Food Buzz

WHAT to do when the scale gets stuck!

You eat right and work out but can’t seem to get off a plateau? Switch to swimming or cycling if you have been walking or cut jogging mileage somewhat and alternate with a tennis match.

“We do not know for sure why a change helps,” says a professor of science and sports “but we think that switching back and forth keeps a greater variety of muscles toned, and muscles burn more calories than flab does”. Particularly effective: taking up aerobic if you have been walking.

Eat junk food, live longer

Artificial flavorings, common ingredients or junk food, may help prevent heart attack. According to the American Heart Association, many of these additives contain salicylates, which are chemically related to aspiprin and aspirpin is known to cut the risk of Heart Attack by preventing blood clots. A study determined that an average person consumes approximately 80 mgs of artificial flavorings in processed foods every day. Equivalent to about one baby aspinin. Researchers say the findings may help explain why the incidence of heart attack has been dropping steadily for the paste thirty years.

Coffee lowers suicide danger

Women who regularly drink coffee are far less likely to commit suicide than those who avoid caffeine, according to the Archives of Internal Medicine. A study of more than eighty-six thousand nurses found that participants who drank two to three cups or a java a day were at one-third the risk of taking their own lives than were non-coffee drinkers. Researchers say the statistics hold up when caffeine intake from other sources is considered. The most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world; caffeine can improve mood and well being.

Fridge checkup

The dial on your refrigerator’s thermostat probably reads cold, colder, coldest, but to protect your food and ensure efficient operation, you will need to be more precise than that. Any temperature over 40 degrees is like a fever to your fridge. These higher temperatures allow bacteria to grow at an unacceptable rate and create a health risk for you and you family. Refrigerators can catch cold, too. Obviously, any temperature below 32 degrees will freeze your milk. Some foods, such as leafy vegetables, cannot stand temperature below 34 degrees; lettuce will wilt and spinach gets soggy.

Ideally, refrigerators should be set to maintain a temperature between 36 and 38 degrees. To test the temperature, put a kitchen thermometer in a glass of water, put the glass in the refrigerator and let it sit overnight. If the thermometer reads above or below the suggestions range, adjust the thermostat slightly and allow 24 hours for the temperature to adjust. After reaching the right temperature, you can improve efficiency by keeping the fridge full. The thermal mass created by the food will help offset the effect of warm air that enters the refrigerator when you open the door.

The king lives

A rich source of vitamin C, pineapple has some surprising properties. It can be used as a marinade to tenderize tough cuts of meat. You can tell a pineapple is ready to eat if it has a sweet aroma and the underneath stem is a creamy color. Always eat pineapple within a couple of days of purchase.

Quickest way to gain

Yes, some people have the problem of being too thin. Honestly! Especially on a hot summer day, drinking extra calories is easier than eating them and the most effective way (for skinnier) to put on pounds quickly is to drink fruit juice. Which ones work best? Probably grape juice or apple juices are better choice. Now you know what drinks to avoid if you’re trying to lose. And don’t forget that water is an excellent no-calorie thirst quencher!