Kala namak

 

Kala namak or bire noon literally "black salt" is a type of rock salt, a salty and pungent-smelling condiment used in South Asia. It is also known as "Himalayan black salt", Sulemani namak, bit lobon, kala noon, or pada loon. It is found mostly in the Himalayas.
The condiment is composed largely of sodium chloride with several other components lending the salt its colour and smell. The smell is mainly due to its sulfur content. Because of the presence of Greigite (Fe₃S₄, Iron(II,III) sulfide) in the mineral, it forms brownish pink to dark violet translucent crystals when whole. When ground into a powder, its color ranges from purple to pink.
Kala namak has been praised in Ayurveda and used for its perceived medical qualities

Production

The raw material for producing kala namak was originally obtained from natural halite from mines in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan in certain locations of the Himalayas salt ranges,^[3][4] or from salt harvested from the North Indian salt lakes of Sambhar Salt Lake or Didwana and the Mustang District of Nepal.^[5]
Traditionally, the salt was transformed from its relatively colourless raw natural forms into the dark coloured commercially sold kala namak through a reductive chemical process that transforms some of the naturally occurring sodium sulfate of the raw salt into pungent hydrogen sulfide and sodium sulfide.^[6] This involves firing the raw salts in a furnace for 24 hours while sealed in a ceramic jar with charcoal along with small quantities of harad seeds, amla, bahera, babul bark, or natron.^[5][6] The fired salt is then cooled, stored, and aged prior to sale.^[3] Kala namak is prepared in this manner in northern India with production concentrated in Hisar district, Haryana.^[6] The salt crystals appear black and are usually ground to a fine powder that is pink.
Although the kala namak can be produced from natural salts with the required compounds, it is common to now manufacture it synthetically. This is done through combining ordinary sodium chloride admixed with smaller quantities of sodium sulfate, sodium bisulfate and ferric sulfate, which is then chemically reduced with charcoal in a furnace. Reportedly, it is also possible to create similar products through reductive heat treatment of sodium chloride, 5–10% of sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, and some sugar.

Composition

Kala namak consists primarily of sodium chloride and trace impurities of sodium sulfate,sodium bisulfate, sodium bisulfite, sodium sulfide, iron sulfide and hydrogen sulfide.
Sodium chloride provides kala namak with its salty taste, iron sulfide provides its dark violet hue, and all the sulfur compounds give kala namak its slight savory taste as well as a highly distinctive smell, with hydrogen sulfide being the most prominent contributor to the smell. The acidic bisulfates/bisulfites contribute a mildly sour taste.Although hydrogen sulfide is toxic in high concentrations, the amount present in kala namak used in food is small and thus its effects on health are negligible.Hydrogen sulfide is also one of the components of the odor of rotten eggs and boiled milk.

Uses

Powdered kala namak

Kala namak is used extensively in South Asian cuisines of Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Pakistan as a condiment or added to chaats, chutneys, salads, all kinds of fruits, raitas and many other savory Indian snacks. Chaat masala, an Indian spice blend, is dependent upon black salt for its characteristic sulfurous hard-boiled-egg aroma. Those who are not accustomed to black salt often describe the smell as similar to rotten eggs.^[1] Kala namak is appreciated by some vegans in dishes that mimic the taste of eggs. It is used, for example, to season tofu or avocado to mimic an egg salad.
Kala namak is considered a cooling spice in Ayurveda and is used as a laxative and digestive aid.It is also believed to relieve flatulence and heartburn. It is used in Jammu to cure goitres. This salt is also used to treat hysteria and for making toothpastes by combining it with other mineral and plant ingredients.^[3]
Due to its sulfur content giving an egg-like taste when incorporated appropriately, it is also used for creating vegan egg-free versions of recipes like deviled eggs.^[12]

5Foods You Should Have Before Bed to Get Good Sleep

Getting good quality sleep every night is critical for your mental and physical well-being, yet for most of us it seems more like a challenge. The thumb rule for late-night feeding is that you shouldn't eat too much and it is more important to eat the right kind of foods that promise a good night's rest.  According to the National Sleep Foundation, an amino acid called tryptophan and a naturally occurring hormone known as melatonin help in regulating sleepiness. In her book, The Good Sleep Guide, author Sammy Margo reveals five things you can have before hitting the bed to ensure that you get good sleep.

 

1. Banana
Bananas are high in carbohydrates that make tryptophan more available to the brain which induces drowsiness. Moreover, bananas are also rich in magnesium that is known to relax your muscles and nerves.

 

2. Glass of milk
Scientifically speaking, proteins are the building blocks of tryptophan and a glass of milk if full of them. According to Ayurveda too, it is best to end your day with a glass of warm milk as it has a calming effect on the brain. Also, a lack of calcium in the body often leads to disturbed sleep.

 

3. Honey
Have a teaspoon of honey while you get cosy in your blanket.  Honey stimulates the production of tryptophan and at the same time inhibits the activity of orexin that keeps you alert.

 

4. Almonds 
Almonds are full of good fats, amino acids and magnesium that not only help you sleep faster but also improve the quality of your sleep. You can add some honey and almonds to a glass of warm milk and drink up to rest well.

 

5. Oats
If you're actually hungry, a good bed-time snack would be a bowl of oats with warm milk, honey, banana and some almonds. All these ingredients along with oats will make sure you sleep well and wake up energized. Besides others, oats promote sleep-inducing melatonin that will help you wind down.

Besides this, Margo also suggests that you should totally avoid food or drinks that are spicy, caffeinated, or high in fat as they can prevent you from getting into the deeper stages of sleep, and leave you feeling groggy the next day.

India is All Set to Become the Largest Milk Producer by 2026

The official report released by the United Nations and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has projected India to be the largest producer of milk in the world by the year 2026. India is also expected to triple its total milk production over the first quarter of the 21st century.
"Over the course of the outlook period alone, milk production in India will grow by 49 per cent; in 2026, India will be the world's largest milk producer, with an output one-third above that of the second largest producer, the European Union," said the report by the UN and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
India is also expected to record the biggest increase in wheat production globally. The global wheat production is projected to increase by 11 per cent over 2017-2026, while the wheat area increase is expected to go up only by 1.8 per cent. This spike in wheat production to be attributed to higher yields, most notably in Asia and Pacific. The Asia-Pacific region alone, is estimated to account for 46 per cent of additional wheat production. Besides India, Pakistan and China are also slated to have significant gains.
Area dedicated for rice production is expected to see a global increase of a mere per cent, while global yields will go up by 12 per cent. Countries like India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam are expected to record an increase in rice yield by over 15 per cent. Global food commodity prices are expected to stay low for the coming decade.

The Importance and Source of Food

The Importance and Source of Food

The raw products of present day foods generally originate from two major sources: the plant
and animal kingdoms. We still rely on the agricultural lands, lakes, rivers, and the seas for
their origin in forests and wildlife, and in many parts of the world they still constitute
important sources of food. The plant and animal products that compose our foods and food
products may be classified in the following way:

Plant Products

A. Grains (cereals) wheat, corn (maize), sorghum (kaoliang, jowar), barley, oats, rye, millets
(including ragi), rice, adlay, buckwheat

B. Pulses beans (red kidney), lima beans, navy beans, peas, lentils, broad beans, cowpea
(chickpea), vetch (fitches)

C. Fruits
1. Tropical fruits banana, plantain, pineapple, papaya, guava, mango, passion fruit,
breadfruit, avocado, zapote, cherimoya, naranjilla, surina (Brazil) cherry.
2. Subtropical fruits
(a) Citrus fruits orange, lemon, tangerine, grapefruit, pomelo, citron, lime, kumquat.
(b) Other figs, pomegranate, olives, persimmon tunas (cactus figs), peijabe.
3. Deciduous fruits Pome (seed) fruits, Apple, Grapes, Pear, Quince.
4. Stone fruits peach, cherry, plum, apricot.
5. Berries strawberries, raspberries, black raspberries, blackberries, loganberries,
boysenberries, cloudberries, blueberries, cranberries, lingo berries (whortleberries),
elderberries, black currants, red currants, gooseberries, rose hips.

D. Melons and squashes
cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon, squashes.
E. Vegetables
1. Leaf(y) vegetables cabbage, Brussels sprouts, spinach, celery, artichoke, leeks,
lettuce, endive, bamboo shoots, heart of palms, herbs.
2. Root vegetables carrot, radish, parsnip, turnip, rutabaga, salsify.
3. Seeds green peas, green beans, lima beans, okr.
4. Others cauliflower and broccoli, cucumbers, onions ,garlic,tomatoes.

F. Tuber products
(Irish or white) potatoes, sweet potatoes (yams),taro, cassava (maniok), Jerusalem artichoke
(topinambur), true yams (Dioscorea spp.), earth almonds.

G. Nuts
Almond, beech, Brazil nut, breadnut, butternut, cashewchestnut, filbert, peanut (groundnut),
pecan, pinole, pistachio, walnut.

H. Fungi
(1) Fat type bakers’ yeast, brewers’ yeast, food yeast
(2) Protein type champignon , truffles, morels,antharels
miscellaneous, I. Honey (nectar)

I. Manna
Ash tree, oak, tamarisk, alhagi

J. Sugars sugar cane, sugar beet, maple syrup
palm sugar (date).

K. Oilseeds soybean
olive, cottonseed, peanut (groundnut), sunflower, palm kernels, coconut (copra), rapeseed,
sesame.

L. Seaweeds
Laver, nori (Porphyra spp.), kombu (Laminaria spp.), wakame (Undaroainnatifida)

M. Beverage ingredients Coffee, tea, cocoa,yerba mate, miscellaneous (mint, fenugreek,
tilia, etc.)
The above given items are major items of plant and animal origin that compose the multitude
of food articles available at present-day markets. They also constitute the raw material for a
number of major industries & manufactured products. The major manufactured

food products are listed below:

1. Sugars: cane, beet, maple, corn.
2. Starches: corn, potato, cassava (manioc), arrowroot, sago, wheat.
3. Flour, bread, and cereals.
4. Sweet baked goods.
5. Confectionery products.
6. Canned foods.
7. Frozen foods.
8. Dried (dehydrated) foods.
9. Pickled and marinated foods.
10. Salted and cured foods. Grains (cereals) wheat, corn (maize), sorghum (kaoliang, jowar), barley, oats, rye, millets
(including ragi), rice, adlay, buckwheat
11. Dairy products: market milk (homogenized0, cheese, butter, cultured milks, ice cream,
dry nonfat solids, milk concentrates.
12. Meat products: sausages, hams, luncheon meats, meat extract, pastes.
13. Seafood products: fillets, fish sticks, breaded shrimp, sausages, pastes.
14. Oleomargarine and other food fats and oils: soybean, corn, sunflower, cotton seed, olive.
15. Jams and jellies
16. Fermented foods: pickles, sauerkraut, fish sauces.
17. Fermented beverages: wine, beer.
18. Soft drinks: carbonated and still drinks.
19. Mixes: baking, soup.
20. Soybean products.
21. Corn products.
22. Yeast: food yeast, bakers’ yeast, brewers’ yeast.
23. Fish flour.24. Protein hydrolyzates.
25. Imitation foods (spun proteins, fruit drinks, synthetic cream, etc.)