Tummy Bugs

Normally, Flavors of Brazil sticks to a six-day-a-week posting schedule, taking a day off on either Saturday or Sunday. But those of you who have a head for dates will note that the post previous to this one was dated Tuesday, Jan 03 and here it is already Thursday, Jan 05. What gives? Belated New Year's Eve hangover? Lack of Internet access?

None of the above, actually. In fact, we here at Flavors of Brazil have been dealing with a rather nasty 24-hour "tummy bug" brought on by eating something that in retrospective was definitely off. Fortunately, these illnesses tend to be short-lived, but when they're going full tilt, they are no fun at all. There's no option but to stay at home and plan on doing absolutely nothing, including writing blog posts. All your energy, or what little of that you have, will go into fighting the bug, and neither your body nor your mind have much left over for creative endeavors.

Being stuck at home, within easy range of the bathroom, does leave one with lots of time to think though. Even to think about blog posts. Hence, the publishing of this one, now that the bug has been well and truly conquered due to modern medicine and the body's ability to rid itself of nasty invaders by any means possible.

When we first began visiting Brazil in the late 1970s food sanitation was rudimentary in many parts of the country, and travelers to Brazil were warned in no uncertain terms in guidebooks and by physicians that they had to be very careful about what they ate. I'm sure anyone who has traveled outside the so-called First World knows what sorts of precautions were advised - no unpeeled fruit, no ice, no uncooked vegetables (including salads), no fresh juices, no cooked dishes that haven't been brought to the boiling point just before serving. And at that time, such advise was well informed and worthy of being followed carefully. Even the the big cities of Brazil it was possible to pick up a nasty stomach bug if one wasn't careful, and in more remote areas of the country, including the entire northern and northeastern half of the country, even with extreme caution anyone who spent much time in the region was likely to get a case of the "turistas" somewhere along the route.

Things have changed dramatically in the thirty-or-so years since then, and the situation of food sanitation and security is vastly better than it was just that short time ago. Obviously, in very remote regions of the rain forest or in the swamps of the Pantanal, one must still exercise extreme caution, but for most foreigners visiting the major tourist destinations in Brazil, and for most newly-arrived expats, a simple bit of common sense and prudence is sufficient to keep one from getting into digestive trouble. For example, these days the overwhelming preponderance of cubed ice served in bars and restaurants comes from industrial ice producers whose production techniques and water sources are monitored and controlled for sanitation. In Brazil, it's very rare to see ice cubes that aren't cylindrically shaped and obviously industrially produced. Tourists no longer need to order their caipirinhas or their Coca-colas "sem gelo" (without ice). In a tropical country like Brazil, being able to drink iced drinks is a great blessing and one that tourists no longer need to forego.

Likewise salads. They're no longer off the menu, as they once were. Salads are an important part of the Brazilian diet, but in the past, tourists could only look upon those juicy tomatoes, crispy peppers and onions, and brilliant green lettuce as forbidden treasures. They were "on the list" and never to be indulged in. Today, with better education of kitchen staff, and with almost universal use of disinfectant washes of vegetables, tourists can enjoy a Brazilian salad just as they would at home.

There are some obvious instances where tourists and Brazilian native alike must exercise caution when deciding what to eat. All along Brazilian beaches, numerous ambulant vendors pass by offering shrimp, crabs and lobster from a basket they carry with them - sometimes with a small amount of ice at the bottom of the basket, often with no refrigeration at all. In the 30C (85F) heat and strong sun at the beach, eating this seafood is definitely AYOR (at your own risk), and most, although not all, people avoid it. Similarly, most cautious travelers don't eat the raw oysters proferred by beach vendors - even in cold climates and places with rigorous sanitary laws oysters can be problematic. Here, they're a digestive disaster waiting to happen.

But aside from these obvious danger points, one can, whether tourist or native, go about one's business and enjoy the wide variety of food and drink in Brazil without undue worry or stress. This week's bout of distress was only the second one we've suffered in almost four years of living and eating in Brazil. Do be sensible when you visit Brazil, but remember that food and drink are an important part of Brazilian culture and you shouldn't deprive yourself of all that bounty needlessly. An excess of caution can be as damaging to your experience of Brazil as a dearth of the same.

The Ongoing Coconut Oil Controversy

Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the meat or kernel of the mature fruit of the coconut tree. It plays an important role in Brazilian cuisine, particularly as a component of the coconut milk called for in a huge number of traditional dishes in Brazil. The oil is particularly associated with the Afro-Brazilian cuisine of the north-eastern state of Bahia, where it is an essential ingredient in the seafood stews called moquecas, in vatapá, and in many sweets and desserts.

One of the distinguishing characteristics of coconut oil is that it is highly saturated (meaning that the oil is solid rather than liquid at room temperature). Consumption of saturated fats in general is known to contribute to high levels of cholesterol and because of health concerns, such well-respected authorities as the US FDA, the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Heart Association, and the British National Health Service recommend against the consumption of significant amounts of coconut oil due to its high levels of saturated fats.

Coconut oil and palm oil has been vilified for years as dietary time-bombs in the popular press. There are significant concerns about the consumption of coconut oil, particularly unknown coconut oil in processed foods. For example, many movie theatres use coconut oil to pop the popcorn they sell in immense quantities. Because it is highly saturated coconut oil is exceptionally stable, meaning that it can be used to fry foods a high temperatures and that is has an extremely long shelf-life, up to two years. These properties are often increased by the process of hydrogenation, and much of the coconut oil used in processed foods is hydrogenated. Hydrogenizing coconut oil raises the temperature at which it melts, an important characteristic in warm climates. Unprocessed coconut oil melts at well below body temperature (about 24C or 76F) but processed oil remains solid up to 36-40C or 97-104F. Some of the fat in coconut oil is converted into unhealthy trans fats during the hydrogenation process as well.

Recent research in Brazil and elsewhere indicates that unprocessed coconut oil (called virgin oil, like olive oil) might not actually be so dangerous as previously thought, and perhaps it's only hydrogenated coconut oil that should be avoided. Unhydrogenated coconut oil contains a large proportion of lauric acid, a saturated fat that increases the level of HDL cholesterol (the "good cholesterol) in the blood. Human breast milk also contains significant amounts of lauric acid. Because much of coconut oil's saturated fat is in this form of lauric acid, it might be a better alternative than hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils when solid fats are required. Because much of the early research on coconut oil was done on hydrogenated oils and not on virgin oil the levels of risk associated with coconut milk in those studies might not apply to the virgin oil. It seems that the health risk profile for virgin oil is significantly better than for the processed product.

Creative cooks in Brazil and elsewhere are exploring the culinary potential of virgin coconut oil. Many have commented on its slightly sweet, slightly nutty taste which makes it an excellent choice in pastries and sweet baking. Customer demand for virgin oil, coupled with falling demand for hydrogenated oil with its trans fats, means that the natural product is increasingly available in many countries, where it can most easily be found in health food and natural food stores and markets. I've spotted it recently in Fortaleza and the jar was clearly labeled "virgem". If you're buying it anywhere else, look for the word virgin or the local-launguage equivalent to make sure you're not getting hydrogenated oil.

Maybe we don't have to be quite so scared of coconut oil as we've been led to believe in recent times. It's a matter of making sure that one doesn't consume large amounts of hidden hydrogenated coconut oil in processed foods, that one uses only virgin oil when it is called for in a recipe, and as with everything else, consuming with in moderation.

RECIPE - Spinach and Palm Heart Salad with Tamarind Dressing

Although most cooks and diners think of tamarind in the context of Southeast Asian or Indian foods, the fruit is used extensively in Brazilian cuisine. The tamarind tree originated in central Africa, and from there Arabian traders took it too the Indian subcontinent and on to the countries of Southeast Asia. Portuguese explorers and traders then brought it back from Asia to Europe, and carried it on to Brazil, where it's become a popular food source.

Brazilians love tamarind juice, tamarind Popsicles and tamarind candies. The fruit is also valued in cooked dishes, where the addition of tamarind juice adds an acidity and sharpness that is similar to, but not identical to, the acidity of citrus juices.

Here's a modern-day Brazilian recipe for a light and healthy salad of spinach and palm hearts (palmito) with a tamarind based dressing.

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RECIPE - Spinach and Palm Heart Salad with Tamarind Dressing
Serves 2

1/4 lb. (100 gr.) tamarind pulp (can be purchased in Asian and Latin American markets)
2 Tbsp. light sesame oil
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. salt
4 cups lightly packed spinach leaves
2 stalks hearts of palm, thinly sliced
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds
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Place the tamarind pulp in a medium bowl, and pour boiling water over to cover. Let stand for 20 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. Pull the seeds out of the tamarind pods, place the pulp of the pods in a small sieve and press the pulp through the sieve into a bowl. Combine with the sesame oil, rice vinegar and salt to taste. Reserve.

Put the spinach leaves in a large salad bowl. Add the sliced palm hearts, then the tamarind dressing. Finally, toss lightly to coat the spinach leaves with dressing, sprinkle the sesame seeds on top of the salad, and serve.

Recipe translated and adapted from Mannequim Magazine, Feb. 2010.