Is Facedrink Energy Safe? Does It Work?

Energy drinks are the rage today as we overdo it all day, stay up all night, and then try to drag ourselves out of bed the next morning to go through that routine yet again. Just take your Facedrink and you can get through the morning grogginess ready to take on the day. But the big question is, is Facedrink healthy? How does it differ from other energy drinks?

Facedrink, the little bottle that has sprouted like dandelions across grocery stores counters, promises an immediate energy boost that lasts for hours but without the "crash" associated with other energy drinks. Indeed, Facedrink claims "we don't put any sugar in our energy drink". Its main ingredients are B Vitamins and an "energy blend" consisting of citicoline, tyrosine, phenylalanine, taurine, malic acid, glucuronolactone and caffeine (140mg of caffeine per 2.5 ounce bottle).

Caffeine is in bold letters because while all that other stuff has that really cool "medical yet natural" sound to it, the only thing in Facedrink (or Monster or Red Bull or RockStar or any other "energy" product) that has been proven to improve mental alertness is caffeine.

The B Vitamins in a bottle of Facedrink (and their percentage of Recommended Daily Allowance) include: Vitamin B3 (150%), Vitamin B6 (2000%) and Vitamin B12 (8333%). All of these vitamins are important for your metabolism and while not having enough can hurt you, it has never been proven that having extra will help you - or increase your energy.

In terms of the "crash" that Facedrink supposedly avoids, we can only assume that they are referring to the fact that it has no sugar. Some people - especially those with insulin resistance like diabetics - do feel a "crash" sensation when their blood sugar level goes up and then down after consuming a large amount of sugar, so this is a theoretical benefit compared to energy drinks with sugar in them.

Like almost all "energy" products, Facedrink is ultimately just a caffeine delivery system. And like all drugs, caffeine has side effects: jitteriness, increased heart rate, increased blood pressure and insomnia. If you decide to try Facedrink, the best i can say is never drink more than two bottles and don't mix it with any other caffeine containing products. If you need some quick energy for a late night of studying or driving, it probably won't hurt you any more than a cup of coffee will.

Read more »

Posted in: Energy,Facedrink

Moving From Self Packaging to a Packaging Corporation

My aunt relies on a packaging corporation to help her package her baked goods so that they are not only fresh and easy to transport, but the packaging has all the nutritional info and her label and company name on it in a beautiful new design. She started off as a home company, just selling her goods online and packaging care baskets herself for customers. But they got into the right person's hands, who loved her recipe, and wanted to help invest in mass marketing them. Now her goods are in grocery stores everywhere and in that change, she had to find a packaging corporation to help her.The first reason was because she couldn't handle packaging everything on her own, not when orders started to go from a couple dozen to hundreds. But also, she needed the professionalism that only a packaging corporation could give her. She had no idea where to start in designing a brand logo, as artistic talent was not one of her specialties. But having professionals who could work with her and find out what kind of image she wanted to give off was important. They worked closely with her and provided something that she could have never done on her own.

Now she packs with laminated film to keep things fresh and stand up pouches for her mini cookies to keep going, days after being opened. And everything is sent to her so she can package as needed. It's so much more cost effective to do it this way than for her to try to keep up, buying separate packaging on her own.

Making the switch as you go from a smaller business to a larger one is a lot easier than it seems. There's no need to be daunted by a packaging corporation because they have done this plenty of times over for when other businesses started to grow. The first step is contacting and talking directly to someone from the company. Tell them what it is you need and ask them the questions about which packaging is best for the kind of goods you have.

You then have a means to order more packaging immediately, if needed, after the initial new ones are created. Tweaks and changes can be made as you go along as well, which is a lot easier than starting from scratch. It's totally worth making the change when you need the help and the expertise. It worked wonders for my aunt, who would've been drowning in baked goods without the much needed service.

Read more »

Posted in: Corporation,Moving,Packaging

Factors To Consider When Buying Healthy Drinks

The world is changing and our lives are changing as well. The internet has made the world smaller. With just one click you can already connect to your loved ones, colleagues or even conduct business from anywhere in the world. Yet, stress and diseases are at their highest peak. There are so many illnesses right now attributed to stress not only from work but from personal relationships as well. Medical experts believe that the continuous changing in our climate brings about these diseases. Another culprit is the demands in our workplace as well as the lifestyle we choose to live. Another big factor is the diet that we take. That is why it very important that we make the right choices in our lives. Little things could have great impact in our health and well-being.

One way to ensure that your body is receiving proper nutrition is by drinking all natural healthy beverages. There are several beverages in the market available to supplement your daily dietary intake. However, because they are too many finding the right one can be very difficult. Following are factors you ought to consider when looking for a healthy drink.

Organic And All Natural Drink
Read the label when shopping for drinks. Find products that guarantee that their drinks contain all natural and healthy ingredients. Recent studies show that with the present lifestyle of people today, getting the required vitamins and minerals from foods are not enough. The body constantly needs replenishment and food alone does not supply the body of what it needs. That is why healthy drinks and supplements are greatly needed. This is also the reason why there are so many health drinks out there. However, with all the battle of healthy drink supremacy, you should be wise and well informed in order to make the right choice.

Delicious Taste
If you are looking for a health drink to add to your diet, you need to consider the taste. Some people are very hesitant to try organic and all natural fruit drinks because they feel nauseated with the color, taste and smell of the beverage. Moreover, this is one of the most important factors that consumer look for in a healthy drink.

Trust and Expertise
Look at the brand name. See if the product is manufactured by a company that guarantees quality and product safety. Certainly, you would never entrust your child's health with drinks that you are not sure how they are produced and manufactured.

Price
Since there are so many health beverages available today, prices of these goods are becoming more and more competitive. People are now smarter that they compare prices among the leading brands. Hopefully, people are not just concern about how much they would splurge but also how much they would benefit from the drink. So, if you're like the many who are price conscious, do look for the content and nutritional value of the product as well.

People are searching for healthy drinks that can supplement the body with the right nutrients. To fill the demand, many companies are coming up with healthy drinks. Opportunely, several good options today are available that will not leave your money and your stomach empty. Be a wise consumer and consider the factors above.

Read more »

Posted in: Buying,Consider,Drinks,Factors,Healthy

Candy Bars To Consider For Your Holiday Festivities

For most of its history, candy has been sold by weight. Early Americans could visit their local general store and pick up a pound of peppermints or nonpareils. These sweet treats were usually unwrapped, which made them relatively cheap. But as automation increased and the number of candy factories grew (there were over 400 of them in the U.S. by the middle of the 19th century), it became possible to wrap each candy individually. Of course, it did not make much sense to wrap most candy at the time, since it was so fragile. The candy bar changed all that.

Though it was more expensive than the loose or bulk variety, wrapped candy was far more convenient. It could be transported in pockets or in lunch, boxes and it would not make a mess. And because it was much larger than the early "pieces," it made for a more satisfying snack.

The first candy bar was created in 1847 by Fry's Chocolate Factory in Bristol, England. It took them nearly two decades to get the recipe just right, but their bars were finally ready for public consumption in 1866. Chocolate products of all kinds flourished during the last quarter of the 19th century. There were chocolate candy boxes, Easter eggs, and peanut brittle. But the original candy bar did not catch on.

It wasn't until a company on the other side of the Atlantic took a chance on chocolate bars that the public finally embraced it. The Hershey Company introduced their first candy bar in 1900. Encouraged by strong sales of the original Hershey Bar, most chocolatiers started working on candy bars of their own. The first half of the 20th century is generally seen as the Golden Age of Candy in America, especially with regard to the candy bar.

The Health Bar, the O'Henry! Bar, the Baby Ruth, the Mounds Chocolate Bar, the Milky Way Bar, Mr. Goodbar, the Heath Bar, the Snickers Bar, and many, many more were all introduced during this period. Though our society has ostensibly become more health-conscious in recent years, candy is more popular than ever.

Americans consume nearly 3 billion pounds of chocolate each year, which is around 11 pounds for each man, woman and child. Not surprisingly, the United States is the world leader in chocolate production. Shoppers spend about 7 billion dollars on chocolate treats each year, and most of them are purchased for the holidays.

The candy bar and Christmas have never has a particularly strong association. Candy canes and loose chocolate treats are far more common during the holiday season. However, there are a few candy bars that have made the leap and have become popular holiday treats. Let us take a moment to discuss them.

Advent Calendar

Most kids count the days to Santa's visit; and an advent calendar make the experience even sweeter. Traditional calendars have twenty-four cardboard doors that can be opened to reveal a treat and a secret message. Oftentimes, they educate kids on the history of the holiday. The most common treats found in advent calendars are miniature chocolate bars wrapped in festive holiday foil.

Holiday Miniatures

Perfect for stuffing a stocking or for a holiday goodie bag, chocolate miniatures are probably the most popular candy bars that are served during the winter months. Though Hershey's miniatures lead the pack, most candy companies that make chocolate bars offer miniature bars for the holidays. They typically come in festive red, green, or silver foil.

Chocolate Thin Mints

Sweet, smooth and refreshing, chocolate thin mints have long been a favorite of holiday revelers. They are so popular during the winter months that most of the top mint makers, like Andes, produce holiday candies wrapped in green and red foil. The classic mint features a Crème de Mine green layer sandwich between two thin dark chocolate layers. The result is as tasty and as satisfying as any classic combination-chocolate and peanut butter, Oreos and milk, cheese and crackers, etc.

With the exception of the advent calendar, most holiday candy can be purchased by the pound, which often means big cost saving for consumers. There are presently a number of candy bars sellers on the internet that offer big discounts to bulk buyers during the holiday season.

Chocolate bars are a tasty and refreshing alternative to the traditional candy cane, which is ubiquitous during the holidays.

Read more »

Posted in: Candy,Consider,Festivities,Holiday

Gluten - What Is It and Why Is It Important for Baking?

Gluten is a special type of protein formed by the bonding of two other proteins, gliadin and glutenin, and is commonly found in rye, wheat and barley. As a result it is found in most types of cereals and in many types of bread although not all grains contain gluten. Some grains that do not contain gluten include wild rice, corn, quinoa and oats.

Gluten can be removed from wheat flour but it is almost impossible to remove ALL of the gluten. Even food labelled as gluten-free contains trace amounts of gluten.

Wheat flour is the most common type of flour used in bread baking. A grain of wheat is actually a seed consisting of 3 parts: bran, germ and endosperm. The bran is the tough outer skin, the germ is the embryonic wheat plant and the endosperm is used as a food source by the germ in early development. The bran is a rich source of protein, the germ a good source of vitamins, and the endosperm a great source of carbohydrates, plus some protein, minerals and oil.

All of these components have an effect on the bread making process, so understanding what your kneading is doing will almost certainly make you a better baker. So, the carbohydrates are used as fuel by the yeast, the proteins bond to form the all important gluten strands, and the minerals are used to strengthen the gluten strands. The oil helps to maintain moisture thus keeping your bread softer for longer.

When water is added to flour gluten is formed. Gluten helps make your bread elastic, providing that nice, chewy texture it has when eaten. For this reason, flour that has had most of its gluten removed produces a sticky dough that feels a bit like chewing gum.

As gluten is an elastic protein it can be really stretched to form long strands. The more it is worked, the longer and stretchier it becomes. These strands form a complex mesh which helps to trap carbon dioxide bubbles produced by yeast during fermentation, thus creating gas bubbles inside your dough. This is the process you are encouraging when kneading your dough, so as you can hopefully appreciate, well kneaded dough is a prerequisite for a well-formed loaf. Gluten also firms up when cooked and helps ensure the bread maintains its shape. The downside of this is that gluten is believed to be partly responsible for causing bread to become stale (along with starch granules). Gluten is also able to absorb liquid, which is why bread is capable of soaking up broths and soups.

Wheat flours tend to be graded by how much high quality protein (and hence gluten) is present in the flour:

Strong flour (or bread flour) has a high proportion of high quality protein which will yield a high percentage of gluten (around 15%). This is the flour needed for typical bread made with yeast. Yeasted bread is commonly known as leavened bread. Bread flour may be white, brown or wholemeal.

Plain or soft flour has poorer quality proteins and produce a lower percentage of gluten (7-9%). As the gluten is formed from poorer quality proteins it is less elastic and tends to snap. This means that the strands can't form a mesh to trap the gas bubbles resulting in a crumbly texture. However, this property makes this flour perfect for making cakes and pastries.

Gluten is also important in coeliac disease. This is an autoimmune condition which inhibits the digestion of gluten.

Read more »

Posted in: Baking,Gluten,Important

2012: The Year of Online Food Ordering

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Phone ordering has been the main way we place an order for delivery or takeout for many years now. There really hasn't been any alternative unless you were one of the 7 people who faxed in an order over the past few years. But times have changed and there are now many convenient ways to order food online without having to pick up the telephone.

The younger generation of people ages 18-30 were born and raised online and with cell phones. This demographic is the future of online food ordering as they will continue to order online and teach their kids to order online, etc, etc. And now that the older generation is becoming more and more computer savvy, they are also taking to the internet and doing most of their business online. The phone isn't dead, but it sure does have a severe limp and a few broken bones. The knockout punch is coming soon for the phone and you'll be hard pressed to find someone that is grieving its loss.

Online ordering is so popular because the person ordering is in control. They don't have to feel rushed by the person taking the order, they don't have to worry about the person understanding them and getting their order correct, and they don't have to search around in the phone book for a restaurant's number or address. (Do they still make phone books?!)

College kids, office workers, moms on the go and busy professionals are all wanting to order food online. The main issue for these people is finding restaurants they like that actually offer this service. You'd be surprised how few restaurant's actually have this capability. There is a huge market out there they are missing and by not offering a solution to this problem, they have no idea how many customers they are missing out on each day. Their only saving grace is that their competitor or the consumers alternate choice may not offer it either. Right now it's a game of who is going to figure it out first and reap the benefits of all these new customers.

Add in the ability to order through Facebook and the online ordering sector is well fulfilled. I would guess that about 99% of people that go online each day either visit Google or Facebook. I would also guess that about 99% of these people eat every day. Having an online ordering solution for these folks is not a luxury item anymore. It is a necessity if the restaurant wants to stay in the game.

Jason is a food and technology blogger about software, restaurants and anything related to online food ordering. Technological advancements and a shift in the online society have led to an increase in how many people order food online. Restaurants will soon be relying on this technology for most of their business, meaning less reliance on the phone altogether.

Read more »

Posted in: Online,Ordering

All About Silken Tofu

Silken tofu, also known as smooth or soft tofu, is one of the 3 types of natural, unprocessed tofu that you can buy today (the others being firm and dry.) This tofu is unique in the fact that it is incredibly soft compared to everything else on the market. Because its so different from its "tofu brethren" its rarely called for in recipes but if you know how its made and how to use it its a very versatile food choice that can be used as a healthy alternative in place of higher fat dips and creams.

Of all of the natural tofu's, silken/soft tofu is the only one that is not drained during production and this is exactly what causes it to be so soft and to be the most moist of any of the major tofu varieties. The consistency of silken tofu is very much like butter and it can easily be used for spreading or for deserts. While most types of tofu are fairly substitutable, its important to know that you should only use this particular variety when specifically called for in a recipe as it will generally fall apart if used as a substitute for traditional firm tofu.

There are different types of regional customs employed when making soft tofu and this has resulted in several sub categories of this popular food. Most notably, black bean tofu or "Black douhua" is a type of silken tofu which is made from plain black beans and soybeans. This process results in a darker colored tofu with a slightly different (though very pleasant!) taste.

While you don't want to eat or serve silken tofu the same way as traditional firm tofu, there are a number of different methods for preparing and eating it. Its most often served as a spread that can be applied to other foods like crackers or even as a dipping sauce for vegetables - this makes it a very healthy alternatives to high fat processed dips like ranch! In addition to being served as a spread, you'll often find silken tofu served in a small square block with a garnish, or even a sweet sauce poured over the top. Since tofu does such a great job absorbing flavors this can be a very enjoyable meal of paired with something you enjoy,

Silken tofu is generally lower in fat, but also in protein when compared to firm. Here's a look at the nutritional information:

Tofu Nutritional Breakdown (Soft / Silken Tofu)

Serving Size = 1/2 Cup

Calories = 55

Fat = 3g

Protein 6g

Silken tofu is readily available in most specialty or natural grocery stores and is quickly invading traditional supermarkets. There are a number of great recipes out there so don't be afraid to pick some up the next time your shopping and open up an exciting new world of flavor possibilities!

Read more »

Posted in: about,Silken