Fiber is essential for stabilizing gut health, easing digestion, regulating bowel movements, and staggering the absorption of carbohydrate sugars into the bloodstream. By slowing down the glycemic load of these sugars flooding our bloodstreams, we can even reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Also called ADA, azodicarbonamide strengthens gluten bonds in bread. It makes the final product rise higher and have a fluffier texture. However, research has shown that it breaks down during cooking into other compounds, including semicarbazide, a known carcinogen that may increase cancer risk based on animal studies.
The Built Puff protein bar is covered in chocolate and has a sweet coconut center, making it practically indistinguishable from a Mounds bar. Nutritionally, though, the two products are very different. A Mounds bar has north of 200 calories and 20 grams of added sugar. My bar has 140 calories, just six grams of added sugar, and about as much protein as three eggs.
Scientists at Tufts have found a way to turn common glucose into a rare sugar that tastes almost exactly like table sugar-but with far fewer downsides. Using engineered bacteria as microscopic factories, the team can now produce tagatose efficiently and cheaply, achieving yields far higher than current methods. Tagatose delivers nearly the same sweetness as sugar with significantly fewer calories, minimal impact on blood sugar, and even potential benefits for oral and gut health.
We've become accustomed to fruit-flavored foods tasting nothing like their fruity counterparts, from artificial banana essence to cherry-flavored things tasting more like medicine than fruit, but what specifically makes artificial watermelon taste so off-base from its authentic fruity muse? Well, it's simply because we don't yet have the capabilities to synthesize watermelon's complex flavor, which includes compounds like (Z)-3-hexenol, citrulline, and amino acids.
The microwave is a must-have modern convenience, but it takes some basic know-how to use it regularly without causing any safety risks. Chiefly, you want to be clear on what items should never go into the microwave, like metal, so you don't even chance starting a fire. Other materials that fall into this camp may seem obvious, like Styrofoam; but did you know that paper towels can pose their own set of issues? Well, certain types of paper towels, to be precise - so make sure you're aware of what those types are.
If you haven't yet bought candy for Valentine's Day, you might want to hold off. The Florida Department of Health has announced that certain candies tested as part of the state's new Healthy Florida First initiative were determined to have elevated levels of heavy metals. Forty-six types of candies from 10 different well-known brands were determined to have higher-than-safe levels of mercury, arsenic, cadmium, or lead.
Politte gave us a great guide to positive signs to look for (and red flags to avoid) based on the appearance of your rotisserie chicken. On the plus side he says, "The skin should be an even golden-brown. This means the chicken was roasted well and will likely taste good." Politte also notes that coloring should be uniform around the whole chicken with no real pale or burnt areas. Beyond that, he tells us, "Look for skin that looks crisp and firm, not loose or rubbery." Politte also warns against buying rotisserie chickens that look too greasy, saying, "A little shine is fine, but the skin shouldn't be very oily."
