Fake green peas

A friend sent me an interesting article.

Green peas are green rounded pea seeds that are sweet and starchy in taste. Green peas contains twice the protein of most vegetables, so they are a healthy substitute for meat. Three-quarter cup of peas provides 6 grams of protein, plus thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium and 645 units of vitamin A.

Unfortunately there are food industries in certain nations cheating customers with fake greens peas which are prepared from toxic chemicals (dyes). These industries prepared the green peas from brown peas (cheaper) by soaking them in dye solutions overnight.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Identification of fake green peas:

1. Put the peas in boiling water for 30 seconds, water turns to green color.
2. After consumption check your tongue for green color stains.  There is also a slight bitter aftertaste.


Symptoms:

1. Stomach irritation, pain or acidity.

2. Urine turns to light green color.
3. Mild headache.


Case study:

Initially, I was not aware of these things. After eating some green peas I experienced stomach pain and found my tongue having green stains.

The following packet bought from Tesco, Penang on 4th July 2010.

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

As a chemist by profession, I did an analysis of above mentioned peas in laboratory and discovered green dyes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

News paper reference:

China daily http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-03/31/content_9664992.htm


D. Bharath Reddy
Research scholar
Centre for drug research
USM, Pulau Penang
Malaysia 11800.

What do you think?  Is there any truth to this?  The newspaper article in the China Daily seems to authenticate the findings.  I love eating the green peas that you can buy from the shops, but this article makes me re-think before eating them.

Celia Lee

Useful tip - Bottle Caps!

Noriko sent in a great idea for Bottle Caps!

It's a useful tip - for recycling mineral water bottle caps.

First, cut right across the mouth of the bottle, at the neck.















Pass the mouth of the desired plastic bag through the neck of the bottle cap, which you just cut.  Let the ends of the plastic bag hang over the bottle-cap mouth.

The next time you want to use the contents of the plastic bag - just unscrew the cap and pour!

It's really an ingenious way of making use of used bottles.  Cheaper than buying plastic clips to reseal your food-stuff etc.

Please give us your feedback!

EATING FRUITS - contributed by Mr. Ang Lee San

We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths. It's not as easy as you think. It's important to know how and when to eat.


What is the correct way of eating fruits?

IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS! * FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.
If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.
FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD. Let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so.
In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil....
So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals! You have heard people complaining - every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet etc - actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat!

Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes all these will NOT happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.

There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. if you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.

When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don't even drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat cooked fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins.

But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look!

KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.

STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.

ORANGE : Sweetest medicine. Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.

WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher.. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium.
GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes.

THE CHOICE IS YOURS - John Maxwell

5. COMMITMENT is a Choice

You will invest your life in something, or you will throw it away on nothing.
Haddon Robinson

How to develop commitment

- Realize it usually begins with a struggle
- Understand that it has nothing to do with talent or ability
- Recognize that it’s not a matter of conditions but of choice
- Start with the little things
- Settle moral issues before you are confronted
- Trust in God

6. TEACHABILITY is a Choice

They know enough who know how to learn. – Henry Brooks Adams

Nothing is interesting if you are not interested. Helen Macinness

To be fond of learning is to be near to knowledge. – Tze-Sze

U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt is an outspoken man of action. He is known for regular boxing, judo and horseback rides, hikes.
His accomplishments while in leadership, are remarkable; building of the Panama Canal, negotiation of peace between Russia and Japan, winning a Nobel Peace Prize.
Even after his presidency, he led a scientific expedition to River of Doubt in Brazil. It was a great learning adventure and he was 55 years old.
On Jan 6, 1919, he died at his home, in his sleep. Although death has taken him during sleep, when they removed him from his bed, they found a book under his pillow. Up to the very end, Theodore Roosevelt was still striving to learn and improve himself.
He is a truly remarkable man of his age, to be always on-the-go and thirsty for knowledge.

THE CHOICE IS YOURS - John Maxwell

3. VALUES are a Choice

Try not to become Men of Success,
Rather, become Men of Value – Albert Einstein

Values are like …
Anchors – They hold you steady during roght times
Friends – They stay with you and assure you
The North Star – They are always dependable to guide you
A Fresh Wind – They give you refreshing encouragement

4. SELF-DISCIPLINE is a Choice

It is not the mountains we conquer, but ourselves – Sir Edmund Hillary

6 keys to self-discipline

Train yourself to make good use of your time
Study yourself, identify your strengths, and build on them
Know the priorities of your work
Give your time to the people who produce results
Make decisions quickly with limited information
Take action whenever possible

Book of the Month - The Choice Is Yours - John C Maxwell

For the month of July, let's review John C Maxwell's "The Choice Is Yours."

This small, yet powerful handbook offers inspiration and guidance in 16 key areas that will help you become the person you desire to be.

In our everyday life, we are faced with choices and decision-making. Do we select the path that is difficult and less-travelled or the easy road? The decision is yours ... and the choice is yours!

The 16 key areas are:
1. Attitude
2. Character
3. Values
4. Self-discipline
5. Commitment
6. Teachability
7. Initiative
8. Passion
9. Courage
10. Responsibility
11. Growth
12. Relationships
13. Communication
14. Encouragement
15. Servanthood
16. Love

To totally grasp 16 key areas at one shot maybe a little too much to handle, so we'll cover 2 key areas each time.

TODAY (Day 1)

1. ATTITUDE is a Choice
Life is 10% how we make it; 90% how we take it.

No matter what, your attitude is a choice
It’s easier to maintain the right attitude than to regain it
Your attitude determines your action
The people you lead reflect the attitude you possess

Reflection:
Happiness does not depend on outward things, but on the way we see them
- Leo Tolstoy

2. CHARACTER is a Choice
A good heart is better than all the heads in the world

- Gifts and talents are given to us, but character is developed by us
- Our character earns the trust of others
- Only good character gives us lasting success with people
- Strong character communicates credibility and consistency
- Our character colors our perspective
- We cannot rise above the limitations of our character

Sow a Thought, and you reap and Act
Sow an Act, and you reap a Habit
Sow a Habit, and you reap a Character
Sow a Character, and you reap a Destiny.

History of Mother's Day: Anna Jarvis

Anna Jarvis is recognised as the Founder of Mothers Day in US. Though Anna Jarvis never married and never had kids, she is also known as the Mother of Mothers Day, an apt title for the lady who worked hard to bestow honor on all mothers.

Anna Jarvis got the inspiration of celebrating Mothers Day from her own mother Mrs Anna Marie Reeves Jarvis in her childhood. An activist and social worker, Mrs Jarvis used to express her desire that someday someone must honor all mothers, living and dead, and pay tribute to the contributions made by them.

A loving daughter, Anna never forgot her mothers word and when her mother died in 1905, she resolved to fulfill her mothers desire of having a mothers day. Growing negligent attitude of adult Americans towards their mothers and a desire to honor her mothers soared her ambitions.

To begin with Anna, send Carnations in the church service in Grafton, West Virginia to honor her mother. Carnations were her mothers favorite flower and Anna felt that they symbolised a mothers pure love. Later Anna along with her supporters wrote letters to people in positions of power lobbying for the official declaration of Mothers Day holiday. The hard work paid off. By 1911, Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state in the Union and on May 8, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a Joint Resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP DAY

International Friendship Day is a day dedicated to the understanding of Singapore's relations with neighbouring countries and beyond. It aims to sensitise our children towards the geo-political realities inherent in Singapore, as well as nurture in our students the spirit of friendship and collaboration among different people.

This year's International Friendship Day falls on 17 April, Friday and the theme is 

"Getting to know ASEAN".

The students of Presbyterian High School, along with the teachers and staff will be celebrating in school and the program starts at 11.45am.

Parents are invited to join in this celebration. You are encouraged to put on your national costume and join in the fun!

Getting to know ASEAN .... 

Q:Which are the 10 countries that are members of the ASEAN Organisation?

Ans: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam

Q: What do we know about the ASEAN flag?

Ans: The ASEAN Flag officially represents the Association of Southeast Asian Nations . The present flag of ASEAN was adopted in November 1993. The ASEAN Flag comprises of a blue background on which there is the emblem of ten paddy or rice stalks set in the middle of a red circle. The red circle is bordered by a white outline. The paddy stalks are yellow in color. The ten stalks on the ASEAN Flag represent each of the ten members of this organization. The colors blue, yellow, red and white, all have their own significance. Blue symbolizes peace and stability. Red stands for courage. White represents purity while yellow shows prosperity.

Q: How to do say "Good morning" in the languages spoken by the 10 ASEAN members?

Ans:  

In Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei -- Selamat Pagi

In Philippines (Tagalog) -- Magandang umaga po

In Thailand (Thai) -- Sawatdi torn chao

In Cambodia -- Arun suor sdei

In Laos -- Sabaidee

In Myanmar (Burmese) --  Mingalab

In Vietnam - Xin cao

....... how would you say it in Singapore?

THE SEASON OF LENT

Lent is a forty-day season of preparation for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.

The season begins on Ash Wednesday, when pastors mark the foreheads of Christians with ashes as a reminder that we are created from dust and to dust we shall return.

During Lent we follow Jesus from his adult ministry through his suffering during Holy Week to his crucifixion and death on Good Friday. And we read the Psalms that foretold what happened during that week.

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, also called the Sunday of the Passion, and continues through Holy Thursday (when Holy Communion was instituted at the Last Supper) and Good Friday, when Jesus was tried, crucified, and buried.

Because the Last Supper was celebrated during the Feast of the Passover, which is calculated on the phases of the moon, Easter is called a movable feast. Lent is scheduled backwards from Easter. Easter falls on the first Sunday after the full moon after the spring equinox.

The forty days of fasting and penitence during Lent do not include Sundays. Christians always celebrate Sunday as the day Jesus rose from the dead, so it is never a day of fasting.

Many Northern Europeans celebrate the day before Ash Wednesday, mardi gras (French for Fat Tuesday, also called Shrove Tuesday), by eating up everything good in the house that medieval Christians believed was inappropriate to eat during Lent (eggs, butter, cream, meat).

This celebration has expanded into all sorts of festivals all over the world, although most modern Christians do eat some - or all - of those foods during Lent.

Lent is a time of stripping down to essentials, as each Christian focuses on his or her individual relationship with God. It is a time when Christians remember our baptisms, when Jesus washed away our sins, giving us newness of life to celebrate in the triumph of Palm Sunday and the glory of Easter. Many early Christians were baptized on Easter Sunday, so Lent became a special time of study and prayer in preparation for their baptisms. Later the entire congregation joined in the study and prayer as they looked forward to the anniversary of their baptisms on Easter.

Because Lent is a time of letting go of the bondage of sin, it is also a time of celebrating the freedom from the bondage of slavery. At the Feast of the Passover, all Jews give thanks for their freedom from the captivity of the Egyptians.
And Christians give thanks for the freedom of all slaves in every culture everywhere.