Boiled Fruit Cake
Learning Intention:To gain an understanding of how to make a fruit cake as a good gift idea for Mother’s Day.
Why are fruit cakes used in celebration cakes?Fruit cake (or fruitcake) is a cake made with chopped candied fruit and/or dried fruit, nuts, and spices, and (optionally) soaked inspirits. A cake that simply has fruit in it as an ingredient can also be colloquially called a fruit cake. In the United Kingdom, certain rich versions may be iced and decorated.
Fruit cakes are often served in celebration of weddings and Christmas. Given their rich nature, fruit cake is most often consumed on its own, as opposed to with condiments (such as butter or cream). How does food travel through me?The start of the process - the mouth: The digestive process begins in the mouth. Food is partly broken down by the process of chewing and by the chemical action of salivary enzymes (these enzymes are produced by the salivary glands and break down starches into smaller molecules).
On the way to the stomach: the esophagus - After being chewed and swallowed, the food enters the esophagus. The esophagus is a long tube that runs from the mouth to the stomach. It uses rhythmic, wave-like muscle movements (called peristalsis) to force food from the throat into the stomach. This muscle movement gives us the ability to eat or drink even when we're upside-down. In the stomach - The stomach is a large, sack-like organ that churns the food and bathes it in a very strong acid (gastric acid). Food in the stomach that is partly digested and mixed with stomach acids is called chyme. In the small intestine - After being in the stomach, food enters the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. It then enters the jejunum and then the ileum (the final part of the small intestine). In the small intestine, bile (produced in the liver and stored in the gall bladder), pancreatic enzymes, and other digestive enzymes produced by the inner wall of the small intestine help in the breakdown of food. In the large intestine - After passing through the small intestine, food passes into the large intestine. In the large intestine, some of the water and electrolytes (chemicals like sodium) are removed from the food. Many microbes (bacteria like Bacteroides, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella) in the large intestine help in the digestion process. The first part of the large intestine is called the cecum (the appendix is connected to the cecum). Food then travels upward in the ascending colon. The food travels across the abdomen in the transverse colon, goes back down the other side of the body in the descending colon, and then through the sigmoid colon. The end of the process - Solid waste is then stored in the rectum until it is excreted via the anus. |
Success Criteria:I understand that fruitcake is a good gift idea.
I understand that a gift that is hand made shows appreciation for the person receiving the gift. How do I make a boiled fruit cake?Food Preparation Skills:1. Cutting
2. Mixing 3. Boiling 4. Sifting 5. Baking Cooking Methods:1. Boiling
2. Baking Important Tools & Equipment:1. Saucepan
2. 20cm square cake tin, What is food?- What is food ? -
Food makes your body work, grow and repair itself. The kind of food you eat can affect the efficiency of these processes. Body function and the food that sustains it is infinitely complex. Food is in fact one of the most complicated sets of chemicals imaginable. Getting to know which nutrients are in which foods can help you to understand something of this complex relationship between your food and your body. Chemicals in food Food is composed of many different chemical substances - 'macronutrients' (major nutritional components that are present in relatively large amounts, such as protein), 'micronutrients' (major nutritional components that are present in relatively small amounts, such as vitamins), water, and roughage (dietary fibre). Many other components can also be present in food (see Figure 1). Food may contain colours (natural and synthetic), flavours, pharmacologically active substances (such as caffeine, steroids, and salicylates, which chemically affect the body), natural toxicants (naturally occurring poisons, such as cyanide), additives, and various contaminants (substances resulting from a contaminated environment, such as pesticides). Even characteristic flavours such as those of oranges and passionfruit can depend on the presence of a dozen or more chemicals. The chemical nature of food is changed by storage, preservation and, especially, by cooking. Food chemicals can also interact amongst themselves within the body. For example, the availability to the body of iron from plant sources depends on the amount of vitamin C present in the food eaten. The way in which carbohydrate is absorbed from the bowel depends to some extent on the presence of dietary fibre, even though the fibre itself is not absorbed. Physical form of food Food is also more than just the chemicals it contains. Its physical characteristics are important. The size of food particles can affect the extent to which nutrients are digested and made ready for absorption by the body. For example, eating an intact apple has nutritional value different from drinking all the same chemicals in an apple purée. Ground rice is more rapidly digested than unground rice. Nutrients can be more easily absorbed from peanut butter (paste) than from peanuts eaten whole. Acid or alkaline The acidity and alkalinity of food are physical properties often thought to be important. In fact, they are only important insofar as they might alter the rate of emptying of the stomach, digestion in the small bowel and the acidity or alkalinity of the urine. Our bodies can cope with a wide range in food acidity and alkalinity without much problem. Acid foods are generally sour while alkaline foods often have a slightly soapy taste. The use of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) can make foods alkaline. It can also cause loss of vitamin C and contribute to our intake of sodium. |
What affects food choices in adolescence?
Friends, schoolwork, relationships, family and work combine to make the lives of teenagers complex and challenging. The value of eating well is often not understood or even considered important in this balancing act, yet it plays a vital role in their current and future health and wellbeing.
While the rate of obesity in Australia continues to climb steadily, research shows that many young people are also struggling with eating disorders. Of particular concern are these high-risk nutritional behaviours: the dieting culture so endemic amongst young girls, skipping meals, excessive alcohol consumption and poor food choices.
Food choice influences
So what does influence the way our teenagers feed themselves today? What are the social, psychological, emotional and sensory factors that help determine food their choices?
For adolescents, by far one of the most influential aspects of eating is the sensory – taste. As the struggle for independence becomes stronger and teens start making more choices for themselves, they start to voice their likes and dislikes more and more.
In a confusing world, food choice is something they can control easily. Eating food that tastes good makes them feel good. Many kids think that if it tastes good and fills them up that’s all that matters. The health aspect is often simply not in the equation. The challenge here, of course, is that fast and convenience foods are made to appeal to young and impressionable taste buds – and are highly addictive.
The value of family mealtime
Family also plays a major role in adolescent food choices. Numerous studies suggest that teenagers who share most meals with the family at the table eat better and choose food more wisely.
Children of time poor parents tend to eat more processed, convenience foods, and usually away from the family table, consequently parental influence on food intake and quality is reduced.
Parents are strong role models for their children. The saying goes ‘A breakfast eating parent raises a breakfast eating child’. If parents are seen to eat breakfast, their children will be more likely to do so too. If parents eat a range of fruit and vegetables, then their offspring will too.
How, when and what parents eat has a strong influence on how, when and what their children eat. Our cultural heritage comes to the fore here, as well. The food environment teenagers are exposed to as young children will certainly influence their food choices as they mature and it is always interesting to study cultural differences in food tastes. In times of stress and anxiety teenagers will often turn for comfort to the food and food rituals of their childhood.
Demographics
Demographics and environment play an enormous role in how teens learn to make food choices. A drive through the outer suburbs of any Australian city will uncover a proliferation of fast food chains; row after row of them. Where are the quality cafes and restaurants? In the affluent suburbs and the inner city. Kids in the outer suburbs have often never been exposed to anything but fast food restaurants. Eating out means dining on a hamburger and fries, fried chicken or pizza.
Peer pressure
Time and peer pressure play key roles in influencing teenagers’ eating habits. Time is important to them and unstructured meal times and grazing are part of the teen way of life.
Skipping meals and choosing to snack is part of a growing culture and commonplace among adolescents. Inadequate intake and poor nutrit-ion come hand in hand with this way of eating.
Peer influence also starts to exceed parental influence and opportunities to eat away from home increase.
The fact that teenagers often do not have much money to spend or do not like to spend it on food, leads them to fast food restaurants. As these are also a natural meeting place for teenagers, the social determinants come into play.
Being ‘cool’ is extremely critical to teenagers. If soft drink and a burger is the ‘cool’ food of choice for an adolescent boy, then a salad and a bottle of water don’t get a look in. If everyone is eating popcorn and cola at the movies, then it is a tough call to do anything else.
Young people within a group need to take into account what, when and how their peers eat and then make decisions about whether or not to fit into this ‘norm’. This can be particularly difficult for teens that struggle to make or maintain friendships.
The marketing blitz
Kids today are bombarded with marketing. Elaborate and sophisticated advertisements on the radio, television, the internet, at the movies, on billboards and in magazines assail them.
Most of the food advertisements are, of course, for fast foods, breakfast cereals, snacks and confectionary that are high in sugar, salt and cheap fats and are nutritionally inadequate. Yet they are powerful and persuasive.
Cross promotions and the use of celebrities and licensed characters make the marketing even more insidious and the social appeal of some advertisements is potent and highly influential.
Idealised media images of the female (and male) body also influences food choices; young girls are particularly at risk of developing eating disorders.
It is vital for the present and future health of our teenagers that they receive strong and positive food messages and are encouraged at every turn to make nutritious food choices.
As educators we can play a major role in this by ensuring that the food messages kids receive at school are strong, consistent and practical and help maximise their potential.
While the rate of obesity in Australia continues to climb steadily, research shows that many young people are also struggling with eating disorders. Of particular concern are these high-risk nutritional behaviours: the dieting culture so endemic amongst young girls, skipping meals, excessive alcohol consumption and poor food choices.
Food choice influences
So what does influence the way our teenagers feed themselves today? What are the social, psychological, emotional and sensory factors that help determine food their choices?
For adolescents, by far one of the most influential aspects of eating is the sensory – taste. As the struggle for independence becomes stronger and teens start making more choices for themselves, they start to voice their likes and dislikes more and more.
In a confusing world, food choice is something they can control easily. Eating food that tastes good makes them feel good. Many kids think that if it tastes good and fills them up that’s all that matters. The health aspect is often simply not in the equation. The challenge here, of course, is that fast and convenience foods are made to appeal to young and impressionable taste buds – and are highly addictive.
The value of family mealtime
Family also plays a major role in adolescent food choices. Numerous studies suggest that teenagers who share most meals with the family at the table eat better and choose food more wisely.
Children of time poor parents tend to eat more processed, convenience foods, and usually away from the family table, consequently parental influence on food intake and quality is reduced.
Parents are strong role models for their children. The saying goes ‘A breakfast eating parent raises a breakfast eating child’. If parents are seen to eat breakfast, their children will be more likely to do so too. If parents eat a range of fruit and vegetables, then their offspring will too.
How, when and what parents eat has a strong influence on how, when and what their children eat. Our cultural heritage comes to the fore here, as well. The food environment teenagers are exposed to as young children will certainly influence their food choices as they mature and it is always interesting to study cultural differences in food tastes. In times of stress and anxiety teenagers will often turn for comfort to the food and food rituals of their childhood.
Demographics
Demographics and environment play an enormous role in how teens learn to make food choices. A drive through the outer suburbs of any Australian city will uncover a proliferation of fast food chains; row after row of them. Where are the quality cafes and restaurants? In the affluent suburbs and the inner city. Kids in the outer suburbs have often never been exposed to anything but fast food restaurants. Eating out means dining on a hamburger and fries, fried chicken or pizza.
Peer pressure
Time and peer pressure play key roles in influencing teenagers’ eating habits. Time is important to them and unstructured meal times and grazing are part of the teen way of life.
Skipping meals and choosing to snack is part of a growing culture and commonplace among adolescents. Inadequate intake and poor nutrit-ion come hand in hand with this way of eating.
Peer influence also starts to exceed parental influence and opportunities to eat away from home increase.
The fact that teenagers often do not have much money to spend or do not like to spend it on food, leads them to fast food restaurants. As these are also a natural meeting place for teenagers, the social determinants come into play.
Being ‘cool’ is extremely critical to teenagers. If soft drink and a burger is the ‘cool’ food of choice for an adolescent boy, then a salad and a bottle of water don’t get a look in. If everyone is eating popcorn and cola at the movies, then it is a tough call to do anything else.
Young people within a group need to take into account what, when and how their peers eat and then make decisions about whether or not to fit into this ‘norm’. This can be particularly difficult for teens that struggle to make or maintain friendships.
The marketing blitz
Kids today are bombarded with marketing. Elaborate and sophisticated advertisements on the radio, television, the internet, at the movies, on billboards and in magazines assail them.
Most of the food advertisements are, of course, for fast foods, breakfast cereals, snacks and confectionary that are high in sugar, salt and cheap fats and are nutritionally inadequate. Yet they are powerful and persuasive.
Cross promotions and the use of celebrities and licensed characters make the marketing even more insidious and the social appeal of some advertisements is potent and highly influential.
Idealised media images of the female (and male) body also influences food choices; young girls are particularly at risk of developing eating disorders.
It is vital for the present and future health of our teenagers that they receive strong and positive food messages and are encouraged at every turn to make nutritious food choices.
As educators we can play a major role in this by ensuring that the food messages kids receive at school are strong, consistent and practical and help maximise their potential.