FitSugar

Should You Avoid Carrageenan?

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:30:00 PST

If you're a label reader, and let me tell you I sure am, you might have noticed carrageenan listed as one of the ingredients. When I first saw it listed on a Ben and Jerry's pint (yes, ice cream is OK when eaten in moderation), it brought up a couple of questions for me – What exactly is carrageenan and is it something I should avoid?

Carrageenan is actually extracted from red seaweed, and the name comes from a type of seaweed found growing on the coast of Ireland. It's used as a food additive and sometimes is referred to as kelp extract. It helps to stabilize, thicken, or emulsify dairy products, reprocessed meats (like sausages or beef jerky), dog food, toothpaste, pudding, salad dressings, and even shoe polish.

Carrageenan is a safe ingredient and should not be confused with poligeenan. This is a chemically degraded derivative of carrageenan, which is used for industrial (non-food) purposes. It was improperly named "degraded carrageenan" for a while which gave the true carrageenan a bad name. Research indicates that poligeenan creates unfavorable health effects, but food-grade carrageenan has no known toxicity or carcinogenicity, and is recognized as safe by the FDA.

So go ahead and enjoy foods made with carrageenan, especially Ben & Jerry's (in moderation of course).

What in the World is Maltodextrin?

FitSugar — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 12:30:00 PDT

You know I have become obsessed with reading labels, and since I keep coming across maltodextrin I decided to find out what it really is.

Maltodextrin is an easily digestible carbohydrate made from rice, corn or potato starch. It's a white powder used in processed foods as a thickener, or a filler since it's fairly inexpensive. Also used in pharmaceuticals as a binding agent, it is also found in sugar substitutes, like Splenda for example.

Maltodextrin is made by cooking down the starch, and then acid and/or enzymes break the starch down even further, kind of like what the body does to digest carbohydrates. It's usually used in such small amounts, so it doesn't have a significant impact in terms amount of protein, fat, carbohydrate, or fiber. Every gram of maltodextrin has 4 calories, which is not really a significant caloric load.
Although maltodextrin is processed and it's not the best thing to be consuming, at least now we know that it's made from real food - not some nasty chemicals.

Fit's Tip: Celiacs beware! In Europe, maltodextrin can be derived from barley or wheat, but then it should be labeled as "wheat maltodextrin."

Source

Chick-a-Dee: A Smoke Detector For Design Fans

Elka Karl — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:47:17 PST

During the New York International Gift Fair this past weekend, bloggers nominated their favorite products, with Evan Orensten from CoolHunting naming the Chick-a-Dee his personal favorite. Designed by artist Louise van der Veld, the Chick-a-Dee smoke detector was developed through a Dutch design contest that aimed to raise raise public awareness of fire hazards in and around the home. Fifty designs were submitted, and the Chick-a-Dee smoke detector emerged as the winner thanks to its innovative, unique design and social relevance.

For design lovers, the Chick-a-Dee provides a smoke detector that's a joy to look at in your home - not a liability. And who can argue with a chirping, rather than beeping and screeching, smoke alarm? At the first sign of smoke, the Chick-a-Dee makes the chick-a-dee-dee call of the bird it's named after, with the call's volume increasing and turning into a loud dee-dee-dee sound if smoke thickens.The Chick-a-Dee comes with a battery with a one-and-a-half-year battery life and a three-year warranty.

You can buy one online for around $79 US, or wait until the product hits the virtual and real US shelves this month.

How to Get the Perfect Faux Flutter Every Time

Guest Writer — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:50:42 PST

Celebrity makeup artist and Vanitymark Cosmetics founder Brett Freedman has been guest blogging on BellaSugar for the past two months, but alas, all good things must come to an end. Thank you for your amazing advice and top tips, Brett, and we look forward to seeing your work on red carpets everywhere! With that said, we're proud to present Brett's last column, for which we know you'll be all a-flutter.

Long, lush lashes. Who doesn't want them? With the trend toward brighter lips and sparser eye, a vivid lash line is even more important. So many gals ask me about amping up their flutter with faux lashes. It's actually pretty easy. Here's my technique to give your peepers a little extra pop. See how Brett gets it right every time when you read more.

7 Popular Chowders Across the US

YumSugar — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:23:30 PST

Traditionally, "chowder" is considered a catch-all word for a variety of seafood and vegetable soups, but several regions have their own spin on the classic dish. Here's a rundown of the most popular chowders across the US, from classic New England clam chowder to San Francisco's Cioppino fish stew.

Boston - New England Clam Chowder: Made with chopped clams, potatoes, and onions, this classic chowder is known for having a heavy cream base. For a healthier clam chowder recipe, use almond milk, rice flour, and celery seeds.
New York - Manhattan Clam Chowder: For this variety of fish stew, tomatoes replace the milky cream base. There are also no potatoes, so the seafood sits in a much thinner vegetable broth.
Rhode Island - Rhode Island Clam Chowder: In addition to its traditionally clear broth, quahogs (hard clams) and bacon set this chowder spin-off apart.

Keep reading for more types of chowder.

7 Ideas to Save on Your Morning Coffee

Emily Co — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:00:14 PST

The Latte Factor is very real - the average American worker spends $1,092 on coffee, The Consumerist reports. Citing data from Accounting Principals' latest Workonomix survey, the site goes on to say that the average worker is apparently spending more than $20 a week on coffee. The amount is comparable to other expenses like commute, which were mentioned in the study. So how do we start saving on this big budget drain? Here are some ideas:

Try low-end. New York Magazine did a coffee taste test and food critic Adam Platt found that coffee from Dunkin' Donuts actually tasted better than Starbucks. If you're craving coffee, opt to get a cup of joe from a lesser-known chain.
Cash in on freebies. Keep your eye out for freebies and remember Starbucks gives customers a free birthday beverage as long as you register your Starbucks gift card and use it once. And if you're a loyal Starbucks customer, you can attain gold member status and receive free coffee for every 15 drinks. Remember that Sept. 29 is National Coffee Day, so there should be plenty of coffee freebies then. Earth Day generally offers a lot of coffee freebies as well.
Find Starbucks recipes. Find out how to make drinks just like Starbucks by doing some research online. Personal finance blogger Squawkfox was able to mimic a tall Starbucks frappuccino ($4) for only 32 cents. The secret is actually xanthan gum ($16), a food thickener that keeps the texture smooth and the drink together. There are also plenty of other sites that have copycat recipes of all the Starbucks drinks.
Go instant. Instant coffee isn't too bad if you dress it up with these recipes. Add cocoa or spices like nutmeg, blend it with ice, douse it with milk, or add honey.

Read on for more ideas.

6 Ways to Take Your Soup Up a Notch - Without Adding Actual Cream

Camilla Salem — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:25:13 PST

Clear-broth soups are delicious in their own right, but sometimes we just want something a little heartier and more indulgent. Cream-based soups are pretty simple to put together, but you can incorporate different elements - grains, lighter dairy products, or cruciferous vegetables - and end up with a delightfully creamy soup that doesn't actually contain a pint of cream.

Add a cup of almond milk to your recipe, as seen here with this lighter take on clam chowder.
Toss in some steamed cauliflower and mash or blend everything together.

Four more different ways to thicken up your soups, when you keep reading.

The Wide World of Wings: Salsa Verde

Sara Yoo — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:09:29 PST

Wings are a game day mainstay, but before you grab that bottle of Frank's RedHot, consider a version or two that journey beyond buffalo. This week, we tread the less-beaten path through wing-dom with a look at five recipes that shed new light on our favorite chicken part.

Today, our wings get a south of the border kick with tomatillo-based salsa verde. Taking a page from the popular Mexican dish chile verde, which tempers the bright tang of this tomato relative with smoky braised pork, I simmered the salsa in some chicken broth for some added flavor depth before thickening up the sauce. Serve the wings drizzled with the salsa verde, and for an over-the-top delight, topped with sour cream and crumbled cotija cheese.

Of course, don't shun the buffalo sauce entirely. For a spectacular game day spread, fry up a large batch of wings, serve them with a variety of sauces, and let your guests pick their favorites!

Keep reading for this finger food treat.

Link Time: Nicole Richie Only Uses Three Beauty Products

BellaSugar — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:20:00 PST

Nicole Richie only carries three beauty products - InStyle
A smart, easy guide to hair color jargon - Glo
Can curry thicken up your hair? - Stylelist
Vitamin D's amazing skin benefits - Refinery 29
This new MAC lipstick is a soon-to-be classic - The Cut
Five small makeovers with major impact - Beautylish
Are you overdoing it with the hair products? - Real Simple

Grillades and Grits: Get Your Brunch on!

OnSugar Blog — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:00:06 PST

Grillades and grits are a trademark dish in New Orleans. If you can't make the trip to Nola, Food Orleans shows you how to recreate the experience in your own home.

If you've never had or heard of grillades and grits, then I apologize for not mentioning them earlier. They're one of the two most wonderful things to eat for brunch in New Orleans (shrimp and grits being the other). I've never been to anyplace in town for brunch that didn't offer one or both of these goodies. Grillades (gree'-awds) are made of beef, veal, or pork; I haven't encountered a rabbit version yet, but I won't be surprised when I do. The beef is a thin, flat cut of top round or chuck - something that can withstand a long, slow cooking. It simmers in a pot with the trinity (onion, celery, bell pepper), garlic, and a little jalapeno - not traditional, but I really like it - until the rich broth thickens and intensifies, so what you get is a powerfully flavored beef "stew" that is perfect over creamy cheese grits. This is a great Louisiana recipe to try if you're hankering for some thick, rich goodness but you don't feel up to stirring a roux, because you don't have to. The small amount of flour used in the browning of the beef will produce all the roux you need.

Read ahead for the grillades and grits recipe.