How Bircher Muesli was discovered?

The famous doctor Max Bircher discovered ‘Bircher Muesli’ quite by chance. He was a great walker, and one evening while walking in the Swiss mountains, he arrived at a mountain hut just as a shepherd, who lived there, was making his supper. The shepherd invited him to share his meal – a kind of porridge of coarsely milled oats in milk, sweetened with honey, which he ate while munching an apple. The shepherd said he got the recipe from his father, who had got it from his father before.

But why the apple?

He didn’t know, but he did notice that when he went without the apple, the porridge lay heavy on his stomach. How long had he been eating this food? All his life. And how old was he? ‘Seventy, I’ve never been to the doctor, and I can climb the hills as well as when I was a young man’. How many times a day did he eat this food? ‘Twice a day, morning and evening.’  

Bircher’s curiosity led him to investigate further and he discovered that the recipe was not original. In parts of Switzerland where there was plenty of fruit, nuts and grains, meals often evening meals, consisted of this mixture with milk straight from the cow.

And so began research into the nutritional values of Bircher’s ‘mix’. He realised that muesli is the perfect food:

• The oats: vitamins A, E, B1, B2, B12 and protein.
• The milk/yogurt: vitamins A, B2, C, minerals and fats.
• The apples: vitamins B1, C, potassium, pectin and carbohydrates.
• The honey: iron and carbohydrates.
• The nuts: vitamins, B1, B2, protein, potassium and phosphorus.
• The lemon: vitamin C and potassium.

In particular, the combination of milk and oats creates a protein-based combination, showing its amino-acid value as a surplus of lysine, cystine and threonine, and thus equivalent in biological value to egg protein.

Why are the nuts in a box of muesli often at the top?

People have been pondering this apparent violation of the law of gravity since at least the 1930s and for many years scientists thought the answer was simply one of geometry. That is, the nuts may be heavier but they’re also larger than the other ingredients, which can thus move into the spaces created below the nuts as the box is shaken.

More detailed analysis has shown, however, that friction with the sides of the box is also important, producing a downward flow as the box is shaken. As smaller ingredients find it easier to work their way towards the sides, they tend to feel this effect most strongly, again leaving the larger stuff like nuts higher up. It's science, don't you know!

What did you have for breakfast this morning?

Our Mums have been telling us for years that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but we admit that sometimes we skip it. When we’re trying to dry our hair, brush our teeth and feed the cat at the same time we simply don’t have enough hands to knock up some nosh first thing. But boffins reckon that eating a good brekkie is super-important for thinking and working and can even cut down on the risk of getting serious diseases. But do you believe all that? Does eating a giant fry up stop you snacking on junk food later in the day? Can a quick slice of toasted bread or a bacon sanger from the greasy spoon help you concentrate? Or do you really notice the difference when you forget your bowl of morning muesli? Do you do better with a bacon sandwich in your belly? Or can you last till lunch with only a good night’s kip and a cup of tea? Current results (updated hourly) What did you have for breakfast this morning? Full English 4% Toast 28% Cereal 52% Bacon Sandwich 1% Not a sausage 15% Visit: http://www.smile.co.uk for the latest poll results.

Blueberries are really blooming brilliant

Why are Blueberries good for You?

It is well known from a number of studies that blueberries slow down the aging process of nerve cells. Blueberries contain anthocyanin which is an anti-inflammatory substance that is known to soften the arteries and prevent them from getting constricted due to stress. Vasoconstriction caused by stress induces high blood pressure which can result in cardiovascular disease. The relaxation of arteries occurs due to increase in nitric oxide provided by blueberries. Blueberries also improve the mood status by transporting energy to the brain.

It is always important to understand the significance of eating fresh fruits than the derived products of the fruits like processed items from blueberries or stored blueberry fruit juice. Most fruits and vegetables lose their nutrients when they are frozen. However, blueberries that are frozen are found to be not spoiled and hence are preferred to be used in recipes like eating with yoghurt.

Blueberries are rich in vitamin K, vitamin C which helps in absorption of iron, and improves immune system. Blueberries are also high in fiber content. Food taken with high fiber content will control the cholesterol levels and develop the health of the heart. Fiber also helps in enhancing digestion process. Blueberries are rich source of manganese. Manganese aids in bone development as well as in metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.

The human body in one of its metabolic processes releases free radicals daily. This daily release of free radicals is responsible for causing many diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular diseases. Blueberries contain antioxidants like anthocyanins and flavonoids, which can nullify the bad effects of free radicals.So in summary, blueberries are rich in vitamin C, contain high fiber content, contain low cholesterol content and have low calories. Hence they are super good for us... and you should definitely be adding them to your muesli!