Question

* What are antioxidants? Why is that a good thing to advertise in a product? And why do we need ANTI-oxidants? What is oxidation?

* Describe the term “nitrogen-fixing”. Why is nitrogen important for legumes? What is it used for in the plant?

* California grows a lot of rice, especially in the areas north of Sacramento. Describe how rice is grown and harvested.

* What is biodiesel and why is it “trendy” or popular today?

* Pretend you are teaching your grandma about saturated vs unsaturated fats. How would you describe the chemistry to her? Draw a picture.

Answer 1

1 ) Antioxidants  are compounds that inhibit oxidation. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals, thereby leading to chain reactions that may damage the cells of organisms. Antioxidants such as thiols or ascorbic acid terminate these chain reactions. Antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E and carotenoids, may help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals.

marketing: The term “antioxidants” is a common asset endorsed in marketing as a remedy for ridding the body of damaged cells. It’s popular for food labels to market products as a panacea such as “antioxidant infused” and “cleansing.” Not all buy into these claims. However, when stressed out, it’s easy to substitute products with claimed benefits to feel healthy instead of sleeping more or eating better.antioxidants are found in fruits and vegetables to eliminate free radicals: highly reactive atoms that are produced in the immune system and metabolic processes. Because they are reactive, they can cause damage to cellular structures in the body through oxidation processes. The creation of free radicals can be stimulated by food, medicine and drugs, air quality, pesticides, and alcohol. They are linked with diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, atherosclerosis, Parkinson’s and others. Antioxidants stabilize the free radicals by donating an electron before it can damage cell structures.

A diet high in antioxidants may reduce the risk of many diseases (including heart disease and certain cancers). Antioxidants scavenge free radicals from the body cells and prevent or reduce the damage caused by oxidation. oxidation is the gain of oxygen by a substance. Imagine a freshly cut apple or avocado turning brown, a nail becoming rusty or a copper statue turning green. These are examples of everyday oxidation. In most instances the process of oxidation causes damage or destruction.

Oxidation creates free radicals, boisterous molecules that have been freed from their usual home to go and cause damage and destruction in the body. These free radicals are unstable and need to be ‘caught’ before they can cause more damage to other healthy functioning cells. These free radicals negatively affect cell membrane health, proteins, and DNA expression which can trigger a number of human diseases. Antioxidants are our natural protectors.

Antioxidants are abundant in nature, because plants contain antioxidants to protect themselves too. The nutritional content of natural whole foods is just what our body needs to negate the effects of our own biochemical processes. However we sometimes struggle to obtain sufficient antioxidants in the modern world due to a nutritionally deficient society   due to urbanization, overuse of agricultural land, intensive farming, stress-fueled society and easy access to processed foods, we are unable to provide our body with the essential nutrition required to defuse this free radical activity.

Not only do free radicals naturally occur in the body, we can also absorb them from our environment. This can be from consumption burnt or fried foods or exposure to chemicals as pesticides in the home, cosmetic and domestic products and various other sources through our environment.

Antioxidants are therefore vital for our health as they are implicated in healthy ageing, reducing the virulence of chronic disease, improving cognition and mental health. Ultimately they work to maintain and improve general health and wellbeing ,so can we do to protect ourselves by:

• Eat organic and/or local produce as much as you can afford. Look out for the ‘dirty dozen’ and ‘clean fifteen’ as a basis.
• Base your diet on whole foods in forms of fresh fruit and vegetables and good quality protein
• Minimize and ideally eliminate processed foods, usually void of any antioxidant nutrition.
• Keep a healthy mind by staying hydrated and maintaining good balance between work and home.
• Look after your gut. A healthy gut is a healthy body!
• Include key nutrients in your diet that help support high antioxidant activity, such as:
  • Turmeric - containing the active ingredient curcumin. This spice is known, improving cognition and reducing the signs of ageing
  • Vitamin C - improves immune cell function (neutrophils & lymphocytes),  reduces tiredness and fatigue, acting as a co factor for iron absorption and supports collagen formation.
  • Vitamin D - appears to enhance innate immunity and inhibits the development of autoimmunity
  • Zinc – supports enzymic activity in the body and regulates immune cells
  • Billberry – Acts as a natural anti-inflammatory agent supports circulation and strengthens capillaries
  • Hesperidin – supports cardiovascular function, protects our muscles and bones and reduces inflammation.
  • Rutin – Found to be an effective free radical scavenger and supports circulation.
  • Grapeseed extract - an excellent source of oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs). These antioxidant molecules have approximately 50 times more free radical scavenging ability than vitamins C and E.
  • Manganese – works as a key part antioxidant enzymes in the mitochondria  .which are like the batteries of the cell.
  • Probiotics – along with all the other reputed benefits of probiotics for digestive and immune health the friendly bacteria in our gut have been associated with reduced oxidation and inflammation.
  • Quercetin - One of the most potent antioxidants that is used often by nutritionists to support normal histamine release and support an overactive immune system.
  • Rosehip – this is the whole berry fruit from the rose plant. It is abundant in nutrients including vitamin C, providing high antioxidant activity.

2) Nitrogen fixation is a process by which molecular nitrogen in the air is converted into ammonia (NH. ₃) or related nitrogenous compounds in soil. Atmospheric nitrogen is molecular dinitrogen, a relatively nonreactive molecule that is metabolically useless to all but a few microorganisms. The symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria invade the root hairs of host plants, where they multiply and stimulate formation of root nodules, enlargements of plant cells and bacteria in intimate association. Within the nodules the bacteria convert free nitrogen to ammonia, which the host plant utilizes for its development.

Legumes (peas, vetches, clovers, beans and others) grow in a symbiotic relationship with soil-dwelling bacteria. The bacteria take gaseous nitrogen from the air in the soil and feed this nitrogen to the legumes , in exchange the plant provides carbohydrates to the bacteria .Nitrogen is so vital because it is a major component of chlorophyll, the compound by which plants use sunlight energy to produce sugars from water and carbon dioxide . It is also a major component of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Without proteins, plants wither and die.

3) RICE GROWTH

• Field Preparation

In March, farmers begin to prepare their fields for planting. First, fields are carefully leveled with precision, GPS or laser-guided grading equipment. Level fields allow rice farmers to conserve water. Fertilizer is then added, and shallow furrows are rolled into the field. By April, the fields are ready to be planted.

• Flooding and Seeding

Water is run into the fields to a depth of only 5 inches. Consistent water depth has been shown to improve the rice plants' ability to compete against weeds for nutrients and sunlight, reducing the need for herbicides. Rice seed is then soaked and loaded into planes.

Flying at 100 mph, planes plant the fields from the air. The heavy seeds sink into the furrows and begin to grow.

• Maturation of Rice

The rice seedlings are now ready to begin their four to five-month journey to maturity. Early in the growing cycle, one to two applications of herbicides are applied to control weeds. If necessary, farmers may also treat the fields for the rice water weevil and other insects. Early application of just a few crop protection materials ensures pure rice at harvest.

The rice grows rapidly, ultimately reaching a height of 3 feet. During this time, farmers are careful to maintain a consistent water depth of the same 5 inches. By late summer, the grain begins to appear in long panicles on the top of the plant. By September, the grain heads are mature and ready to be harvested. On average, each acre will yield over 8,000 pounds of rice!

Harvest

Before rice harvest can begin, the fields must be drained. Once the fields are dry, state-of-the-art harvesters enter the fields to collect the perfectly ripe grain. Because quality is so important, these harvesters are designed to both gently and rapidly bring the grain in from the fields. Specialized tractors called bankout wagons come alongside, receiving the rice and delivering it to waiting trailers so the harvesters can continue without having to stop to unload.

Milling & Storage

Next, the rice is carefully dried to an ideal moisture level and stored until the customer places an order. At the mill, the hull is first removed, leaving brown rice. White rice is the result of gently removing the bran layers to leave just the inner, pearly grain. Rice mills in California are among the most advanced in the world, with specialized equipment to mill, sort and package rice to meet the highest quality standards.

4) Biodiesel is an alternative fuel that can be produced directly from vegetable oil, animal oils and fats (tallow), or waste cooking oil. The chemical makeup is typically chemically reacting lipids combined with fatty acid esters that produce alcohol. The process used to convert these oils into useable diesel is known as “transesterification,” in reference to the fatty acid esters that make up a large percentage of the chemical content. These long-chain alkyl esters are either methyl, ethyl, or propyl.Biodiesel is  a recycled resource, is a safer and more eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuel.   fossil fuels are carbon-based, and thus non-renewable by nature , the oils that can be converted into biodiesel, on the other hand, can be grown over and over without much hassle or damage to the environment.

When the dinosaurs roamed the planet, thick swamps and vegetated environments were common. Over time, these prehistoric swamplands were covered over by layers of rocky soil and sand, which caused downward pressure on the layers beneath. The chemical composition of the flora and fauna that remained decaying beneath the Earth changed, creating deep deposits of coal, oil, and natural gas. Millions of years later, humans learned how to convert these carbon-rich deposits into fossil fuel, but since it would take another several hundred million years to produce new deposits, these are considered non-renewable resources.

There are only about 130 years left before all the Earth’s current coal deposits are used up, and another 40-60 of oil and natural gas reserves, respectively. This is why it is imperative that fossil fuels be used sparingly, with biofuels serving as potential replacements. long before hipster coffee shops started phasing out plastic straws. There is growing pressure in many nations to make the switch to biodiesel, which has caused controversy with some conservative parties . For the most part, are on board with the use of biodiesel. It is produced by domestic resources, which creates employment opportunities and is indefinitely renewable, ensuring that we can keep using it long into the future.

5) Saturated fatty acids lack double bonds between the individual carbon atoms, while in unsaturated fatty acids there is at least one double bond in the fatty acid chain. Saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature and from animal sources, while unsaturated fats are usually liquid and from plant sources.

Saturated fats have no double bonds in their chemical structure. They are “saturated” with hydrogen atoms. Because of their chemical structure, they have a solid consistency at room temperature.

Saturated fats can be found in a variety of foods, including:3

• Animal meat including beef, poultry, pork
• Certain plant oils such as palm kernel or coconut oil
• Dairy products including cheese, butter, and milk
• Processed meats including bologna, sausages, hot dogs, and bacon
• Pre-packaged snacks including crackers, chips, cookies, and pastries

Limit Saturated Fats in Your Diet beacuse The AHA recommends that less than 5% to 6% of your daily caloric intake consist of saturated fat Although the amount of LDL appears to be increased by consuming saturated fats, the  LDL that is increased is actually the large, buoyant LDL. Larger LDL particles do not appear to increase your risk of heart diseas

Unsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature. They differ from saturated fats in that their chemical structure contains one or more double bonds. They can be further categorized as

• Monounsaturated fats: This type of unsaturated fat contains only one double bond in its structure. Monounsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature and include canola oil and olive oil.
• Polyunsaturated fats: This type of unsaturated fat contains two or more double bonds in their structure. They are liquid at room temperature. Polyunsaturated fats include safflower oil, sunflower oil, and corn oil.

The AHA recommends that most of your daily fat intake should come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Foods containing unsaturated fats include:

• Nuts
• Plant oils such as canola, vegetable, or plant oil
• Certain fish like salmon, tuna, and anchovy, which contain omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids
• Olives
• Avocados