Oreo cookies are as addictive as cocaine – especially when it comes to the creamy center, a new study claims.
Lab rats who ate “America’s favorite cookie” formed an equally strong association as they did when injected with cocaine or morphine, student researchers at Connecticut College claim.
The cookies also ignited more neurons in the “pleasure center” of the brain than exposure to abusive drugs, according to the researchers.
“Our research supports the theory that high-fat/ high-sugar foods stimulate the brain in the same way that drugs do,” said Neuroscience Professor Joseph Schroeder, who led the study.
“It may explain why some people can’t resist these foods despite the fact that they know they are bad for them.”
The 2013 Epcot Food and Wine Festival is on from September 27 – November 11, 2013, in Epcot, Walt Disney World, Florida, USA.
Featuring fantastic special events, culinary and beverage demonstrations, celebrity chefs, and the ever-popular World Showcase Marketplace tasting booths, this is a not-to-be-missed opportunity!
The Festival offers you an oppurtunity to satiate your hunger and thirst with a burst of fresh food, fine wine and craft beers from a host of global marketplaces.
Feast on flavorsome international tributes to the sensory arts as you peruse through a savory selection of tempting tasting stations.
Learn from mixologists, indulge in culinary demonstrations, ripen your knowledge of cheese and get educated on wine.
The 2013 Epcot Food and Wine Festival offers 3 different ways to experience the event, each one offering its own distinct perspective.
The Quik Cook! continues with national cuisine favorites from around the world from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe! Today’s port-of-call: The Falkland Islands for Rack of Lamb With Honey.
The Falkland Islands, due to their isolated location, rely on local produce, much grown hydroponically, and lamb or mutton for the bulk of the diet. Much of the cuisine reflects the English heritage, and snack bars and hotel restaurants provide meals.
Ingredients: 1 rack of lamb 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp chopped mint 3 tbsp honey salt and pepper lemon zest (optional) Directions: 1. Brown the ribs in a small amount of oil and transfer to a oven-proof dish.
2. Meanwhile, mix the honey with the mint and lemon zest, then brush over the rack of lamb. Roast at 350 degrees until an internal thermometer reads 145 degrees (this will give you medium-rare lamb, cook for longer if you like your meat a little more well-done).
3. Baste with the pan juices before serving. Serve with a green salad and baked potatoe with butter and grated parmesean cheese, Falkland style!
Use-by dates are contributing to millions of pounds of wasted food each year.
A new report from the Natural Resources Defense Council and Harvard Law School’s Food Law and Policy Clinic says Americans are prematurely throwing out food, largely because of confusion over what expiration dates actually mean.
Most consumers mistakenly believe that expiration dates on food indicate how safe the food is to consume, when these dates actually aren’t related to the risk of food poisoning or foodborne illness.
Food dating emerged in the 1970s, prompted by consumer demand as Americans produced less of their own food but still demanded information about how it was made. The dates solely indicate freshness, and are used by manufacturers to convey when the product is at its peak. That means the food does not expire in the sense of becoming inedible.
For un-refrigerated foods, there may be no difference in taste or quality, and expired foods won’t necessarily make people sick.
But according to the new analysis, words like “use by” and “sell by” are used so inconsistently that they contribute to widespread misinterpretation — and waste — by consumers. More than 90% of Americans throw out food prematurely, and 40% of the U.S. food supply is tossed–unused–every year because of food dating.
Eggs, for example, can be consumed three to five weeks after purchase, even though the “use by” date is much earlier. A box of mac-and-cheese stamped with a “use by” date of March 2013 can still be enjoyed on March 2014, most likely with no noticeable changes in quality.
“We are fine with there being quality or freshness dates as long as it is clearly communicated to consumers, and they are educated about what that means,” says study co- author Emily Broad Leib, the director of Harvard Food Law & Policy Clinic. “There should be a standard date and wording that is used. This is about quality, not safety. You can make your own decision about whether a food still has an edible quality that’s acceptable to you.”
The Fast Food Industry is in disarray all across America. Today, the day after the March on Washington’s 50th Anniversary commemorating one of the greatest speeches and movements this country has ever seen, employees of fast food chains across America have gone on strike in protest of their current wages and hoping to generate a minimum wage hike.
In major cities like New York, Chicago and Detroit to my hometown McDonald’s and Burger King, employees staged a ‘walk out’ in an attempt to muster support from fast food consumers of a pay hike from their employer’s.
The national minimum wage is currently $7.25 an hour which averages around $15,000 a year salary. Protesters are seeking an increase to $15.25 and to become unionized in the process. Increasing the the minimum wage by that additional $8 would take the average salary to a modest $31,720 annually. President Obama has been for a hike to the minimum wage but has been fighting for $9 an hour. While being FOR the worker’s in the fast food industry in gaining an increase in pay, I’m not FOR the fast foods being served. Just a few short months ago, weren’t we staging a War on Fast Foods and Obesity? Childhood obesity in particular has been a topic of conversation for some years now in their lunchrooms and the McDonald’s and Burger King’s of the world were asked to provide America with a ‘healthier selection’ of meals on their menus.
So today’s protest is with Mixed Emotion for me. There are staggering facts about what fast foods can do to the body. Obesity is the 5th leading risk for global deaths. At least 2.8 million people will die as a result of obesity. Diseases states such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes and certain cancers are directly attributed to obesity. While fast foods provide that quick fix of price and consumption, it’s slowly destroying the bodies functionality. Yest, the fast food industry is great at advertising what it can do For you. Fast, efficient meals that provide a quick fix for your hunger and cravings. What needs to be advertised is what it will do To you.
Even if the fast food industry gave us the best choices meals for a healthy diet, the price for eating healthy is mind bogglingly ridiculous. The cost of a Grilled Chicken Sandwich cost more than a fried Chic Fil A sandwich. Even the Salads are more expensive than the sandwich. So what will the consumer purchase? Big Macs and Whoopers have been the staple of the American dinner table for years because of it’s fast, efficient service and serving quantity but each have a high calorie intake, Big Mac at 550 and the Whopper with a whopping 670 calories. Pizza parlors and sweet shoppes are just as guilty.
Have you ever wondered why fast foods are cheaper than eating healthy meals? Have you ever gone grocery shopping and felt the ‘sticker shock’ of purchasing the healthy alternative versus the junk food that seems to creep back into our baskets? My wife and I had this conversation over a weekend of grocery shopping once. It’s got to be a racket and here’s why. Money.
Think about this for a second. Fast Foods are reasonably inexpensive to buy. On average, a fast food meal will cost under $8 with the meal giving you fries and a drink along with the sandwich. Parents have taken the bait on the ‘fast and convenient’ ads for years which is why this industry has thrived for decades. But in turning to fast foods, we increase our risk of all types of disease states mentioned earlier. So we intake the fast foods, increase our weight, go to the doctor who puts us on medications to ‘help’ our disease state, medication causes other side effects, more medication prescribed to offset current medication, healthcare companies and doctors are happy.
The alternative. Eat a healthier diet of grilled foods, vegetables, fruits and drinking water with plenty of exercise. Yes, eating the right meals versus fast foods isn’t the most cost effective way but it’s the Healthiest way.
It’s not easy letting go of fast foods. The craving of a burger, fries, doughnuts, milkshakes are an everyday occurrence for many. But as in everything, one must find balance. An occasional indulgence is to be expected but should not be the norm. When it’s all said and done, it’s Your body, Your health, Your way of living. Either you’ll live a healthy life with a shot at longevity or your life could be shortened with heart disease, diabetes, stroke and being on medications until your demise. It’s your choice. So more power to the Fast Food Employee. Everyone deserves to live life without struggle when trying to earn an honest living. Living below poverty level is not living. I’ll always Support you in your cause Fast Food Worker, just not from my wallet. (ok, maybe sometimes :-))
Prepare pasta according to package directions, undercooking by 1 minute. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add tomatoes, pesto, mozzarella and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Mix well, cover and set aside off heat until cheese has started to melt, about 2 minutes. Stir in basil and Parmesan. Serve immediately.
1. Preheat oven to 450°F; line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil. Combine broccoli, 1 Tbsp. olive oil and Italian seasoning in a large bowl; toss to coat. Place broccoli in a single layer on baking sheet. Roast, stirring once or twice, until broccoli is crisp-tender and beginning to lightly brown, about 15 minutes.
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 4 minutes or as package label directs. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking water.
3. Warm 3 Tbsp. olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté garlic until just golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in crushed red pepper, 1 tsp. salt, 1 1/4 cups reserved pasta water and remaining olive oil. Add pasta and 1/2 cup cheese; simmer over medium heat, tossing gently, until sauce thoroughly coats pasta (add remaining 1/4 cup pasta water if needed), 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and toss in broccoli, remaining cheese and basil. Serve immediately.
1. McDonald’s Milk Shake uses a ridiculous concoction of 50 chemicals, such as ethyl acetate, phenethyl alcohol and solvent, to “imitate” the flavor of a real strawberry.
2. Chicken? More like a disgusting sludge of pink paste, through a chemical process, causing excessive bacteria, so it is washed in ammonia and then re-flavored with more chemicals and dyed. Next time, think twice before ordering some “nuggets.”
3. The average fast food patron eats 12 pubic hairs in a given year.
4. Apparently it is approved by the FDA an average of 30 insect fragments, including rodent hair per 100 grams of peanut butter.
5. Shellac is used to improve the shine of wood and furniture but you can also find it in your delicious jelly beans, it is used to improve the shine of food.
6. The FDA approved the use of bacteriophages on processed food such as lunch meat and hot dogs.
7. Each can of coke contains 10 teaspoons of sugar, more than what your body needs daily, it is thanks to another additive called phosphoric acid, that cuts the levels of sugar, that you don’t vomit automatically after drinking a can.
8. Fast Food’s “healthiest” choice is a salad packed of antifreeze’s chemical compound, Propylene Glycerol, which causes eye and skin irritation.
9. Many fast food chicken items contain beef additives, listed as extract or essence, used to enhance flavor and change health stats.
10. Any cheese product labeled as processed is packed with additives, chemicals and flavorings, it is actually 49% of the product itself, half of the product has nothing to do with cheese. Visited (35544) times!
Equipment: Mandoline Bowl of cold water Microwave-safe plate Paper towels
Ingredients: 1 or more potatoes or other firm, starchy vegetable, scrubbed clean Any seasoning(s) of choice. Salt is very optional : ) Olive oil spray (like PAM Organic Olive Oil No-Stick Cooking Spray)
Instructions: 1. Thinly Slice the Potato – Cut the potato in half. Slice one half on a mandoline, aiming for slices 1/8 to 1/16-inch thick. Immediately put the slices in cold water to keep from turning. Repeat with the other half of the potato and any other potatoes you are preparing.
2. Soak and Rinse the Slices – Rinse the slices in cold water until the water stays clear. If you have time, let them soak for a few extra minutes before rinsing.
3. Dry the Slices – Dry the slices between two clean dish cloths or spin them in a salad spinner.
4. Season the Slices – Arrange as many slices as will fit in a single layer on a dinner plate lines with a few paper towels. Make sure the slices do not touch or else they stick together. If desired, sprinkle with salt or other spices. For richer-tasting chips. Briskly spray with olive oil for 2 seconds.
5. Microwave the Slices – Microwave the slices at 100% power for 3 minutes. Flip them over and microwave at 50% power for another 3 minutes. Remove any chips that are starting to crisp and brown. Continue cooking the remaining chips at 50% power in 1 minute intervals until they are all crispy and golden. Sprinkle with additional seasoning if desired.
6. Repeat with Remaining Batches – Transfer cooked chips to a bowl and repeat microwaving with the remaining slices of potato.
Storing – Chips will stay crispy for a few days if kept in an airtight container or zip-lock bag. You can also prepare the raw slices ahead of time, store them in cold water in the refrigerator, and bake them up as you want them.
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