2010年12月31日星期五

Survey Finds that Holiday Weight Gain Is No. 1 Turn Off

For many the holidays are not only a time of joy, cheer, and good will but of eating, drinking, and then starting a new fad diet come the New Year.

Truth be told, fears of holiday weight gain give diet plans, pills, gyms, and exercise programs an edge as the masses ring in the New Year with resolutions of losing weight and getting fit.

Turns out there might be another reason for these weight loss promises – a breakup.

A new " style="color: rgb(12, 115, 158); text-decoration: none; ">UK survey from SlimWeight Patch found that weight gain is the number one turn-off in a relationship. In fact, gaining just 8 pounds over the holidays could have your partner looking elsewhere for a new mate.

According to the study, almost 42% of men interviewed said they would be less attracted to their girlfriend if she gained half a stone or 7 pounds.

5% said they would even consider ending the relationship.

Women on the other hand were more forgiving, or less body demanding of their male partners. Only 7% said they would find their partner significantly less attractive if they were to gain weight.

Of the study, Dr. Tim Thurlings from SlimWeight Patch said: "A lot of people will find these results hard to take and with Britain getting fatter as a nation it's surprising that weight gain can have such an impact on a person's perceived attractiveness."

I find this quote almost laughable.

It is no surprise to me that weight gain has an effect on a person's perception of their partner's attractiveness. It's even less of a surprise to me that men are less forgiving of their female partners for gaining weight.

That Thurlings finds this news "surprising" seems like an incredibly insincere statement, especially given that the success of his business relies heavily on people favoring a slim body.

But don't worry ladies, Thurlings has some last words of encouragement: "It can be easy to put on weight, particularly for women, so if your partner is shallow enough to ditch you then maybe you shouldn't be with them in the first place."

What do you think about the study? Surprised?

http://www.care2.com/causes/womens-rights/blog/survey-finds-that-holiday-weight-gain-is-no-1-turn-off/

2010年12月16日星期四

薯片致癌物珍珍超標破紀錄

薯片致癌物珍珍超標破紀錄
(經濟日報)2010年12月16日星期四 06:00
【經濟日報專訊】薯片愈薄愈脆愈高危，本港90款薯片、炸薯及穀類早餐，幾乎全部驗出可能致癌的丙烯酰胺，當中內地生產的珍珍薯片，含量更創歷來紀錄，快餐炸薯則Burger King含量最多。

食物安全中心推算港人攝取丙烯酰胺量，達須高度關注程度，消委會籲不吃「高丙」薯片是最好。

食物安全中心於6至7月在市面抽查90款香脆零食、炸薯及焗薯、餅乾、穀類早餐等食品，結果僅得明輝印尼蝦片沒有驗出可能令人患癌的丙烯酰胺。

港人攝取量達高度關注程度

當中以源自中國的珍珍燒烤味薯片的丙烯酰胺含量最高，達3,000微克（以每公斤計，下同）；在06年的同類測試，來自馬來西亞的珍珍薯片僅含800微克。珍珍薯片代理香港百宜昨回覆，不作任何回應。

至於第二位的Orion魚仔餅，則含有2,100微克丙烯酰胺；第9位的卡樂B燒烤味薯片含570微克，上次研究則有1,000微克。

在快餐炸薯類別中，以Burger King的丙烯酰胺含量最高，達890微克。至於麥當勞薯條的含量，則由上次的520微克減至今次的370微克，肯德基亦由850微克，減至74微克。

食物安全中心首席醫生蔡敏欣重申，丙烯酰胺沒有安全食用量，吃得愈少愈好，而以港人食物消耗量推算，一般及高攝取量者的丙烯酰胺暴露限值分別為1,385及261，數值愈低則愈高風險，此水平需要高度關注。

老鼠實驗 10%會誘發乳腺瘤

蔡又稱，據糧農組織及世衞聯合食物添加劑專家委員會（JECFA）資料，大鼠實驗中，每公斤體重每日攝取310微克丙烯酰胺，誘發乳腺腫瘤機會達10%，而老鼠攝取180微克則有10%機會誘發哈氏腺腫瘤。

消委會宣傳及社區關係小組主席何沛謙直言，雖然薯片「好好食」，但市民要提高警覺，始終不吃是最好的預防方法。

港大臨床腫瘤學系榮譽教授岑信棠則表示，一般煎炸食物都較大機會含致癌物，父母疼愛子女，便不應讓他們吃，自己亦要以身作則吃少一點。他說：「人生是選擇，你選擇吃薯片，還是長大後撞板出腫瘤呀？」

中大生命科學院副教授陳竟明引述美國柏克萊大學的大鼠實驗指，平均每日每公斤攝取3.75微克丙烯酰胺可致腫瘤，以嚴謹十分一的數字推算人類攝取量，即等同70公斤成人要每日攝取8.75公斤上述最高量的薯片（即逾62包）。

陳直指，薯片除了患癌風險，吃如此多高脂、高鈉的薯片更有致胖風險，患心血管病的風險更高。

2010年12月5日星期日

Nutrient Effective for Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Heart Disease

posted by Michelle Schoffro Cook Dec 3, 2010 6:11 pm

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More and more research is stacking up on the healing properties of resveratrol. Primarily found in grapes and blueberries, this powerful plant nutrient has been found to be an effective antioxidant that protects against free radical damage that is linked to many types of diseases. It has also been found to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects.

It has even been shown to allow blood to flow better through the blood vessels, giving it excellent potential with high blood pressure and heart disease. Studies at the University of Switzerland proved resveratrol’s brain-protecting ability. They found that resveratrol mopped up brain-damaging plaques and free radicals, which have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease. So powerful is this important nutrient that it has even been referred to a “Reverse-it-all” by many health practitioners.

In numerous studies, resveratrol has had a positive effect on cancer. In another study, scientists identified resveratrol as a nutrient that activated the human gene for survival and longevity. Research also shows that resveratrol protects the skin from damaging UVB rays of the sun, thereby protecting it against skin cancer. What’s more, this potent nutrient has even been shown to protect the body against radiation therapy when used as an adjunct to radiation treatment of cancer.

Resveratrol works as an anti-inflammatory, which may be one of the reasons it may be effective for heart disease. In research, resveratrol demonstrated the ability to improve the dilation of blood vessels, which may allow blood to flow more easily through blood vessels. It has also been shown to relax the walls of the blood vessels, making their diameter larger, thereby lowering blood pressure (when it is high), and allowing a higher volume of blood to flow through all areas of the body, delivering increased oxygen and nutrients to the body’s cells. As a potent antioxidant, it supports the cells and organs in eliminating uric acid and other toxins from the body, thereby supporting muscle recovery for athletes.

You can obtain resveratrol primarily from red or purple grapes and blueberries. While red wine is a good source of this phytonutrient, its alcohol content can be damaging to brain cells and the liver, and can disrupt women’s delicate hormonal balance.

2010年11月25日星期四

罐裝鮪魚抽樣 3成標示不實

(法新社)2010年11月25日星期四 01:05

（法新社巴黎 24日電）根據一份基於基因分析的新報告，對十幾個國家的罐裝鮪魚進行檢驗後發現，30%標示有誤或有其他違規情事。

對50個品牌的抽樣檢查發現，某些同款產品含有不同種類的鮪魚，或同一罐頭內含兩種鮪魚，這在歐洲已屬違法。

例如一些罐頭標示為鰹魚，這種類似鮪魚的魚類富產於印度洋和太平洋，但同樣也含有數量正在衰退的大目鮪和黃鰭鮪。

這份由綠色和平組織（Greenpeace）委託進行的獨立報告，正好趕上將舉行至27日的「保護大西洋鮪魚國際委員會」（ICCAT）年度會議。

綠色和平組織負責推廣保護海洋活動的圖倫（NinaThuellen）說：「有些公司將多種鮪魚不加區分裝罐，包括數量正減少魚種的幼魚，而消費者還理所當然以為罐裝的是永續水產。」（譯者：中央社盧映孜）

2010年11月23日星期二

CRUDE OIL Found In Oysters at N.C. Restaurant: TOXIC GULF FOOD ALERT (Ob...

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2010年11月18日星期四

What are you & your kids eating....

Anatomy of a Chicken Nugget

posted by Megan, selected from Experience Life Nov 16, 2010 8:0

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From Experience Life

Ever wonder what goes into making a chicken nugget? And ever wonder why they’re so easy to eat (and eat and eat)? Here’s more than you probably wanted to know:

BITE-SIZE: Before breading, the gelatinous meat product is squeezed into a casing and cooked. After it cools, the casing is sliced into uniform nugget-sized discs, making them that much easier to pop into your mouth (no silverware required — and hey, those nuggets are so small, it’s like you’re hardly eating anything, right?).

“PRECHEWED” MEAT: Assorted pieces of chicken meat are finely chopped to free myofibrillar proteins that act as “glue” to bind the bits of meat together. Texture-enhancing binders (such as breading or powdered egg white) are added to help create a “gelling” effect that gives the nuggets shape. Flavors, natural and artificial, are mixed in. So are ingredients that hold in moisture, such as sodium phosphate, soy protein concentrate and autolyzed yeast extract. The net effect? A boneless, prechewed quality that produces a smooth and even bolus in your mouth and that invites overeating.

WHITE-ISH MEAT: It could be white meat — or it could be dark meat (about a third of the cost of white meat) that has been whitened with the use of whey protein concentrate and whey protein isolate. Although dark meat is often more flavorful, white meat apparently looks more uniform and more appealing to American eyes. As one industry document puts it, “American consumers have expressed a strong preference for poultry white meat over dark meat due to color. Turning dark meat into white could open new markets and revenue sources.”

CRUNCH FACTOR: The breading on a chicken nugget is mostly flour (but can also contain gums, starches, sugars and chemically derived flavors). It adds inexpensive heft to the nugget (up to 30 percent of its weight) and provides a material for the nugget’s crispy outside layer — a key factor in the sensory experience. The breading also provides an appealing, uniform color (some manufacturers add a caramel coloring agent to the nugget to enhance the golden, fried look) and toasty aroma. Finally, the breading provides a moisture barrier to prevent water loss, creating a moister interior that contributes to a satisfying mouthfeel.

FRIED TO A CRISP: The chicken nugget is dunked in a vat of hot, liquid fat (most often, a cheap vegetable oil such as soybean, sunflower or safflower oil — it depends on market price and availability), which causes the protein to denaturalize and the starch in the breading to become more gel-like. A crust forms on the nugget’s outer layer. During deep-frying, much of the nugget’s original water content is replaced with oil.

SWEET SAUCE: Most of the sauces served with chicken nuggets (barbecue, sweet and sour, etc.) have an array of added sugars in them. Others, like ranch and blue-cheese dressings, contain creamy dairy ingredients rich in natural sugars. This helps to create the fat-sugar-salt trio that renders so many processed foods irresistible. Although the ingredients of one popular restaurant chain’s ginger-citrus sauce sound relatively ordinary (sugar, hoisin sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, chili paste, modified food starch and orange juice concentrate), sugar and salt dominate. The dipping action produces new sensory elements — mixing cool with hot, crispy with creamy, savory with sweet, mellow with spicy, and so on.

2010年11月4日星期四