Bad Chemicals in foods - Toxic food additives (No.2)

At No.1, I discussed about the awareness of how common the toxic food additives are used and how often we take bad chemicals in foods daily. So, I'll go a little further about food labels and what "catches" to watch out for. Reading the labels can be tricky....

How can you be aware of them?
Now you realized we take a lot of bad chemicals in foods. How can you avoid those toxic food additives?Packaged foods must list the ingredients on the labels. Food labels contain a wealth of information about the product if you knew what to look for and how to interpret them. The packaging tells you nothing about how healthy the product is. The main purpose of food labels is to sell the product, not tell you what's in it. Being able to read them can be challenging.

We recently start seeing the packages saying like "No preservatives added" and "Natural fruit flavors with real fruit juice" on various food products. Those newly added claims make me wonder what kinds of food additives they used to use before?! If they weren't so natural, what were that?? Those words don't guarantee that there are no toxic additives in the product, though they could mean well. 

It is just the food manufacturer's gimmick hoping you'll think these are healthy, natural and safe to eat.... The easiest way to be aware of the additives is to READ the labels and to KNOW what it means.

1. Serving Size: Note the size of a single serving and how many servings are in the package.
Many processed foods packaged as a "single serving" actually contain 2 or more servings. According to NLEA (the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act) of 1990, a food item in a relatively small container may be labeled as a single serving if the entire contents can "reasonably be expected to be consumed in a single-eating occasion." However, there is often a discrepancy.

- "Big Grab" potato chips : A single-serving snack size bag of chips has fewer calories than a larger, but still single-serving, size of the same snack. The serving size can vary depending on the package.
- "Big Gulp" drinks : An average serving of a soft drink is 12 ounces. But it can be up to 64 ounces (+ 5 can sodas)! Most people buy them with the intention of eating or drinking the whole thing.
- Others: large muffins (which often contain two servings), bagels, "individual" ice cream containers (some contain 4 servings), and personal size pizzas.

2. Exempt Ingredients
Food labels list ingredients in descending order. (The most prevalent ingredient is first, the least is last.) However, ingredients that constitute less than 2 percent can be listed in any order after the heading "contains less than 2% of the following." Other ingredients called "incidental additives" don't have to be listed on labels. These include substances transferred to food via packaging and "ingredients of other ingredients" that are present at "insignificant levels" and have no "technical or functional effect."

Natural and artificial flavors are also often grouped together under one name, and the food manufacturers aren't required to disclose what "artificial flavors" really means. The exception here (since Jan, 06): any food containing a "major food allergen" must have it listed on the label (whether or not its part of flavoring or incidental additives). Major food allergens - milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat, and food ingredients containing proteins derived from any of these food categories.

3. Watch out "Natural" and "Free From" claiming:

• 100% Natural
• All natural ingredients 
• Gluten - free
• Natural fruit flavors with Real Fruit Juice
• No artificial ingredients
• No Artificial preservative 
• No preservatives 
• Real fruit

Sounds nice, huh?! These statements make you feel as if it were free from bad chemicals in foods...  "NATURAL" isn't always safe, and products with the these 'natural' labeling are not required by law to contain only natural ingredients. There may be harmful ingredients. Remember, the purpose of the labels is to SELL the product. The food manufacturers hope you'll think there are safer to eat. Buying products in a healthy food stores do not guarantee that packaged products you buy will be no harmful additives either.

Ex. The ingredients from a loaf of bread that states 'ALL NATURAL INGREDIENTS,' and 'NO ARTIFICIAL PRESERVATIVES ADDED,' are: Enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, malted barley, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin), water, high fructose corn syrup, yeast, wheat bran, vital wheat gluten butter. Contains 2% or less of each of the following: rye meal, corn flour, molasses, rolled whole wheat, salt, dough conditioners (ammonium sulfate, sodium stearoyl lactylate), brown sugar, honey, vinegar, oatmeal, soy flour, mono and diglycerides, partially hydrogenated soybean oil.

      Here is an analysis of the ingredients.

Enriched wheat flour : "white flour". The bran and the germ portion of the whole wheat (rich in vitamins and minerals), have been refined out. To compensate for the refining 20 nutrients out, they add back nutrient additives like synthetic nutrients, niacin (vitamin B3) etc. These are added to mostly refined and processed foods giving a false sense of nutritional value and can lead to nutritional imbalances.
High fructose corn syrup : sugar derived from corn. It is associated with blood sugar problems, depression, fatigue, vitamin B deficiency, hyperactivity, tooth decay, periodontal disease and indigestion.
Dough Conditioners : in general, can cause mineral deficiencies.
Ammonium sulfate : It may cause nausea, mouth ulcers, kidney and liver problems.
Sodium stearoyl lactylate : It may be milk, corn, peanut or soy based, and may cause blood pressure and kidney disturbances, and water retention.
Brown sugar : frequently white sugar with molasses added. It is associated with blood sugar problems, depression, fatigue, B-vitamin deficiency, hyperactivity, tooth decay, periodontal disease and indigestion.
Mono and diglycerides : It may be corn, soy, peanut or fat based. They may cause genetic changes, cancer, birth defects, and allergic reactions.
Partially hydrogenated soybean oil : It's associated with heart disease, breast and colon cancer, atherosclerosis and elevated cholesterol.

Also "FREE FROM" labeling. The FDA allows food manufacturers to round to zero any ingredient that accounts for less than 0.5 grams per serving. So while a product may claim to be "gluten-free" or "alcohol-free," it can legally contain up to 0.5 grams per serving. While this may seem like an insignificant amount, over time this small fraction can add up... Remember watch out for "Zero Trans Fat", too. So, always READ LABELS very carefully.

4. Unfamiliar Terms for Unsavory Ingredients
Food manufacturers are known to use "clean labels," in which they hide ingredients they know the consumers would rather not have in their foods under names they won't recognize.

Ex:  if you wanted to avoid MSG, you must look for all of the following terms, as they all contain MSG...

Autolyzed yeast, Calcium caseinate, Gelatin, Glutamate, Glutamic acid, Hydrolyzed protein, Sodium caseinate, Monopotassium glutamate, Monosodium glutamate, Textured protein, Yeast extract,
Yeast food, Yeast Nutrient      
                          

5. Misleading Ingredient Claims
Food manufacturers are shamelessly tricking consumers who are trying to eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Many processed foods that claim to contain healthy ingredients highlighted on labels actually don't include them, or only include them in insignificant amounts. Moreover, they are typically loaded with fats, refined sugars, refined flour, and salt, in various combinations. Common offenders: strawberry yogurt without strawberries and blueberry waffles without blueberries. CSPI (The Center for Science in the Public Interest) recently asked the FDA to "immediately stop misleading food labels," including:

• Kellogg's Eggo Nutri-Grain Pancakes: The label says they're made with whole wheat and whole grain, but they're made primarily of white flour and contain more high-fructose corn syrup than whole wheat or whole grain.
• Betty Crocker Super Moist Carrot Cake Mix: Contains only carrot powder as the 19th ingredient on the label.
• Gerber Graduates for Toddlers Fruit Juice Snacks: The primary ingredients are corn syrup and sugar.

Now you know a little bit more about how to read "between the line" on food labels. Don't be fool by the food manufactures "smooth" statement. You should be careful when you READ the labels. There are tons of bad chemicals in foods - many of them really contains toxic food additives..... 

Bad Chemicals In Foods - Toxic Food Additives (No.1)

Have you ever thought that we take bad chemicals in foods daily? There are over 3000 different food additives purposefully added to our foods. Some of them are known to cause cancer, though we need further research for sure. In theory, any additives shown to cause cancer in humans or animals are not allowed to be added to our foods. But political and economical pressures have made the FDA "loosen" their standards and allow “small amounts” of the toxic food additives to be used in foods.

Yeah, it sounds scary... But it's important that you recognize "bad chemicals in foods" - toxic food additives exist all over. Certain food additives can cause allergic reactions in certain people - such as pregnant women, infants, people with high blood pressure and kidney problems. Although we need more researches, we rather avoid those "possible" cancer suspects than just ignore them. The best bet to avoid these is to eat Natural Foods :)

I'm researching a lot about this topic and found so many information.... I can make a website about it, if I want (lol). So I try to break down (I'm not sure how long it can be....), summarize and concise them so that you can understand easily :)

In general, it's best to avoid the following ingredients.

•  Artificial coloring
•  Artificial Sweetners: Acesulfame-K, Aspartame, Saccharin
•  BHA and BHT
•  Caffeine
•  MSG
•  Olestra
•  Potassium bromate
•  Propyl gallate
•  Salt (Sodium Chloride)
•  Sodium nitrite
•  Trans Fats
•  White Sugar
  

• Artificial Colorings
  The source of many artificial food colors are coal tar and petrochemicals. The human body was not designed to eat petrochemicals and the risk the consumption of these ingredients pose to our health is obvious. The food manufactures are using them to make the foods more appealing to the consumers. 
  Blue 1: used in beverages, candy and baked goods. Blue 2: used in pet food, candy and beverages. Red 3: Used in fruit cocktail cherries, baked goods and candy.
  Yellow 6: used in beverages, baked goods, candy, sausages, and gelatin. It is the third most widely used of all food colorings.
  
  
• Aspartame (also known by "Equal" and "NutraSweet") - Artificial Sweetner
  It is composed of methanol and two amino acids. Although originally believed to be the perfect artificial sweetener, it caused brain tumors in rats in certain studies conducted in the 70s. Further studies found that even small doses of the sweetener increased the occurrence of lymphoma and leukemia, and occasionally caused brain tumors in rats.
  
  
• Acesulfame-K - Artificial Sweetner
  It is approximately 200 times sweeter than regular sugar and is used around the world in baked goods, soft drinks, chewing gum, and gelatin desserts. An added concern is that the breakdown product of acesulfame-K known as acetoacetamide.
  
  
• Saccharin (also known by "Sweet'N Low") - Artificial Sweetner
  
• It does not contain any calories, does not raise blood sugar levels and is 200 to 700 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar). Research showed bladder tumors in male rats with the ingestion of saccharin.

• BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (Butylated hydroxytoluene)
  These are used as a preservative. These can be found in butter, meats, chewing gum, snack foods, dehydrated potatoes, and even beer. These additives are approved by the FDA as safe for human consumption. However, they are proven carcinogens. There is proof that some people have difficulty metabolizing BHA and this can result in health and behavioral changes.

• Caffein
  It is the only drug that is present naturally (coffee, tea, cocoa, coffee-flavored yogurt and frozen desserts) or added to widely consumed foods like soft drinks, energy drinks, gum, and waters. Because it 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. It's a stimulant - keeps many people from sleeping, causes jitteriness, and affects calcium metabolism. It is mildly addictive. The caffeine in a standard cup or two of coffee is harmless to most people. If it were more than that, reconsider your habit... Note: some "energy drinks" contain far more caffeine than most soft drinks.
  
  
• MSG (Monosodium glutamate)
  An amino acid used widely as a flavor enhancer in frozen dinners, salad dressings, chips and restaurant food. Love the taste but, I pay later – feel sluggish and bloated. MSG is now so ubiquitous in our food chain (east and west) that you would be very hard pressed to go MSG-free. As you would expect, junk foods and instant foods like soups and other mixes contain MSG. When you see the word “citric acid” in prepared food ingredient lists, think MSG. Industrial citric acid is not made from citrus fruits, its made from corn. Its not pure either.

• Olestra (also known by "Olean")
  A fat substitute that adds no fat, calories, or cholesterol to products. It has been used in the preparation of traditionally high-fat foods such as potato chips, thereby lowering or eliminating their fat content. It may cause abdominal cramping and loose stools and inhibits the absorption of some vitamins and other nutrients.
  
  
• Potassium bromate (KBrO3)
  An oxidizing agent - used as a food additive, mainly in the bread-making process. Although adverse effects are not evident in animals fed bread-based diets made from flour treated with KBrO3, the agent is carcinogenic in rats and nephrotoxic in both man and experimental animals when given orally. It induces renal cell tumors, mesotheliomas of the peritoneum, and follicular cell tumors of the thyroid. In addition, it is a complete carcinogen, possessing both initiating and promoting activities for rat renal tumorigenesis.

• Propyl gallate
  Preservative, used to prevent fats and oils from spoiling, might cause cancer. It’s used in vegetable oil, meat products, potato sticks, chicken soup base and chewing gum, and is often used with BHA and BHT.
  
  
• Salt (Sodium Chloride)
  Salt is probably the single most harmful substance in the food supply. It is used in many processed foods,  cured meats, snacks, and restaurant meals. Other additives, such as monosodium glutamate and sodium benzoate, contribute additional sodium. Salt serves many purposes in foods - preservative, additional/erasing flavors etc. High in sodium diet increases blood pressure in most people, thereby increasing the risk of stroke and heart attack. Everyone should avoid salty processed foods and restaurant meals, use salt moderately.
  
  
• Sodium nitrite
  It is used as a color fixative and preservative in meats and fish. It also prevents growth of Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium which causes botulism. While this chemical will prevent the growth of bacteria, it can be toxic in high amounts for animals, including humans. 

• Trans Fat
  Try finding hamburgers without trans fats in them, it is almost impossible.  Hamburgers taste perfectly fine without them adding trans fats.  Margarines have at least  .5% in them and sometimes as high as .7%. Artificial trans fats are made when hydrogen gas reacts with oil. They can be found in cookies, crackers, icing, potato chips, stick margarine and microwave popcorn. About 80 percent of trans fat in American’s diet comes from factory-produce partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. . Trans fats pose a higher risk of heart disease than saturated fats. Trans fats not only raise total cholesterol levels, they also deplete good cholesterol (HDL), which helps protect against heart disease.
  
  
• White sugar
  The white crystalline substance (we know of as sugar) is an unnatural substance produced by industrial processes (mostly from sugar cane or sugar beets) by refining it down to pure sucrose, after stripping away all the vitamins, minerals, proteins, enzymes and other beneficial nutrients.What is left is a concentrated unnatural substance which the human body is not able to handle, at least not in anywhere near the quantities that is now ingested in today’s accepted lifestyle. Sugar is addictive.The damage sugar does is slow and insidious. It takes years before it ruins your pancreas, your adrenal glands, throws your whole endocrine system out of kilter and produces a huge list of damage.Sugar is the main cause of diabetes, hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. It is either a significant or contributory cause of heart disease, arteriosclerosis, mental illness, depression, senility, hypertension, cancer.

There are more things to add to help you understand "Bad Chemicals In Foods - Toxic Food Additives". It might not be so fun but I hope it'll be helpful for you to understand it easily :) To be continued....

How To Tip At Restaurant

Have you ever wondered how to tip at restaurant? Giving a tip is no one's favorite thing to do unless you were celebrities like Matt Damon (He tipped $400)... Often times, people worry about giving too much or too little. It's not that difficult to calculate it. I hate to see it when my rich dates took time to figure it out.... :(
Of course, it is easy when the restaurant automatically puts the tip on the credit card along with the bill. Going to such places can be annoying sometimes - because the service can be poor or just OK but the server still gets a tip anyway...

In Japan, there's NO custom of tipping. Although I've been in the restaurant industry, I had to learn how to tip at restaurant here. When I worked at a world-known restaurant in Japan, I got tips sometimes. Just because many of their customers were foreigners - all the workers were required to speak English. You'll get good services with smiles anywhere pretty much without a tip.

I do think some genius created this amazing custom - shifting restaurant owners' obligation to pay their labor cost to customers... Customers feel or do obligated to give tips to the servers just because they knew the facts and had a compassion - servers only earn minimum wage or less than that and "customers" were the ones who can compensate for their living cost.... What a genius idea it is. (Of course, from the restaurant owner's point of view) I personally think that feeling obligated to give a tip even if you got some crappy service is not right. You are then sending them a message that giving our poor services is OK. The servers forget something occasionally. A polite reminder is the best way to get the best service.
Since I've worked in the restaurant industry, I can get into this topic deeper than ordinary customers like you.

Tipping reveals a human ego and its harsh reality. Once people become the patrons of the restaurant, they feel and act as if they became a KING or GOD.... It's very embarrassing to see those cheap and shameless customers who complains loudly in front of all the strangers at the establishment... "Customers" feel entitled to CONTROL their power to decide whether if the server deserves their hard earned money as his/her reward or not...

I personally leave a tip no matter how good or bad the service is. However, when you get really bad service and the server doesn't do much to try to alleviate the situation, then "sometimes" it is OK not to give a tip. Let me explain this from server's stand point. Things go wrong sometimes - mistake happens. I want you to realize not all errors are the fault of a server. For example, if your steak is not cooked right, do not take it out on the server's tip - the server can't cook nor see how it is cooked until you cut it. All the server can do to fix the problem is to get you a new one cooked properly. Also, servers don't control prices nor anything about preparation - cooking times, running out of things etc. Any of those problems can be addressed with a manager and you may be compensated by them for your troubles, not by cutting server's tips.

Because of my restaurant working experience, I'm a relatively good tipper. I don't ask much and give 20 % tip at least. All I want is to get the food in timely manner and to get my drink refilled. I wanna enjoy the time with my company. I don't go to restaurant to enjoy conversation with the workers. I rather be left alone than being given too much attention. How easy is that????  Compared with that, I worked so much harder to give amazing restaurant experiences for my customers and did feel I deserved a tip as my reward. Some restaurant patrons find every excuse to shortchange wait staff. The servers work hard for a living. Be generous to them. Restaurant work is demanding and GRUELING. The bottom line is that what we tip should be commensurate to the quality of the service we receive. 20 % should be the standard, in my opinion. Don't be so cheap. If you can't afford it, don't go out for a restaurant.

I understand that there are several different types of establishments, and that it is difficult to know how much to tip. So here is my advice for how to determine that. Pay based on what you are getting. 

Cafe, Buffet (Self-Serve), and Fast Food Restaurants      

No tip is required. If you are at a buffet where someone just brings you a drink and then leaves you alone, maybe give them a couple of dollars. Some places may have a tip jar. It is your choice to put any money in the tip jar, even if it is just the extra change you have. If you got really good service from the staff, why not?

Pizza Delivery                            The delivery person - 5 ~ 10 % (at least $1) 

Restaurants (Casual)                15 ~ 20% of the bill post-tax (I THINK 20% should be the standard!!)

Restaurant (Fine dining)           15 ~ 20% of the bill post-tax

       - The parking attendant                $1 to $3

       - The coat-room attendant           $1 per coat

       - The restroom attending              $0.50 to $1

       - The wine steward                      10% of the wine bill post taxes

       - The wait staff                            15% to 20% of the food bill post tax

Tip 1   Tipping should always be based on the post-tax amount of the bill because servers sometimes have to pay taxes on the tips that they receive.

Tip 2   Tip with CASH is the best for the servers.

Tip 3   Usually there is a certain tip percentage for busser. Busser deserves the tip more than the server will give, tip   him/her directly into the hand. If you tip them upfront, they'll work their asses off for you while your dining.

Tip 4   If you're a regular customer at the restaurant and there's a good waitress who usually helps you, tip her better because she will give better service to a loyal customer that she remembers rather than just someone who came in once.

Tip 5   You occasionally see the restaurant suggesting the tip percentage. Don't feel pressured to tip more - it's your choice! 

Tip 6   Leaving a server more than 18%, if you :
- staying at your table for a full hour after your meal is completed. The servers are essentially per table, and committing such an action is basically depriving the person that has catered to your every whim of an hour's wage.
- completely trash the table with your kids. Try watching someone destroy something that takes you an hour to get clean.

Are these tips helpful for how to tip at restaurant? I hope so :D

Bull Dog Tonkatsu Sauce - My Favorite Japanese Foods (No.6) - Seasonings

My Favorite Japanese Foods (No.6) - Bull Dog Tonkatsu sauce.

Once you tried this, you won't even care about A1 Steak Sauce anymore and understand the reason why this Bull Dog Tonkatsu sauce is my favorite Japanese food. This is kinda like A1 sauce but waaaaaaaaaaaay better :D 


It's basically a vegetable sauce. We Japanese use this Bull Dog Tonkatsu sauce a lot for many homie dishes - mainly for Tonkatsu (Deep fried pork cutlet. Picture ->), Corrokke (Deep fried mushed potato), Okonomi yaki (Assorted pancake) etc. 


There are sauces exclusively for "Okonomi yaki", but basically similar to Tonkatsu sauce but only a bit different. (I don't know what's the difference exactly but I guess it's thicker?!) I use this Tonkatsu sauce instead when I don't have the "Okonomi yaki" sauce. But you can't miss this sauce when you eat "Tonkatsu" :) I can eat a lot of cabbages (It's the golden side dish for Tonkatsu) with this sauce. Ummmmmmm :D Some people use just salad dressing, some people use soy sauce & mayonnaise on the cabbage. I like just eating it with Tonkatsu sauce.


There are a few thickness depending on your preference and the dishes. (Hey, we Japanese are so picky about foods including sauces. We change sauces/thickness depending on the dishes... Also some areas in Japan prefer thin sauces, some areas prefer thick ones.) I don't like the thinnest one "Uster"- it's very watery thickness. I love the "Chuno" or "Tonkatsu", which are thicker ones. Now they got all kinds of fancy level Tonkatsu sauces that uses only high-class ingredients. That's so Japanese. lol


Bull Dog has bunch of sauces and other products. But the company is well known for this - the most popular Tonkatsu sauce in Japan. There are similar products but nothing can beat this. I'm so sure that over 95 % Japanese have this at home :D No wonder this Bull Dog Tonkatsu sauce is my favorite Japanese food :)

Check out my favorite Japanese foods on Yelp as well. 

My wonderful ideas about food TV program were stolen....:(

I have a dream - I have tons of amazing ideas for what I want to do for the future of my blog, website, and restaurants. But my wonderful ideas about food TV program were stolen by Timmy S from Yelp.
I told him my passion about foods and wine and ideas for my dream future. I told him I wanna take over Anthony Bourdain's job (Food TV show - "No Reservation") and give MY OWN twists. I pitched some ideas to him about MY food TV show. He asked me to work with him since he does video editing as his career. But I couldn't contact him because I was in the hell in my life at the time...

I got an email from Timmy yesterday saying "Thank you for inspiring me for the food show. I start producing a show that Japanese girl goes to restaurants in OC and review them." My wonderful ideas about food TV program was stolen - it was MY ideas. He didn't inspire ME anything about MY OWN TV show.... I emailed him back saying that it was my idea. His reply was " it was our ideas." I couldn't have any word.....

Not only I missed the chance for me to have my own food TV show, but also my ideas were stolen....
I bombed out and talked to one of my friends who's a lawyer about it. He told me I should consult with a lawyer for stolen intellectual property... I told him the show wouldn't be successful without me and who cares? He said I DO...... Yah, it was my idea.... I was just sad that Timmy didn't have a shame nor dignity. He has no problem to claim that was his ideas. It was MY ideas.....

Life sucks sometimes. All I can do is to keep moving forward, right?
I put lots of love and passion on this blog and its future. I'm a little sad and hurt that my ideas were stolen....
I know most of the TV shows are similar... Each has own twist a little. But I did put my love and thoughts about the show.... I wanted to show it was ME....

Don't worry. I'll think of better ideas. I'm gonna keep showing you my uniqueness and my own cool ideas here and Yelp. It sucks that my wonderful ideas about food TV program were stolen though, I learned the lessons. "Don't trust people and tell anyone your ideas". I have a dignity and respect others.
Stay tuned!!

Tips (No.3): How To Cut Onion Without Crying

Do you wanna know how to cut onion without crying? Do you need goggles?! It helps, for sure. I know the food chopper will work. But it takes your precious counter-top space and requires extra washing. Why don't many of us use those amazing and simple techniques???? Well, I'll introduce bunch of those cool tips on this blog. I'll always pick simple and easy ones that even cavemen can do :)

Ready?! This is the reason why you want to know how to cut onion without crying.
When you chop onions, cells are broken, allowing enzymes (alliinases) to break down amino acid sulphoxides and generate sulphenic acids. A specific sulfenic acid (1-propenesulfenic acid) is rapidly rearranged by a second enzyme (LFS), giving a volatile gas (LF). The LF gas diffuses through the air and reaches the eye creating an irritation - that's why you cry. 

I found all kinds of information about it and picked the most popular ones. 

• Tip No. 1      1) Hold a chopstick in the side way (like the picture) in your mouth and then cut it. (It helps drooling instead of making tears.) 
• Tip No. 2      Keep onions in the freezer for about 15 minutes before chopping. (The sulfur would not affect the eyes if the onion is cold.) Do not freeze for over 15 minutes.
• Tip No. 3      Soak it in plain water for about an hour and then cut it. (The water dilutes the sulfur present in onions.) Rinsing the onion and leaving it wet while chopping may also be effective.
• Tip No. 4      Cut the root or the core section of the onion. (the root of the onion has a higher concentration of enzymes that induce tears.)
• Tip No. 5      1) Don't remove the skin. Neatly cut the ends off of the onion. Pierce the skin of the onion several times with a tooth pick. 2) Place the onion on a paper towel inside microwave. 3) Heat on high for 60 seconds. 4) Remove from microwave and peel. Chop as desired.
• Tip No. 6      Cut onions in a ventilated room or light a candle (to minimize the effect of the sulfur fumes).
• Tip No. 7      Make sure you chop onions with a sharp knife. (This will lessen the damage done to the cell walls and release less irritants.)

Pick the one you like and try it next time you chop onion. My tips for how to cut onion without crying are really helpful (I tested them by myself). 
Also check out my restaurant reviews (haha, it's not how to cut onion without crying.) on Yelp. Chao!

Calbee Kappa Ebisen - My Favorite Japanese Foods (No.5)

My favorite Japanese Foods (No.5) - Calbee Kappa Ebisen. 

There is the theme song for this Calbee Kappa Ebisen - my favorite Japanese foods (snack). 

"Yamerare nai Tomara nai, Kappa Ebisen ~" (Translation: "You CAN'T STOP (eating) Kappa Ebisen" in Japanese.) Click the site link and check out this song. It'll be stuck in your head. It's stuck in my brain since I was a kid. ALL the Japanese know it. I swear! 

It's a "shrimp" crackers. Why is this Calbee Kappa Ebisen my favorite Japanese foods?! It damn tastes good. It tastes shrimp. It shapes like French fries but twisted. Light and crunchy snacks. I looked it up what it was in English and "Shrimp crackers" came up. "Shrimp crackers" does sound weird, doesn't it?! LOL. Hey, I'm a Japanese and grew up with it. It was and is normal snack for me :) LOL. It's a classic snack in Japan but still popular one in Japan. You can find it here easily at Asian supermarket. You can get copied Kappa Ebisen made in Korea or China cheaper than the real Japanese one. 

Calbee is well known for their potato chips. My friend's dad designed the famous potato character for their chips!!! (just FYI) But this is one of their HIT products for sure. Now they got all kinds of flavors from plum to wasabi. Catchy flavors that the Japanese would be fond of. This is the original and still the best flavor for me. 

This is like potato chips for the Japanese - it's like saying "you want a Doritos or Lay's?" I know shrimp crackers sound strange but it's very popular snack in Japan. Calbee Kappa Ebisen is still one of my favorite Japanese food.

Check out my favorite Japanese food on Yelp as well. Chao!

Tips (No.2): How To Get Rid Of Garlic Breath Fast!

Do you want to know how to get rid of garlic breath fast?! I know garlic tastes so good but not the after breath :( Chewing gum isn't gonna cut it, right?! You shouldn't worry so much about your garlic breath - perhaps only for social gathering or your love life?!

Well... Let me explain the reason why Garlic creates the bad smell - before telling you how to get rid of garlic breath fast. Garlic contains a volatile oil which is responsible for most of garlic’s medicinal properties. The oil is made of many sulphur-containing compounds. It is the sulphur that causes your body to react and produce the foul smell.

• Tips No. 1      Eat APPLE! (1/4, not a whole apple) (It is due to the smell and enzymes in apple contains poly phenols). It lasts for over 6 hours. Unfortunately, apple juice is less effective because the enzyme is processed.
• Tips No. 2      Drink milk or tea. 
• Tips No. 3      Rinse your mouth with lemon juice mixed in a glass of water. 
• Tips No. 4      Chew on fennel or cardamom seeds. (2 teaspoons)
• Tips No. 5      Eat raw parsley. (1 or 2 tablespoons)
• Tips No. 6      Eating sugar (1 table spoon) everyday can make your breath fresh. Eating chocolate also works.
• Tips No. 7      Cooking your garlic. (It can reduce the foul smell but you must also realize that the anti-bacterial properties of garlic are also diminished with cooking. This is due to the destruction of the active ingredient that kills the germs through heat.) When you cook food, try to use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder.

To remove the scent of garlic from your hands, try rubbing them on your stainless steel sink for 30 seconds! I'm dead serious. If you don't have a stainless steel sink you can actually buy (about $12), a stainless steel bar of soap. You can also rub your skin with salt mixed into lemon juice or with toothpaste.

I love GARLIC in my foods. Once you know how to get rid of garlic breath fast, we all don't need to worry about a bad breath and enjoy food with tons of garlic :)

Check out my restaurant reviews that might require you to know how to get rid of garlic breath fast.