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Water is the most abundant nutrient in our body and plays an important transmission function in every body cell and tissue. Sixty percent of our body weight is water. The fact that you can live without food for a long period of time, even months, but live only for a few days without water is true. Under normal conditions, the body releases about one quart of water daily. Therefore, replacement to equal the losses is very important for survival.

Dehydration is the most common problem of water imbalance due to water losses and deprivation. The effects of dehydration on nutrition can adversely affect ones health. Dehydration is the major cause of ones diminished ability to perform during endurance activities. Body water is lost through the stomach, respiration, sweat, and the kidneys. It is recomended that 24oz of water a day should be taken. This amount can double or even triple with endurance type exercise.



A note about water: More and more evidence shows the benifit of being well hydrated.

Studies show that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated (likely applies to half the world's population), leading to possible health problems such as fatigue. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger, leading to over-eating. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.



Bottled Water: Some types of bottled water are not subject to the same regulations as tap water. These are regulated as food products, and their regulations are largely related to sanitary food handling and processing practices. Bottled water manufacturers will provide a detailed report on the quality of their product to consumers who call to request it.

There are hundreds of different coffee species but the two most commercially viable are coffea robusta and coffea arabica. The sturdy, disease-resistant coffea robusta, which thrives at lower altitudes, produces beans with a harsher, more single-dimensional flavor than the more sensitive coffea arabica, which grows at high altitudes (3,000 to 6,500 feet) and produces beans with elegant, complex flavors. The coffee plant is actually a small tree that bears a fruit called the "coffee cherry." Growing and tending these coffee trees is a labor-intensive process because blossoms, unripe (green) and ripe red cherries can occupy a tree simultaneously, necessitating hand-picking the fruit. The coffee cherry's skin and pulp surround two beans enclosed in a parchmentlike covering. Once these layers are discarded, the beans are cleaned, dried, graded and hand-inspected for color and quality.



Coffee is a brewed beverage prepared from roasted seeds, commonly called coffee beans, of the coffee plant. They are seeds of "coffee cherries" that grow on trees in over 50 countries. Green Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world behind crude oil. [1] Due to its caffeine content, coffee can have a stimulating effect in humans. Today, coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide.



It is supposed that the Ethiopians, the ancestors of today's Galla tribe, were the first to have discovered and recognized the energizing effect of the coffee bean plant. However, no direct evidence has ever been found revealing exactly where in Africa coffee grew, or who among the natives might have used it as a stimulant or even known about it there earlier than the seventeenth century. The earliest credible evidence of either coffee drinking or knowledge of the coffee tree appears in the middle of the fifteenth century, in the Sufi monasteries of the Yemen in southern Arabia. From Yemen, coffee spread to Egypt and Ethiopia, and by the 15th century, had reached Armenia, Persia, Turkey, and northern Africa. From the Muslim world, coffee spread to Italy, then to the rest of Europe, to Indonesia, and to the Americas.



Coffee berries, which contain the coffee bean, are produced by several species of small evergreen bush of the genus Coffea. The two most commonly grown species are Coffea canephora (also known as Coffea robusta) and Coffea arabica; less popular species are Liberica, Excelsa, Stenophylla, Mauritiana, Racemosa. These are cultivated primarily in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Once ripe, coffee berries are picked, processed, and dried. The seeds are then roasted, undergoing several physical and chemical changes. They are roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor. They are then ground and brewed to create coffee. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways.



Coffee has played an important role in many societies throughout history. In Africa and Yemen, it was used in religious ceremonies. As a result, the Ethiopian Church banned its secular consumption until the reign of Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia. It was banned in Ottoman Turkey in the 17th century for political reasons, and was associated with rebellious political activities in Europe.



Coffee is an important export commodity. In 2004, coffee was the top agricultural export for 12 countries, and in 2005, it was the world's seventh-largest legal agricultural export by value.

Some controversy is associated with coffee cultivation and its impact on the environment. Many studies have examined the relationship between coffee consumption and certain medical conditions; whether the overall effects of coffee are positive or negative is still disputed



Freeze-drying (also known as lyophilization or cryodesiccation) is a dehydration process typically used to preserve a perishable material or make the material more convenient for transport. Freeze-drying works by freezing the material and then reducing the surrounding pressure and adding enough heat to allow the frozen water in the material to sublime directly from the solid phase to gas.

Caffè espresso, espresso, [1] is a concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee.



The first espresso machines were introduced at the beginning of the 20th Century, with the first patent being filed by Luigi Bezzera of Milan, Italy, in 1901. Up until the mid-1940s, when the piston lever espresso machine was introduced, it was produced solely with steam pressure.



Characteristics of properly made espresso, which distinguish it from drip and other brewing processes, include a thicker consistency than drip coffee, a higher amount of dissolved solids than drip coffee per relative volume, and crema, a reddish-brown foam that floats on the surface and is composed of vegetable oils, proteins and sugars.



As a result of the pressurized brewing process, all of the flavors and chemicals in a typical cup of coffee are very concentrated. For this reason, espresso is the base for other drinks, such as lattes, cappuccino, macchiato and mochas.



While there can be significant variation, on a per-volume basis, espresso contains approximately two to three times the caffeine content of regular drip brewed coffee. Compared on the basis of usual serving sizes, a 30 mL (1 fluid ounce) shot of espresso has about half the caffeine of a standard 180 mL (6 fluid ounce) cup of drip brewed coffee, which varies from 80 to 130 mg.

Sucrose, ordinary table sugar, is probably the single most abundant pure organic chemical in the world and the one most widely known to nonchemists. Whether from sugar cane (20% by weight) or sugar beets (15% by weight), and whether raw or refined, common sugar is still sucrose.

Sucrose is a disaccharide that yields 1 equiv of glucose and 1 equiv of fructose on acidic hydrolysis. This 1:1 mixture of glucose and fructose is often referred to as invert sugar, since the sign of optical rotation changes (inverts) during the hydrolysis from sucrose to a glucose fructose mixture.

We get our energy from the nutrients in food. The main sources of energy are carbohydrates (starches and sugars), fats and proteins. The body can be compared to an engine that converts the energy in food into the energy we need to live. Sugars and starches are forms of carbohydrate. Nutritionists recommend that about half of our energy should be supplied by carbohydrates. The majority of this should be from starchy foods like cereals, rice, potatoes, pasta or bread, with the remainder coming from sugars. During digestion (the process by which we break down food substances ready for absorption and use by the body) complex starchy foods are broken down into sugars.

Most milk packs a nutritional punch and contains protein, calcium, phosphorus, vitamins A and D, LACTOSE (milk sugar) and riboflavin. On the minus side, milk's natural sodium content is quite high. Most milk sold in the United States today is PASTEURIZED, which means the microorganisms that cause diseases (such as salmonella and hepatitis) and spoilage have been destroyed by heating, then quick-cooling, the milk. Pasteurization eliminates the possibility of disease and gives milk a longer shelf life. Most commercial milk products have also been HOMOGENIZED, meaning that the milk fat globules have been broken down mechanically until they are evenly and imperceptibly distributed throughout the milk. The end result is that the CREAM does not separate from the milk and the liquid is uniformly smooth.

nonessential amino acid; produced by synthesis of the amino acids methionine and cysteine in the liver, vitamin B6 helps the process; diabetic and hypoglycemic patients should use taurine under medical supervision as it may have an effect on insulin activity, excessive consumption of taurine may result in diarrhea and peptic ulcer formation

Flavor(s) Natural

Under the Code of Federal Regulation, natural flavor is defined as “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating, enzymolysis (biochemical decomposition of a substance), which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs , dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.” Natural flavoring substances are obtained from plant or animal raw materials, containing no other artificial or added ingredients. Spices approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) such as black pepper and basil do not have to be listed under its specific name. Additives can also be listed under natural flavoring because they might meet FDA definition standards, the extraction process consider flavorings man-made. In addition, spice extracts, essential oils, oleoresins, onion powder/juice, and garlic powder/juice are allowed to be labeled under “flavor” or “natural flavor.”

"Common Food Safety Questions from FSIS - Natural Flavorings on Meat & Poultry Labels." USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Home. Web. 16 May 2011. .

Potassium is a mineral that is found naturally in foods and is necessary for many normal functions of your body, especially the beating of your heart. Potassium is important in controlling the activity of your heart, muscles, nervous system, and just about every living cell in your body. Potassium helps activate enzymes for the use of amino acids, and is involved in bone calcification, the conversion of blood sugar into the stored glycogen for energy reserves, muscle contraction & coordination. It plays a role in maintaining the water balance & integrity of your cells. It is important to nerve transmission. It is involved in the transport of choline for acetylcholine synthesis in your brain. Protein & carbohydrate metabolism, glucose breakdown, & glycogen (stored glucose) are all potassium dependent. It is yet to be completely understood its function on the thyroid gland. Naturaly found in: kelp, fresh & dried fruits and vegetables, rice, wheat bran, potatoes, bananas, orange juice, apricots, nuts, seeds, grains, mushrooms, molasses, and some seafood.

Salt is one of the most ubiquitous food ingredients around. Those who think of salt only as something used to perk up flavor might wonder what could possibly give this ingredient the level of importance it has gained through the ages. In reality, there is much more to this crystalline cube than first meets the eye.



Besides enhancing taste, salt has several other functions in food products. It acts as an antimicrobial or microbiological control agent. It contributes to certain chemical reactions that create a wide variety of food characteristics.



Sometimes the terms "salt" and "sodium" are used interchangeably, but technically this is not correct. "Salt" is sodium chloride. By weight, it is 40 percent sodium and 60 percent chloride.

Most foods and tap water contain sodium and chloride. Sodium is an essential nutrient, a mineral that the body cannot manufacture itself.

Because of sodium's importance to your body, the excretory and nervous systems guard against under-consumption of salt, which is a threat to your body's nerves and muscles. Other ions such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium are also very important. Concentrations of these ions are held in narrow ranges by the kidney.



The association between eating salt and the risk of blood pressure increasing is difficult to quantify. Some people are sensitive to changes in salt intake whereas others can adjust so that blood pressure does not rise at all.



Americans typically consume 4,000-8,000 mg each day, well above their daily needs. A goal for moderation for all adults, (including pregnancy and lactation) is approximately 2,400 mg of sodium per day.

A chemical compound that is used to preserve food by retaining the moisture in the food to make it juicy and more pleasing when consumed.

According to Larry Borchert, a professor of

muscle biology and meat science at the

University of Wisconsin at Madison, hams do

not naturally hold water. The two proteins that make up the muscles of a ham, actin and

myosin, bind together to form a complex

protein known as actomyosin. Actomyosin is

not water-soluble, but it is salt- soluble. Thus ham manufacturers

must inject sodium phosphate into

supermarket hams to

enable the muscles to retain water. The

advantage of this treatment can be that a ham does not end up completely

dehydrated after processing. The disadvantage, however, is that the ham can be so pumped up with water, or "highly extended," as Borchert phrased it, that it

takes on an unpalatably damp, spongy texture

and a watered-down flavor. This was the case with all of the "water product" hams and, to a lesser degree, the "hamwater

added"

Simply put, mono- and diglycerides are fats. They are made from oil,usually soybean, cottonseed, sunflower, or palm oil, act as emulsifiers (provide a consistent texture and prevent separation), and are used in most baked products to keep them from getting stale. In ice cream and other processed foods, including margarine, instant potatoes, and chewing gum, they serve as stabilizers, which give foods body and improve consistency.



Mono and diglycerides themselves do not contain gluten, but mono and diglycerides are almost always on lists of questionable foods for celiacs because of the possibility that wheat might be used with them as a carrier.



Under FDA regulations, a carrier used with mono and diglycerides in this manner would fall into the incidental additive category. Additives are considered incidental when they are present in insignificant amounts and have no technical or functional effect on the final food product. FDA regulations, which generally require that all ingredients of a food be listed on the label, do allow certain incidental additives to be left off the label.



However, recent concern about allergens has led the FDA to warn food manufacturers that it does not consider the eight most common food allergens (eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat) eligible for this labeling exemption. The FDA first clarified the exemption in 1996 in response to a growing number of reports of allergic reactions from foods that according to their label should have been allergen free. Now, the FDA has updated that clarification in a compliance policy guide for the food industry that says incidental additives containing common food allergens have never been considered eligible for the exemption. The Food Allergy Issues Alliance, a group of food trade associations and consumer interest groups, in May issued labeling guidelines that say incidental additives should be on the label. For celiacs this means that if wheat is used as a carrier for mono and diglycerides, it has to be declared on the label.



All this would seem to indicate that celiacs can remove mono and diglycerides from any suspicious or questionable food lists and still feel safe.



Source: http://www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/monodiglycerides.html

Caffeine

The addition of caffeine into a product is to appeal to the consumer as a stimulant. Stimulants help keep people awake and alert. However, overconsumption of caffeinated products can cause jitteriness and affect calcium metabolism. Many theories of why caffeine is an addicting stimulant point to the “drug’s” interference with the hormone adenosine, which tells the body that it needs to sleep. Without catching up on the sleep deprived by caffeine, the human body will not function at its best in performing physically and mentally. Interestingly enough the ingredient guarana is caffeine. It is a woody vine native to Brazil and is commonly seen in energy drinks, protein bars, and weight-loss products. If caffeine and guarana are listed under the food label, it means the caffeine has two sources. Caffeine is still a stimulant and has the same effects no matter what source it came from naturally or artificially.



Reid, T.R. “Slurped in black coffee or sipped in green tea, gulped down in a soda or knocked back in a headache pill, caffeine is the world's most popular psychoactive drug.” National Geographic. Web. 17 May 2011. .





An alkaloid that exists naturally in tea, kola nut and coffee; clearly toxic in high doses, can cause heart palpitations, high blood pressure, vomiting, convulsions, headache, diarrhea, frequent urination, dehydration, insomnia, stomach cramps, hand tremors, muscle twitches; acts as laxative, also saps the body's supply of calcium; used as a mild stimulant in moderation.



Caffeine is the only drug that is present naturally or added to widely consumed foods (quinine is the other drug used in foods). It is mildly addictive, one possible reason that makers of soft drinks add it to their products. Many coffee drinkers experience withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, irritability, sleepiness, and lethargy, when they stop drinking coffee. Because caffeine increases the risk of miscarriages (and possibly birth defects) and inhibits fetal growth, it should be avoided by women who are pregnant or considering becoming pregnant. It also may make it harder to get pregnant. Caffeine also keeps many people from sleeping, causes jitteriness, and affects calcium metabolism. The caffeine in a cup or two of coffee is harmless to most people. But if you drink more than a couple of cups of coffee or cans of caffeine-containing soda per day, experience symptoms noted above, are at risk of osteoporosis, or are pregnant, you should rethink your habit.



Afri-Cola 100.0 (?)

Jolt 71.2

Sugar-Free Mr. Pibb 58.8

Mountain Dew 55.0 (no caffeine in Canada)

Diet Mountain Dew 55.0

Kick citrus 54 (36mg per 8oz can, caffeine from guarana)

Mello Yellow 52.8

Surge 51.0

Tab 46.8

Battery energy drink -- 140mg/l = 46.7mg/can

Coca-Cola 45.6

Diet Cola 45.6

Shasta Cola 44.4

Shasta Cherry Cola 44.4

Shasta Diet Cola 44.4

Mr. Pibb 40.8

OK Soda 40.5

Dr. Pepper 39.6

Pepsi Cola 37.2

Aspen 36.0

Diet Pepsi 35.4

RC Cola 36.0

Diet RC 36.0

Diet Rite 36.0

Canada Dry Cola 30.0

Canada Dry Diet Cola 1.2

7 Up 0



Coffee, Tea -

Drip 115-175

Espresso 100mg of caffeine

1 serving (1.5-2oz)



Brewed 80-135

Instant 65-100

Decaf, brewed 3-4

Decaf, instant 2-3

Tea, iced (12 ozs.) 70

Tea, brewed, imported 60

Tea, brewed, U.S. 40

Tea, instant 30







Ref: lactose.co.uk

& Center of science for the public intrest (http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm#Alphabetical & www.faqs.org

Inositol is necessary for the formation of lecithin and functions closely with a B complex vitamin, Choline. Since it is not essential in the human diet, it cannot be considered a vitamin. Inositol is a fundamental ingredient of cell membranes and is necessary for proper function of nerves, brain, and muscles in the body. Inositol works in conjunction with folacin, Vitamins B-6 and B-12, choline, betaine, and methionine to prevent the accumulation of fats in the liver. It exists as the fiber component phytic acid, which has been investigated for its anti-cancer properties.

L-Carnitine is not an amino acid in the strict sense (it is not used as a neurotransmitter or in protein synthesis), however L-Carnitine bears many resemblances to amino acids and is usually grouped under this heading. L-Carnitine (the "L" refers to its chemical polarity) is used by the body to transport long chain fatty acids to the mitochondria in your cells, where they are burned for energy. Since this fat burning is such a major source of muscular energy, deficiencies in L-Carnitine are manifested as low energy levels and muscular weakness. L-Carnitine deficiencies can also appear as mental confusion or cloudiness, angina (heart pain) and weight gain.

L-Carnitine can be manufactured in the body provided the requisite vitamins and minerals are also present. These vitamins and minerals are B1, B6, C, and iron. The amino acids lysine and methionine are also needed for L-Carnitine synthesis. L-Carnitine is also present in meats and other animal foods, so if you are a vegetarian or vegan you may want to consider supplementing with L-Carnitine. This would be especially important if you are an athlete, since you are using lots of L-Carnitine during periods of exertion

A plant that is native to Europe, also known as Blessed Thistle, Marian Thistle and Our Lady's Thistle. The principal active compounds in milk thistle are silybin, silydianin and silychristin; these are collectively known as silymarin. These compounds are believed to be responsible for milk thistle's ability to support healthy liver function.



Source: GNC.com



Extract

The distilled or evaporated oils of foods or plants (such as nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, bark, buds, roots, leaves, meat, poultry, seafood, fish, dairy foods, or eggs) that are dissolved in an alcohol base or allowed to dry to be used as a flavoring. Food extracts as they are often labeled, are used to add a concentrated flavor to many food dishes, especially baked goods and desserts, without adding additional volume. Available in solid (cubes, granules or powdered), liquid or jelled form, extracts may be labeled as pure, natural or artificial. Pure and natural extracts are governed by laws in many countries that require compliance with procedures that take the extract ingredients directly from the named flavor, such as extracting oils directly from the vanilla bean to make pure or natural vanilla extract. Artificial extracts are flavors that do not necessarily use any ingredients directly from a source named for the extract but instead used combinations of ingredients to arrive at a flavor representative of the named food extract, such as artificial lemon extract. Some of the most widely used extracts include vanilla, almond, anise, maple, peppermint, and numerous solid or jelled extracts such as beef and chicken bouillon or meat demi-glaces. As an example of how the pure and natural extract is made, vanilla extract is created by soaking vanilla beans in water and an alcohol-based solution where it ages for several months, during which time the vanilla flavor is extracted from the bean. Anise extract, a sweet licorice tasting flavoring, is produced by dissolving the oil of anise seeds into alcohol.



Grape extract is produced to assist with the wine making process. Compounds from the skin of grapes are extracted and added to the wine in order to impart tannin, color, and body into a wine. The characteristics of the wine can be changed dramatically by the amount of time the wine is in contact with the skins. If the grapes are in contact for too long, the resulting wine may be too potent, or what is sometimes called “over-extracted”.



Juices of fruits and vegetables are often extracted as juice extracts to be used similar to other food extracts, as a flavoring when preparing foods. A common utensil for the purpose of extracting lemon juice is available to assist with home recipes requiring a lemon flavoring.

Vitamin B3



Also called Niacin, Nicotinic Acid, Niacinimide, Nicotinic.



Acts as a co-enzyme in the release of energy from carbohydrates. Also needed to help breakdown fats and proteins. Aids in formation of red blood cells.

Since the 1950's doctors have used nicotinic acid to treat high cholesterol. Niacin is the only drug available that both substantially lowers the "bad" lipids (LDL), and increases the "good"(HDL) cholesterol. The reason this vitamin is not in the forefront of cholesterol therapy is because many people treated with high doses of niacin experience bothersome side effects such as; facial flushing, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea and much more serious, liver damage.



Milk, eggs, meats (especially liver), chicken, fish, and most other protein-rich foods contain a significant amout of niacin. Also in smaller amounts in coffee and tea.



Dificiency is very rare in modern countries. Symptoms include: Pellagra (diarrhea, dermatitis, and dementia) Less severe symptoms of deficiency include irritability, loss of appetite, weekness and swollen tongue.

Pantothenic acid, also called vitamin B5 (a B vitamin), is a water-soluble vitamin required to sustain life (essential nutrient). Pantothenic acid is needed to form coenzyme-A (CoA), and is critical in the metabolism and synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. In chemical structure, it is the amide between D-pantoate and beta-alanine. Its name is derived from the Greek pantothen (pa?t??e?) meaning "from everywhere" and small quantities of pantothenic acid are found in nearly every food, with high amounts in whole-grain cereals, legumes, eggs, meat, and royal jelly. It is commonly found as its alcohol analog, the provitamin panthenol, and as calcium pantothenate.

The Ginkgo tree is the only living representative of the order Ginkgoales, with its earliest leaf fossils dating back to 270 million years ago in the Permian period, so in the era of the dinosaurs it already existed. The earliest record of the use of the leaves as a medicine is said to be mentioned in the Chinese Materia Medica Shen Nung (which should originate from about 2800 BC) as an aid for blood circulation and the lungs. Nowadays Ginkgo is prescribed in Europe and used by many people in the U.S., Canada and other countries for its medicinal abilities.



Source: Foodfacts.com



Also known as the maidenhair tree, gingko is an herb native to China. Gingko became popular in the 1960's when technology isolated flavinoids as the active ingredient. These essential compounds help protect against free radical damage. To date, approximately 40 flavanoids have been identified in gingko. In addition to its antioxidant properties, gingko is also used to support increased blood flow to the brain.



Source: GNC.com

Extract

The distilled or evaporated oils of foods or plants (such as nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, bark, buds, roots, leaves, meat, poultry, seafood, fish, dairy foods, or eggs) that are dissolved in an alcohol base or allowed to dry to be used as a flavoring. Food extracts as they are often labeled, are used to add a concentrated flavor to many food dishes, especially baked goods and desserts, without adding additional volume. Available in solid (cubes, granules or powdered), liquid or jelled form, extracts may be labeled as pure, natural or artificial. Pure and natural extracts are governed by laws in many countries that require compliance with procedures that take the extract ingredients directly from the named flavor, such as extracting oils directly from the vanilla bean to make pure or natural vanilla extract. Artificial extracts are flavors that do not necessarily use any ingredients directly from a source named for the extract but instead used combinations of ingredients to arrive at a flavor representative of the named food extract, such as artificial lemon extract. Some of the most widely used extracts include vanilla, almond, anise, maple, peppermint, and numerous solid or jelled extracts such as beef and chicken bouillon or meat demi-glaces. As an example of how the pure and natural extract is made, vanilla extract is created by soaking vanilla beans in water and an alcohol-based solution where it ages for several months, during which time the vanilla flavor is extracted from the bean. Anise extract, a sweet licorice tasting flavoring, is produced by dissolving the oil of anise seeds into alcohol.



Grape extract is produced to assist with the wine making process. Compounds from the skin of grapes are extracted and added to the wine in order to impart tannin, color, and body into a wine. The characteristics of the wine can be changed dramatically by the amount of time the wine is in contact with the skins. If the grapes are in contact for too long, the resulting wine may be too potent, or what is sometimes called “over-extracted”.



Juices of fruits and vegetables are often extracted as juice extracts to be used similar to other food extracts, as a flavoring when preparing foods. A common utensil for the purpose of extracting lemon juice is available to assist with home recipes requiring a lemon flavoring.

One of the most widely used colors is caramel, the color of burnt sugar.



There are many different types of caramel color, each engineered to serve a particular purpose in food chemistry. They are all based on the cooking of sugars and starches. Sometimes acids such as acetic acid, citric acid, lactic acid, or phosphoric acid, are used to break the bonds between sugars to create invert sugars, or to make sugars from starches, before the sugars are raised to a higher temperature for carmelization.



The heat is carefully controlled during carmelization to get the right products from the reaction. Besides acids, alkalies and salts may be used to further control the process.



Caramel color is a colloid, a mixture in which solid particles are suspended in water. The particles in colloids have electric charges that keep the particles from clumping together and settling out of solution. The charges can be positive or negative. If a negative coloid is added to a product that has positive colloidal particles in it, the two will attract one another and clump up, making the product cloudy.



Caramel color can be made with either positively or negatively charged particles. This allows manufacturers to use negative colloidal caramel in acidic soft drinks, and positive in beers and soy sauces. Beer has positively charged proteins suspended in it, and soy sauce has a high salt content that requires the more salt-tolerant positive caramel color.



Caramel color is an emulsifying agent as well as a colorant. In soft drinks, it helps keep the flavor oils suspended in the solution.



In chocolate milk, the muddy color of caramel is darkened by the addition of FD&C Red #40 to give what the industry refers to as a "Dutch" chocolate shade. Blues and yellows are sometimes used to give a more brown color.



Caramel color is added to baked goods, to poultry, to milk to give an "eggnog" color, to malt vinegars, canned meats, syrups, and soups, stews, and gravies.



If caramel color is made in North America it is likely to be gluten-free.



The problem with caramel color is that it may or may not contain gluten depending on how it is manufactured. In the USA caramel color must conform with the FDA standard of identity from 21CFR CH.1. This statute says: "the color additive caramel is the dark-brown liquid or solid material resulting from the carefully controlled heat treatment of the following food-grade carbohydrates: Dextrose (corn sugar), invert sugar, lactose (milk sugar), malt syrup (usually from barley malt), molasses (from cane), starch hydrolysates and fractions thereof (can include wheat), sucrose (cane or beet)." Also, acids, alkalis and salts are listed as additives which may be employed to assist the caramelization process.



Source: http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/fdc_colors.html

Guarana (pronounced gwa-ra-naa) is a berry that grows in Venezuela and the northern parts of Brazil. The name 'Guarana' comes from the Guarani tribe that lives in Brazil.

The taste of Guarana is distinctive and unique, and the main reason for its success in Brazil as a soft drink. The main ingredient of guarana is guaranine, which is chemically identical to caffeine. This is the reason for the energy boost people get after taking guarana.

The success in Brazil was reason enough for the Pepsi and Coca Cola to start the production of their own guarana soda varieties. Pepsi tried to market 'Josta' in the US (and failed); Coca Cola still sells 'Kuat' in Brazil (with some success). In most cases, imitation brands still can't compete with the original Brazilian brands



Extract

The distilled or evaporated oils of foods or plants (such as nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, bark, buds, roots, leaves, meat, poultry, seafood, fish, dairy foods, or eggs) that are dissolved in an alcohol base or allowed to dry to be used as a flavoring. Food extracts as they are often labeled, are used to add a concentrated flavor to many food dishes, especially baked goods and desserts, without adding additional volume. Available in solid (cubes, granules or powdered), liquid or jelled form, extracts may be labeled as pure, natural or artificial. Pure and natural extracts are governed by laws in many countries that require compliance with procedures that take the extract ingredients directly from the named flavor, such as extracting oils directly from the vanilla bean to make pure or natural vanilla extract. Artificial extracts are flavors that do not necessarily use any ingredients directly from a source named for the extract but instead used combinations of ingredients to arrive at a flavor representative of the named food extract, such as artificial lemon extract. Some of the most widely used extracts include vanilla, almond, anise, maple, peppermint, and numerous solid or jelled extracts such as beef and chicken bouillon or meat demi-glaces. As an example of how the pure and natural extract is made, vanilla extract is created by soaking vanilla beans in water and an alcohol-based solution where it ages for several months, during which time the vanilla flavor is extracted from the bean. Anise extract, a sweet licorice tasting flavoring, is produced by dissolving the oil of anise seeds into alcohol.



Grape extract is produced to assist with the wine making process. Compounds from the skin of grapes are extracted and added to the wine in order to impart tannin, color, and body into a wine. The characteristics of the wine can be changed dramatically by the amount of time the wine is in contact with the skins. If the grapes are in contact for too long, the resulting wine may be too potent, or what is sometimes called “over-extracted”.



Juices of fruits and vegetables are often extracted as juice extracts to be used similar to other food extracts, as a flavoring when preparing foods. A common utensil for the purpose of extracting lemon juice is available to assist with home recipes requiring a lemon flavoring.

Acesulfame Potassium

Also seen as Acesulfame K, Ace-K, Sunett, or Sweet One, Acesulfame Potassium is a sugar substitute that is 200 times sweeter than table sugar. It is used as a flavor enhancer and sweetener for foods. It is a low calorie food ingredient because our bodies do not metabolize it. Acesulfame K also is not consumed by bacteria so it does not contribute to tooth decay as sugar does. However, methylene chloride is used for the production of Acesulfame K, which also is used as a propellant, degreaser, and paint stripper. There are many side effects with consumption of Acesulfame K, including increased risk for cancer, triggering chronic respiratory disease, or abnormal cravings for sweets. The chemical remains stable when exposed to heat, basic, or acidic conditions. Since it is stable under high heat, manufacturers use Acesulfame K potassium to use in baking and extending shelf life. This artificial sweetener has a slight bitter aftertaste, but companies are using this with sodium ferulate to mask the bitterness. Other companies use Acesulfame K with other alternative sweeteners such as Aspartame or sucralose to control the use of it. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends the acceptable daily intake of 15mg/kg of body weight/day.

"Artificial Sweeteners Symptoms, Causes, Treatment - Acesulfame K: What Are the Pros on

MedicineNet." Web. 17 May 2011. .

Denby, Amelia. "Acesulfame Potassium Dangers Medical Questions, Weight Loss, Pregnancy, Drugs,

Health Insurance." Health: Medical Questions, Weight Loss, Pregnancy, Drugs, Health Insurance. 14 Jan. 2011. Web. 17 May 2011. .

"What Is Acesulfame Potassium?" Tech-FAQ. Web. 17 May 2011.
faq.com/acesulfame-potassium.html>.

Panax Ginseng has been used by the Chinese for more than 5,000 years. Panax is derived from the Latin word panacea meaning "cure all". Although there are other types of ginseng, the Panax form offers the highest level and range of ginsenosides. Its many attributes include increased mental and physical endurance, helping the body handle stress more effectively, a reduction in cholesterol, increased energy, relief in some of the discomforts of menopause and enhanced sexual desire. Though benefits may vary, this unique herb will continue to be a leader in the expanding use of botanicals for personal healing.



Extract

The distilled or evaporated oils of foods or plants (such as nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, bark, buds, roots, leaves, meat, poultry, seafood, fish, dairy foods, or eggs) that are dissolved in an alcohol base or allowed to dry to be used as a flavoring. Food extracts as they are often labeled, are used to add a concentrated flavor to many food dishes, especially baked goods and desserts, without adding additional volume. Available in solid (cubes, granules or powdered), liquid or jelled form, extracts may be labeled as pure, natural or artificial. Pure and natural extracts are governed by laws in many countries that require compliance with procedures that take the extract ingredients directly from the named flavor, such as extracting oils directly from the vanilla bean to make pure or natural vanilla extract. Artificial extracts are flavors that do not necessarily use any ingredients directly from a source named for the extract but instead used combinations of ingredients to arrive at a flavor representative of the named food extract, such as artificial lemon extract. Some of the most widely used extracts include vanilla, almond, anise, maple, peppermint, and numerous solid or jelled extracts such as beef and chicken bouillon or meat demi-glaces. As an example of how the pure and natural extract is made, vanilla extract is created by soaking vanilla beans in water and an alcohol-based solution where it ages for several months, during which time the vanilla flavor is extracted from the bean. Anise extract, a sweet licorice tasting flavoring, is produced by dissolving the oil of anise seeds into alcohol.



Grape extract is produced to assist with the wine making process. Compounds from the skin of grapes are extracted and added to the wine in order to impart tannin, color, and body into a wine. The characteristics of the wine can be changed dramatically by the amount of time the wine is in contact with the skins. If the grapes are in contact for too long, the resulting wine may be too potent, or what is sometimes called “over-extracted”.



Juices of fruits and vegetables are often extracted as juice extracts to be used similar to other food extracts, as a flavoring when preparing foods. A common utensil for the purpose of extracting lemon juice is available to assist with home recipes requiring a lemon flavoring.

Approved in the United States in April 1998, sucralose (a synthetic chemical) can be used in soft drinks, baked goods, ice cream, sweetener packets, and other products. It previously had been used in Canada, Europe, and elsewhere. Sucralose is safer than saccharin and cyclamate and doesn’t raise the concerns that tests on acesulfame-K and aspartame have raised.

Pyridoxine Hydrochloride

Activated vitamin B-6 is extensively involved in the metabolism of amino acids. efficiently from pyridoxine in the liver. Ex cessive protein intake, alcohol or contraceptive use also indicates a greater need for vitamin B-6. It also plays a crucial role in the multiplication of cells.



Source: Vitamin & Mineral Safety 2nd edition - by John N. Hathcock PHD

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) is a water soluble vitamin, although small amounts are stored in the liver. It is a member of the B group of vitamins and is vital for the formation of red blood cells, for nerve cells, and the recycling of certain important enzymes.



NOTE: Drinking alcohol may increase your requirement for B12.

EU Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 1 mcg.

Upper Safe Level (USL) for long term use is 3000 mcg.