Food poison or stomach bug?

DEAR HELOISE >>

So many people can’t tell the difference between food poisoning and a stomach bug. It’s important to be able to know the difference:

■ Food poisoning: You experience diarrhea, cramps, nausea, vomiting and possibly a low-grade fever. It’s usually brought on by contaminated food, food that wasn’t kept at a proper temperature, or bacteria on a food handler’s hands. It can also be caused by a number of toxins. It’s not contagious, and over 48 million Americans report a case of food poisoning each year.

■ Stomach bug (or flu): You experience diarrhea, nausea, usually a fever, fatigue, constant thirst, lightheadedness, headaches and body aches. It’s extremely contagious.

Food poisoning comes on rapidly, generally within 2 to 6 hours after eating as a rule and lasts about 1 to 3 days. A stomach bug will come on slower, taking about 1 to 2 days before you realize that you’re getting sick. The symptoms generally last 3 to 10 days.

With either food poisoning or a stomach bug, you might want to consult a physician if there is blood in your stool, if you have a fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, or if the diarrhea or vomiting will not stop. — A Registered Nurse, in Cleveland

DEAR HELOISE >>

My mother and I disagree on something, and we thought you might have the answer. My mother scrapes many vegetables, but I don’t. I wash carrots very carefully and never peel cucumbers or eggplant. I also don’t cut the crust off of bread, but my mother does.

I think a lot of vitamins are lost with her method of cooking. My mother is from England, and she says that this is how they prepare dishes in her native country. — Jeannie H., Waterbury, Connecticut

Jeannie, there is very little need to scrape vegetables, especially if you wash them thoroughly.

In England, many people would take the peelings and scrapings out to a compost pile, along with the crusts from bread. In some countries, the crust is cut off to make the sandwich look nice. Vegetables were also scraped to remove dirt and make the carrots and other fruit or vegetables look “pretty.” But you’re right -- lots of vitamins and fiber were lost by this habit.

So, go ahead and cook your vegetables with the outer skin in tact and leave the crusts on your bread.

DEAR HELOISE >>

I have my great-grandmother’s cookbook, which was published in 1910. In one section, it briefly discussed “forcemeat.” I have no idea what that is. Do you? — Roger C., Aberdeen, Washington

Roger, the word “forcemeat” is a very old term that is rarely used today. It’s seasoned stuffing that’s been finely minced, pounded, ground or combined in a food processor and cooked separately to be served with a garnish.