I really think that my youngest daughter has a good eye for photography. The topmost picture was taken by my wife Cristina, In the picture, is Maggie on the foreground, from L-R, the author, Dr. Danny Milla, M.D. (owner of Reina Helena Farms), Mr. and Mrs. Johnson Uychaco Visitors from Commonwealth Q.C, interested in putting-up a small free-range farm.We all know for long that egg white is a nutritious and healthy protein source. Eggs are good for young and old, active and passive people. Some people still believe that eggs are causing high blood cholesterol levels in humans. Research has proven over and over that this is a myth.
Those who still believe this false declaration should be advised to not eat eggs so they can quickly forget why they should not eat eggs. The chance of forgetting this is bigger when staying away from eggs than eating eggs. On the other hand it would be good for them to eat eggs so they can better remember why eating eggs is good for their health.
The reason is to be found in a recent discovery by DSM. Researchers of the globally operating company discovered that certain a protein present in the egg white really supports specific brain functions, including memory. The protein, particularly when it comes to the essential amino acids Tryptophan and Tyrosin, is used in the body as building blocks for signaling molecules that play an important role in brain processes such as mood, sleep, stress, concentration, alertness and cognition.
The discovery of these amino acids prompted DSM to investigate whether the protein could be developed into a functional food ingredient, improving brain health. Indeed, this seems to be the case! The ingredient seems to also have a positive effect on mood, hand-eye coordination, Vigilance, and sleep. It is not ready available on the market yet, but the ingredient is in its last phase of product development and is tested in some human studies to fine-tune its conditions for use.
Would it be great for the egg industry to again be the prime provider of a new functional and very important human brain health ingredient?
Arsenic compound in chicken affecting Americans 29 Jun 2009
Most people in the US are unaware that the chicken they eat is laced with an arsenic compound known as roxarsone, reports the Washington Post.
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In the US, most major poultry producers add roxarsone to their chicken feed. Inorganic arsenic is a Class A carcinogen that has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and declines in brain function, reports the Washington Post.
The poultry industry has been using the feed additive roxarsone -- purportedly to fight parasites and increase growth in chickens -- since the Food and Drug Administration approved it in 1944. Apparently the arsenic additive promotes the growth of blood vessels in chicken, which makes the meat appear pinker and more attractive in its plastic wrap at the grocery store, but does little else. The arsenic additive does the same in human cells, fueling a growth process known as angiogenesis, a critical first step in many human diseases such as cancer.
The arsenic additive also presents health risks to farmers who work with the chemical or fertilizers. Chicken growers have reported illness from contact with roxarsone while preparing feed. Because most smaller growers rely on contracts with larger chicken producers that mandate the use of arsenic in chicken feed, the smaller growers are often unable to avoid the health risks associated with roxarsone.
In 1999, recognizing that any level of inorganic arsenic in human food and water is unacceptable, the EU outlawed its use in chicken feed. Reportedly, several American chicken producers, including Tyson Foods and Perdue Farms, have acted responsibly by discontinuing the use of roxarsone in their animals. Other growers have turned to "organically fed" chicken operations. Nevertheless, as recently as 2006, 70% of the more than 9 billion broiler chickens produced annually in the US were fed roxarsone, reports state.
Source: The Washington Post
