If you think Starbucks coffee is expensive, have a look here... - video slide

LUXURIOUS FOODS - obscenely expensive treats

Taste buds are certainly sensitive things. Mark Twain must have known this, when more than a hundred years ago he waxed lyrical on the watermelon:

“The true Southern watermelon is a boon apart, and not to be mentioned with commoner things. It is chief of this world’s luxuries, king by the grace of God over all the fruits of the earth. When one has tasted it, he knows what the angels eat. It was not a Southern watermelon that Eve took; we know it because she repented.”

We’ve been praising luxury foods for a long time now. Here are some cases of salivation being worth much, much more than their weight in gold.

Video slide: http://youtu.be/iQJ58XGdKh8

Need some help losing weight? Try playing Tetris game for three minutes!

Tetris is a hugely popular tile matching video game created in Moscow in 1984.
Now psychologists at Plymouth University say the visual stimulation provided by the game could reduce naturally occurring cravings for long enough to ward them off.

Craving is a common problem for people trying to quit junk food, smoking or other drugs. It is unpleasant and makes people feel that they have to wait until the right moment to quit.

Researchers had used visual games to interrupt cravings before, but only when they had induced those cravings first, said Jackie Andrade, a psychology professor at Plymouth University's Cognition Institute in the U.K. For this study, people's cravings happened - or did not happen - naturally. "Naturally occurring cravings might be harder to disrupt because they are triggered by internal states like hunger," Andrade said. "We chose Tetris because we wanted a task that would be interesting, demanding and highly visual."

The study

She and her team had 119 college-aged, primarily female, students describe what, if anything, they were craving, and how badly. Then they instructed the students to play Tetris for three minutes. For half of the students, selected at random, the game worked fine. For the other half, only a load screen and error message displayed and they could not play. Then all of the students filled out the craving questionnaire again. Two thirds of them reported craving something at the beginning of the test: 58 wanted food or a drink, 10 wanted caffeine, and 12 wanted nicotine. The remaining 39 didn't crave anything initially.

Cravings got weaker over time for everyone. But they weakened faster and to a greater extent among participants who played Tetris, the authors wrote in the journal Appetite. For instance, one tool they used measured craving strength on a scale from 1 to 100. Among people who reported initially craving something, the strength of those cravings fell from 59 to 45 for Tetris players, on average, and from 58 to 55 in the comparison group.

Why Tetris

The reason for the lower cravings, said researchers, is that Tetris is a fast-moving visual game that requires attention to shapes and positions. That distracts the part of the brain that produces imagery of the thing you crave and therefore makes it harder to crave. It's an aspect of the game that anyone can test. "Next time you play Tetris, try to visualize a friend's face," said Andrade. "It's not easy to do without your game suffering."
Professor Andrade said the research tested elaborated intrusion (EI) theory, which dictates that imagery is central to craving and a visual task should therefore decrease it. "Feeling in control is an important part of staying motivated, and playing Tetris can potentially help the individual to stay in control when cravings strike," Professor Andrade said.
"It is something a person can quickly access for the most part whether they are at work or at home, and replaces the feeling of stress caused by the craving itself. Ultimately, we are constantly looking for ways to stimulate cravings for healthy activities, such as exercise, but this is a neutral activity that we have shown can have a positive impact."

The psychology of cravings
Craving interferes with other tasks -- it grabs our attention, and our ability to think about other things at the same time. This is because we have a limited capacity in our brains to hold things in attention and work on them. Thinking about a pyramid, for example, and rolling it around in imaginary space requires us to hold the shape in our attention and work on how it would look as it moves.
What this and some other recent studies do, is flip this around. If craving interferes with other tasks, what about using other tasks to interfere with craving? And if craving is linked to imagery, what about using another task that requires similar limited cognitive space -- like this game?

Bottom line
The game also has another quality that makes it particularly useful in distracting cravers, said Andrade: it's fun. That makes it far more likely to be used than trying to play with an imaginary pyramid in your mind's eye.
Any visual or multisensory activity might have the same effect as Tetris, Andrade said. She found in an earlier study that making shapes out of plastic led to a similar outcome. But the researchers did not measure how long the reduction in cravings lasted, and it might not be very long, she said. However, people trying to lose weight could try incorporating Tetris into their lives, Andrade said. It is important that people are motivated to play the game for it to be an effective tool to fight cravings. And as a positive side effect you may actually become a very skillful player!

Click the image to enlarge

Via: Fixr
Sources: http://medicalxpress.com/, http://www.medicaldaily.com/, http://www.theguardian.com/, http://news.discovery.com/, http://www.solarnews.ph/

Looking for a memory booster? There is an Egg-ceptional one...

Eggs are an “egg-ceptional” food in the memory healing diet because they are packed with Lutein and Zeaxanthin - two of the best antioxidants for regeneration - and with omega-3s, the important essential fatty acids (EFA) that protect against cognitive decline and memory loss.
Given this, a new study is underway to investigate whether eggs may be a useful addition to your diet, to help prevent or delay dementia.

The study
In the six-month U.S. study, half of the participants will have two eggs a day, and will be compared with a control group who won't have eggs. Both groups will be tested for memory, reasoning, verbal fluency and attention span - a decline in these is a major risk factor for the development of dementia later in life.
The researchers, from Tufts University in the U.S., expect there will be 'a significant increase' in the mental functioning in the group given eggs.

Diet and prevention of memory loss
The exploration into what role diet plays in dementia may have received a boost after a study last year, where researchers stated that foods rich in omega-3 and vitamin D3 could help boost the body's immune system. Specifically, its ability to clear toxic and deadly plaques which are responsible for damaging the brains of Alzheimer's sufferers.
Study author Dr Milan Fiala said: “We may need to balance supplementation with vitamin D3 and omega-3 fatty acids, depending on each patient. This is a first step in understanding what form and in which patients these substances might work best.”

Since your body can’t produce omega-3s, you must get them from the foods you eat
A French study found that being deficient in omega-3s can lead to anxiety, attention deficit disorder, depression and dementia.  Other omega-3 rich foods included wild salmon and other cold water fish, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts and avocados.

Pastured eggs contain brain-friendly omega-3s
Grass-fed chickens produce eggs high in the omega-3 fatty acids so crucial to keeping brain cells healthy and brain cell membranes flexible. Your brain is 60% fat, half of which is composed of omega-3s, specifically eicosapentaeoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Studies show that EPA and DHA help with brain metabolism by regulating brain cell membranes, promoting brain cell communication and maintaining levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin — all critical to healthy brain function.

Not all eggs are alike
It should come as no surprise that caged hens, which do not run around outside, roll in the dust and eat omega-3-rich grasses, bugs and insects, lay eggs that are low in omega-3s. The eggs of pastured hens, on the other hand, contain as much as 10 times more omega-3s than their caged cousins.

Recommendations for omega-3 consumption
Recently a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recommended that people consume at least 3-4% of their total daily calories as omega-3 fats. To meet this recommendation, a person consuming 2000 calories per day would have to eat at least 3.5 grams of omega-3 fats.

Don’t buy the cholesterol hype about eggs
Historically, eggs have been considered unhealthy because they contain cholesterol. A large egg contains 212mg of cholesterol, which is a lot compared to most other foods.
However, it has been proven, time and time again, that eggs and dietary cholesterol do NOT adversely affect cholesterol levels in the blood. In fact, eggs raise HDL (the good) cholesterol. They also change LDL cholesterol from small, dense LDL (which is bad) to large LDL, which is benig.
A new meta-analysis published in 2013 looked at 17 prospective studies on egg consumption and health. They discovered that eggs had no association with either heart disease or stroke in otherwise healthy people.  Bottom Line: despite the fear mongering of the past few decades, eating eggs and cholesterol has no association whatsoever with heart disease.

So: don't forget eggs, next time you go shopping!!!

Sources: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/, http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/, http://myhealingkitchen.com/medical-conditions/, http://authoritynutrition.com/

Strawberries a tasty treatment for bad cholesterol levels

Berries are among the healthiest fruits a person can consume, with a small new study adding to the strawberry's long list of benefits. Recently a group of volunteers ate half a kilo of strawberries a day for a month to determine whether the berry "altered their blood parameters in any way." At the end of this unusual treatment, their levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly reduced, according to the analyses conducted by Italian and Spanish scientists. Several studies had already demonstrated the antioxidant capacity of strawberries, but now researchers conducted an analysis that revealed that these fruits also help to reduce cholesterol.

The study
The researchers recruited 23 healthy volunteers with an average age of 27 to participate in their study. All participants had an initial 10 day period with no strawberries and a diet that was low in polyphenol. This was followed by 30 days of strawberries supplementation (500 grams per day) to their habitual diet, and then a further 15 days of washout where they avoided strawberries again.

The results
Results were published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry and showed that while good cholesterol levels remained the same, low-density lipoproteins (LDL or bad cholesterol) and the quantity of triglycerides fell to 8.78%, 13.72% and 20.8%, respectively.
Other blood parameters also improved following the study's cessation, including general plasma lipid profile, antioxidant biomarkers such as vitamin C, antihemolytic defences and platelet function. These parameters returned to their initial levels 15 days after the experiment ended.

Antioxidant capacity
The researchers could cite no direct evidence about which compounds in strawberries are behind their beneficial effects, "but all the signs and epidemiological studies point towards anthocyanins, the vegetable pigments that afford them their red color."
Strawberries rank second among the top ten fruits in antioxidant capacity. They’re rich in groups of plant chemicals called flavonoids, which include substances such as anthocyanins. These plant pigments (also called phytochemicals) may help reduce the damage by free radicals that contributes to heart disease. In particular, anthocyanins can help dilate arteries and prevent plaque buildup among other cardiovascular benefits.

Why strawberries are so good for your health
The research team also confirmed the findings of several other studies on strawberries, including their ability to protect against ultraviolet radiation, reduce damage of alcohol on gastric mucosa, strengthen red blood cells and improve blood's antioxidant capacity.

A 2013 study on the benefits of strawberries and blueberries by the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and University of Maryland Baltimore County found the berries improves brain function in a 30-day experiment on rats.

Also in 2013, a Harvard University study found women can reduce their risk of heart attack by consuming strawberries and blueberries due to the berries' anthocyanin content.

Italian and Spanish scientists plan to publish another study in the journal Food Chemistry showing how consuming strawberries increases blood's antioxidant function. The study will be published later this year.

Meanwhile, you can improve your health sipping this chilled soup where sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb are whirled together. You can serve it as a starter for an early-summer supper.

Scientists reveal link between what we eat and how we trust

A new study from Leiden University proves that the types of food we eat affect our trust levels.
Researchers found that the administration of the amino acid tryptophan (TRP) contained in food such as soy, eggs, chocolate and spinach promotes interpersonal trust.

Other foods rich in tryptophan include red meat, cottage cheese, nuts and seeds, bananas, tuna, shellfish and turkey.

The study
The researchers looked at how people's trust levels were affected by eating foods that contain tryptophan. Interpersonal trust was assessed by the trust game, a task widely used in behavioural economics. In the game, the first member of the pair is given some money and given the option of giving some to their partner. The gifted cash is then tripled and the second person can then give some of it back. The game is seen as a measure of trust because the first player could end up a lot better off but only if he trusts the second player enough to give him a large sum initially.
Those taking part in the study were given orange juice to drink and in half of the cases, the juice was supplemented with tryptophan. Players who had the tryptophan transferred almost 40% more cash, the journal Psychological Science reports.

Bottom line
The Leiden University researchers said: ‘Interpersonal trust is an essential element of social life and co-operative behaviour. After all, most people will only work together if they expect others to do so also, making mutual trust an important precondition for establishing mutual co-operation.
We found that people who took tryptophan transferred significantly more euros than people who took the placebo. Our results support the materialist approach that you are what you eat, the idea that the food one eats has a bearing on one’s state of mind. So the food we take may act as a cognitive enhancer that modulates the way we think and perceive the physical and social world.
In particular, the supplementation of tryptophan or diets containing tryptophan may promote interpersonal trust in inexpensive, efficient and healthy ways.’

Tryptophan
Tryptophan is formed in the body during the digestion of some proteins and is a building block of the ‘feel-good’ brain chemical serotonin. It is also a natural sedative, which has led to it being blamed for making people doze off after eating a big turkey dinner.

So if you fear your partner doesn’t entirely trust you, get on her good side by whipping up an omelette. And to really make an impression, serve chocolate mousse for dessert!


Sources: http://www.iamexpat.nl/, http://www.socialsciences.leiden.edu/, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

St. Patrick's day delicious mocktails: to your health! - video slide

Few ingredients is all you need to invite an Irish Blessing into your belly.
These nonalcholic drinks are simple, and FUN to make and drink!

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Cheers!

Edible masterpieces: when food also looks good! - video slide

Edible Masterpieces is a new fundraising initiative from the Art Fund encouraging art-lovers and keen bakers to help raise money for UK museums and galleries. The Edible Masterpieces site is now live at artfund.org/edible, jam-packed with recipes and downloadable extras.

Campaign co-ordinator, Katharine Richards, says, 'We're hoping to inspire people, through the medium of food, to raise money for our national museums and galleries. What could be more fun than recreating your favourite work of art out of simple ingredients you have in your fridge – which you can then eat!'

Unleash your imagination: you can decorate a cake to look like a contemporary artwork, bake a biscuit that resembles an Old Master painting or make a pie inspired by a landmark building. And if you’re not a dab hand in the kitchen, you can recreate a whole host of artworks with uncooked ingredients, such as vegetables, fruit or cheese.

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1 Mondrian-inspired battenberg (Photograph by Maja Smend, food styling by Kim Morphew, prop styling by Lydia Brun, recipe by Georgia Levy)

2 Jackson Pollock-inspired crispy cake – Autumn Rhythm (Photograph by Maja Smend, food styling by Kim Morphew, prop styling by Lydia Brun, recipe by Georgia Levy)

3 Sarah Lucas-inspired gingerbread woman (Photograph by Maja Smend, food styling by Kim Morphew, prop styling by Lydia Brun, recipe by Georgia Levy)

4 Damien Hirst-inspired skull cake (Photograph by Maja Smend, food styling by Kim Morphew, prop styling by Lydia Brun, recipe by Georgia Levy)

5 Wedgwood shortbread (Photograph by Maja Smend, food styling by Kim Morphew, prop styling by Lydia Brun, recipe by Georgia Levy)

6 Whiteread-Final (Food styling by Kim Morphew, prop styling by Lydia Brun, photography by Maja Smend)

7 Van Gogh-inspired Ploughman's (Photograph by Maja Smend, food styling by Kim Morphew, prop styling by Lydia Brun, recipe by Georgia Levy)