Chicken myths busted (and an exclusive competition)

Chicken is certainly one of the world’s favourite and cheapest sources of protein. But more often than not, chicken gets a bad wrap for being filled with hormones, inorganic, mutant and so on. But these are mostly myths that people believe, and ultimately discourages people from eating chicken – the most versatile protein around.
Especially being a mom, we want what is best for our children, we want them to grow up big and strong and healthy without having to worry about the food they eat being unwholesome.
I sometimes overhear moms in coffee shops or at the stores saying to their children, no you can’t eat that it’s not good for you. What’s alarming about that is the fact that sometimes it’s to do with chicken.
I think the problem is that a lot of people are misguided or misinformed about various foods especially chicken. Astral is a leading South African poultry producer with brands like Festive , Goldi and County Fair which are fresh, frozen and crumbed chicken. They have approached me about this very topic and wanted to address some common misconceptions in the hope to help moms to continue to buy nutritious food and make good food choices for their family.
“We hope that by debunking some of the myths around chicken that this will make for a highly informed consumer public who knows what they are buying and what they are consuming. It will also hopefully encourage our public to buy local and support our local industry,” says Chris Schutte, CEO of Astral.
Schutte goes on to set straight the more common poultry fictions around:
1. Do chickens grow so fast because they are injected with growth hormones?
No, definitely not!  No chickens produced by any of Astral’s poultry operations are injected, fed or in any way whatsoever subjected to hormones. In order to obtain the desired growth and weight targets, a perfect combination of superior genetics, scientific nutrition and best farming practices are ethically applied. Be assured, eating our chicken products is perfectly safe for you!
2. Are all chickens injected with water before being sold?
No, not entirely true! Our fresh chicken, never frozen, is 100% natural. In fact, excess moisture is removed from fresh chicken through an air chilling process before being packed. However, we do flavour enhance IQF frozen portions (Individually Quick Frozen) with a water based brine, to improve meat tenderness and succulence by means of a scientifically applied injection method.
3. Are chickens restricted from movement by being kept in small wire cages?
Not true at all! In Astral, our chickens are raised in large poultry sheds designed to keep them as comfortable as possible. The disinfected floors are bedded with wood shavings, sunflower husks or wheat straw which allows them to scratch and move around as they please. Our chickens also have unrestricted access to light, clean water and nutritious feed 24 hours a day.
4. Are chickens reared on a diet of maize only?
No, only approximately half of the ration is maize! Maize, the main energy source in a chicken’s diet, comprises approximately 50% of the feed ration. In addition, specially formulated protein ingredients, together with key vitamins and minerals, are added to create the perfect balanced diet and is fed to our chickens in the form of easily digested crumbles or pellets.
5. Do antibiotics administered to chickens remain in the meat and are they dangerous to our health?
No, not entirely true! Antibiotics are administered to our chickens when necessary through feed intake and under the strict guidance of a registered veterinary practitioner. Any incidental antibiotic residues are well within the legislated maximum residual levels (MRL). It is standard practice to withdraw antibiotics from feed according to the manufacturers’ guidelines. This is done at least five days prior to slaughter to ensure no residues remain in the meat. Astral additionally tests the livers and muscles of slaughtered chickens through an independent laboratory for traces of antibiotic residues.
Astral is also running a fabulous competition for this week only:
• Send in your best chicken recipe for braai day (the recipe involving one of their brands such as Festive, Goldi or County Fair, stands the best chance of winning)
• The best recipe received by 17:00 on Friday 23 September will win a chicken hamper for them and their family courtesy of Astral
About Astral

Recipes can be posted as comments below or emailed to info@muslimmums.co.za

Astral is a leading South African integrated poultry producer. Key activities consist of animal feed pre-mixes, manufacturing of animal feeds, broiler genetics, production and sale of day-old chicks and hatching eggs, integrated breeder and broiler production operations, abattoirs and the sale and distribution of various key poultry brands.

EDITOR’S NOTE: ASTRAL FOOD PRODUCTS IN SOUTH AFRICA ARE CERTIFIED HALAAL BY THE MUSLIM JUDICIAL COUNCIL (MJC)

Cape Town event: Heritage Day

Heritage Day: Free 1 hour walking tours at 11:00 and 12:00 from the Bo-Kaap Cultural Market and enjoy a complimentary taste of ‘Boeber’, a traditional drink made from milk. Interact with locals selling food, hand made crafts and clothing. Enjoy coffee from Haas Coffee shop with traditional koeksisters, tarts and cakes or a lunch of curry with roti, samoosas, pies and more from the market. Stock up on pickles, chutneys and konfyt.
Where:Haas Gallery at 67 Rose Street, Bo-Kaap, Saturday 24 September from 09:00 to 15:00.
Entrance free. Contact 0726430054 or 0741011837

Shukran for your support of our non profit organisation project.
Bilqees Baker
Bo-Kaap Cultural and Heritage Gateway

Marriage seminar – Durban

Workshop: Durban – Getting into the Groove of Life

Young Egyptian Qari Set to Enthral SA Muslims

Shaykh Momen Ahmad Almoursy is all set to enthral South Africa’s Muslims with his melodious recitation of the Qur’an at the Mohamediya Masjid in Sparks Road (now Moses Kotane) on the evening of Thursday 23 June. 
Al-Ansaar Foundation in conjunction with South African Qur’aan Union will host the young Qari at the exclusive Qira’ah programme.
  “This is a promising Qari and an inspiration to young and old,” says Shaykh Muntahaa Ebrahim Kenny, Chairman of the South African Qur’aan Union, Cape Town. 
23-year-old Shaykh Momen, who has recited in various parts of the world, was tutored by Ustadh Ahmad Mustafa. He is a graduate of Al-Azhar University and is registered under the Egyptian Ministry of Awqaf as a Qari and Imam.
 The event, which is open to the public, serves to commemorate our country’s Youth Day (16 June) by drawing the youth closer to the Holy Qur’an.
 The programme will begin at 19h00. Ladies facilities provided. 

 *Qari – male professional reciter of the Qur’an*Qira’ah – melodious recitation of the Qur’an*Imam – Muslim congregational prayer leader   

–Sana Ebrahim (Ms)
Director, Indians in Africa
Sub-editor, Al Ummah
031 208 1601 ext 118 (W)
082 545 6792
(C)086 593 1001 (F)

http://www.indiansinafrica.co.za 

Review: The Baby Expo 2011 (Johannesburg)

THIS YEAR’S GAUTENG LEG OF THE BABY EXPO WAS HELD AT THE COCA-COLA DOME IN JOHANNESBURG FROM THE 12TH-15TH MAY. AYESHA MOOLA, MUM OF TWO, ATTENDED THE SHOW ON BEHALF OF MUSLIMMUMS.CO.ZA AND SHARES HER THOUGHTS.

To summarise the Baby Expo in one word, WOW

I have been attending baby shows since 2007, and this was by far the best.

Walking in, the place was packed but the actual layout was conducive to a parent attending with their kids so this didn’t hinder our time there. The highlight for the children was of course the Barney show, which you had to book when purchasing your tickets, as seats are limited.

The organisers had arranged Salaah (prayer) facilities, a necessity since the show is a whole day affair. Halaal food was also available for the Muslim attendees.

New Products were launched, my favourites included the YOOMI bottle, which has a built in warmer, great now for winter, and is the closest to mothers breast that I have ever seen.
Also the STOKKE range of travel systems left me speechless – any mother would appreciate one of these.

The discounts and specials were a treat for the parents, and there were lots of prizes up for grabs.

I particularly enjoyed the expert talks at the Woodward’s Lounge and, even though I am a second time mum, found these very helpful and informative.

There were different breast pumps on display, which is great as one could compare before purchasing.

Baby City was in attendance, with great show specials, I stocked up on Nappies and Formula.

On the whole, the show was an amazing success, and I am really looking forward to the next one.

How To Respect Your Teens’ Privacy

Source: MuslimMatters.org
by Sadaf Farooqi

Teenagers — youths at the threshold of adulthood, still harboring a carefree, emotional child within, need their parents to empathize with them during the rocky, transitional phase of adolescence.
From bawling infants requiring round-the-clock care, to toddlers that break free and run amok, to preschoolers learning to scribble and being read to, to hyperactive tots who love to help around the house and play with toys, parenting takes us on one roller coaster ride after another.
Just when we think it will get easier, one fine day, these munchkins have morphed into teenagers: awkward, lanky, self-conscious, acne-faced and aloof. “Where did that friendly child of mine disappear?” you wonder.
Do not worry; your offspring will resurface in good time. Meanwhile, here is what you should keep in mind when dealing with them from now on:

Recognize the signs

In the past, you could barge into your “children’s” room at any time, without knocking; shouting instructions off the top of your head, you could drag them out of bed to make them clean their room. No more of that, now, Ummi. Your teenagers will begin to indicate their privacy needs through body language. It might be a scowl when they are asked a question they find invasive, a tantrum when you go through their closet to look for something, or an outright wrangle with a sibling when the latter enters their room while they are studying.
Do not take all this personally. It is a natural endeavor to establish boundaries around their ‘personal space’, in which they can retreat for privacy, which is a genuine need at this age. They are transitioning into adulthood, and a need for privacy or space is natural. In addition, they will stop disclosing each and every detail about their lives and/or feelings to you, as they did before – this is a step towards establishing intangible, ‘emotional’ boundaries around themselves.

Provide them this “space”

As parents, we should not take offense at our teens’ increasing aloofness with us or their frigidity in social gatherings. The best way to console ourselves is to think, “This is just a passing phase.” It really is. They need us to back off with the physical and verbal expressions of love and to treat them more like adults. The best way to make them feel appreciated is to delegate some adult tasks to them and to respect their opinions on matters.
Ideally, teenage girls should not be sharing a bedroom or bathroom with their brothers or father. If possible, each teenager should have a personal place to sleep and study in, in peace, and a locking closet that younger siblings cannot get into. However, if this is not possible, especially in large families, you can improvise and think out of the box. Renovate your garage, gazebo, tool-shed (no kidding!), attic, study, or balcony/terrace to set up a small personal place for your teenager, such as a desk with a bookshelf. Most of all, expect your teenager to withdraw into this space for a few hours everyday.

Make sure they know that you are still the boss

What parents must be careful about at this stage is to maintain the tricky balance between keeping a strict but discreet supervisory eye over their teenagers and giving them freedom and independence. Teenagers should be made to realize that garnering trust and “adult” privileges (e.g. using the Internet in privacy, going out alone, driving the car, or possessing a personal cell phone) comes with responsibilities and restrictions. These adult privileges must be earned after proving themselves to be trustworthy, responsible, honest and morally upright youngsters – especially regarding fulfillment of Islamic obligations and duties. Conversely, they should know that any breach in their parents’ regulations or intentional treachery can immediately result in the elimination of these privileges.

Talk about their interests without probing

If you really want to know why your fourteen-year-old daughter is so glum since she came home from her friend’s house, instead of asking her outright, you can start a casual conversation with her by telling her about your day. Then you can ask her how she liked the snack you packed for her.

“Parents often don’t understand that their adolescent is resistant to questions for two good causes. Adult questions are not only invasive of privacy, they are emblematic of authority. They expose the inequity between adolescent and adult. The adolescent is expected to be answerable to the adult authority, not the other way around. Being repeatedly questioned by an adult can feel threatening, and agreeing to answer can feel demeaning.” – Dr. Carl Pickhardt, “Surviving (Your Child’s) Adolescence“, PsychologyToday.com

Teenagers usually take the bait and start talking once they know they have a sympathetic ear. What they do not like is the interrogative probing. Know that the torrent will come out at some time; just make sure you are there for them when it does.

Watch your tone

If your teenager mentions something about their friends or recreational activities that you find objectionable, do not jump into “tyrannical-lecturing-parent” mode immediately. Let it pass then, but perhaps express your disapproval by remaining silent or not laughing (e.g. if they crack a joke in bad taste, use a curse word, or talk about an elder disrespectfully) or leaving the room to prevent an altercation. Later on, once you find a secluded spot and a quiet moment, talk to them about the behavior that is not appropriate. Keep it short (remember, they hate lectures) and never, ever make the mistake of scolding or reprimanding them in public, before their peers, or in front of siblings. Also, do not tattle to your spouse in front of the whole family as soon as the latter walks in from work. This will make your teenager feel as if you betrayed their trust.

Keep up-to-date with what is going on in ‘their’ world

As a teenager, I remember naively thinking that my parents knew nothing about all the “cool” stuff in “my” world – one that revolved around my friends, slang words, glossy fashion magazines, music, movies, pop idols, makeup, supermodels, dirty jokes and romance novels. What teenagers do not know is that even their parents went through this phase, and know exactly what they are going through.
Read newspapers, magazines and blogs to understand all that is new in the youngsters’ world, including the slang words and sly jokes that teenagers use during conversation. Keep yourself updated; become the technologically and fashionably “with-it” parent whom they can proudly introduce to their friends when the latter visit. However, remember that you will still be feared and revered by your teenagers; hence, you will not exactly be welcome to ‘hang with’ their friends. Therefore, do not take your teenager’s embarrassment and awkwardness personally when you walk in on or sit with their friends for a while. Most likely, your departure will elicit sighs of relief all around!

Be the “toughie” friend outside their clique

As a parent, know that your teenagers will probably consider their friends clique the center of their universe for a few years but will come crying to you when they hurt them in any way. Your role as parent to a teenager, is not “the hand that feeds them or bathes them”, but rather “the friend who is always there” when needed. In addition, you must not be afraid to become the occasional ‘warden’ or ‘bad guy’ when the need arises; someone who is there to set limits, enforce rules, check performance, and unfortunately, as a last resort, exact appropriate retribution to wrong behavior.

Establish a rapport with their educators

If your teenager goes to school, establish a rapport with their teacher by casually talking to him or her about your ward’s progress and behavior at school. This will establish your concern as an “involved” parent; someone who can be approached easily if they want to discuss something about your teenager’s progress at school.

Do not go through their private things

Unless you want your teenaged son or daughter to brand you as “the enemy”, do not go through their stuff behind their backs, unless it is absolutely necessary. Do not read their diary (if they keep one) or go through their journals, notebooks, desk, dresser, closet, school bag, clothes, or accessories without a valid reason. You need to realize that they are no longer children and that your role has changed. If you do not tread with extreme care, you might cause irrevocable damage to your relationship with them, which is at a fragile, volatile stage.
Your focus throughout your children’s adolescence should not be just establishing and enforcing stringent rules, restrictions, curfews and chore-lists. Rather, you should also give importance to maintaining open, heart-to-heart communication, providing an understanding and sympathetic ear, and giving emotional support. You will need to relinquish some control in their lives, and instead, learn to delegate tasks to them in order to build their confidence as “wannabe” adults and make them feel trusted. The more teenagers believe that their parents trust them, the less likely they are to break rules or to disobey them.
Lastly, if a breach of trust on their part gets them punished, but they follow it with sincere repentance, ratification and consistent good behavior, you as their parents, should embody humility and justice by retracting their punishment and allowing them honorary privileges once again.
This will convey the valuable message to them that, just as Allah always accepts His penitent servants’ repentance and opens the door for them to a new beginning, so do you, as their parents, accept and appreciate atonement. They should know that you will continue to have hope in them to reform after a lapse in good behavior and are always there for them as their “rock” during these stormy, hormone-charged, formative years of their lives.
Thereafter, you can sit back and enjoy as they come to you, again and again, looking for a hug, a heart-to-heart conversation, and emotional catharsis over warm, homemade brownies and a cup of hot tea.

This article was first published in SISTERS Magazine.

Baby Expo Mama Magic – update

Update: Free tickets have been given away. Congratulations to all the winners!

The Baby Expo MamaMagic, now in its seventh year, is one of South Africa’s longest running baby and parenting exhibitions. Its back in Johannesburg this weekend from 12 – 15 May and sponsor of the Baby Expo – Liberty is giving you a chance to win tickets to the Baby Expo in JHB for Friday 13 May!
This year Liberty is giving away a R25 000 investment policy so make sure you are there.
Every parent wants what is best for their children, whether it’s enrolling them in the best school possible, making sure they eat their vegetables or planning for their tertiary education. Liberty are not only experts on what should go into your child’s lunchbox, but can offer you expert advice and products specifically designed to help you to save for your child’s education.
Experienced Financial Advisers will be at the Baby Expo to talk to you about how to start investing in your child’s future. They will help you with the facts and figures to make sure you have a suitable plan that enables you to save for your child’s education.be there to talk to you about how to start investing in your child’s future. They will help you with the facts and figures to make sure you have a suitable plan that enables you to save for your child’s education. For more information about the investment policy competition and the expo visit:
http://babyexpo.liberty.co.za/

To stand in line to win one of ten double tickets, email your name, telephone numbers,physical address to genea.frade@fleishman.co.za (tickets will be sent during the day to the address provided).

Durban event: Picnic in the park

ILM-SA invites you to join 150 underprivileged children for a picnic in the park.
DATE: Sunday, 15th May 2011
TIME: 10am onwards
VENUE: Essenwood Park, Durban
For further details and/or contributions contact Ml Khaled Yacoob on 084 921 5883.

Review:Xbox Kinect

Image source:Xboxkinectdeal.com
This space has been quiet for a while…mommy bloggers have had their hands full with something a little unusual-an Xbox Kinect on a trial basis. Now, mommies rarely have ‘time on their hands’ so if they have made time to get into this gadget that says alot…

I was rather impressed that the device was quick and easy to set-up.
3games were given as part of the trial, the dancing not so much to my interest but moving along with the raft boat collecting fake coins which is one of the activities offered by Kinect Adventures.

For me the biggest plus factor to this technology is that it helps you keep fit – there are specific fitness games or fun games but both ways you have to move your body. So, you are being entertained in your lounge but you are not a couch potato by any means. The technology makes you feel part of a very hi-tech world – especially for mums who just have time to squeeze in emails in between the laundry. As for the kids, well it could be a battle out there but you will survive. I was too petrified about what my 2yr old ‘could’ do to this prized possession so we resorted to evenings only play time. Still, I would recommend this to parents who are looking for a birthday/end of exams/eid gift for the kids or themselves too:)

Yes, technology is not a major topic of discussion on this site but we welcome new ideas, input from readers so please let us know your thoughts…

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