fOod+LOvErS

This is our group for food ingredient. Our group members are loh mun lai, Tan Hui Ying, Tan Pek Hoon, Lam See Ngar and Tey Jit Xiong.My group member you can post your note here so we can discuss and share different informations...Thank you><

First of all before starting to discuss any topics of food ingredients here, I would like to share with you all why our group name is "food lovers". food is one of the essentials to sustain the lives of all living organisms in this world. if we want to survive, we have to eat. there are two conditions that make people to eat, that is eat in order to live or live in order to eat. So, which one do you prefer? of course, we, as the food lovers would like to be those that live in order to eat. That will make us to live happier and that is also the reason i choose the programme "food technology" as i love to eat and wish to learn something about foods that can make me to grow a bit fatter, hahaha... if you want to become an excellent food technologist in the future, what you all have to do now is to enjoy and love your foods, keep thinking the wonders of foods, eat them with a happy mode each time, then only you will develop your interest on studying foods. If not, you are going to be very stressed soon, so be prepared, hehe... By Pek Hoon ???

(a) Functional sweets

The growing trends in healthy living have affected practically every type of food, from prepared meals and desserts to snacks and confectionery. Nowadays, candy is no longer just a snack in your life, it has more functions and perhaps is one of the factors contributing to your health. They look small and simple but actually they contain some health benefits that always keep surprising you. For example, some chocolate products contain omega-3 fatty acids, which have proven heart and brain health benefits. There are also edible food strips with skin-nutritive ingredients, including collagen, ceramide, and hyaluronic acid. In addition to omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, other nutraceuticals are formulated into candy products, offering heart-health benefits, energy, and overall wellness.

What would appear in your mind when you see or hear about chocolate? Well, I love chocolate very much and I also believe that chocolate has been the favourite of most people. There are many innovative chocolates that help to promote our health being available in the market. So what are we still waiting for? Let’s explore the miracles inside the chocolate.

The main ingredient of chocolate is cocoa. Studies suggest that the naturally occurring flavanols in cocoa may have positive effects on heart health by promoting healthy blood pressure, improving elasticity in blood vessels, and maintaining healthy blood flow. The role of flavonol (–)epicatechin is directly linked to nitric oxide, a molecule used by the endothelium to signal surrounding muscle to relax, thereby dilating the blood vessels and increasing blood flow.


 * Promoted as a heart-healthy snack, ** CocoaVia™ contains a patented blend of cocoa flavanols and cholesterol-lowering plant sterols from soy.

In addition to heart-health ben­efits, chocolate has also been shown to benefit the brain and skin. Studies showed that flavanol-rich cocoa can increase the cerebral blood flow to gray matter, the potential of cocoa flavanols for treatment of vascular impairment, including dementia and strokes.

Heinrich et al. (2006) showed that cocoa beverages and foods rich in flavonols could thicken skin and reduce reddening. The ingestion of high-flavanol cocoa led to increases in blood flow of cutaneous and subcutaneous tissues, and to increases in skin density and skin hydration.

There is once in the IFT Food Expo, Fortitech Inc., Schenectady, N.Y. showcased three chocolate cluster products target­ing different health conditions. Brain-healthy chocolate clusters were packed with 16 different nutrients, including a complete antioxidant profile, calcium, and iron for improved cognitive function. The heart-healthy chocolate clusters provided lycopene, coenzyme Q10, vitamins B-6, B-12, and C, and folic acid. A bone-healthy chocolate clus­ter was packed with calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium.

Recent confectionery introductions highlight other nutraceuticals being added to sweets, including minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and botanicals. Calcium is a mineral essential for bone health and is contained in some sweets.

In term of botanocals, Echinacea is a popular botanical used in hard candies and chews for boosting immunity. Guarana is an energy-boosting botanical commonly found in drinks, but is now included in hard candies and gum as well.

There are even bacteria added in sweets such as chewing gum, which contains //Streptococcus salivarius// K12. Studies have shown that people with healthy breath typically have high levels of the beneficial oral bacteria //S. salivarius// living on their tongue. The bacteria primarily break down carbohydrates, not proteins, so they produce little odor. The gum helps restore the balance of bacteria to that found in the mouths of people with healthy breath.

By Pek Hoon???


 * Each piece of **** Adora™ **** calcium supplements ** is infused with 500 mg of calcium, as well as vitamins D and K to help with calcium absorption.

=**(B) New Discovery of Taste **=