annatto

Djori Weekes

**Annatto**

Carbon atoms:25 oxygen atoms:4 hydrogen atoms:30



**What is Annatto and why is it in our food?** Annatto got its name for a latin conquistador named [|Francisco de Orellana] when he was exploring the Amazon River and it is used for food coloring and to give food more flavor. It tastes slightly sweet and spicy. (1,2) It is used as cooking oil and also used in medicines.(2) It originates in the new world tropics like Brazil and the West Indies.(2) The powders and oils that we use from it comes from the seeds inside of the fruit which are red/orange in colour. =Why did I pick this ingredient and what did I want to get out of this ?= I picked this mainly because i thought the name sounded pretty cool to me an it was in food that most people eat. Since it was in food that most people ate I wanted to educate them on what they are putting into their bodies and is it good or bad for them And whether they should eat it or don't buy it.

**Is it good for me should I consume it** **?**  Yes ...maybe. You use this product more than you would think. It is very well known by chefs as a spice and food coloring. It is a natural alternative to artificial colouring. It is an antioxidant and is used to manage diabetes. It is said that annatto is an anti aging agent and it would also help prevent cancer, high cholesterol, eye problems and extends your life span(3). =Something interesting:= It is also an ingredient in a popular folk remedy used in the West Indies and South America for colds and the flu, Bush Tea. Research has linked Bush Tea to hyperglycemia, liver and kidney disease. These diseases are very common in the West Indies. Annatto is an ingredient in Bush Tea. I would say eat it but not in huge amounts of quantities.

**Foods it is in:**



**citations:** (1) ﻿"Annatto". __encyclopedia britannica__. 2010. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 06 Dec. 2010 <**[] **>.

(2) "Annatto." __// The Epicentre Exotic Herbs and Spices //__. Web. 06 Dec. 2010. 

(3) "All About Annatto ." __// A Pinch Of Homepage Cooking with Herbs and Spices //__. Web. 06 Dec. 2010. .