Sunday, March 10, 2019

Here are some dangerous food types that could raise chances of cancer in the human body




Several types of foods that we consume on a regular basis can be carcinogenic. From excessive sugar and alcohol to consumption of processed foods, cut out these harmful items from your plate:

Processed foods


Scientists in France recently zeroed in on a troubling link: people who eat more ultra-processed foods, including items like chips, candy, soda, frozen dinners and instant ramen, develop more cancer than those who cook with raw ingredients at home. So food that comes pre-packaged in plastic wrap or on a microwaveable tray should be eaten only sparingly.

Red meat

All red meat has a protein that can damage our intestines, making it easier to get colon cancer. Red meat isn’t officially listed as a cancercauser, but it’s got a compound called ‘haem’ or heme protein, which is what makes it red. Unfortunately, haem can also damage our intestinal lining. Processed meats like sausage, bacon, and hot dogs can up a person’s cancer risk, especially if they’re eaten on a regular basis.

Eating large quantities of meat that has been salted, cured, or smoked, can cause stomach and bowel cancers. That is largely because processed meats are treated with nitrates: chemical additions that help keep the colour of the meat pink and the flavour tasty and salty. The same can even be true of so-called ‘nitrate free’ varieties of processed meat.

Food from plastic containers

Any foods kept in plastic, especially plastic that’s been microwaved or run through the dishwasher, can be contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals. Phthalates are chemicals that make plastics more f lexible and durable, but some are endocrine disruptors that mess with the way our hormones work and can cause cancer.

Sugars

Consuming too many sweet drinks and sugary snacks doesn’t just up your odds of developing diabetes, it can also mess with the way our intestinal cells work, making cancer more likely.

The risks of eating too much sugar doesn’t end when cancer begins — recent research has suggested that sugar can fuel tumour growth in people who already have cancer.

Charred food

When meats are cooked or fried at high temperatures, they form compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs), as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These compounds can prompt DNA changes that may increase our cancer risk.

One study suggests that marinating meats first may help: Research from Kansas State University found that marinating meats in spices like rosemary, thyme, oregano, and sage can cut down HCAs in a piece of meat by 87 per cent.

Alcohol

The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing cancers of the throat, liver, breast and colon. Moderation is key: “The more you drink, the higher your risk,” as US’ National Institutes of Health explains it. A recent study of alcohol consumers in 195 countries and territories around the world found that more than one in four alcohol-related deaths in people over age 50 are due to cancer.

On the upside

Fortunately, you can do a lot to curb your risk of developing cancer by eating a healthy diet rich in nutrients from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.

Colourful vegetables and fruits like celery, kale, carrots and tomatoes contain beneficial phytochemicals; that’s what gives them bright colours, odours, and flavours. These phytochemicals reduce inflammation and act like ingestible body guards, keeping the things we eat, drink, and breathe from becoming carcinogens. Phytochemicals can also help prevent DNA damage and repair it.

And a daily cup of coffee or green tea can also do a body good. Scientists have found that drinking coffee may lower your risk of developing certain kinds of cancer, including endometrial (uterus), prostate, liver, mouth, throat, and breast.

If you’re more of a tea person, some compelling evidence suggests the green kind, which is rich in plant chemical compounds (polyphenols), might interfere with the way cancer cells like to ruthlessly divide and multiply, thereby slowing down blood-vessel formation around tumors.

Virat Kohli, after turning vegan a few months ago, had said that he’s feeling “stronger than ever”.


Megan Fox stays away from all types of processed foods and includes a lot of superfoods and grains in her diet

Friday, March 1, 2019

GOYAA

GOYAA
ASIAN
Global discovery. Again and again, that’s the word that kickstarts my adrenalin. Be it while researching the world’s first vegetarian guide to Paris or India’s first city restaurant guide. And todays’ restaurant gives me that same tingly, happy feeling. It sits quietly in Byculla. Elbowed into the printers compound, in one of the warehouses. It faces a Parsi chawl (yes, there is such a thing) and yes, we did get lost trying to find it (because of some road closures) and ended up in Ghodopdeo village. We had a super time with great fun foodies, garment exporter turned banker Bindia Kripalani and Aruna Jehangir whose seafacing rental villas and Ayurvedic clinic in Goa are hugely popular. Yes! We will return. And make it a point to do so on Saturday… for the live-jazz night.

DÉCOR


Having negotiated your way into the winding Byculla lanes, walk into a low ceilinged reception area. And then wham! The warehouse’s high ceiling, with amphitheatre-like steps comes as a surprise. There is a glassed in open kitchen, greytoned industrial chic, and Nikita D’Silva ensures that the focus is on the food and the only pop of colour are the bright green plates.

FOOD

Our server in a black uniform (like the rest of the servers) brings us the comprehensive short menu of what he calls “upscale comfort food” and when we ask for a a huge number of small and large plates of baos, burgers et al advises us to slow down. A riveting parade of dishes begins… complimentry Sticky Rice Balls with tangy sauces, Prawn Wafers with a dense bacon sauce. Tart, sweet, salty, fruity bursts pop in many of the dishes. We love the refreshing juicy watermelon tucked into the Belgian Pork Belly Bao with goat cheese enlivened with ginger coriander dressing. Sweet Persimmon Chutney sparkles the charred broccoli served with airy burrata foam Orange segments top the cast iron cauliflower, under a layer of mashed potatoes with Vadouvan butter, Citrus pesto in the seabass, guava in the pork belly… unexpected marriages. Fleshy moist eggplant plump with flavour and kissed with sweetness, delicious dessert of PB & J – Peanut Butter Mousse with textured peanut brittle on a chewy macaron base. Must ask for this dessert… Pillows of marshmallow bursting with whisky over a callebaut mini molten lava cake sprinkled with miso caramel… Umami heaven.

MINUS POINTS

Open only for dinner. Uncomfy chairs.The location is at once a minus and also a plus point. They do have valet parking. Thick skinned duck dumpling and chewy pork ribs are avoidable. Please note, no take-aways and no kids.

MY POINT

Tucked into one of Byculla’s warehouses, Goyaa has a wonderful feel of discovering a hidden secret. It’s a grey minimalistic high-ceilinged space. Vibrantly seasoned and creatively composed with unexpected flavour combinations, upscale comfort food of baos and more (plenty for vegetarians).

Not all of it works. Dishes priced at `275 to `350 (the most expensive being `450).

The whole experience (including getting lost due to the closed road) is an exciting story. “Goyaa” is the Persian word for the art of telling a story. An unpretentious delicious story!

PS: The twist to our story? We find out at the end… our unformed server is Siddharth Somaiya, the brilliant 30-year-old owner chef.


At our delicious discovery GOYAA… with fab foodies Bindia Kripalani and Aruna Jehangir

Shanghai Club, ITC Grand Central Hotel, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Road, Parel

It’s Hunan Time at Shanghai Club
A Culinary Voyage @ Shanghai Club, ITC Grand Central Hotel, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Road, Parel
The unique culinary voyage that started with Sichuan cuisine at ITC Grand Central last month is all set to move to Hunan cuisine as their second destination for the scrumptious food voyage across different Chinese provinces. This will be followed by Cantonese cuisine, Shanghai cuisine and Beijing cuisine. For those looking for a delectable luxury dining experience that braces quality with accessibility, the restaurant showcases a perfect blend of ancient Chinese tradition along with contemporary décor with touches of the symbolic red colour to emphasise upon the Chinese look. Presenting enchanting flavours from China, you can explore delicious spicy Hunan cuisine — Wok Tossed Noodles with Pickled Vegetables, Asparagus in Chilli Garlic Sauce, Steamed Tofu in special Hot Black Bean Sauce, Crispy Baby Corn Salt and Pepper. Book your tickets now to experience delicately balanced flavours of yin and yang, dished out by Master Chef Jia, served in an elegant and warm atmosphere.

Date: 27th February to 8th March 2019 Timings: 12:30 pm – 2:45 pm, 7 pm - 11:45pm Price: ` 1500 plus applicable taxes for a three course meal and ` 2000 plus applicable taxes for a four course meal For Reservations, Call: 022 67045111/12 or +91 7021598141