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How To Keep Food Warm in Oven & How Many Reheats are Healthy?

Updated on May 6, 2019 By William Smith 2 Comments

"How to Keep Food Warm in Oven" is a question I tackle many times.

It mostly comes after people cook huge meals for a holiday and so on.

It seems that my email will not rest until I get something well researched in black and white to act as a reference whenever there is a need for answers over this topic.

This article will discuss why it is important to keep food warm and how many times can you reheat food by answering some common concerns.

Keep Reading.

What Will Happen if You Feed on Cold Food?

Cold food creates a conducive environment for the growth of various Bacteria and Fungus.

These transform into spores which are resistant to harsh environments, which is to say, they can withstand destruction over reheating.

Besides, they can endure stomach digestive acids. When spores get into your body, they create poisonous toxins.

If you eat food with bacterial toxins, you can get severe diarrhea, develop fevers, get dehydrated, and vomit.

You do not wish to encounter such bad things; Do you?

Here is How to be Safe

There are many simple ways to keep your food warm.

For instance, serve food on mild plates to maintain the temperatures.

You can also choose to use insulated containers to keep food warm or transform a cooler into a portable hot tub.

Whichever way you want to do it, ensuring that, 'you eat a hot meal is an important thing to achieve.'

Solution To Keeping Food Warm in Oven

The oven is a piece of smart equipment that you cannot miss in your kitchen.

Ovens come with different manuals of operation concerning food warming.

If your furnace is like mine without a warm tub, you will have to preheat it to the lowest temperatures (the most moderate temperatures on mine is 170 degrees F).

After it is heated, turn it off then put recipes in an oven-safe pan to warm until everybody is home to eat.

To be sure, that you are doing well keeping your food warm, check the temperatures with a Dial Oven-Safe (Bimetal) food thermometer after 20 minutes to confirm if it reads above 140 degrees F.

If that is not the case, turn up the temperatures slightly.

There are other ovens with the "warm" button. With these, transfer your recipe in the keep-heated compartment and tune the furnace to "warm".

If the food in question is prone to get soggy, make sure you place it in a single layer.

Check the temperature with your choice of kitchen thermometer to make sure that the reading is at least 140 degrees F for foods that will stay longer in the oven.

If the temperature is lower than the above mentioned, tune up the oven temperatures a little.

Disclaimer When Warming Food Using the Oven

It is not safe to let food stay in the oven for periods longer than two hours, because there is a tendency for food texture to become spongy.

Besides, the desired flavor might change because the food may continue to cook to a further step due to residual heat in the oven; this brings us to the following question:

How Many Times Can You Reheat Food?

While people have made it a habit to reheat food anyhow, the fact remains that its quality decreases with each heating.

Therefore, it is best to heat what you can finish eating at that time. As long as the food is heat each time at least 165 degrees F, it is technically safe for consumption.

The many times you heat, however, the more you destroy its nutrients and the lower its quality gets: some of its aspects dry out, and the more significant the change in its texture.

Conclusion

Eliminate many undesired health problems by properly keeping your food warm. Warm food discourages bacteria from growing in it.

Additionally, it maintains its entire desired flavors Although tackling food leftovers can be challenging, the best is to ensure you only cook food enough for one sitting.

Which will help avoid instances whereby you have to reheat food, hence destroying the flavors and nutrients.

Now that you know how to keep food warm and nutritious in the oven, you are set to live healthy and happy.

Why Does Healthy Food Taste Bad?

Updated on April 26, 2019 By William Smith Leave a Comment

When you think about healthy eating what comes to your mind?

Most people associate healthy eating with displeasing food.

No matter how many times people talk about healthy food, you will always find them going back to unhealthy food.

What do you go for when hunger strikes? Ask anyone to close their eyes and think about their favorite meals, in most cases, you will find non-healthy
meals taking the lead.

Why is this so?

Unhealthy food is Addictive

Studies conducted using rats found that fatty food had a tendency of creating cocaine-like addictions in the brain.

In this case, the electrodes used for monitoring brain activity indicated high levels of tolerance arising for fat-related foods.

As such, the rats develop a high compulsion to seek these kinds of foods. Essentially, this relates to humans. High ingestion of unhealthy junk food reduces a longing for healthy foods.

This is because unhealthy junk food interferes with taste buds associated with healthy foods.

The Wrong Perception

They say that healthy food does not have a marketing budget. This is quite true. Whether you are online or watching television, the quality of advertisements promoting unhealthy food comes with hype.

This hype creates a view that favors unhealthy food over healthy food.

Over time, people grow to learn that unhealthy foods are better when compared to healthy foods simply because of the way they look.

What does not cool, never sells.

High Concentration of Sugar and Fat

When you compare healthy and unhealthy food, what you will notice is the concentration of sugar and fat.

In fact, these components are widely associated with food-related conditions such as diabetes and obesity.

People tend to develop cravings for foods that are sweeter or tastier. For these reasons, they find healthy food tasting bad compared to unhealthy food.

Ever Changing Lifestyle Behind Our Food-Mood

Our changing lifestyle patterns have also been critical in influencing our preference over certain meals.

For instance, the age-old habit of cooking is seemingly disappearing in favor of having ready prepared meals.

As such, companies in the business of manufacturing foods strive to create demand by competing to prepare tasty foods. In the end, this affects how people view healthy meals.

In addition, changes in our evolutionary adaptations are reprogramming
our brains. One can easily note this by the brain’s preference of foods that
are easy to convert into immediate energy.

Essentially, this was not the case when we had limited access to unhealthy foods. However, with the opening of the market and competition, the number of businesses providing these services strives to create a consistent market.

Wrong Orientation from Childhood

When growing up, children were oriented towards tasty foods as rewards for activities achieved.

For instance, if you finished your homework in time, one could easily get ice cream and not a carrot.

As such, growing up with such an orientation affected how people view natural and healthy foods.

Children who have grown up in environments without such reward systems continue to appreciate the role of healthy food.

In essence, healthy food does not taste bad. Our social and psychological
orientation continues to influence how we view it.

Is Zucchini Bread Healthy? 11 Surprising Health Benefits of Zucchini

Updated on December 21, 2018 By William Smith 2 Comments

Courgette or popularly known as Zucchini is a dark or light green summer squash.

With modern science in place, a hybrid Zucchini sometimes goes with the yellow or orange color. Like most greens, they have a very high nutritional value as recommended by experts.

Here are some of the Health Benefits of Zucchini.

Nutritional Value And Health Benefits

If you are a food junkie, you may want to ask, is Zucchini bread healthy?

Care should be taken as the bread recipe is rich in butter full of fat which is unhealthy. It’s important to create a Zucchini diet that constitutes low carbohydrates, high vitamin and mineral content favorable for the following:

1. Diabetes Control

Regulating the blood sugar level can prove quite a challenge especially if you are already affected. The vegetable is rich in fiber content favorable for patients with both types of diabetes.

Experts have proven that low starchy foods rich in fiber delay the absorption of glucose into the body hence preventing the risk of diabetes.

Similarly, diabetics exhibit low tolerance to glucose metabolism. Zucchini contains both soluble and insoluble fiber that contributes to improved glucose tolerance.

2. Controls Blood Pressure

Bananas aren’t the only type of food rich in Potassium content. In fact, Zucchinis are even more vibrant in Potassium providing steadfast control against stress and hypertension.

Consumption of Zucchini increases the overall diameter of blood vessels during high blood pressure, thereby reducing the heart rate and lowering the pressure.

3. A Substitute for Vitamin D

Growing up, you were probably informed about calcium-rich in vitamin D for promoting healthy bones and teeth. As such you were probably stuck to feed on milk.

Zucchini comes as a substitute for strengthening bones and teeth. Its rich in Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and vitamin K that not only works on teeth and bones but also blood cells.

4. Hydration

Like most squash, the Zucchini is also 90% water. This is favorable especially in the 8-glasses a day rule for healthy living. The summer squash comes in to help out in cases where 8 glasses seem like a challenge. The naturally occurring oil nourishes the skin as well as reduces skin inflammation.

5. Boosts the Body’s Immune Response

Immunity is the body’s natural way of fighting off disease-causing organisms. In extreme cases, a weakened immunity would generally require the use of medicine to treat the disease-causing illnesses.

Zucchini is highly abundant in vitamin C, also contain in fruits like oranges that significantly boosts immunity saving you those costly trips to the doctor. It accomplishes this by maintaining the lining of blood cells that are most prone to attacks.

6. Battles and Prevents Brain Related Anomalies

Depression and other neuro related problems are caused by improper brain functionality. The Omega 3, Zinc and Folate present in Zucchini mostly boost brain productivity enhancing mental and emotional health.

Chances of suffering from diseases like dementia are dramatically reduced as it also improves memory.

7. Reduces Risks of Cancer

In Men, prostate cancer is common especially in the elderly. Highly concentrated phytonutrients like the carotenoid compound present in Zucchini battles the risks with the cancerous cells.

Moreover, the fiber also gives first-hand protection by binding with the carcinogens and excretes them. The excess accumulation of Uric acid can also lead to gout. The vitamin C present in the green fruit helps battle this.

8. Fetal and Baby Development

A pregnant mum is encouraged to include a diet rich in Zucchini that aids in the fetus spinal development. Even after birth, the baby is still delicate, and growing and a mashed recipe is recommended to reinforce this.

9. Improvement on Eye Health

Eye-related problems like glaucoma usually have no warning signs. The summer squash is a low-fat diet rich in beta-carotene that offers excellent protection against eye-related infections.

Moreover, it contains Vitamin A that aids in vision especially when age starts to kick in.

10. Helps in Weight Loss

Junk food may be a quick fixer for hunger but Zucchini is more nutritious, and you won’t have to worry about adding a few extra pounds. Its low starch and high fiber content will quickly fill you up and have you not going for seconds hence discouraging overeating.

11. Lowers Cholesterol and Guards Against Asthma

Zucchini contains copper and Vitamin C that also helps in treating chest related problems like asthma and relieving chest tightness. Apart from that, Zucchini is totally cholesterol free and won’t need to add on more fats found in almost every type of food.

Wrapping Up

The low carb green diet has remarkable health benefits. It’s probably one of the best ways to balance the thyroid content in the thyroid gland. This gets Adrenaline pumping at optimum levels; not too high nor too low. Remember, eating healthy is living healthy.

Does Zucchini Have Carbs, Seeds, Sugar and Vitamin K, C and B Complex?

Updated on August 26, 2020 By William Smith 2 Comments

It would be a miracle if you can find a health blog that does not tout the benefits of zucchini.

If you listen to health gurus, you might feel that the only thing that a zucchini cannot do is turn lead into gold.

Health benefits of zucchini range from improving heart health and vision to curing asthma. Above all, zucchini is a weight watcher’s best friend.

Is zucchini really the one vegetable to rule them all?
Here is everything you need to know before you jump on the zucchini bandwagon.

Whether Zucchini Have Carbs or Not?

According to the National Nutrient Database of United States Department of Agriculture, 100 gram of zucchini contains 3.11 gram of carbohydrate. Zucchini is a low-starch vegetable which can make you feel full. If you include enough zucchini in your diet, it can save you from overeating.

Any healthy weight loss diet will have plenty of fruits and vegetables that have low carbohydrate and fat content. Net carbs in zucchini are so low, it is one of the perfect ingredients in a carbophobe’s diet. It is rich in fiber and other nutrients that your body needs. Zucchinis have high water content and can easily satisfy your appetite.

Zucchini noodles lovingly called as zoodles is the new range among pasta lovers who are on a low-carb diet. It is the perfect substitute for those who are not ready to give up pasta. All you need to do is cut your zucchini into strips with a vegetable peeler. Voila! Your perfect low-carb pasta is ready to cook.

Carbs in zucchini noodles are very low as compared to regular spaghetti. A medium zucchini has 6 grams of carbohydrate content and 2 grams of fiber content. So, the net carbs in zucchini noodles are 4 grams. Pair your zoodles with low-carb sauces and low-carb side dishes and eat to your heart’s content. Your body will thank you later.

Go Through Our Article on Do Tortillas Have Yeast, Carbs and Dairy? What Experts Say

Does Zucchini Have Seeds?

Yes, zucchinis have seeds and yes, they are edible. In fact, the seeds of zucchini are a good indicator whether they are overripe. Farmers tend to pick up zucchinis when the seeds are still immature and soft.

Zucchini is the most popular summer squash. Squash seeds are high in calories. They are also rich in nutrients, including unsaturated fats. This dietary fat is good for your heart.

Squash seeds are high in protein. One serving of squash is enough to crack 10% of your daily protein intake. They also have high carbohydrate content. So, you may want to keep your daily consumption of zucchini seeds to moderate.

Zucchinis that are nearly seedless is also available in the market. These zucchinis are round, dense, and heavy. They also have a very smooth surface.

Does Zucchini Have Sugar?

Zucchinis are a godsend for people with high blood sugar content who have a limited dietary freedom. In fact, it should be the first item on your diabetes shopping list.

Zucchinis have very low total sugar content of 2.5gram per 100 grams. So, go ahead and try out some zucchini recipes without a worry in your head.

Zucchinis are high in fiber and a starch called pectin which regulates the sugar level in blood. It is also rich in B complex which makes it very effective in fighting off type 2 diabetes.

You can cook it or eat it raw, whichever strikes your fancy. If you want to get maximum benefits out of zucchinis, then eating it raw is the best way to go about it. To top it all, this amazing summer squash actually tastes good.

Does Zucchini Have Vitamin K?

Zucchinis are rich in many vitamins that the human body needs.

100 grams of zucchini contains 4.3 micrograms of vitamin K. A cup of sliced unpeeled zucchini has a vitamin K content of about 8 micrograms.

The recommended daily intake of vitamin K is 76-80 micrograms. Zucchinis are perfectly safe for people on a coumadin or warfarin diet.

Wrapping Up

Zucchinis contain a large amount of vitamin C and vitamin B complex. They are also rich in Thiamin, Riboflavin, and Niacin.

Except the fact that they are very hard to spell, you have every reason to love zucchinis. It is an extremely versatile ingredient which you can slip into almost any dish you are making.

It is like a vegetable chameleon that can take the flavor of whichever dish you are preparing. Mash it. Grill it. Stuff it. Snack on it. Give yourself a health upgrade by adding zucchini to your diet.