Onions are Beneficial for Your Health

What would life be like without onions? The onion has been used as an ingredient in various dishes for thousands of years by many cultures around the world. World onion production is steadily increasing so that onion is now the second most important horticultural crop after tomatoes.

There are many different varieties of onion, red, yellow, white, and green, each with their own unique flavor, from very strong to mildly sweet. Onions can be eaten raw, cooked, fried, dried or roasted. They are commonly used to flavor dips, salads, soups, spreads, stir-fry and other dishes.

Onions (Allium cepa) belong to the lily family, the same family as garlic, leeks, chives, scallions and shallots.There are over 600 species of Allium, distributed all over Europe, North America, Northern Africa and Asia. The plants can be used as ornamentals, vegetables, spices, or as medicine. There are over 120 different documented uses of the Alliums.

Onion and other Allium vegetables are characterized by their rich content of thiosulfinates, sulfides, sulfoxides, and other odoriferous sulfur compounds. The cysteine sulfoxides are primarily responsible for the onion flavor and produce the eye-irritating compounds that induce lacrimation. The thiosulfinates exhibit antimicrobial properties. Onion is effective against many bacteria including Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella, and E. coli. Onion is not as potent as garlic since the sulfur compounds in onion are only about one-quarter the level found in garlic.

The Value of Onions

Onions have a variety of medicinal effects. Early American settlers used wild onions to treat colds, coughs, and asthma, and to repel insects. In Chinese medicine, onions have been used to treat angina, coughs, bacterial infections, and breathing problems.

The World Health Organization (WHO) supports the use of onions for the treatment of poor appetite and to prevent atherosclerosis. In addition, onion extracts are recognized by WHO for providing relief in the treatment of coughs and colds, asthma and bronchitis. Onions are known to decrease bronchial spasms. An onion extract was found to decrease allergy-induced bronchial constriction in asthma patients.

Onions are a very rich source of fructo-oligosaccharides. These oligomers stimulate the growth of healthy bifidobacteria and suppress the growth of potentially harmful bacteria in the colon. In addition, they can reduce the risk of tumors developing in the colon.

Cardiovascular Help

Onions contain a number of sulfides similar to those found in garlic which may lower blood lipids and blood pressure. In India, communities that never consumed onions or garlic had blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels substantially higher, and blood clotting times shorter, than the communities that ate liberal amounts of garlic and onions. Onions are a rich source of flavonoids, substances known to provide protection against cardiovascular disease. Onions are also natural anticlotting agents since they possess substances with fibrinolytic activity and can suppress platelet-clumping. The anticlotting effect of onions closely correlates with their sulfur content.

Cancer Prevention

Onion extracts, rich in a variety of sulfides, provide some protection against tumor growth. In central Georgia where Vidalia onions are grown, mortality rates from stomach cancer are about one-half the average level for the United States. Studies in Greece have shown a high consumption of onions, garlic and other allium herbs to be protective against stomach cancer.

Chinese with the highest intake of onions, garlic, and other Allium vegetables have a risk of stomach cancer 40 percent less than those with the lowest intake. Elderly Dutch men and women with the highest onion consumption (at least one-half onion/day) had one-half the level of stomach cancer compared with those consuming no onions at all.

Western Yellow, New York Bold, and Northern Red onions have the richest concentration of flavonoids and phenolics, providing them with the greatest antioxidant and anti-proliferative activity of 10 onions tested. The mild-tasting Western White and Vidalia onions had the lowest antioxidant content and lowest anti-proliferative activity. The consumer trend to increasingly purchase the less pungent, milder onion varieties may not be the best, since the onions with a stronger flavor and higher astringency appear to have superior health-promoting properties.

Use and Safety

Onions have a universal appeal. They are safely consumed by most people. However, consuming large quantities of onions can lead to stomach distress and gastrointestinal irritation that may result in nausea and diarrhea. There are no known interactions with drugs except that they can potentiate the action of anticoagulants.

Conclusion

Onions, and other Allium species, are highly valued herbs possessing culinary and medicinal value. Some of their beneficial properties are seen after long-term usage. Onion may be a useful herb for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, especially since they diminish the risk of blood clots. Onion also protects against stomach and other cancers, as well as protecting against certain infections. Onion can improve lung function, especially in asthmatics. The more pungent varieties of onion appear to possess the greatest concentration of health-promoting phytochemicals.

Author: Winston Craig, MPH, PhD, RD.

Source: http://www.vegetarian-nutrition.info/

What is Pepperoni Made From?

Pepperoni is a cured-sausage product that became popular in the United States even before the establishment of the nation’s leading producer of pepperoni, Hormel Foods, in 1891. The origins of pepperoni are in Italy, but the name “pepperoni” does not refer to the same food in Italian as it does in English.

Ingredients

Pepperoni typically is made from a combination of pork and beef trim, spices and cultures. Pork and beef pieces might be blended with salt, paprika, white pepper, cayenne pepper, anise seed and allspice. Cured sausages may also be made from a combination of other meats, including turkey and chicken. Meat, spices and preservatives are combined through grinding, chopping and mixing. Another option is to inject spices and preservatives in a water solution into the meat that will be cured.

Hormel Pepperoni

Established in 1891 by George A. Hormel in Austin, Minnesota, Hormel Foods produces the nation’s top-selling pepperoni. Hormel produces a variety of pepperoni products for direct consumption and for inclusion in other products, such as calzones, pizzas, sandwiches and salads. According to Hormel, its pepperoni sausage is “medium-chopped and seasoned with red pepper and fine spices.”

Curing Pepperoni

Pepperoni is a cured sausage that is not actually cooked. Sodium nitrite is most often used to cure meat because it “greatly delays development of botulinal toxin (botulism), develops cured meat flavor and color, [and] retards development of rancidity and off-odors and off-flavors during storage.” Table salt and other spices are also used in curing meat.

Fermenting and Drying Pepperoni

After the meat mixture is cured, the meat is also fermented and dried to reduce the moisture inside the mixture, making it more difficult for bacteria to grow and spoil the meat. Fermentation involves converting carbohydrates in meat into alcohols or acids. In pepperoni production, fermentation offers another way to protect against bacterial growth. In the final step, the pepperoni is dried.

Meat Safety and Regulation

Curing pork is safe when proper safety standards are followed, according to the American Meat Science Association (AMSA). In the U.S., meat packers and processors follow the standards of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for curing meat.

Roots in Ancient Italy

The history of the pepperoni dates to ancient Roman times. The Roman civilization was notably the first society to regulate pork production, and they cured pork products into useful forms of salami and sausage because they couldn’t refrigerate meat. Pepperoni lovers would have to ask for a spicy salami in Italy to come close to the taste of American pepperoni.

Read more: What Is Pepperoni Made From? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5084243_pepperoni-made.html#ixzz178teGKlH

 

Origin and Evolution of Toys for Tots

 

Toys for tots Began in 1947, when Major Bill Hendricks, USCR and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The idea came form Bill’s wife, Diane. In the fall of 1947, Diane crafted a homemade doll and asked Bill to deliver the doll to an organization, which would give it to a needy child at Christmas. When Bill determined that no agency existed, Diane told Bill that he should start one. He did. The 1947 pilot project was so successful that the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots in 1948 and expanded it into a nationwide campaign. That year, Marine Corps Reserve units across the nation conducted Toys for Tots campaigns in each community in which a Marine Reserve Center was located. Marines have conducted successful nationwide campaigns at Christmas each year since 1948. The initial objective that remains the hallmark of the program today is to “bring the joy of Christmas to America’s needy children”. Bill Hendricks, a Marine Reservist on weekends, was in civilian life, the Director of Public Relations for Warner Brothers Studio. This enabled him to convince a vast array of celebrities to support Toys for Tots. In 1948, Walt Disney designed the Toys for Tots logo, which we use today. Disney also designed the first Toys for Tots poster used to promote the nationwide program. Nat “King” Cole, Peggy Lee and Vic Damone recorded the Toys for Tots theme composed by Sammy Fain and Paul Webster in 1956. Bob Hope, John Wayne, Doris Day, Lorrie Morgan, Tim Allen, Kenny Rogers and Billy Ray Cyrus are but a few of the long list of celebrities who have given their time and talent to promote Toys for Tots. First Lady Nancy Reagan served as the national Spokesperson in 1983. First Lady Barbara Bush served as the national Spokesperson in 1992 and in her autobiography named Toys for Tots as one of her favorite charities.

From 1947 through 1979, Marines collected and distributed new and used toys. On Reserve drill weekends during October, November and December, Reserve Marines refurbished the used toys.

From Christmas 1980 through the present, Marines have collected and distributed only new toys. Three factors dictated this change. First, the Secretary of Defense’s Total Force Program, introduced in the 1970’s, assigned Reserves a greater role in America’s defense posture. As a consequence, Reservists had to dedicate every minute of weekend drill time to honing and polishing combat skills. No time was available to refurbish toys. Second, public awareness of the health and safety aspects of toys that developed during the ‘70s made distribution of used toys legally inadvisable. Third, distributing “hand me down” toys does not send the message Marines want to send to needy children. The goal is to deliver a message of hope, which will assist in building self-esteem and, in turn, motivate less fortunate children to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens and community leaders. A shiny new toy is the best means of accomplishing this goal.

In the late 1980s, the Marine Corps determined that a non-profit charity was needed as an integral part of the overall national Toys for Tots program. Based on this need, the Secretary of Defense, in August 1991, authorized the Marine Corps to recognize and work with a charity committed to supporting Toys for Tots. Based on this approval, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation became an operational organization in September 1991 and has been the fundraising and support organization for the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program since that date.

The Foundation was able to satisfy the five needs identified by the Marine Corps. First, the Foundation could provide toys to supplement the collections of local units that had fewer Marines due to military cutbacks of the ‘80s and ‘90s. Second, the Foundation could arrange and pay for the creation, publication, manufacture and distribution of promotion and support materials to Toys for Tots Coordinators. Third, the Foundation could enable individual and corporate donors to Toys for Tots to take a charitable deduction on their income tax returns. Fourth, the Foundation could enter into contracts with corporations to conduct promotions, which would produce royalties for Toys for Tots. (Needs three and four were two important elements of this charitable endeavor that the Marine Corps, as a federal agency, could not fulfill). Fifth, the Foundation could ensure that the Toys for Tots program operates in compliance with IRS regulations, state laws and regulations and charitable standards.

In 1995, the Secretary of Defense approved Toys for Tots as an official activity of the U. S. Marine Corps and an official mission of the Marine Corps Reserve.

In 1996, the Commander, Marine Forces Reserve expanded Toys for Tots to cover all 50 states by authorizing selected Marine Corps League Detachments and selected local community organizations (generally veteran Marine), located in communities without a Marine Reserve Center, to conduct toy collection and distribution campaigns in their communities as part of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program.

In 1999, the Commander, Marine Forces Reserve delegated authority to the President, Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to approve and manage local Toys for Tots campaigns conducted in communities without a Reserve Unit.

2001: Despite the trauma the nation experienced as a result of the September 11th attacks in New York City, Washington, DC and Pennsylvania, the economic downturn and the anthrax scare, the 2001 U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Campaign was the second best in the previous 554 year history of the program. Local campaigns were conducted in 388 communities covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. This was the most extensive coverage to date.

The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation celebrated its 10th anniversary as the fundraising and support organization for Toys for Tots in 2001. The highlights of the year were that the Foundation had its most successful campaign to date plus was ranked #289 in the 2001 “ Philanthropy 400”. This was the first time the Foundation earned a ranking in the “Philanthropy 400”.

In 2002, Charity Navigator awarded the Foundation a 4-star rating and the Chronicle of Philanthropy ranked the Foundation #267 in the “Philanthropy 400”.

In 2003, the DMA Nonprofit Federation named the Foundation the “Outstanding Nonprofit Organization of the Year” for 2003. The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranked the Foundation #341 in the “Philanthropy 400”. Starburst ranked the Foundation website #9 of the “Top 100 Toy Websites”. Reader’s Digest, in the November 2003 edition, named Marine Toys for Tots Foundation “America’s Best Children’s Charity”. In December 2003 edition, Forbes included Marine Toys for Tots Foundation in its “Gold Star List” of charities.

From 2004 to the present the Foundation has continued to receive, on an annual basis, the accolades noted above.

Over the 62 years of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, Marines have distributed more than 400 million toys to more than 188 million needy children. This charitable endeavor has made U. S. Marines the unchallenged leader in looking after less fortunate children at Christmas. Over its 18 year life span, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation has supplemented local toy collections with more than 81.3 million toys valued at more than $487 million; plus has provided promotion and support materials valued at over $6.3 million.

For more information or to see how you can make a donation. Please visit Toys for Tots.

Source: ToysForTots.org

Who Actually Invented the Pizza?

Pizza is a baked pie of Italian origin consisting of a shallow bread-like crust covered with seasoned tomato sauce, cheese, and often other toppings such as sausage or olive. The word pizza is believed to be from an Old Italian word meaning “a point,” which in turn became the Italian word “pizzicare,” which means “to pinch” or “pluck.”

The pizza could have been invented by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, Romans, or anyone who learned the secret of mixing flour with water and heating it on a hot stone.

In one of its many forms, pizza has been a basic part of the Italian diet since the Stone Age. This earliest form of pizza was a crude bread that was baked beneath the stones of the fire. After cooking, it was seasoned with a variety of different toppings and used instead of plates and utensils to sop up broth or gravies. It is said that the idea of using bread as a plate came from the Greeks who ate flat round bread (plankuntos) baked with an assortment of toppings. It was eaten by the working man and his family because it was a thrifty and convenient food.

Click here to read more and follow the development of pizza through time.

Many people look forward to this particular holiday simply because the majority, if not all, of their family members will be together for the first time this year.

It is a time of happiness and catching up on the lives of the others. This is a true Thanksgiving tradition that never goes out of style.

The Thanksgiving holiday means different things to people who celebrate it. As it usually provides a four day weekend, for a lot of people it is a holiday that is highly anticipated as a small vacation from work or school. This has thrilled children for years to know that they not only get a huge meal with all the family members but they also get four days of cartoons, sleeping late, and playing. So it is easy to see why the children enjoy this special holiday.

For many older people, this is a holiday of simply being grateful and giving thanks for what they have received during the year. This is the true meaning of Thanksgiving especially when the current year has been so much better than ones past. When everyone is gathered around the table for the holiday meal, they may each be asked to share what they are most thankful for that year. This is actually a tradition in many families that is repeated each year.

This site is dedicated to bringing you ideas old and new to make this thanksgiving the best one ever. From food to games, cooking tips to holiday activities, and sports to gifts, Thanksgiving 2010 aims to make this year special.

The Health Benefits of Pizza

In the past it was commonly believed that pizza was not really a healthy food. Part of the reason for this is that it was put in the same group as other fast foods, such as hamburgers and fries. This is a major misconception, as pizza can actually be a highly nutritional meal.

One of the main ingredients of pizza is the tomato, which contains lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Lycopene is known to help fight many different types of cancer. Studies have shown that people who eat pizza at least once a week were much less likely to develop colon and mouth cancer as well as stomach and lung cancer. It is known to be especially helpful in fighting prostate cancer. Studies have shown that eating pizza can lower your chance of developing esophageal cancer by nearly 59%.

It is the tomato that is the main cancer-fighting ingredient of pizza. Incredibly, studies have also shown that processed tomatoes such as those found in pizza or spaghetti sauce are actually higher in lycopene than fresh tomatoes. The reason for this is that during the process of cooking and processing the tomatoes, the water content evaporates leaving a higher concentration of the antioxidant.

Tomato sauce is extremely healthy, and for this reason so is pizza, but there are additional pizza toppings that can also enhance your health. Onions are rich in chromium, vitamin C, and fiber. They help to lower your blood sugar, cholesterol as well as blood pressure. Black olives are another great addition to pizza. Olives contain ingredients that help ward off heart disease and lower your cholesterol. The red pepper is a great pizza topping. They are sweet and tasty as well as full of Vitamin C, A, and B6.

Another health benefit of pizza is the dough. In actuality, pizza dough is another ingredient of pizza that is high in antioxidants, and through certain baking techniques the antioxidants in the dough can actually be increased.

Adding even more health benefits to pizza is simple. A vegetable pizza with just a little cheese is a very healthy food. You get the great taste and health benefits of pizza without all the extra fat and cholesterol normally associated with meats and cheese. If you are a meat fanatic and just can’t handle your pizza without meat, you can always add some grilled chicken to your vegetable pizza. Chicken offers many health benefits that other meats don’t, and it tastes great.

With the many health benefits of pizza, it can no longer be viewed in the same light as other fast foods.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jessica_Ackerman

Please help Johnny’s raise money for ALS!

Our dear friend and franchisee owner Scott Cole was diagnosed with ALS this past December. Scott has been part of the Johnny’s Pizza family for 10+ years. Scott and his partner own the Acworth, Dallas Hwy and Kennesaw/Barrett Pkwy Johnny’s Pizza in Georgia. We want to show our support for him as a company. We are walking to raise money for global research, assist people with ALS, fund multidisciplinary certified clinical care centers, and foster government partnerships. Please help support team “Stroll for Cole” in the “Walk to Defeat ALS” on November 6, 2010. The walk will be held at Centennial Olympic Park downtown Atlanta.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive, fatal, neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. As nerve cells are destroyed, the brain’s ability to initiate and control voluntary muscle movement is lost.

Early symptoms of ALS include muscle weakness, impaired speech, and difficulty swallowing or breathing. In the later stages of the disease, an ALS patient may become paralyzed and lose the ability to walk, speak, swallow and eventually breathe. However, the mental capacity of the majority of those with ALS remains unaffected.

Life expectancy is typically 2-5 years from the time of diagnosis. No one knows what causes ALS, and there is no cure.

Please help support ALS, Scott Cole, his family and all those who are battling ALS. For more info visit the ALS Association of Georgia.