Overeating - The Old, Yet New Addiction

A recent study conducted by a team of researchers from the Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York found that overeating is really an addiction, like any other addiction to drugs, alcohol etc. It has been known for a long time now that many people may develop an addiction to eating, eating disorders and poor eating habits. But the new study is important, because it shows that there is a close connection between stomach and the brain. More exactly, the stomach of those addicted to overeating is linked to the hippocampus area of the brain, the same neural region which is involved in drug addiction.

The hippocampus is the area of the brain mostly concerned with the memory and emotions. Besides the hippocampus, overeating also stimulates the frontal cortex region of the brain. "We found that areas of the brain that received signals were the hippocampus, which is involved in memory and emotion, and also the frontal cortex," wrote Dr. Gene-Jack Wang and his team in the report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. He added that "similar brain circuits underlie the enhanced motivational drive for food and drugs seen in obese and drug-addicted subjects, respectively."

The team explained that signals from the stomach to the hippocampus region of the brain are the key-factor which triggers overeating and obesity. Researchers also cautioned that even if one who used to be overweight and obese lost weight and has a normal BMI, he is still at the risk of gaining weight again, as the link between the hippocampus and stomach preserves within his body. "An obese person, even if he becomes lean, still has the signals in the area of the hippocampus, so there is a high likelihood that he will relapse," explained Dr. Wang.

However, things are not that tragic and pessimistic as they may seem at a first view. Dr. Mark Gold, Professor of Psychiatry and Neuroscience at the University of Florida's McKnight Brain Institute pinpointed the fact that knowing which bodily mechanism triggers overeating and eating disorders is very useful for medical experts, as it may help in the development of new ways to combat obesity. "The advantage of having a novel hypothesis means that we might be able to develop new treatments for obesity similar to those for drugs of abuse. This opens a whole range of treatment possibilities," he said.

The only question which still remains unanswered until further research - the most difficult question, in fact - is how the information can be used in order to efficiently fight against obesity. Dr. Wang suggested that new methods of treating obesity and overeating may be linked to emotions, like in the case of drug addicts. "That is the million-dollar question. We must study to learn more about how the signal is transmitted and how to treat obesity. As with drug addiction, we might also have to treat the emotions," the leader of the study said.

Source:

Softpedia News

http://news.softpedia.com/

Best Pig The Philippines

( When TIME started the Best of Asia in 2004, we conceived the section as an anthology of the region's hidden marvels and wondrous secrets. But since then, we've come to see that in Asia the extraordinary is all around us. Remarkable experiences for the mind, body and soul are everywhere. That's the best thing about the Best of Asia. )

When itinerant TV chef Anthony Bourdain — whose love of all things porcine is famous — visited the Philippine island of Cebu with his show No Reservations and declared that he had found the "best pig ever," many viewers were as surprised by the hyperbole as by the country he situated it in. But not Filipinos, among whom the zenith of porky perfection is an indisputable fact. It was just a matter of time before the rest of the world found out.

The pig that made Bourdain smack his lips with glee was lechón, or slow-roasted suckling pig, perhaps the Philippines' most beloved dish. Usually reserved for fiestas, it has long been a source of fanatical adulation; it's not uncommon for a whole lechón, still hot and fresh from roasting, to be flown across the country for special occasions. Though varieties differ regionally — stuffing can include any combination of lemongrass, tamarind, star anise, garlic, green onions and chili leaves, while condiments range from a light vinegary dipping sauce to a thick liver-based gravy — the basic concept remains the same. A pig is roasted for hours over a fire of open coals, slowly rotated on a bamboo spit, lovingly basted and meticulously supervised until its flesh is so tender, moist and succulent that it can be sliced with the edge of a plate, and its skin so crisp it can be punctured with the tap of a finger. You could call it the Platonic ideal of a pig, but it's doubtful if Plato, or even an entire faculty of philosophers, could have imagined anything so exquisite.

 Source:

TIME MAGAZINE

http://www.time.com/

Lechon for All Seasons

Lechon is a Filipino delicacy found in fiestas, weddings, birthdays, or whatever occasion there is. It is always the center of attraction on the buffet table. Lechon is the Tagalog translation of roast pork.

After it gets roasted, the pig’s skin becomes so crispy that it produces a crackling sound while being munched. The taste is enhanced when it is dipped with a gravy-like sauce, which is collectively known as “Mang Tomas,” even though “Mang Tomas” is just a brand of the gravy-like sauce that is specifically made for roasted pigs and chickens. To many Lechon lovers, the skin is the tastiest and most delicious part. In parties, the meat and fats are often left out because of the bland taste.

The delicacy is believed to originate from the China. After generations of tweaks from the original recipe, Lechon became a lot different from the recipe that the Chinese introduced to us many centuries ago.

Roasting a pig is an easy but long process. After all of the pig’s internal organs are removed, it is stuffed with either Sampaloc, Tanglad or Onion leaves to provide aroma and a little sour after taste. Then a bamboo stick is pierced in its mouth until it passes through the anus. The bamboo stick serves as the pig’s holder while it is being roasted under the charcoal. The bamboo stick is then rotated continuously for three hours or more – depending on the size of the pig that is being roasted, so it will have an even brown color. The brown color signifies that the pig is already roasted. At what shade of brown will one know that the roasting process is finished is upon the discretion of the one roasting the pig.

No cooking oil is required. The pig’s body fat, which boils in the process of roasting, serves as the oil. Its body fat is also the reason why the pig’s skin becomes very crunchy after it gets roasted.

A lechon makes any Filipino celebration a real feast!  It is even better served as the perfect complement to other traditional dishes such as pansit, pinakbet, kare-kare, crispy pata, fruit salad and ube macapuno. 

 

 

 Source:

Global Pinoy

First Posted by Carrie B. Yan on 12/28/2010 03:48 PM

The Best Lechon in the Philippines

It seems not even a possible outbreak of swine flu could stop TIME Magazine from declaring "lechon", a Philippine pork delicacy, as the "Best Pig" on its  Best of Asia 2009 list.

According to TIME, the idea for hailing "lechon" came from celebrity TV chef Anthony Bourdain, well-known for his voracious taste for all things pork, who declared the Cebu lechon as "the best pig ever" on his hit travel-food show "No Reservations."

"Many viewers were as surprised by the hyperbole as by the country he situated it in. But not Filipinos, among whom the zenith of porky perfection is an indisputable fact. It was just a matter of time before the rest of the world found out," said TIME writer Lara Day on the magazine's write-up.

Day went on to describe how the delicious delicacy is prepared with a variety of stuffings and spices, and eventually cooked slowly over a coal-fire until it is golden brown and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. "You could call it the Platonic ideal of a pig, but it's doubtful if Plato, or even an entire faculty of philosophers, could have imagined anything so exquisite," she wrote.

Gastronomic treat
During the episode of "No Reservations" shot in the Philippines, Bourdain was seen snacking on the crunchy brown skin of a steaming newly-roasted pig and jokingly asking his tour-guide, Chicago-born Filipino-American Augusto Elefano, not to let anyone touch the pig's cheeks, intending to have the juicy part all to himself.

On Bourdain's blog entry titled "The Hierarchy of Pork", he declared the pork he tried in the Philippines as the "best in the world" followed by Bali, Indonesia and Puerto Rico.

During his short food trip in Manila, Cebu, and Pampanga, Bourdain also enjoyed several "porky" treats including sisig and barbecue. He tried many Filipino favorites including bulalo, kare-kare, fishballs, pansit palabok, sisig, sinigang, and even gamely popped a goat eye into his mouth with a smile.

Aside from calling the Cebu lechon "the best pig ever", Bourdain also said that tapsilog's beef was "ugly as hell but good" and described the popular soy-based street food "taho" as "like meatloaf in beancurd form."

Aside from "Best Pig", TIME Magazine also hailed several Asian destinations and trends including Tokyo as the "Best Place to Contemplate the Passing of Wealth", the Nu River Valley in China as the "Best Place to Visit Before It's Gone", and Helmand in Afghanistan as the "Best Place to Swim in a Warzone", among others.

Source:
abs-cbnNEWS.com

Lechon CEBU, Time Magazine's Best Pig

Cebu's Pride - LECHON For all season (the secret technique in here!)

Basic Techniques in Preparing A Barrio Fiesta Lechon

A lot of people love to eat a roast pig or what they call it lechon. It is a very common dish for Filipino festivities, birthdays, wedding, family reunion, and Christmas parties. Lechon was introduced by the Spaniards centuries ago while some evidence links it to Chinese immigrants. Many restaurants in the Philippines sell lechon and La Loma is often considered the “Lechon Capital of the Philippines”.

In preparing lechon, the first thing you do is to clean a dressed suckling pig. Rub inside with salt, and then allow dripping. Pass a bamboo pole thru pig and tie the feet.

Fill the part nearly belly with a mixture of ground black pepper, bay leaf, pounded garlic and native onion. Roast over charcoal.

LECHON SAUCE

1 pig’s liver, roasted rare

½ cup vinegar

2 tbsp. oil

1 head garlic, pounded

1 large onion cut every fine

Salt and pepper

Fine breadcrumbs

Cut liver in pieces then pound in a mortar. Mix with enough water and pass thru a sieve. In oil sauté garlic and onion, Add strained liver, vinegar, sugar, and seasonings. Cook over slow fire; thicken with breadcrumbs.

When eating, dunk lechon into sauce.

Marketing, Location Factors of lechon business’ success

Behind the Success of Ben's Lechon - The Famous Lechon in Cebu.

Inspired to create and setup his own business, Cebuano businessman Alexander Choachuy, Jr. decided to invest in Cebu's favorite lechon (roasted pig) in 2002.

Choachuy said he believed Cebu's lechon would be easier to market because it was already a popular food product.

He then set up his first kiosk at Savemore at Mactan Marina Mall in 2002 with only a few thousands as capital.

“I decided to venture into the lechon business as my first because I thought there are many people here in Cebu who would know how to make it, the process of cooking lechon. Now my challenge is how I can do it better and produce the best tasting lechon in Cebu,” he said.

Choachuy said that during the first few months, he had to operate his lechon outlet at a loss with only very low sales.

He said it's normal for every business to experience that especially when one still has to prove himself to the very discriminating market of Cebu.

“My brand Se Ben's Lechon was not yet known then and we were still trying to convince people to try us out. That time other brands were also already popular among buyers both local and tourists,” he said.

He and his employees sacrifices eventually bore fruit as his lechon business started picking up in the second year of operation that he could afford to expand and open another kiosk in Marina Mall to cater to more buyers in the mall.

He also added another product to his roasted products – lechon manok or roasted chicken.

He also added a restaurant and three more kiosks in Mandaue City and Cebu City.

“We then opened more with more and more people wanting to buy our lechon. We opened a restaurant in the north reclamation area, a kiosk in White Gold, Rustan's Banawa and Parkmall,” he said.

He, however, had to close the restaurant at the North Reclamation Area because there were less traffic of people in the location.

“The food we served were a hit to our customers but the location was really the problem so we have no choice but to close it last year. We are however still looking for other areas where we will relocate the restaurant,” he said.

Choachuy attributed his success to the aggressive marketing of his products, which included placing advertisements in newspapers and doing the rounds of the companies to inform them that they were offering their lechon for corporate events.

Choachuy also is meticulous in the quality of his products in order to compete against rivals in the business.

He monitors the operation from the first process of choosing the hogs, to the slaughtering of the pigs, the cooking and the proper handling of the lechon and of course the good packaging of the product.

He said he would always implement the triple A slaughtering of their hogs for lechon to make sure that their products would be of the best quality.

“I also experiment a lot on the spices to achieve the best flavors for my lechon,” he said.

Choachuy's hands-on style of managing his business is also a positive factor in its success.

“I'm very hands on when it comes to managing Se Ben's Lechon. I often visit my kiosk to check on what my people needs in order to give the best shopping experience to our buyers,”he said.

Choachuy said that as of today, he maintians four Se Ben's Lechon areas which includes the two kiosk in Marina Mall, another one in Rustan's Banawa and another at White Gold.

Choachuy said from an employee manning his lechon kiosk, he now has four more to man his other kiosks.

Despite the competition, Choachuy said he believed that there would still be growth in the business.

He cited his increasing number of satisfied clients, who would always order from him during occasions for celebrations.

“For this March which is a month of graduation, we have already some orders and I'm sure that we'll get more in the coming weeks because most people usually place their orders for a whole lechon during the last minute,” he said.

For a whole lechon, price ranges from P2,800 to P7,000 and a kilo would be had for P440.

“We also have packaging for those who will be bringing lechon to other places as pasalubongs. Our packaging are airport-approved so they won't encounter any problems when bringing home a kilo or more,” he said.

Choachuy said he was planning on adding different flavors that would suit the customers tastes.

“While I still very much would capitalize on the traditional Cebuano lechon, I would also like to see other flavors in the future like perhaps offering spicy lechon. Although we already offer that now, I would also like our brand to be known as the best brand when it comes to these different flavors,” Choachuy said.