While some prefer fried rice, curry chicken, and stew peas; others may like ground provision, fried fish with gravy, steamed breadfruit, fried plantains, roti, hops bread, crackers and cheese, most fruits, and a few veggies.

More so, some individuals may opt to include bananas, oranges, orange juice, grapefruit, asparagus, dark green leafy vegetables (callaloo bush, spinach, pak choy, kale, collards), broccoli, milk, cheese, yogurt, enriched grain products (pastas, rice, breads and cereals), peas and beans; as these foods are rich sources of folic acid.

From this you can conclude that food choices vary due to availability and accessibility, nutrient content, health benefits and cooking skills. Therefore, having knowledge of the nutrient content can probably aid people in making better food choices and planning balanced meals. Today’s article will focus on the B vitamin – folic acid.

Role of folic acid Folic acid belongs to the B group vitamins and is essential in maintaining health. The main functions of folic acid are: (a) needed for the conversion of homocysteine to methionine; (b) donor of a methyl group and a coenzyme in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis, and participates in gene expression and regulation; (c) essential for the formation of red and white blood cells in the bone marrow and for maturation; and (d) a single carbon carrier in the formation of heme.

Similar to other nutrients, folic acid and vitamin B12 work together in conversion of homocysteine to methionine.

Effects of deficiency A lack of or inadequate dietary intakes over a period of time of either folic acid or vitamin B12 may more than likely contribute to elevated levels of serum homocysteine.

Studies show that high homocysteine levels and low levels of vitamins B6, B12, and folate are associated with heart disease.

Fanapour et al documented that increased homocysteine levels due to the lack of the enzyme (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) and vitamins B6 and folate negatively impacts health. Adverse effects associated with high homocysteine levels are critical and may probably contribute to morbidity and mortality; for example, it increases one’s potential risk for myocardial infarction, cardiovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, and cerebrovascular disease.

Other consequences that can result due to a deficiency of folic acid in the diet include megaloblastic cells and anaemia, diarrhoea, weakness, irritability, paranoid behaviour, red sore tongue, and during pregnancy neural tube defects (serious birth defects of the spinal cord – spina bifida, and the brain – anencephaly), low birth weight, and preterm delivery. In taking a look at pregnancy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “folic acid is an essential part of preconception health. When women consume the recommended amount of folic acid prior to and during pregnancy it can aid in preventing major birth defects of baby’s brain (anencephaly) and spine (spina bifida). Such serious birth defects, example anencephaly, parts of baby’s brain and skull do not form correctly.

The babies born with anencephaly cannot survive. Also, in the case of spina bifida, the baby’s spine does not develop correctly, and can more than likely result in some severe physical disabilities.” Nutrition message: eating a balanced diet and including good sources or folic acid with your meal plan may aid in maintaining nutritional status throughout the life cycle.

For example in pregnancy folic acid can aid in preventing birth defects of your baby’s spinal cord and brain. In addition, you should follow the advice of your medical doctor and comply with prescribed medications and diet.

Tips for daily meal plan In meal planning you can choose foods from the Caribbean Food Groups.

When grocery shopping take a few minutes to read the food label.

Add fruits, veggies, enriched grains and grain products, and legumes to your daily meal plan.

Select fresh fruits and vegetables; do not purchase those that are spoiled, wilted, etc.

Examples of how to add good sources of folic acid to the menu: Breakfast: 1 medium size orange or banana, 1 small bowl hot or cold cereal with milk, 1 slice whole wheat toast, or small serving bake/ sada roti, 1 pot spoon pumpkin talkari with chicken or veggie strips, beverage (optional) Lunch: 2 small pieces baked chicken with gravy, 2 pot spoons vegetable rice, 1 pot spoon stew peas, 2 pot spoons callaloo, 1 small bowl tossed salad, 1 glass orange juice Supper: 1 grilled cheese sandwich, 1 small bowl lettuce and cucumber salad, 1 cup yogurt with sliced banana or 1 cup banana milkshake.

Claudette Mitchell, PhD, RD is an Assistant Professor, University of the Southern Caribbean, School of Science, Technology, and Allied Health

As guests arrived they were greeted with beer to, as they said, “open the way”. That is to open up their appetite, Milcent explained.

Next, guest to take their place at the “dressed” table or as we say it, laid table for the “ap?ritif ”.

Milcent described it as: spirits in cocktail or natural (some French women should also appreciate some white French wine) served with a few appetisers (“amuse-bouches” in French). Females were served Planteur (fruits rum), while the men consumed “T? punch”.

The appetisers can be “saucisson” (French dried salami), some little salted biscuits, crispie with a sauce, etc.Next was the enjoying of a good meal with some French wine. Milcent said: “If you have several plates, don’t forget to choose the wines that will match with each of them. We advise one different wine for every different flavour.” Placed on the table for this course was Milcent’s signature dish “Pommes de Terres Confites”, mixed veggies done French style and Beef Rib Eye Steak, along with a bottle of Lalande-de-Pomerol (Gironde) French Wine After the main course the French stay at the table for the “digestif ”, usually light liquor for women such as the “C?ment – Cr?me-au Rhum Vieux” and net spirits (Rhum Vieux Agricole X.O. D’Age) for the men. “That’s supposed to help the digestion and, by the way, permit the people to stay together longer,” said Milcent.

As the afternoon wears on he said some beers should be welcomed to go on sharing a good time together.

“The most important thing in a French Sunday lunch is to take the time to enjoy and share the drinks, the food and the discussions with your friends or family,” said Milcent, who together with Sol?ne and F?lix did just that.

However, to get the recipe for the special Pommes de Terres Confites from Milcent wasn’t easy. He just was not ready to share his secret recipe.

Laughing he said: “It will cost you many Stags to get my secret recipe. But I’ll give you my recipe for the “Pommes de Terres Confites.” Pommes De Terres Confites shot potatoes (small and young potatoes) duck/goose fat (if you don’t find some, mix half salted butter half olive oil) bay leafs thyme salt flower (if you don’t find salt flower, try to grind fat your salt)mixed peppers (green, red, white, grey and black) fresh garlic Directions: 1. Put the fat in a high-sided frying pan and make it melt on medium fire (be generous with the fat because it will have to feed your potatoes).

WARNING: during the whole recipe, the fat must tremble but never boil! 2. Clean your potatoes without peeling them. Put them in the fat (hot level 3).

3. Put the bay leafs, the thyme, two pinches of salt, 1 pinch of mixed peppers, garlic (5 or 6 cloves without peeling them; we call it “en chemise” can be translated by “in shirt”.

4. Cover and let it go for at least 1 hour. Just stir from time to time and keep an eye on the fat that must not boil.

5. Serve with a good piece of meat and some dry wine (French, of course).

The first band performed an arrangement of “Melosian Rhapsody” on pans tuned by Desmond “Mapo Richardson” producing very nice tones.

The next band, Star Sapphire, was located at Gill’s Rum Shop, Eastern Main Road, Valencia and they produced an energetic arrangement of Len Boogsie Sharpe’s composition “Fire Down Below”.

Pan Stereonetts in Valencia was awaiting the judges at Jacob Hill to play Anslem Campbell’s arrangement of Ronnie McIntosh’s “Shaking It”.

The judges stayed in Valencia for East Phonics’ version of “Teaser” which took them to 6.25 p.m. By this time it was clear that the exercise would be very time consuming as they journeyed to Upper De Gannes Street, Arima to hear Pan on The Move. Calypsonian Crazy (Edwin Ayoung) also arrived just before the band played to give them support as they played his 2017 song “Oh God, Oh God”.

Trinidad Nostalgic was just 150 meters away from Pan on The Move so the judges walked to the pan yard.

There, arranger Amrit Samaroo and his players were awaiting their turn to play Superblue’s “Flag Party”.

The arrangement and performance was one that stood out.

The judges continued their trek to Nu Pioneers Pan Groove about another 300 meters away. Crazy was also on hand at Sanchez Street where Nu Pioneers played his song “Drive It”. Defending champions, Marsicans, gave a spirited performance of Marlon White’s arrangement of “Thunder” by Kelvin “Duke” Pope before their enthusiastic fans.

Arima All Stars Steel Orchestra boasted of the largest crowd and when they finished their rendition of Brian Austin’s arrangement of SuperBlue’s “Get Something and Wave” there was thunderous applause.

The judges then journeyed to Brazil where they stopped at Keith’s Bar on the Talparo Main Road at Brazil RX 4 which played Akil Browne’s arrangement of “Kaka Roach” before they continued to Jai Ramkissoon Lands to Magic Notes Rebirth to hear them play Baron’s “Tell Me Why” arranged by Rishi Depoosingh and Jerome Jones.

At the end of their performance it was just before midnight making it a very long evening for the judges.

Day two of the East Zone Single Pan preliminary continued on Monday where seven steel orchestras faced the judges

In ordering his release, Justice Hayden St Clair-Douglas agreed with Kenrick Hercules’ attorney, Shontel Hinds, that to further incarcerate him would not serve the interest of justice.

Hercules, 59, of Roxborough, Tobago, spent almost 16 years in prison for the killing of his wife Susan, whom he accused of being unfaithful to him, and mother-inlaw Tara Reid, who intervened when the couple were arguing, taunting him, saying her daughter could sleep with whomever she wanted. The mother and daughter were killed on March, 29, 2001.

Hercules told police his wife would continuously bring men to their marital home to have sexual intercourse and his motherin- law would encourage his wife’s infidelity.

He attacked both women with a knife and, after doing so, went to the Roxborough Police Station where he reported the incident. He was charged with the murder of the two women.

At the time of the incident, Hercules was employed with the Tobago House of Assembly as a farmer.

He underwent psychological and psychiatric evaluations which revealed that he had a psychiatric history since 1973 and had cannabis-related psychosis. He began using marijuana at the age of 21 and graduated to cocaine use at the age of 30, which led to him hearing voices.

In March 2006, the State accepted Hercules’ plea of guilty to manslaughter, by reason of diminished responsibility and former High Court judge, Justice Herbert Volney, sentenced Hercules to eight years at the Court’s Pleasure with his sentence to be reviewed by the court.

Hercules came up for his first review in March, 2014, before St. Clair-Douglas.

Hinds submitted that Hercules completed and attained certificates in at least eight rehabilitative programs and was described as an exemplary inmate.

In releasing Hercules on a three-year bond to keep the peace under the supervision of the Probation Department in Tobago, Hercules also has to attend the Tobago Rehabilitation and Empowerment Centre and be subjected to mandatory random drug tests.

Speaking after his release, Hercules expressed regret for the lives he took and blamed himself.

He said he has asked God and the family of his wife and motherin- law for forgiveness.

He is also looking forward to making amends with his children and was grateful for the opportunity to be able to see his 87 year-old mother.

Hercules also wants to assist other drug abusers and is expected to return to the Port of Spain High Court on January 17, 2018, with a Probation Officer for a status report on his compliance.

On Saturday, Williams never regained consciousness after his decision to take a nap after having lunch with his common-lawwife of 18 years Sharon Jackson. “He and my mom had just eaten something,” said Jackson’s son Nyron. “My head not in the best place right now, but all I remember is that after they ate together, he told my mom he was going to lie down…and that was it.” A distraught Jackson said that her husband lost consciousness and was rushed to the Chaguanas Health Centre, then to the EW MSC where it was determined he was bleeding in the brain. “They said it must have been bleeding little by little for a while now, but on Saturday something burst and everything went downhill from there. They performed emergency surgery on him to drain fluid in his brain, but after that, all his organs began to shut down,” she said.

On August 24, 49-year-old Williams was at his Edinburgh 500, Chaguanas home with fellow police constable Adesh Mano.

Police reported that Williams and Mano were in the driveway when three armed suspects attempted to rob them. The officers exchanged fire with the robbers and Williams was shot in his leg. The bullet pierced Williams’ left leg, passing through his scrotum and finally lodged itself in his right leg, where it remained.

He underwent emergency surgery hours after the shooting and a second surgery in December. Since then, he had been recovering with no complications.

It was not yet confirmed whether the gunshot wound Williams’ sustained in the robbery was connected to the bleeding in his brain, but police sources said that the slow bleeding may have been the result of Williams falling and hitting his head during the robbery last August.

An autopsy is expected to be performed today.

Two men, who are out on bail, were charged in relation to the armed robbery and shooting of PC Williams who served 17 years in the Police Service. He is survived by two sons and two daughters.

According to reports, at about 8 pm, he was liming near a bar when a man walked up to him and fired several shots. Tyrell died at the scene. His killer remains at large.

The relative claimed that police were responsible for Tyrell’s murder. “The police need to be more discreet when treating with members of the public who are sharing information with them,” said the relative, during a brief interview outside the Forensic Science Centre in St James. An autopsy concluded that Tyrell died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.

The victim was a father of four who was described as a family-oriented individual.

“The police cannot come in police uniform and in a marked vehicle to speak to a person. That is setting them up to be killed as was the case with Stephon,” the relative said, adding that Tyrell was giving information to the police pertaining to a murder inquiry. “You can never be sure who is hiding and watching what is taking place.” The relative, who asked not to be identified, said that Tyrell never indicated to loved ones that his life was threatened.

“He did not fear anyone.

He didn’t give any formal statement to the police you know. He just spoke informally.

He continued life like normal, going to work, seeing about his children, liming and so on.” The autopsy revealed that Tyrell was shot four times to his chest, head and arm.

Although relatives are claiming police interaction is what led to Tyrell’s death, police sources said they had no motive for the murder and were not aware that he was an informant. The murder toll for the year yesterday stood at 41.

The Form Three student of Picton Street, Diamond Village left her home to conduct research and other school related activities at the San Fernando Carnegie Library. She however never returned home. A missing persons’ report was subsequently filed to police by her parents .

Yesterday, worried father Neil Lezama told Newsday he made personal checks with officials at a section of the San Fernando Library which is now temporarily housed upstairs KFC at Library Corner .

It was revealed that Nicole was at the library and completed her assignments around 4 pm on Saturday before leaving .

“So she was there as planned,” Lezama told Newsday. He said he also spoke to the mall manager and they too will check their surveillance cameras for any information that could assist in locating his daughter. The information he has so far gathered has been passed on to the investigators on the case. The teenager’s mother Lynda Hinds said investigators have been speaking to them and following any leads they may get. “We are praying for her safe return.” Nicole was last seen wearing a pink and white sleeveless top, black jeans and grey sandals. Anyone with information can contact San Fernando Police Station

The accused men Nicholas Ballah, 23, and a 17-year-old youth appeared yesterday in the First Court before Magistrate Nanette Forde-John charged with the offence.

It is alleged that on January 13, the duo together with another person, armed with a firearm robbed Vanessa Cuffie of a quantity of cigarettes, liquor and 200 in cash at the bar located at Battoo Avenue, Marabella.

PC Mohammed of the Marabella Police Station laid the charge.

Both men pleaded not guilty yesterday.

Attorney Martin Jadoonanan represented the teen who hails from St James Street in Marabella.

The accused men are to reappear in court on February 20.

According to reports, the pilot put passengers – including Minister of Education Anthony Garcia – on alert that one of the engines had problems and as a safety precaution he was turning around. The aircraft, BW 1532 had taken off around 5.30 p.m. and was in the air for about five minutes when the problems arose. CAL uses the ATR turbo prop aircraft on the domestic air bridge, and holds 68 passengers .

Reports are this particular flight yesterday afternoon was was filled. Garcia was on his way to join in the activities of the Peoples National Movement (PNM) following yesterday’s Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Elections .

The plane landed safely and passengers were being re- scheduled for alternative flights to ANR Robinson airport on the sister island during the evening .

He continued, “…We also must recognise that global energy market has become much more competitive through the advent of shale gas in the USA and emerging oil and gas economies in developing countries.

“In this scenario, companies must harness new technology, such as digitisation, robotics, and analytics, to improve efficiency and output. Other measures include the sharing of services and equipment, in particular, the sharing of rigs and seismic vessels.” To this end, Imbert said that seven exploration wells will be drilled, one by BPTT in the Columbus Basin; BHP Billiton’s deep-water exploration programme will continue and the Government will increase the availability of land acreage and marine areas for exploration to increase hydrocarbon production.

Beyond 2018, said Imbert, several other projects will begin, one of which is the procurement of gas from the Dragon Field in Venezuela by 2019.

Significantly, Regional President of BP Trinidad and Tobago, Norman Christie, also present at the event, praised Imbert’s removal of the fuel subsidy in the recent budget, calling it a “tough decision” that had to be made. In fact, Christie said “tough decisions” must be taken to improve productivity and growth in the energy sector.

Also present were Thackwray Driver, president and chief executive officer of the Energy Chamber of Trinidad and Tobago and Derek Hudson, vice president of Shell, Trinidad and Tobago.

The event was held at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain.