calories), you’re eating about 380 calories. Simply switching to old-fashioned oatmeal (100 calories) with one cup of skim milk (90 calories), a medium apple (80 calories), and coffee with artificial sweetener (0 calories), will save you 110 calories. You will also have reduced your fat intake from 7.5 grams to 2 grams, increased your fiber from 1 gram to 7 grams, and added 400 milligrams of calcium. And that’s just breakfast.

As the above comparison clearly shows, eliminating flour and sugar from your diet is a simple way to rid your meals of many unnecessary calories. As an added bonus, you may find you’ll automatically reduce the amount of fat you eat. Without bread and jelly, for instance, what fun is high-fat peanut butter? No flour means no cheesy pizza, no pasta in cream sauce, and no buttery cookies. Eliminating sugar means no more fat-laden ice cream or cake with buttercream frosting.

One pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. In order to lose one pound in a week, you need to consume 500 fewer calories a day or burn 500 more a day -- or in a perfect world, a little of each. If you could make dietary changes such as those mentioned in the breakfast example above, cutting 110 calories from every meal you eat, you’d easily be more than half way there.

Avoid products containing any kind of flour, including wheat, rice, and corn flours, or refined or concentrated sugars (cane sugar, beet sugar, glucose, sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, maple syrup, honey, molasses, etc.). Whole grains and starchy vegetables, such as wheat berries, barley, brown rice, corn, and potatoes can add bulk to your meals. Satisfy your sweet tooth with fruit and products sweetened with fruit -- as long as they don’t contain added sugar. You can also enjoy sugar-free soda, chewing gum, and even many of the light ice creams now available that are sweetened with Splenda or other artificial sweeteners. Snack on raw vegetables and fresh fruit -- excellent low-calorie sources of important nutrients and fiber.

Cutting the unnecessary, or “empty,” calories of flour-based, sugary foods from your diet is a simple and relatively painless way to move toward your goal. Add an extra half hour of physical activity a day -- a brisk walk, a game of tennis, or a spin on the treadmill -- and you can expect easily to lose a pound a week until you reach your desired weight.

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3 Ways to Balance your Blood Sugar Level

There are many causes of low blood sugar, including stress, food allergies and nutritional deficiencies. However, here we are focusing on three ways in which we can all make changes to our habits to greatly reduce the likelihood of suffering low blood sugar – our intake of sugar, coffee and tobacco.

Sugar
Refined grains and refined white sugar are probably the most significant factors involved in hypoglycaemia. As well as the sugar we ourselves add to drinks and food, surprisingly large quantities of sugar are added to many processed foods and drinks, even savoury ready meals. Refined grains are stripped of their nutrients and only a few are replaced. E.g. up to 98% of chromium is lost and 78% of zinc. These two minerals are critical for blood glucose control. Refined grains are not only depleted of nutrients, but they use up your body stores of nutrients in the process of trying to deal with them.
Solution: Buy only natural ingredients and resist the temptation to add sugar to your food and drinks!

Coffee
Coffee can drastically lower your blood sugar level. Coffee stimulates the adrenal glands, which encourages the liver to breakdown its glycogen stores, and release it back into the bloodstream as glucose. The dependable quick fix of a cup of coffee with sugar is like a double ‘whammy’. The body is flooded with an immediate source of sugar into the bloodstream, while coffee adds to the total sugar load by acting through the adrenal glands and liver.
Solution: Try to cut back your coffee consumption, and gradually reduce the amount of sugar you take with it.

Tobacco
Studies have shown that nicotine rapidly increases blood sugar levels by as much as 36%, followed by a rapid drop shortly after the cigarette is put out. This sudden drop in blood sugar level after a cigarette helps to explain the addictive nature of nicotine and the craving for the next cigarette soon after. Although the mechanism is not clearly understood, smoking can cause a severe deficiency of vitamin C. This vitamin has many roles in the body and a deficiency is associated with many degenerative diseases.

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5 Quick Tips to Cut Excess Sugar Now

#1. Stay away from fizzy drinks
Diet sodas or diet cokes are just as bad for you as regular ones because they are loaded with sugar. They may contain zero calories, but the extra sugars will turn to fats if the body does not need it. Sugar makes you thirsty. Consuming more soda to quench the thirst only increases it. Soon your vital organs may scream at you because they need water.

# 2. Eat fresh fruits daily
Eating fresh fruits is better than the fruit juice to maintain the daily requirement of nutrients your body needs. Anything that you drink is absorbed faster than what you eat. Some fruit juices have extra sugar and calories. Try a negative calorie fruit like an apple or an orange. Fruit contains natural sugars that satisfy a sweet tooth without overdoing it. Eating a piece of fruit will fill you up and keep the hunger away longer than a glass of juice.

# 3. Start the day with wholegrain breakfast cereals.
Cereals make a quick and easy breakfast, but some contain high sugar content. Choose wholegrain cereals instead though it is not exactly appetizing. One also can find many instant varieties of oatmeal that are easy to cook. You just need bowl, a half cup of hot water, and a packet of oatmeal to make a hearty hot breakfast. Oatmeal offers more fiber and protein than cold cereals which provides a steady level of energy and fullness to combat hunger.

# 4. Choose low calorie snacks.
Some low calorie snacks can be enjoyed in moderation with the same satisfaction. The guide is anything that is more than 15g sugars per 100 gm is considered high in sugar. Watch out for food labels that have added sugars, such as sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, hydrolysed starch, corn syrup and honey. If you see these in the labels, you know that the product is likely to be high in added sugars.

# 5. Stay off free snacking
If you are working in an office, you know that there is always someone with a jar of biscuits or a dish of chocolate candies on their desk. Your colleagues may offer you donuts or other sweet treats bought while on holidays. Avoid the office fat trap. These extra sweets add to the bottom line literally. Having a good breakfast at home can help you to ward off the need for a donut in the morning. Instead keep your own jar of healthy snacks on your desk so there is no need to indulge elsewhere.

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You May Want to Lay Off the Sugar a Little

It's been a great contributor to some of the most debilitating diseases known to man. Diabetes, heart disorders of all types, adrenal disorders, allergy, endocrine disturbances, obesity, and brain chemistry disturbances.

Shall I go on?
To truly understand how evil that white crystal really is, you need to understand bio- chemically what happens when sugar enters the bloodstream.

For maximum efficiency of the whole body the amount of glucose in the body must balance with the amount of blood oxygen. Balancing blood sugar levels is probably the key factor in maintaining even energy levels and weight management.

When we ingest sugar the sucrose passes directly to the intestines where it becomes "predigested" glucose. This is in turn absorbed into the blood (where the glucose level has already been established in precise balance with oxygen).

This balance is suddenly destroyed. Hormones pour from the adrenals to deal with these rapidly rising levels. Insulin is rushed from the pancreas to bring down the glucose level of the blood.

Going too fast, it over shoots; the bottom drops out of the blood glucose level and a second crisis develops. Other adrenal hormones must be produced to regulate the reversing of the chemical direction and bring the blood glucose levels up again. In less precise term, you get a short high when your blood sugar levels rise and a grumpy, confused low when it all suddenly swings south - sound familiar?

Repeated onslaughts of this kind lead to disturbance in endocrine function leading to numerous pathological conditions that I touched on in the opening paragraph.

These periods of high blood sugar sets in motion a harmful process called glycation (the bonding of amino acids to sugar molecules). These abnormal proteins are then incorporated into the lens of the eye and the myelin sheath around the nerves.

The collagen of the skin, the tendons and membranes are all further damaged by these glycated proteins. Translation: You get very old before your time.

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How To Get Control Over Your Blood Sugar

If you are suffering from diabetes or probably know someone who has this ailment, you perfectly know that blood sugar is one main factor that needs to be considered while treating it. The level of blood sugar should be maintained properly so as to produce required amount of insulin by your body. Insulin is necessary to eliminate the excessive amount of sugar from the body, other wise the sugar will keep on storing in the form of fat cells in our body.

Diabetes is normally caused when insulin stops producing and working in the body. The process of not eliminating sugar and increasing fat cells is generally known as insulin resistance and thus pancreas lose its ability to form insulin naturally.

Though there may be several ways available for you to control the level of blood sugar, but the most important thing is to take suggestions from your doctor before implementing any type of diet or exercise into your daily life to control the blood sugar level.

One major beneficial approach to control blood sugar is to keep a check on the concentration of glycemic index present in the food you are consuming. These are responsible to raise the level of blood glucose as they come from carbohydrate rich diets. Whereas food with low GI level slower the increase of blood sugar than that of higher GI diets and is healthier option. Lower GI diets usually are less in fat and calorie, and are high in necessary healthy things like nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber.
With the help of correct diet and regular exercise, the level of glycemic can be considerably lower down by the people suffering from diabetes. They must consume a breakfast of cereals made of barley, bran or oats, whole-wheat bread, sour dough, stone-ground floor, amount of potato should be reduced, rice especially Basmati or Doongara and eating a lot of salads and vegetables with Vinaigrette dressing.

The important thing is to limit the consumption of sugar and fat in your food and also reduce the intake of saturated fat. Also the intake of alcohol, caffeine, and salt should be limited by the diabetic patient to keep a check on blood sugar level.

Doing regular exercise also keep a health check on diabetic people. It helps maintain healthy weight, blood sugar control and provide more energy to the people. Unfortunately, these simple and effective suggestions are not followed by many people who suffer from the problem of blood sugar or diabetes.

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Honey Vs Sugar

Both sweeteners contain glucose and fructose. However, for sugar, in the process of manufacturing, the organic acids, protein, nitrogen elements, enzymes and vitamins in the sugar cane are destroyed, whereas honey, a natural sweetener, subjects only to minimal heating. Also, honey has certain beneficial antioxidant and antimicrobial properties which are not present in table sugar.

Here are three honey nutrition facts that will make you feel good about eating honey:
One: One tablespoon of table sugar or sucrose contains 46 calories, while one tablespoon of natural sweetener honey has 64 calories. Though honey may have more calories, we actually need to use less of it since it is sweeter than table sugar. As a result, you may in fact consume even less amount of calories that you would with sugar. And in the long run even though honey is more expensive, it may be more economical than table sugar. I was taken aback when I first found out how much table sugar I was consuming when I take a can of coke -- 10 teaspoons, and a 50g chocolate bar -- 7 teaspoons!

Two: Compared to table sugar, honey has a healthier Glycemic Index (GI) which measures the negative impact of a given food on the blood-glucose level. The lower the GI rating, the slower the absorption and infusion of sugars into the bloodstream and hence a more gradual and healthier digestion process.

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Health Benefits of Green Tea Pills in Combination With Natural Anti-Aging Supplements

People have begun investing in green tea pills over the last few years because almost everyone realizes that there is much to be gained through the use of this powerful supplement. The health benefits of green tea supplementation are clearly recognized by the medical community. This powerful antioxidant addresses two of the five major causes of chronic illness, and aging.

Green tea pills alone however are not the answer to every physical problem that you may have. The truth is that you need more well rounded supplementation if you are going to be able to avoid nutritional deficiencies, and the health issues that come along with them. Poor nutrition leads to these deficiencies, and we can become deficient in some areas no matter how well we think that we eat.

As I stated a moment ago the health benefits of green tea only address two of the major causes of illness and aging. This leaves us with three more areas that we still need to address if we want to continue to maintain our health, which means that we have to make sure that we are taking in a wellspring of different nutrients. Focusing on just one won't do the trick.

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Green Tea Pills - Frequently Asked Questions

Do they Work?
Green tea pills do work. They provide a host of benefits which help a lot of bodily functions. Some of them include reducing cancerous cells in the body, helping in weight loss and improving the immune system of the body. There are many more health benefits of green tea which you can get from drinking green tea or by the pills also. Since this is a natural extract, these pills do no cause any harmful side effects also.

What Benefits Do They Provide?
There are a lot of health benefits of green tea. It helps prevent diabetes by regulating the amount of sugar present in the body. This is mainly due to the substance called EGCG contained in it. Not only does EGCG prevents cholesterol, it also inhibits insulin, which helps keep diabetes in check. EGCG is also a powerful antioxidant and kills cancer cells apart from preventing new ones from forming.

Another benefit of green tea is, it increases the rate of fat oxidation in the body while exercising. This means you can lose more weight with the same amount of exercise. Not to mention this is much safer than popping any of those dieting pills which can cause a number of side effects.

So Which One to Take?
While choosing green tea pills, one thing to keep in mind is that these natural supplements give exponential benefits when taken in conjunction with other supplements. For example, green tea works really well when taken along with ginger extract. Their combined benefits include improved joint mobility, reducing motion sickness and nausea and they are also helpful in heart conditions and digestive disorders.

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Mistakes People Make When Selecting Green Tea Capsules

1. They don't do proper research
I know it's easy to just buy the first product that you come across and be done with, but this will severely restrict the benefits of green tea extract that you can get from a quality product. There are differences in the composition of the product (containing only green tea, or combined with other complimenting supplements) and the delivery method of the capsule (simple capsule or with enteric coating). Do some research and find out the different options available, and then decide which product suits you best.

2. They focus on capsules containing only green tea extract
This is not a mistake, per se, but more of an oversight really. This is so because the way these natural supplements work is, if you combine them together, the health benefits would be much more than if taken in isolation. In our case, the benefits of green tea extract would be enhanced manifold if taken together with ginger extract and natural pine bark extract.

While by itself green tea provides protection from cancer, diabetes and stomach ailments, the combination of these three extracts also provides protection against heart diseases, allergies, asthma, and also improves the body's immune system.

3. They take capsules without Enteric coating
When you take a normal supplement capsule, it gets dissolved in the stomach itself. Most of its active ingredients are destroyed by the acid present in the stomach, and the full health benefits of the capsule cannot be gained as a result of it. An enteric coating on the capsule prevents it from getting dissolved in the stomach. It releases its active ingredients in the small intestine only where they do not suffer any damage and are absorbed fully by the body.

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Green Tea And Weight Loss - How To Extract The Most Benefits From This Powerful Diet Supplement

Before you worry about taking on complicated diet plans, killing yourself at the gym, or ordering a heap of expensive diet pills, take a look at green tea. Green tea is proven to help you lose weight in several key ways - And best of all, a one week supply of green tea costs only a few dollars.

The first way green tea helps you lose weight is metabolism. Metabolism can be a complicated word - but in a diet context it's simple. To keep your body warm, run cellular processes, and even digest food, your body needs to use energy. You body gets this energy from food calories. Thus, if you raise your metabolism, you will burn more than you're taking in, and lose weight. Green tea raises your metabolism by giving you a small, steady increase in energy. If your weight is steady, and you add a few cups of green tea per day, you absolutely will lose weight.

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Green Tea Weight Loss: The Connections

First stop: diet
Green tea weight loss will only work when specific biological conditions in the human bodyhave already been satisfied. Yes, we're talking about what people consume on a daily basis. While it is true that in the end, we may have consumed around 3 tons of food- but we have to make sure that what we actually ate was good for us.

Let's begin with meats. Meat is actually fine- as long as you avoid the bad kinds of meat. Red meat is bad- and so is deep fried chicken. It's oil and low density lipoproteins that we're against. If you want to consume large amounts of meat, make sure that you're consuming lean meat, like chicken breast. If you don't like the shift- find ways to make the meat taste better.

Second stop: exercise
Exercising is by no means simple- because there are just too many choices. Contrary to popular belief, you don't have to sweat it out for hours on end to lose weight. According to sports science, you can accomplish a thirty minute workout by splitting the exercises into five minute increments.

One has to be very flexible when it comes to these things, simply because a person will not simply achieve things through green tea weight loss. You can even use your creativity to steal time from work to exercise. For example, you can keep a jump rope in the trunk of your car, and you can skip a few during lunch times or during breaks. There's nothing wrong with wanting to improve your heart's condition, or your cholesterol level.

Third stop: lifestyle
A person's lifestyle affects greatly his capacity to exercise and to stick to a weight loss plan. Green tea weight loss can help only by increasing your metabolism to a certain degree- then it drops off. Green tea can also help burn off fat by introducing more oxygen into the picture. However, this "help" is miniscule in comparison to what a good weight loss plan can do. Like all health supplements, green tea would only be really helpful if the concentration of the active ingredient is fairly high in relation to your total body weight.

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3 Reasons Why Combining Green Tea With Acai Can Help You Live To Be 100!

The health benefits of green tea and acai berries are almost too numerous to mention. With that in mind, I have narrowed my list to the 3 components most responsible for potentially increasing longevity.

1) Mega Powerful Anti-Oxidants

Many scientists now support the free radical theory of aging and disease. Free radicals are unstable molecules that are created by oxidation. Sort of an eternal "rust".

Free radicals are present in our bodies naturally, however, toxic materials in our environment cause an increase in free radicals.

Green Tea and Acai berries contain polyphenols and anthocyanins, respectively. They are two of the most powerful free radical "scavengers" known to science. These "scavengers" have the ability to "seek out", and destroy free radicals.

Blueberries have long been established as the food source highest in anti-oxidants. The combination of green tea and acai berries provides 30X more anti-oxidant protection than blueberries!

2) Omega 3-6-9 Fatty Acids

Acai berries are a rich source of omega 3-6-9 fatty acids. This is the fatty acid profile that has been linked to the prevention of heart disease, stroke, even Alzheimers disease.

The anti inflammatory properties of omega fatty acids could be a factor in fighting arthritis.

3) Regulation Of Blood Sugar

Green tea has been used for years as a means of regulating bood glucose levels. This is important because our cells must burn sugars efficiently to operate properly. The catechins present in green tea also have been proven to increase metabolism and promote fat loss.

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The Major Benefits of Green Tea Antioxidants

Catechins which is a part of the four primary polyphenols has been shown in recent clinical tests to destroy free radicals which has far reaching effects for the body. If left, free radicals could damage the body at the cellular level which leaves the body susceptible to cancer, heart disease and degenerative diseases.

About the Green Tea Antioxidant
The ability to protect the brain and fight against diseases such as Alzheimers has also been found to be a benefit of green tea antioxidants. A recent study shows this to be true since high doses of green teas ingredient EGCG reduces the formation of beta-amyloid proteinsin the brain of mice that developed Alzheimers disease.

EGCG is a flavonoid type of antioxidants that is typically found in plants and has been connected with many health benefits, including protecting against cancer and heart disease. EGCG is an important antioxidant in green tea that is proven to be the most primary explanation for why green tea is beneficial to a persons health.

The polyphenols in green tea claim to also contain antioxidants that are more potent such as Vitamin C and E. EGCG is better at protecting the cells and genetic material, or DNA, from damage than Vitamin C by 100 times and Vitamin E by 25 times. The damage to cells and genetic materials has been linked to health problems such as cancer, heart disease and other potentially life threatening illnesses.

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Can Green Tea Affect Prostate Cancer?

Also in studies on the diet and cancer show that green tea when tested with mice with an aggressive form of cancer can decrease the spread or metastasis to the liver, bones and other body parts.

Some newer research reveals that green tea might help prevent the spread of prostate cancer. Specifically the phytochemicals found in green tea, called polyphenols attack the growth factors and protiens interupting the growth processes of tumors, resulting in preventing them from spreading to other organs of the body.

Now because earlier studies showed that the same natural plant substances may also help to prevent the start of prostate cancer itself, researchers indicated that more studies need to be done on green teas affect on fighting this common type of cancer. The best way to reduce your risk of prostate cancer still lies in eating a mostly vegetarian diet.
Phytochemicals in green tea seem to increase the number of enzymes that help convert carcinogens in the body to a dormant, or harmless forms. Numerous questions still remain about the amount and or frequency of green tea necessary to affect the formation of prostate cancer itself.

Black tea has also shown similar benefits and effects to green tea, although they appear to have somewhat lower levels of the beneficial substances than green tea has. Whatever the benefits of green tea, it would be a big mistake to rely on the teas alone for this prevention.
Other tests and studies suggest a variety of nutritional influences on prostate cancer risk. Vitamin E use may also offer some protection.

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Green Tea May Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

"To our knowledge, we provide the first evidence that EGCG consumed in the diet exerts potent antidiabetic activity in vivo in a dose-dependent manner," wrote lead author Swen Wolfram of DSM in the Journal of Nutrition.

The study looked at 37 male mice who were severely diabetic, and divided them into four groups. The rats were fed 2.5, 5 or 10 grams of EGCG per kilogram of diet, or a placebo, for seven weeks.

At the five-week mark, the researchers tested oral glucose tolerance and found that glucose levels reduced by 23, 35 and 48 percent in the 2.5-, 5- and 10-gram categories respectively. At six weeks into the study, the scientists tested insulin tolerance and blood samples were taken at the end of the test to analyze glucose, free fatty acids and triacylglyceride levels. All improved on a dose-dependent basis.

The researchers also studied the effects of 5 grams of EGCG per kilogram of diet over a 10-week period on mildly diabetic rats and found that glucose tolerance, blood glucose levels, and free fatty acid plasma concentrations all improved. Analysis of rat liver cells revealed that EGCG down-regulated the genes involved in gluconeogenesis and the synthesis of fatty acids, triacylglycerol and cholesterol.

"Our data suggest that supplementation with EGCG could potentially improve glucose tolerance in humans with type-2 diabetes mellitus," concluded the researchers. "This hypothesis should now be investigated in randomized placebo-controlled trials." Wolfram said that DSM intends to begin such trials soon.

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An Easy & Very Indulgent Dessert

Chocolate mousse recipes abound in all shapes and sizes, some are complicated, and some, like this one, are very easy to make. However, that doesn’t make it any less delicious. This one gets made frequently in our house, and doesn’t last long! I use a blend of white and milk chocolate because I feel that creates a perfect complement to the baileys, and the amaretti biscuits.

This is the sort of recipe that can be easily adapted with all sorts of different flavours, as long as you retain the same ratio of chocolate to cream, and don’t add too much of any ingredient that contains a lot of water, as this could affect the ability of the chocolate and cream to blend together smoothly. I’ve included some other varieties we frequently indulge ourselves in at the end of the recipe, which will hopefully spur you on to dream up your own concoctions.

HELPFUL HINTS: The trick with this recipe is to get the chocolate and cream to the right temperatures so that when they are blended together, the chocolate doesn’t “melt” the cream (which has all the lovely little air bubbles in it because of all the whisking you’ve been doing), and the cream doesn’t make the melted chocolate instantly solidify into little bits. For that reason, I’d suggest you get the cream out of the fridge about half an hour before starting, so that it can warm a little, and don’t forget to let the chocolate cool a little before adding it to the cream!

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Hot Chocolate Musing

Sierra Cacao High
Growing up in San Francisco's North Beach, I was no stranger to delicious Ghirardelli hot chocolate made from cocoa out of that orange tin. Yet as a new National Park Service seasonal In Yosemite Valley in the mid-80's, I went to a staff potluck and discovered my first drinking chocolate.
Our staff gathered at the home of our supervisor, Jeff Samco, which was located not far from the Visitor Center on the valley floor. Towards the end of the evening we gravitated towards the kitchen and found ourselves huddled around the stove. We all watched the pot of hot milk like eager children witnessing an ancient ritual, as Jeff slowly and patiently melted the solid chocolate into its dreamy, liquid state. It was quite the finale to wonderful meal together.

Even though the resulting drink was made with one of those big Hershey milk chocolate bars, all I know is that I experienced something special that evening. I had never seen a cup of hot chocolate made by hand from scratch. That night in Yosemite Valley, I guess you can say I experienced a "chocolate brain warp" at 3000 feet above sea level.

Jeff was way ahead of his time. Not only was he a confirmed foodie before the term was coined; he was making something similar to what Europeans have been enjoying for years. We're just now playing catch up on this side of the Atlantic.

Also while in the Sierra, I was introduced to one hot chocolate laced with peppermint schnapps and another with unsweetened coconut milk. Although a purist at heart, I surprisingly found these two drinks to be wonderful, especially on a cold winter's night. Add a cozy fireplace- and presto-you've just created a little piece of heaven on earth.

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Chocolate wrapper bars – deliciously cool!

There are some events in life that deserve a special touch. These are occasions that stand out in the patchwork of your memories and you want to do all you can to make them truly special.

A family get-together, a wedding, a birth or an anniversary celebration is one of the best bonding occasions for the entire family. You are surrounded by people you love and have grown up with. At such times, most hosts love handing out attractive tokens of appreciation and gratitude. For some, it is a gift, a prayer book or a small trinket. But for the smart few who want to make their gifts a source of pleasure, chocolate bars are the answer.

Everyone loves chocolates. So, all things chocolaty have the potential to become great party favors. You can hand out chocolate coins, chocolates in various shapes and chocolate lollipops. But none of these tokens are as popular as customized chocolate wrapper bars.

Whether you are hostinga bridal shower or a baby shower, a retirement party or a wedding celebration, chocolate wrapper bars can truly add to the sweetness of the occasion. Chocolate wrapper bars come in many designs and themes, which makes it easy to match them to the event. If a commonly available theme is not to your particular taste, you may even order personalized chocolate wrapper bars featuring your own messages and shapes.

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The Different Kinds Of Belgian Chocolate History

The chocolate industry first took off during the 1880's, supported by getting hold of the Belgian Congo that has aided an easy way in to Africa's cocoa grounds. The truth is that it is very hard to imagine that the Belgian Chocolates' history may be that far from being sweet.

There was an estimated 10 million Africans that passed away under the orders of Leopold II. Despite of the war that was happening, Belgians were able to maintain the cocoa importing connections. On the other hand, the Belgian contribution in the chocolate industry is the introduction of their chocolate product which is the praline. It was created and expanded by a Swiss family in Brussels, the Neuhaus family in 1912. The praline was the very first butter cream-filled bite sized chocolate. It was either filled with nuts or cream or coated with milk or milk chocolate or filled also with a very good quality of dark chocolate.

In the year 1912, chocolate started as a gift in Belgium. A Belgian chocolatier created the very first praline, a chocolate that absolutely complied to the gift career it was building. Not later on, a packaging called Ballotin was developed and patented for praline. At that moment the pralines in Ballotin were the most desired gift in every chance somebody has to give someone something as a present.

The Making
Chocolates start with the seeds of a cacao tree. A fruit bearing tree that has large football-shaped like pods, in which the seeds are contained. The cacao tree was first discovered in the United States but now can be grown in many countries near the Equator. These pods are gathered and the seeds are then dried in the sun. After drying, they undergo roasting. When the beans are roasted, they will now be crushed to produce cocoa powder, and then squeezed to get the cocoa butter.

When the powder is ready, it will be mixed with butter. Adding the milk powder and sugar creates chocolate. Each component of the mixture determines the color of the chocolate. Therefore creating different kinds of chocolate like black or the dark chocolate that can be made with up to seventy percent of cocoa in the mixture; milk chocolate containing more milk powder than the others, and of course the white chocolate that does not contain cocoa but cocoa butter only mixed with milk and sugar only.

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The Best Cocoa Bean Source

The Dominican Republic is more than just a beautiful country in the Caribbean region. Aside from its beautiful beaches, its breath-taking sunset, and panoramic views, Dominican Republic is currently one of the chief producers of organic cocoa in the world.

The country's move towards the organic market started as early as the 1980's. Ten years hence, the production expanded, providing them a key position in the world organic market.

The best cocoa beans in the country are grown in Cibao Valley, San Francisco de Macoris, and Santiago. Aside from cocoa, the Dominican Republic also exports banana, coffee beans, and other organic agricultural products.

The Dominican Republic produces two types of cocoa beans, the Hispaniola and the Sanchez variants. Sanchez accounts for as much as 96% of the country's production while Hispaniola is a mere 4%. This is because the Hispaniola cocoa bean variant requires more precision in its production process. Grown in more than 9 provinces, the Dominican Republic quality cocoa beans are grown in total of 125 hectares of rich soil with more than 500 farmers taking care of them.

Farming is one of the major sources of living in the country. As such, cacao trees are grown by both individual farmers and large corporations. Then they sell them on market premium prices. The cacao trees possess social relevance to the natives as they provide them with sustainable living.

The cocoa farmers in the Dominican Republic know how to cultivate, nourish, and take care of cacao trees because it is their main source of income. It is never a simple task to create quality products such as a Dominican Republic cocoa bean. Each process requires dedication, knowledge, and patience. It's a good thing that every cocoa farmer in the country possesses these qualities by nature. And that's one reason why their beans always have exceptional quality.

The Dominican Republic cocoa beans are considered as the chief raw ingredient of chocolates and hot cocoa drinks. As such, big name companies exporting branded chocolates and chocolate drinks all over the world trust only the cocoa produced, packed, and shipped from the country.

And the Dominican Republic has embarked on the organic market, bigger and better business potentials have opened up. Organic products are currently enjoying high demands in the today's marketplace. More and more people are getting concerned of the things they eat. And a good percentage of them would rather eat healthy organic foods rather than any other type.

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Chocolate Heaven

he people who sell chocolate are not merely happy - I think of Jacques Torres, always smiling – they also seem wildly passionate and can be deeply poetic, if not mystical. Chana Krausz-Papp, who left selling wine to become the U.S. rep for Amadei chocolates, is no exception. Amadei is Tuscan chocolate, the most expensive chocolate in the world, she claims. It’s made in an area of Tuscany known as Chocolate Valley, near Pontedera. How often have I been to Tuscany? How many summers have we spent in Pietrasanta on the Tuscan seashore? No one ever mentioned Pontedera. No one ever spoke of Amadei.

Now I learn it is favored by the fussy patissier Pierre Hermé (over the snootiest French chocolate), the visionary Ferran Adria (surely there must be Spanish chocolate), Heston Blumenthal at Fat Duck (the English are notoriously chauvinistic about their chocolate too), and President Sarkozy, who mentioned it among his favorite Italian products. Closer to home, Per Se, Nobu, Fiamma, Daniel and Lever House are fans. Le Bernardin patissier Michael Liaskonis writes about it on his blog. And at Del Posto, they serve the chocolate in bar form, paring it with aged rums.

The Amadei story is romantic and dramatic. Brother and sister Cecilia and Alessio Tessieri, born into a family confectionary business, teethed on making pralines (what I call bon bons, or filled chocolates) and ultimately began producing their own chocolates from the bean itself. She trained to become one of the few women maitre chocolatiers in the world. He scours the globe in search of the best cacao beans, the best plantations in Central and South America and Madagascar, tying up an exclusive for Chuao cocoa from Venezuela.

In her enormous tote, Chana always has a stash of Amadei’s small 5 gram squares in assorted flavors, single origin crus, and of varying cacao pow, that she passes around after dinner. Hmmmm…Venezuela cru hits the spot after too much pizza, I promise you.

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Dark Chocolate - the New Health Food

In case you haven’t heard - dark chocolates have grown in demand recently due to studies showing the incredible health benefits of chocolate consumption as well as the fact that it is a lower fat chocolate!  More and more people are now including dark chocolates in their diet. So in addition to the fact that eating chocolates can give you feelings of relaxation and a natural high, dark chocolates can actually promote good health. What is it that makes dark chocolate a healthy choice? The answer lies in the ingredients of dark chocolates which include more cacao, less sugar and no milk additives. These ingredients are the reason why the expression “plain chocolate” is frequently used to refer to talk about dark chocolates. With all these health benefits attributed to dark chocolates, is there a catch that you need to be aware of?

The latest studies show that eating 1.6-ounce of dark chocolate daily have several health benefits. In fact it may begin to replace eating apples as a way to avoid getting sick! The results show that the flavonoids content of dark chocolates can lower the risks of heart diseases because it promotes blood clotting.  That in turn helps increase the blood flow through the heart. Secondly, dark chocolates can help in lower blood pressure and cholesterol.  It gives you feelings of greater relaxation and acts as natural anti-depressant.  Other benefits include: enhanced digestion and appetite, reduction in potential cancers, higher levels of antioxidants in the body, lessening in the decline of brain activity due to age, and potential aid in the treatment of anemia and kidney stones, among several other ailments.

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What is the Most Expensive Chocolate?

There's a huge variety of chocolate in the world, from the humble Hershey's bar to high end, exotic chocolaty delights made by experienced chocolatiers. To many people, the colorfully wrapped chocolate bars you see in most stores aren't worth bothering with - they have a low cocoa content, and sometimes they aren't even legally called chocolate. That's what's going on if you see a candy bar described as a "chocolate confection" or covered in a "chocolatey coating". There's chocolate in there, but not much. Who really wants chocolate that is not chocolate? Not me that is for sure.

For those who believe that life's too short to eat cheap chocolate, there's a wide variety of high end products available. Unlike ordinary candy, they don't use inexpensive ingredients made for maximum shelf life. They're going for taste and quality, and using the best ingredients they can find.
However, that results in a very expensive product. High end chocolate can go for more than seventy-five dollars a pound - in some cases a lot more. Here are the most expensive chocolates the world has to offer. If you have the money you will not be sorry for treating yourself to real chocolate like these.

Chocopologie - Made by Knipschildy Chocolatier, founded in 1999, this incredibly expensive chocolate costs around two thousand, six hundred dollars per pound. A single dark chocolate truffle costs two hundred fifty dollars, and has a real black French truffle - the mushroom - inside.
They're available only be pre-order, and are made entirely of Valrhona cacao - seventy percent per bar. This is blended into a ganache using real truffle oil, then the truffle itself is hand rolled, with the dark French truffle inside, and dusted with high quality cocoa powder.

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Human Foods You Should Never Feed Your Pet

Chocolates, Coffee and Caffeine
Cacao seeds contain a substance called methylxanthines which, when ingested by pets, can cause diarrhea, vomiting, panting, urination, excessive thirst, tremors, abnormal heart rhythm, hyperactivity, seizures, and even death.   Thus, you should never feed your pet any product that contains cacao or caffeine as a major ingredient including chocolates, coffee, and coca sodas.  Take note that dark chocolates contain more cacao than milk chocolate and that white chocolate has the lowest level of methylxanthines.  Baking chocolate has the highest level of methylxanthines.

Avocado
Avocado fruit, including its leaves, seeds and bark contain Persin, an ingredient that can cause diarrhea and vomiting in dogs. Rodents and birds are also very sensitive to avocado poisoning, the ingestion of which can cause difficulty of breathing, congestion, and fluid accumulation around the heart.  In some cases, avocado poisoning may be fatal to these pets.

Macadamia Nuts
Macadamia nuts, while delicious for humans especially when used in candies and cookies, can be very dangerous for dogs. Macadamia nuts have been known to cause vomiting, tremors, weakness, hyperthermia, and depression in dogs.  The symptoms can appear within 12 hours of eating macadamia nuts and can last for as long as 12 to 48 hours.     
Raisins, Prunes and Grapes

Raisins, prunes, grapes and other similar fruits have known to cause kidney failure in animals, especially those with certain health problems. However, the toxic substances in these fruits are unknown.   

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Quality Chocolate

Chocolate is made from cocoa pods grown on the Theobroma cacao tree, a small evergreen native to the tropical regions of South America. It was so highly prized it was called ? God?s food? The secret to the best quality chocolate is in its amount of cocoa solids (a mixture of cocoa mass and cocoa butter).

The cocoa bean develops its aroma during fermentation and gives the beans their familiar chocolate taste. The fruit pulp containing the cocoa beans is poured into a fermenting tub or placed between banana leaves. Fermentation begins at 100 -120°F.

After harvesting the cacao pods (which contain the cacao beans) the pods are crushed and left to ferment and dry for about six days. Then the beans are removed from the pods and left to further dry. Quality chocolate demands this slow drying process.

Some chocolate manufacturers prefer to buy beans; others opt for chocolate mass. The beans are heated to 70 C and pressed to extract the cocoa butter (48-51 percent), which is clarified, becoming yellow and clear. At this stage, lecithin is added to make the mass malleable.

After blending, the cocoa beans are roasted. It is the process of roasting the cocoa beans that brings out the chocolate flavor and aroma (I can tell you from personal experience that this process also produces one of the most lovely aromas my nose has ever smelled).

Next the cocoa beans are shelled, and the pieces of seeds (called nibs) are then ground until a chocolate liquor is produced. Extra cocoa butter is then added (when producing cocoa or sweet ground chocolate it is removed). he extra cocoa butter increases the delicacy of the chocolate, and is largely responsible for its flavor.

First you will discover the differences in colour as different beans produce finished chocolate with varying colours from rich reds and coppers to dark browns. This is not a sign of quality and a common myth that the darker chocolate is somehow a better chocolate is certainly not the case.

A premuim quality 62% cocoa chocolate is crafted from the finest Ghanaian cocoa beans to produce a medium bittersweet chocolate. The largest suppliers are African countries, although the best (Criollo) cocoa beans originate in Ecuador. Forastero beans are flat and mostly used for chocolate drinks, violet-coloured Amelonado is bitter and of superior taste.

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