Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates have all ranked among the world’s top 10 fattest nations with ballooning obesity rates and an explosion of associated diseases. But there’s an upside to oversize:
Polio,or Poliomyelitis has not been a serious medical issue ever since the first wide scale vaccines were developed by Dr. Jonas Salk in the early 1950s. Within the past few years, however, the often debilitating virus has began to return to epidemic proportions in many parts of the world. This includes the Middle East.
Green Prophets burn lots of calories trying to make the planet a better place, but you can’t do much do-gooding if you’re dead. I’ll share a day in my week as a cautionary tale (and offer a peek into Amman’s excellent, and sometimes culturally surreal, medical system).
The number of people left homeless by the devastating Philippines typhoon Haiyan has topped 800,000 according to the latest United Nations estimate. Haiyan was the biggest storm ever recorded to reach landfall, wiping out entire villages and killing over 4,000 people (numbers continue to rise). Feeling the inevitable urge to assist?
A photographic series entitled Pacific Light captures a spellbinding dance that begins when ink, paint and soap collide. Watch stunning color combinations puddle and swirl. Visual artist Ruslan Khasanov snapped gorgeous photos, but his video and GIFs (short for Graphic Interchange Format, a form of computer image that moves as soundless animation) are spectacular.
With the Middle Eastern olive season in full swing, it’s natural to think of cooking with those fleshy, savory olive morsels. If you’ve been lucky enough to get olives pickled on the farm, as I did at the Olive Branch Festival in Israel, most of your work has been done for you.
In the race towards old age, our “girls” cross the finish line first! Maybe not a prize you want to win, but breast tissue ages faster than the rest of our body according to a study published in the journal Genome Biology.
More massive-scale animal abuse found in Israel. This time the kosher status of the company is at stake: Following news that cattle and sheep are being severely mistreated at a large kosher slaughterhouse, Israel’s Kolbotek consumer watchdog program has again revealed large scale animal abuse at the country’s leading poultry processing plant, Soglowek.
Scientists in Dubai are growing a new kind of food crop in salt marshes along the Persian Gulf coast. A variety of salt-resistant succulent, Salicornia are typically sold in gourmet shops in Europe, but they have other uses as well.
Smoking the hookah, nargilah or shisha pipe is a truly fun and social way to connect in the Middle East. It’s an oriental fantasy for newcomers and even for women in private circles who want to wind down and let loose. But one session can be like smoking 600 cigarettes!
We have to laugh at this research, given the latest news that there is a gay test being developed by Kuwait to weed out homosexuals from Gulf regions: scientists from Israel and Switzerland find that while many kinds of insects and spiders “act” gay, they probably are gay by accident.
“Middle Eastern food” is a catch-phrase that embraces the cuisines of so many countries, and ethnic streams inside those countries, that a list of 60 essential ingredients can’t cover everything. But if you love the flavors of the Middle East…
Truffles -the delicious tubers- have been a topic in food literature throughout the ages, from neo-Sumerian inscriptions in the 20th century BCE, to the writings of 19th-century chef Brilliant Savarin, to the joyful greediness of contemporary author Peter Mayle. But if you think that good truffles come exclusively from Italy and France…
There’s nothing like homemade falafel when you’re in the mood for those savory, crunchy chickpea balls packed into a fluffy pita. We teach you how to make whole-wheat pita here. Making your own falafel, you decide exactly which fixings go into your package of chickpea goodness.
Eating vegan only has become so popular in Tel Aviv that a new NGO called Vegan Friendly are handing out certificates to restaurants who offer a vegan main course. Look for the sticker on the door.
It’s the final run-up to Eid al-Adha, when Muslims around the planet commemorate God’s test of the Prophet Ibrahim by slaughtering a hapless quadruped: also called Qurbani, it’s an essential religious ritual wherein an estimated 100 million creatures will be killed.
Khameer, a round flatbread of humble Beduin origins, once fell out of favor with the upscale eaters of the United Arab Emirates. But the tender round bread with its golden top is enjoying a comeback. We show you how to make it. Gently slit open, the puffy top separates from the flexible bottom layer to make[.....]
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the immune system attacks the nervous system. The result can be a wide range of debilitating motor, physical, and mental problems. But smoking a spliff might decrease this inflammation, scientists from Israel find.
Public health officials in the Gulf states are playing down fears about an outbreak of the deadly MERS coronavirus among pilgrims travelling to the Hajj in Saudi Arabia this month, though doctors are advising the elderly, people with existing health conditions, pregnant women and young children to stay away.
If someone offered you camel bourguignon or a camel-burger on a gold-leaf bun, would you think they were kidding? We offered you an affordable recipe for camel burgers in this post. Now The Daily Star reports that in the Abu Dhabi Emirates Palace Hotel, the humble camel has been elevated into the new ulra-gourmet meat.
Gnocchi or kofteh? I’d always thought of kofteh as meatballs of one kind or another. But in this recipe, I discovered that a dumpling may go by that name too. And how delicious the dumplings – gnocchi – or kofteh are.
Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but piety may prove lethal. So say global health officials as they warn travellers to take special precautions when on Hajj, where a mysterious virus knowns as MERS threatens a concentrated pilgrim population expected to exceed 3 million. Over a year has passed since the first case emerged of[.....]
The deadly coronavirus behind Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) has been isolated in a bat in Saudi Arabia, according to a report in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. The virus was found in a the feces of an Egyptian tomb bat, or Taphozous perforatus, a creature known to roost in abandoned buildings.
Although the international furor around horse meat has died down since it first escalated earlier this year, the shock is all too fresh for a Tel Aviv couple who recently discovered chunks of it in their paella.
The American nonprofit Center for Environmental Health (CEH) has found a cancer-causing chemical in 98 shampoos, soaps, and other personal care products sold by Walmart, Target, Babies R Us, Trader Joe’s, Kohl’s and other national retailers. Their investigation focused on California, but these popular products are found everywhere.
Sweet tea is ubiquitous throughout the Middle East, but the go-to drink to fuel us through the workday is coffee. Here’s a stone-cold fact for you java freaks: the costliest coffee in the world is shit. We’re not talking Turkish-brewed or cardamom-laced Arabic. But kopi luwak, or cat poo coffee.
So addicted to technology, we have forgotten that nature has an answer to just about everything – including water purification. Douglas Schauer, Ph.D has shown that cilantro – a leafy herb used in Middle East cooking – can clear toxins from contaminated water.
Meat consumption in Iran has soared by 60 percent since 2005, according to the Omega Research Team (ORT), so the group is trying to convince locals to embrace Meatless Mondays. But for many, meat isn’t a choice.
An 840 pound Saudi man died last week from complications associated with his weight and his passing is loudly being mourned online. Is it a sign of our digital times or a new awareness of the obesity epidemic in the Middle East?
By the time a patient notices the symptoms, treatment options against the progression of Parkinson’s is limited. While some of us might rather live on in ignorant bliss until the disease hits us in the face in older age, a new tool from the University of Haifa finds that with Parkinson’s, the writing is on[.....]
Jordan’s activists have officially petitioned to re-establish the country’s “green party”, according to human rights activist Ghandi Abu Sharar, who was also a founding member of the original Green Party of Jordan created in 2000. After failing to meet revamped requirements in the then-temporary Political Parties Law, the nascent party disbanded in 2008.
Blue cheese, yogurt, and yeasty breads are delectable byproducts of fungi, a kingdom of naturally occurring organisms distinct from animals, plants and bacteria. Fungi perform an essential role in nature by decomposing organic matter, but many forms are highly toxic to humans. Researchers at a Turkish University warn that our kitchens can be cooking up[.....]
Rice is the standard “background” dish in many Middle Eastern menus. It’s often cooked quite plain, as a foil to the intense colors and pungent flavors of fresh vegetables and meat. Or it might appear all dressed up with spices and protein-rich grains, as in majadra, a typical lentil and rice dish. This recipe of[.....]
There’s a new business afloat that links people to people for the purpose of sharing authentic local dining experiences. I found EatWith.com a month too late for this summer’s vacation, but there’s always next time. I’m fresh back from a few weeks in Europe, a family reunion through Paris and Venice and Rome that doubled[.....]
Saudi Arabian King Abdullah has intervened to help save the life of his largest subject, ordering Khalid bin Mohsen to be specially transported from the southern border province of Jazan to the country’s capital to undergo treatment. Nineteen-year-old Shaari, who weighs 1,345 pounds, is believed to be one of the world’s heaviest humans.
There are two good reasons for cooking with turmeric. The first one is that the spice’s attractive yellow color and pungent flavor satisfy the sense of having eaten real food. The second, as folk wisdom has always known, is that it’s good for you. Our previous post on turmeric vs. arthritis offers a wide view[.....]
Opposites attract; just ask salted caramel, chocolate-covered pretzels, or kettle corn. These treats are all sweet-and-salty food combinations and here’s a new one to add to summer – just before the season ends.
Researchers eager to trace the source of a deadly coronavirus that has spread to various countries in the Middle East and beyond have found that dromedary camels may be responsible for spreading the disease to humans, BBC News reports.
The day that the month long fast called Ramadan ends is normally a joyous occasion for Muslims across the globe, but this year, with nearly two million of their Syrian brothers and sisters stranded, and strife roaring through North Africa and the Levant, a deep shadow has grabbed hold of this year’s Eid al-Fitr holidays.
Following the wild success of our article on Persian sugar wax (and how to do it briefly), Green Prophet follows up with a step by step how-to: Now imagine that you didn’t need to call your local salon or spa to schedule a wax appointment – you could do the deed yourself. Well, the idea[.....]
Green Prophet’s told you about fish reared on pork products and Jordanian cows banned because of lumpy skin, but this story about beef burgers cooked up in a petrie dish really takes the cake! The world’s first laboratory-grown hamburger was just served up in London.
Fourteen picturesque Druze communities huddle in the shelter of Israel’s Galilee mountains. Although they flow freely in and out of Israeli society, the Druze stay close to home, marrying only other Druze and adhering to an Islam-based religion that they don’t discuss with outsiders. I have often wanted to know more about the Druze, to[.....]
Employers in Gulf countries often come under fire for making their employees work during hot summer days, when temperatures regularly hit the 40°C or 100°F mark, so the Dubai municipality came up with a curious solution.
Scientists have long been worried about the possible harmful effects of regular cellular phone use, but so far no study has managed to produce clear results. Currently, cell phones are classified as carcinogenic category 2b — potentially carcinogenic to humans — by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). A new Tel Aviv University[.....]
In 1924, Science magazine reported on a fatal case of potato poisoning: James B. Matheney of Vandalia, Illinois, had gathered about one and a half bushels of tubers, which had turned green due to sunlight exposure. Two days after eating the potatoes, most of his family – wife, two daughters and four sons – showed[.....]
Summertime is watermelon time, and time to enjoy the pleasant contrast between the fruit’s hot red color and cool sweetness. Mark Bittman of the New York Times writes a variety of recipes featuring watermelon. In case you need convincing, here are 5 good reasons to eat watermelon this summer. We’ve taken three of Mr. Bittman’s[.....]
The United Arab Emirates has imposed a temporary ban on imports of live cattle, their non-processed skins and all beef derivatives originating from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan following recently reported cases of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD).
The government of Dubai government will pay gold to health-conscious residents for dropping some weight over the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. It’s part of Dubai’s “Your Weight in Gold” initiative.
When I first thought of arsenic in my food, I remembered “Arsenic and Old Lace,” a movie from the 1940s where two old ladies nonchalantly poison their elderly suitors with a little arsenic in their elderflower tea. We’re not keeling over from the levels of arsenic in our food – yet – but the concern[.....]
Last night at dinner, two seasoned lacto-vegetarians exchanged an ingredient slap-down about seemingly animal-free foods that really aren’t. My friends talk endlessly about vegetarianism. They can be evangelical, comical and tedious. Don’t hear me wrong. I’m omnivorous, but eat mostly plants. I love eating and I love eating with friends, but I hate talking about[.....]
Experienced cooks know that vegetables that come into season together often cook up well together. A perfect example for July produce is tomatoes and eggplants. Both have been available throughout the spring and early summer, but it’s right now that you can find the baladi (heirloom) varieties. See our baba ganoush recipe with a baladi[.....]
Umm…remind me, what’s vegewarian again? It’s enjoying plenty of sustainable, local, and delicious vegetarian foods, with meat dishes only once in a while. As summer climbs towards its peak hot weather, hefty eggplants and tomatoes make a natural partnership in savory dishes like this one. Using the blender, the sauce takes little effort, and[.....]
