List of Sources for the paper

- Fast Food Nation - the chapter in which they talk about how the cows are raised and the difference in their fresh milk and the milk from the bottles we get from a regular store.
- The movie Food INC. - compare the cows shown in the movie to the way the cows were raised before.
-  Articles that can tell how rice has changed throughout years.
- Look at the back of a almonds or pistachio packet to see how they actually grown to be brought to us.
- Google up real information to how sugar has changed. How was it like in the late centuries and how is it now. Was it even available before or was there a substitute instead of it?
- http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/AI/AIcows.html
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factory_farming
- http://www.eoearth.org/article/Concentrated_Animal_Feeding_Operation_%28CAFO%29

Movie Food Inc.

We watched a movie in class which is Food Inc. It's a great movie to let everyone know about the type of food they actually are eating, whether its healthy or not. In the movie we were basically shown that farmers aren't giving us exactly healthy food. They have techniques that they are following so they can earn much more than they usually do. The cows don't eat grass but they eat corn because corn is cheap they have such a mass production of them that its being used in everything. Corn is also a major thing because its in everything we eat or drink, it just has a weird name rather than corn. Farmers now a days are given no respect to do or say what they wish or enjoyed doing at a point in their life. Now they are working basically as machines and doing exactly what the big companies want them do. Farmers have no word to this because if they dare to say anything they are put down. Farmers have taken out so many loans that they can't afford to put anything in jeopardy. No farmers actually wanted to show what it exactly goes on in their farms. The first fast food was McDonald's and its was extremely successful. They had trained workers who did everything int he same way everyday. Companies have changed the way chickens are grown, they have made the chickens them bigger than they are so they can produce a lot of white meat. The chickens weigh so much to a point that they can even walk anymore, they take a few steps "blop" they are down. The sad part of the movie was Barbara's son Kevin died. He was so young, he had been contaminated by E.Coli due to the unhealthy farming system. The E.Coli came from the plants/grass that's being feed to the cows; the cows are later being used in hamburgers which is being to fed to people all over the country. The part which i was found was really amazing was about the family who ate from burger king everyday because they didn't have time to cook and kind of couldn't afford to buy things to cook at home. They thought it was better to buy fast food everyday and feed their 2 kids rather than going to the supermarket and buying food that somewhat may be organic. The nice part was Joseph who is a 65 year old man looks like hes probably in his early 40's still farms the organic way to provide his customers with real stuff. He believes that everything and everyone has the right to deserve respect which absolutely true. He still has grass for his cows to eat from, fresh air to breath, and his chickens are still slaughtered in the fresh air which is supposedly "bad". Overall I think the movie is great because it teaches you a lot about the way farmers are being treated and the wrong stuff you being feed by buying fast food. Think smart, make a choice and eat healthy.

Heritage food- Kheer (rice pudding)

 Shaista Rashid

Kheer is a traditional dish eaten by many Asian countries like Pakistan, India, Bangladesh also it’s eaten by many western countries however it’s just known as rice pudding. Kheer is still cooked the same way my ancestors cooked it. The differences come in when you observe the ingredients of Kheer. Kheer is made from milk, rice, sugar and for dressing/seasoning you may put almonds, pistachio, cinnamon, etc. All the ingredients used are identical but once you split them down and come across everything they are much more different then they appear. I will be comparing and contrasting the ingredients used in Kheer.

            Kheer is the Indian name for sweet milk pudding usually made with rice, although it can also be made with fine noodles. Kheer is typically made on Muslim holidays. It was probably originated in Persia where a similar dessert is known as sheer birinj (rice pudding). Kheer is originally the food of angels, first made in heaven when the Prophet Muhammad ascended to the 7^th floor of heaven to meet God and he was served this dish.

            Kheer is prepared from very basic ingredients which are milk, rice, and sugar. So I will be talking about how raw milk is different from pasteurized milk, organic rice from pest controlled, refined sugar and unrefined sugar. Raw milk from grass-fed cows is a complete and balanced food. You can live on it and you won’t need anything else for the rest of your life. It has trace amounts of naturally occurring hormones and growth factors- key bio-active ingredients that make it such a valuable, healing food. The ideal raw milk is taken straight from animals fed only fresh, organic, green grass, rapidly cooled to somewhere around 36-38 degrees F., and bottled. No processing, just filtration, and cooling. Most milk produced today undergoes some form of processing before it reaches the customer. Raw milk contains naturally produced antimicrobial; another is the production of a beneficial fatty acid known as CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid). Pasteurizing raw milk destroys certain disease-carrying germs and the prevention of souring milk. Pasteurization does more than killing off germs; it also destroys some nutritious constituents. Probably pasteurization’s worst offense is that it makes insoluble the major part of the calcium contained in raw milk. This frequently leads to rickets, bad teeth, and nervous troubles, for sufficient calcium content is vital to children; and with the loss of phosphorus also associated with calcium, bone and brain formation suffer serious setbacks. Pasteurization also destroys 20 percent of the iodine present in raw milk, causes constipation and generally takes from the milk its most vital qualities.

            Unrefined raw sugar is produced from the juice from the sugar cane plant and has trace minerals and nutrients present. Unrefined raw sugar is the best choice; it contains minerals and nutrients that are stripped from refined white sugar and regular brown sugar. Raw sugar contains roughly eleven calories per teaspoon and has the same vitamin and mineral consistency that is found in the juice from the sugarcane plant. These minerals include Phosphorus, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, and Potassium. Raw sugar, like refined sugar, also undergoes processing. Raw sugar comes from the same sugar cane or sugar beet. It is then washed, boiled, filtered and pressed. The sweet juice is mixed with lime to achieve the proper pH balance and to clear any impurities. It is then reduced by evaporation and dried to produce granules. The brown color of the raw sugar is from the presence of molasses. In addition, when sugar is refined and processed there are many harmful ingredients that are added to the sugar as a result. Unrefined raw sugar does not have these harmful chemicals. Originally, the sugar is natural and comes straight from sugar canes or sugar beets. Refined sugar, however, is processed by extracting the sucrose from the plant and then it undergoes a process that cleans impurities from the sugar such as mold, soil, bacteria, stalk fibers and wax. Bleaching agents such as lime and carbon dioxide or phosphoric acid and calcium hydroxide are added to obtain the familiar bright, white color. It is then refined once again by filtering it in a liquid state through a beef bone char. Finally, the sugar becomes what is commonly known as "table sugar." Through the refining process, the look and taste of the natural sugar has changed dramatically.

            As a nutrition source, rice is abundant in carbohydrates while being low in nitrogenous matter and fat. The idea of organic food production maintains certain principles: biodiversity, ecological balance, sustainability, natural plant fertilization, natural pest management, and soil integrity. Organic systems avoid the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and growth regulators. Instead they rely on crop rotations, crop residues, animal manures, legumes, green manures, off-farm wastes, mechanical cultivation, mineral-bearing rocks, and biological pest control to maintain soil health, supply plant nutrients, and minimize insects, weeds, and other pests. The disadvantage of unconventional rice is it sells at higher prices, organic rice also costs more to produce. The negative effects of pesticides on health include neurotoxicity, disruption of the endocrine system, carcinogenicity and immune system suppression. Organic farming practices are designed to benefit the environment by reducing pollution and conserving water and soil. Limiting the pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals that get into the water and soil is certainly a good thing for protection the delicate balance of nature.

            If you ever want to try making Kheer the way it’s made traditionally, I will provide you with the recipe. First boil the rice. In a separate pan put milk to be boiled on medium heat. Let the milk thicken up, also you may put a little piece of cinnamon stick, and cardamom (they will boost the essence of Kheer). Afterward put the boiled rice into the boiling milk and keep stirring. Let the milk and rice combine. When you see that the rice is completely mixed into the milk then you may add sugar. The amount of sugar depends on how much sugar you prefer to eat. When all of the ingredients are completely mixed into one another you may put the Kheer into a clean bowl. For seasoning put crushed almonds, and pistachio. Put the bowl in the refrigerator so it can cool down, you can also eat it when it’s warm.

            Pakistan is throughout known for its spices. Pakistani’s eat a variety of spices also their food is incredibly spicy. Most of their dishes contain onion, garlic, ginger, cumin seed, and many more. Pakistan also has a variety of breads like roti, naan, chapatti, and parathas. We have many appetizing dishes that attract people with its great aroma. If you haven’t tasted Pakistani food you’re definitely missing out a lot. You should go to a  famous Pakistani restaurant and try out their dishes and the sweets.