Energy Drinks Rot Teeth

This summer was extremely hot so I just wasn't thinking twice when it came to serving myself or my kids those energy drinks like Gatorade or PowerAde. I figured it was a very good idea to keep us hydrated and full of potassium so that nobody got heatstroke. 

 Like millions of women I also drink these calorie drinks after I work out and sometimes before.  I never dreamed in a million years that these types of drinks could actually be bad for you teeth. I had no idea that I was fueling tooth decay rather than my workouts!  

According to a press release put out by the California Dental Hygienists Association, the sugar in these power or energy drinks is leading to tooth decay.  What makes it even worse is that according to the study, the type of carbohydrates in these drinks also breaks down into compounds that make your saliva really acidic. Having acidic saliva is one of the main causes of tooth decay.  The carbs in these energy drinks break down into sugars that can really damage tooth enamel. 

The problem is made even worse by the fact that many athletes already suffer from what is known as 'cotton mouth' after exercising. Cottonmouth is just another word for having a really dry mouth. Having no saliva causes tooth decay as saliva act as a protective coating for our teeth against the acids that form in the mouth. This is why it is so essential to hydrate yourself fully hours before you exercise.  The best solution for post exercise dehydration after exercise might just be a glass of water if you want to protect your teeth from exercise related damage. 

To get rid of the energy drinks in my life I have taken to drinking more green tea and ginseng tea as both as energizers.  When it gets really hot I also make my own version of lemonade that is way less hard on the teeth.  I take a glass or plastic jug and fill it with ice. I then slice several lemons into halves and slices and squeeze them into the jug. I drop them into the jug with peel on and all. I then add about half a cup of sugar that has been thoroughly dissolved in hot water and muddle the mixture up with the ice in the jug.   The secret ingredient in this lemonade is about half a teaspoon of salt. Salt helps us retain water in the first place. Once everything has been mixed up I place this in the fridge. Over a day or two the lemons will infuse more flavor into the water making the lemonade stronger. You can then add more water as needed.  In fact the weaker this lemonade is, the more thirst quenching it seems to be. 

If you must use energy drinks it is probably a good idea to thoroughly brush your teeth afterwards or at the very least try to rinse the sugar off of your teeth by rinsing your mouth with water.

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Recipes for Last Minute Tomato Crops

In the last blog I was talking about how to pick a tomato politely. In this one I just want to share with you some of my favorite ways to cook up those softer tomatoes that start cropping up before the frost. Sometimes you end up with a batch of tomatoes that are a little soft, a little green or a little cracked. They might also have some blight spots but not enough to justify throwing the whole tomato out.    

         When this happens it is time to make 'lemonade' out of your lemons.  Here are some recipes that can help you save a tomato from an early throw in the compost heap. 

BIG BATCH OF SPAGHETTI SAUCE 

1/4 Cup olive oil

3 medium onions, chopped

4  garlic cloves,

minced24 whole tomatoes chopped finely (12 cups)

3 12 oz. cans tomato paste3

 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon dried oregano

4 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried black pepper 

Heat oil in large pan. Sauté onions and garlic until tender. Add rest of ingredients. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours. Stir occasionally.

After it has simmered, cool completely and store in freezer bags or containers 

GREEN TOMATO SWEET PICKLES  

1 gallon green tomatoes (16 cups sliced)

1/4-cup salt

1/2 tablespoon powdered alum

3 cups vinegar (5% acidity)

1-cup water4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon mixed spices

1/2-teaspoon cinnamon2-tablespoon celery seed

1/2-teaspoon allspice

1 tablespoon mustard seed 

Slice tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and allow standing overnight.  The Next morning drain and pour 2 quarts of boiling water with 1/2 tablespoon of powdered alum over the tomatoes and let stand 20 minutes. Drain and cover with cold water, drain. Combine vinegar, water, sugar and spices (tie spices loosely in bag) and bring to a boil. Pour this over the tomatoes. Let stand in this solution another night.

Then drain and bring solution to boil and pour over tomatoes. Let stand overnight yet once again.  On the third morning bring the pickles and solution to a boil. Pack into sterilized jars to within 1/2 inch of top. Put on cap, screw band firmly tight. Process in boiling water bath 10 minutes.  Yield: 8 pints. 

TOMATO CATSUP 

1 peck (12 1/2 pounds) ripe tomatoes

2 medium onions

1/4-teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups cider vinegar1 1

/2 tablespoons broken stick cinnamon

1-tablespoon whole cloves3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

1-tablespoon paprika

1-cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons salt 

sh and slice tomatoes and boil until soft. Into another pot slice the onions. Cover with a small quantity of water and cook until tender. Run the cooked onions and tomatoes through a sieve. Mix the onion and tomato pulp. Add the cayenne pepper. Boil this mixture rapidly until it has been reduced to about 1/2 original volume. Place vinegar in an enamel pan; add a spice bag containing the cinnamon, cloves and garlic. Allow this to simmer for about 30 minutes, then bring to boil. Place cover on pan and remove from heat.  

When tomato mixture has cooked down to half of its original volume, add mixture, of which there should be 1 and 1/4 cups. Add the paprika, sugar and salt and boil rapidly until thick. This takes about 10 minutes. Pour while boiling into sterilized jars to within 1/2 inch of top. Put on cap, screw band firmly tight. Process in Boiling Water Bath 5 minutes.

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