Propane to Natural Gas - Is it Worth Converting Your BBQ Grill? By Les Fenton

If you set out to buy a BBQ grill today, one of the options facing you is whether to fuel it with propane or natural gas. But what if you already have a propane gas BBQ. Is it worthwhile converting it?

In this article we'll help you weigh up the pros and the cons.

The Relative Costs of Natural gas and Propane

Technical tests on both gases indicate that although natural gas is much less expensive than propane (by up to three or four times for one cubic foot) you?ll need twice as much to cook the same meal. But this is more than compensated for by the much lower cost of natural gas. However, that?s not the complete story.

Grill Conversion Costs

To change your grill from propane to natural gas you?ll also have to carry out a technical conversion. This conversion involves taking out your existing gas regulator and feed pipes and replacing these with similar items designed specifically for natural gas. The conversion process increases the flow of gas to your barbecue grill to compensate for the fact that natural gas produces less cooking heat than propane.

It's possible to carry out this conversion yourself, but this is not recommended because the work involved demands a certain level of technical skill. It?s much more sensible to employ the services of a natural gas technician who will also be able to install a patio gas supply point at the same time.

However, the conversion cost is likely to be quite high ? probably in the region of $100 -$200. Therefor, you may well decide that it?s more sensible to put this money towards the purchase cost of a new natural gas grill.

Other Factors to Consider

As well as weighing up the cost savings against the conversion costs you should also consider the following factors:

Factors against Conversion:

Grill Mobility - You?ll not be able to use your grill anywhere. You?re going to be restricted by the position of the natural gas supply point.

Taste - Natural gas contains a smelly substance called mercaptan. Its deliberately mixed with the gas so that you can tell if you've got a leak. Some people reckon that this substance imparts an unpleasant taste to the food. However, don?t get too hung up about this. It?s not a frequently voiced complaint.

Environmental Protection - Natural gas is not environmentally friendly. If it escapes into the atmosphere,it gets converted into other substances which are detrimental to it.

Factors for Conversion:

Convenience - Your fuel supply will be on tap and you won?t have to carry bottles of propane around anymore or change a bottle half-way through a BBQ.

Make a Choice. Propane or Natural Gas?

Hopefully my article will help you make a choice about whether to convert your grill or not. If you?re already using natural gas in the home this could be an opportunity to save money on the costs of operating your BBQ grill, but don?t forget those conversion costs. It may make more sense to wait until you need to purchase a new grill

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Pros And Cons of Using Natural Food Colours

Even though we have heard a lot about the negative effects of artificial preservatives and food colours to our health, we still continue to consume food that contains them. We have little choice when it comes to the ingredients of the food we eat from restaurants or buy from groceries. If you are seriously considering controlling the amount of artificial food dye you consume, you can do the practical alternative and prepare your own food, putting natural food colours instead. Here are some of the natural ingredients that you can use to make your own food dyes and their pros and cons.

Grapes

Grapes or grape skin is a great source of pigment for making purple dyes. The skin and flesh of the fruit is rich in anthocyanin compounds responsible for producing the vivid violet hue. It is commonly used in candy, yoghurt, ice cream, jams, and jellies. The vitamins contained in grapes help in preventing and lessening the risk for diseases, such as rheumatism, arthritis, kidney and liver disorders, diabetes, anemia, and some cancers.

This additive is not recommended for pregnant and nursing women. It can cause sore throat, nausea, and headache, and allergies for some people.

Turmeric

A popular ingredient for producing yellow food colouring, turmeric is used mainly for spicing up meals, such as curries, salads, soups, mustard, and cheese. Turmeric has curcumin, which is said to prevent or lessen the risk for flu, cirrhosis, ulcers, Alzheimer's disease, and certain cancers. One should not use turmeric carelessly, though. Consuming too much turmeric can lead to gastrointestinal diseases. It can also produce adverse effects on pregnant and breastfeeding women. You don't need to use large amounts of turmeric for food colouring anyway. Just a small amount is enough to produce concentrated amounts of vivid yellow colouring.

Caramel

This is probably one of the most used additives, especially in sweets. Natural starches and sugars are caramelized using high temperature, producing amber-coloured liquid that can be used from soft drinks to processed meats. There are several classes of caramel, each categorized according to the chemical agent used for the caramelizing process. Steer clear of caramel colourings that contain ammonia and sulfite, which can be harmful to the body. Caramel is delicious, but has very little nutritional content so it should be used carefully. Consuming too much caramel colouring can lead to allergies, immune deficiencies, diabetes, cancer, and asthma in some people.

Beet Juice

Beet root is one of the most recommended health ingredients for producing red and pink food dyes. The roots are juiced and powdered then added to lots of food and beverages, from ice creams to seasonings. It packs a whole lot of nutrients which include magnesium, manganese, iron, foliates, vitamin C, and other antioxidants. The juice made from beet fruits is good for patients with immune deficiencies, kidney ailments, liver problems, and colon cancer. It also a good drink for those who want to control obesity.

Too much consumption of beet root can cause allergies and harm the kidney stones. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should consume beet root juice in moderation.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Pros And Cons of Using Natural Food Colours

Even though we have heard a lot about the negative effects of artificial preservatives and food colours to our health, we still continue to consume food that contains them. We have little choice when it comes to the ingredients of the food we eat from restaurants or buy from groceries. If you are seriously considering controlling the amount of artificial food dye you consume, you can do the practical alternative and prepare your own food, putting natural food colours instead. Here are some of the natural ingredients that you can use to make your own food dyes and their pros and cons.

Grapes

Grapes or grape skin is a great source of pigment for making purple dyes. The skin and flesh of the fruit is rich in anthocyanin compounds responsible for producing the vivid violet hue. It is commonly used in candy, yoghurt, ice cream, jams, and jellies. The vitamins contained in grapes help in preventing and lessening the risk for diseases, such as rheumatism, arthritis, kidney and liver disorders, diabetes, anemia, and some cancers.

This additive is not recommended for pregnant and nursing women. It can cause sore throat, nausea, and headache, and allergies for some people.

Turmeric

A popular ingredient for producing yellow food colouring, turmeric is used mainly for spicing up meals, such as curries, salads, soups, mustard, and cheese. Turmeric has curcumin, which is said to prevent or lessen the risk for flu, cirrhosis, ulcers, Alzheimer's disease, and certain cancers. One should not use turmeric carelessly, though. Consuming too much turmeric can lead to gastrointestinal diseases. It can also produce adverse effects on pregnant and breastfeeding women. You don't need to use large amounts of turmeric for food colouring anyway. Just a small amount is enough to produce concentrated amounts of vivid yellow colouring.

Caramel

This is probably one of the most used additives, especially in sweets. Natural starches and sugars are caramelized using high temperature, producing amber-coloured liquid that can be used from soft drinks to processed meats. There are several classes of caramel, each categorized according to the chemical agent used for the caramelizing process. Steer clear of caramel colourings that contain ammonia and sulfite, which can be harmful to the body. Caramel is delicious, but has very little nutritional content so it should be used carefully. Consuming too much caramel colouring can lead to allergies, immune deficiencies, diabetes, cancer, and asthma in some people.

Beet Juice

Beet root is one of the most recommended health ingredients for producing red and pink food dyes. The roots are juiced and powdered then added to lots of food and beverages, from ice creams to seasonings. It packs a whole lot of nutrients which include magnesium, manganese, iron, foliates, vitamin C, and other antioxidants. The juice made from beet fruits is good for patients with immune deficiencies, kidney ailments, liver problems, and colon cancer. It also a good drink for those who want to control obesity.

Too much consumption of beet root can cause allergies and harm the kidney stones. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should consume beet root juice in moderation.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

The pros and cons of the use of natural food coloring

Although we've heard a lot about the negative effects of artificial preservatives and colouring foodstuffs for our health, we still continue to consume a food that contains them. We have little choice when it comes to the ingredients of the food eaten by restaurants or buy from the grocery store. If you are seriously considering controlling the amount of artificial confectionery paint, you consume, you can make a practical alternative and prepare their own food, instead of placing the natural food colorings. Here are some of the natural ingredients that you can use to make your own food dyes and their pros and cons.

Grapes

Grapes or grape skin is a great source of pigment-making purple dyes. The skin and flesh of the fruit is rich in anthocyanin compounds responsible for the production of the bright violet hue. It is often used in candies, yogurt, ice cream, jams and jellies. The vitamins contained in grapes help to prevent and reduce the risk of diseases such as rheumatism, arthritis, kidney and liver disease, diabetes, anemia and certain types of cancer.

This add-in is not recommended for pregnant and nursing women. For some people it can cause sore throats, nausea and headaches and allergies.

Turmeric

A popular ingredient for the production of yellow food, turmeric is mainly used for spicing up dishes such as curries, salads, soups, mustard and cheese. Turmeric is Curcumin, which is said to prevent or reduce the risk of influenza, cirrhosis, ulcers, Alzheimer's disease and certain types of cancer. One should not use turmeric casually, though. Consuming too much turmeric may lead to gastrointestinal diseases. It can also lead to adverse effects on the pregnant and lactating women. You do not need to use large amounts of turmeric or food coloring. Only a small amount is enough to produce concentrated amounts of bright yellow coloration.

Caramel

This is probably one of the most widely used supplements, especially in sweets. Natural starches and sugars are caramelized by using high temperatures, producing amber colored liquid that can be used by non-alcoholic beverages for processed meats. There are several classes of caramel, each categorized according to chemical agent used for caramelizing process. Steer clear of caramel coloring, which contain ammonia and sulphite that can be harmful to the body. Caramel is delicious, but there is very little nutritional content, so it should be used with care. Consuming too much caramel coloring can lead to allergies, immune deficiency, diabetes, cancer and asthma in some people.

Beet

Beet root is one of the most recommended health ingredients for the production of red and pink food coloring. The roots are drunk and icing then added to many foods and drinks, from ice creams to the spices. It contains many nutrients including magnesium, manganese, iron, foliates, vitamin c and other antioxidants. Beet juice fruit is good for patients with immune deficiency, kidney disease, liver problems and colon cancer. It also is a good drink for those who want to control obesity.

Too much consumption of beet root can cause allergies and to harm the kidney stones. Pregnant and lactating women should consume beet root juice in moderation.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad