Category Archives: FOOD

20 Health Questions Explained

 

Does olive oil prevent heart disease?

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Short answer: Yes

The health benefits of olive oil come from the presence of polyphenols, antioxidants
That reduce the risk of heart diseases and cancers.
But to get these healthy compounds, consumers should buy good-quality, fresh “extra-virgin” olive oil, which has the highest polyphenol content. Most commercially available olive oils have low levels of polyphenols associated with poor harvesting methods, improper storage, and heavy processing.
 

Do cough syrups work?
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Short answer: No

In 2006, the nation’s chest physicians agreed that the majority of over-the-counter cough medicines don’t actually work.
These colorful syrups typically contain doses of codeine and dextromethorphan that are too small to be effective.
Only cough suppressants that contain older antihistamines seem to relieve coughs.
That includes brompheniramine, an active ingredient in Dimetapp.
 
Do sugary soft drinks lead to diabetes?
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Short answer: Yes

The majority of health research is stacked against sugar-sweetened soda. A large 2004 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that women who drank one or more sugary drinks per day increased their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 83% compared to those who consumed less than one of these beverages per month.
 
Do I need sunscreen with more than 30 SPF? 
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Short answer: No

Sunscreens with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 block about 97% of ultraviolet rays,
While sunscreens with an SPF of higher than 30 block 97%-98%.
It’s more important that you choose “broad-spectrum” sunscreen, meaning it protects against both UVB and UVA rays.
Sunbathers also need to apply a generous amount of sunscreen in order to get the full benefit of the SPF.
 
Is the MSG in Chinese likely to give you a headache?
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Short answer: No

A review of 40 years of clinical trials, published in the journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners in 2006,
found that all previous research “failed to identify a consistent relationship between the consumption of MSG and the constellation of symptoms that comprise the syndrome,” including headaches and asthma attacks.
The misconception spawned from several poorly-done small studies in the 1960’s that seemed to connect MSG with a variety of maladies that people experienced after eating at Chinese restaurants.

Learn more about the MSG myth here » 
 
Do nuts make you fat?
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Short answer: No

As much as 75% of a nut is fat. But eating fat doesn’t necessarily make you fat.
The bigger factor leading to weight gain is portion-size.
Luckily, nuts are loaded with healthy fats that keep you full. They’re also a good source of protein and fiber.
One study even found that whole almonds have 20% less calories than previously thought because
A lot of the fat is excreted from the body.
 
Is walking as effective as running?
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Short answer: Yes

Studies have shown that how long you exercise — and thus how many calories you burn — is more important <
Than how hard you exercise. Running is a more efficient form of exercise, but not necessarily better for you.
A six-year study published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology in April found that walking at a moderate pace and running produced similar health benefits, so long as the same amount of energy was expended.

 

Is drinking fruit juice as good for you as eating fruit?
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Short answer: No

Calorie for calorie, whole fruit provides more nutritional benefits than drinking the pure juice of that fruit.
That’s because when you liquefy fruit, stripping away the peel and dumping the pulp, many ingredients like
Fiber, calcium, vitamin C, and other antioxidants are lost.
For comparison, a five-ounce glass of orange juice that contains 69 calories has ..3 grams of dietary fiber and 16 milligrams of calcium, whereas an orange with the same number of calories packs 3.1 grams of fiber and 60 milligrams of calcium.
 
Are all wheat breads better for you than white bread?
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Short answer: No

Not all wheat breads are created equal. Wheat breads that contain all parts of the grain kernel,
Including the nutrient-rich germ and fiber-dense bran, must be labeled “whole grain” or “whole wheat.”
Some wheat breads are just white bread with a little bit of caramel coloring to make the bread appear healthier,
According to Reader’s Digest.
 
Can a hot tub make me sick?
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Short answer: Yes

Hot tubs — especially ones in spas, hotels, and gyms — are perfect breeding grounds for germs.
The water is not hot enough to kill bacteria, but is just the right temperature to make microbes grow even faster.
Even though hot tubs are treated with chlorine, the heat causes the disinfectant to break down faster
than it would in regular pools.
The most common hot tub infection is pseudomonas folliculitis, which causes red, itchy bumps.
A more dangerous side-effect of soaking in a dirty Jacuzzi is a form of pneumonia known as Legionnaire’s disease.
This is what reportedly sickened more than 100 people at the Playboy Mansion back in 2011.
 
Does coffee cause cancer?
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Short answer: No

Coffee got a bad rap in the 1980’s when a study linked drinking coffee to pancreatic cancer.
The preliminary report was later debunked.
More recently, health studies have swung in favor of the caffeinated beverage.
Coffee has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver cancer, and even suicide.

Do eggs raise cholesterol levels?
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Short answer: No

Although egg yolks are a major source of cholesterol — a waxy substance thaat resembles fat — researchers have learned that saturated fat has more of an impact on cholesterol in your blood than eating foods that contain cholesterol.
“Healthy individuals with normal blood cholesterol levels should now feel free to enjoy foods like eggs in their diet every day,” the lead researcher from a 25-year University of Arizona study on cholesterol concluded.  

Can you drink too much water?
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Short answer: Yes

It is very rare for someone to die from drinking too much water, but it can happen.
Over-hydrating is most common among elite athletes. Drinking an excess of water, called water intoxication, dilutes the concentration of sodium in the blood leading to a condition known as hyponatremia.
The symptoms of hyponatremia can range from nausea and confusion to seizures and even death in severe cases.
To avoid this, drink fluids with electrolytes during extreme exercise events.  

Can yogurt ease digestive problems?
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Short answer: Yes

Our digestive tract is filled with microorganisms — some good and some bad. Yogurt contains beneficial bacteria, generically called probiotics, that helps maintain a healthy balance.
Probiotics can relieve several gastrointestinal problems, including constipation and diarrhea.
Certain brands of yogurts, like Activa by Dannon, are marketed exclusively to treat tummy issues.
 

Do whitening toothpastes whiten teeth more than regular toothpastes?
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Short answer: No

Whitening toothpastes usually contain peroxides and other strong abrasives that might make
your teeth appear whiter by removing stains. Unlike at-home whitening strips and gels that contain bleach,
these toothpastes do not actually change the color of your teeth.
 

Is it safe to microwave food in plastic containers?
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Short answer: Yes

But the plastic container should display the words “microwave safe.”
This means that the Food and Drug Administration has tested the container to make sure no chemicals used to make the plastic leech into foods during microwaving.
If chemicals do seep out into food, the amounts are tiny and not dangerous to our health.
As a general guideline, plastic grocery bags as well as most plastic tubs that hold margarine, yogurt, cream cheese,
and condiments are not microwave safe.
 

Can watching TV ruin your eyesight?
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Short answer: No

Watching TV will not destroy your rods and cones as the outdated myth suggests. Before the 1950’s,
TVs emitted radiation that could increase an individual’s risk of eye problems after excessive TV viewing.
Modern TVs have special shielding that blocks these harmful emissions.
 

Is red wine better for you than white wine?
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Short answer: Yes

Red wine contains much more resveratrol than white wine, an antioxidant found in the skin of grapes
that has been shown to fight off diseases associated with aging.
 

Is bottled water better for you than tap water?
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Short answer: No

Bottled water is no safer or purer than tap water, although it is substantially more expensive.
A recent study by Glasgow University in the U.K. found that bottled water is actually
more likely to be contaminated than water from your faucet because it is less well-regulated.
Bottled water and tap water typically come from the same sources — natural springs, lakes, and aquifers.
While public water supplies are tested for contaminants every day, makers of bottled water are only required
to test for specific contaminants every week, month, or year

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a quiz for people who know everything! 9-questions.

 This is a quiz for people who know everything!
These are not  trick questions.
They are straight questions with straight answers..
1. Name the one sport in which neither the spectators nor the
participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.
2. What famous North American landmark is constantly moving
backward?
3 Of all vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be replanted every year.
What are the only two perennial vegetables?
4. What fruit has its seeds on the outside?
 
5. In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy, with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe, and the bottle is genuine; it hasn’t been cut in any way.
How did the pear get inside the bottle?
 
6. Only three words in standard English begin with the letters ‘ dw’ and they are all common words.     Name two of them.
 
7. There are 14 punctuation marks in English grammar.
      Can you name at least half of them?
8. Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or in any other form except fresh.
 
9. Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter ‘S.’
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Answers
To Quiz:
 
1 The one sport
in which neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the  leader until the contest ends: 
Boxing.
 
2 North American landmark constantly moving backward:Niagara Falls .. The rim is worn down about two and a half feet each year because of the millions of gallons of water that rush over it every minute.
3 Only two vegetables that can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons: Asparagus and rhubarb.
4 The fruit with its seeds on the outside: Strawberry.
5 How did the pear get inside the brandy bottle? It grew inside the bottle. The bottles are placed over pear buds when they are small, and are wired in place on the tree. The bottle is left in place for the entire growing season. When the pears are ripe, they are snipped off at the stems.
6 Three English words beginning with dw: Dwarf, dwell and dwindle…
7 Fourteen punctuation marks in English grammar: Period, comma, colon, semicolon, dash, hyphen, apostrophe, question mark, exclamation point, quotation mark, brackets, parenthesis, braces, and ellipses.
8 The only vegetable or fruit never sold frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or  in any other form but fresh: Lettuce.
 
9 Six or more things you can wear on your feet beginning with ‘S’: Shoes,
socks, sandals, sneakers, slippers, skis, skates, snowshoes, stockings, stilts.
Now you can share it with others.
garbowski.net

 

Where the Cashews Come From?

 

Who Knew?? 
 
 
  I did not know this guess you are never too old to learn something new!
 
 
Ever wonder where cashews come from?
You might think they grow inside a shell like any other nut,
But there true origins are far more bizarre.
 
First of all, cashews are not actually nuts, but rather fruits
From the cashew tree, a large evergreen tree that thrives in tropical climates.
The tree produces a red flower, which in turn produce yellow and red oval
Fruits resembling apples.
 
These so-called cashew apples are very juicy and pulpy, and their juice is often
Added to tropical fruit drinks.
 
 
The cashew apple and fruit.
However, cashew apples are not actually fruits in a scientific sense;
The real fruit of the cashew tree is the kidney-shaped formation growing
At the end.
 
 
These fruits, also called drupes, are harvested and become what we
Know as a cashew nut.
 
In their raw form, the other layer of the fruit contains multiple toxins,including
Anacardic acid, a powerful skin irritant similar to the toxin found in poison ivy
That must be removed prior to eating.
 
 
Roasting the cashews destroys the toxins, but roasting must be performed
Carefully outdoors because the smoke can irritate the lungs, sometimes to
A life-threatening degree.
 
 
When they are roasted, cashews change from their natural greenish-gray color
To the light brown nut sold in stores.
 
 
Next time you crack open a tin of cashews, take a moment to appreciate the
Long journey those little c-shaped nuts took from the tree to your table!

 

Frankenfish – genetically modified salmon

  frankenfish  The first genetically engineered salmon – dubbed “frankenfish” – could be in grocery stores and restaurants as early as 2014. The FDA is expected to approve AquaBounty Technologies’ GE salmon after a 60-day public comment period. If approved, it will be the first approved food from a transgenic animal application to enter the U.S. food supply

The so called Frankenfish would be the first man made animal approved for human consumption. The tweaked Atlantic salmon contains a Chinook gene that makes it  grow up to three times faster than normal. The Food and Drug Administration concluded last year that the fish will not have any significant impacts on the human environment, and is unlikely to harm wild fish. 

 Cut; It’s been portrayed in the media as a bizarre concoction that is somehow unnatural. But the fact of the matter is that it reflects a change of less than one ten thousandth of one percent of the entire genetic material of the fish. That is less change than one normally sees, for instance, in normal sexual mating. 4

 Ronald Stotish is president of Massachusetts-based Aqua Bounty, the GM salmon creator.  

 Cut: We understand the sensitivity of the fishermen and the industry in Alaska. However, our product we believe does not represent a threat to them because it will simply displace an imported product that is coming in from offshore at the present time.  2

  The fish will be grown out primarily in Panama.    Alaska’s delegation has fought hard to derail the approval. Senator Lisa Murkowski is critical of the FDA for what she calls ignoring the public.   

 Cut:  This is especially troubling as the agency is ignoring the opposition of salmon and fishing groups as well as more than 3000 consumer and health organizations. I just don’t believe these fish should be approved.

 Because the changeling process is categorized under ‘veterinary procedures,’ no labels will be required to be truthful to consumers about what they are buying.   So far the FDA has gotten nearly 37,000 individual comments and thousands more from groups, running 100 to one against approval. (http://www.alaskafishradio.com/deadline-on-frankenfish-comments-is-tomorrow-april-26/).

see more:      1) http://www.rodale.com/gmo-salmon;

2)  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/frankenfish;    

3) http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50865/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=9142