Eats « Weekly Gravy

Many people — including those who are overweight themselves — view people with obesity as less human or less evolved, new research reveals. In four online studies questioning more than 1,500 participants from the United States, the United Kingdom and India, researchers also found that dehumanization of those with obesity predicted support for policies that discriminate against this group. “We’ve obviously heard the way that people speak about people with obesity,” said study author Inge Kersbergen. She’s a research fellow at the University of Sheffield in England. “In that sense, we’d be surprised if we didn’t find anything,” Kersbergen said. “But I don’t think we were prepared for the magnitude of our findings.” In the first report believed to indicate that people with obesity are blatantly dehumanized, Kersbergen and her colleagues pooled data examining whether dehumanization depended on participants’ body weight and if those with obesity were dehumanized more than other social groups different from the norm. These other social groups included those based on appearance, such as underweight Americans, or illness, such as Americans with cancer. Different measures of attitudes toward people with obesity were used in the four separate studies. For example, participants indicated how evolved they considered various groups of people to be, including Americans, obese Americans, Americans addicted to heroin, Arabs, homeless Americans, and employed Americans. The research also included measures… read on >

The guidelines to eat more vegetables are clear, and eating a rainbow of colors gets you the widest variety of nutrients and phyto-nutrients, those hard-to-duplicate compounds that go beyond vitamins and minerals. But whether you’re at the farmers’ market or choosing a side dish at a restaurant, are some vegetables better than others? A research study set out to rank the best “powerhouse” vegetables (and fruits) — those most strongly associated with reducing the risk for chronic diseases. Forty-seven vegetables were ranked based on percentages of 17 known nutrients in a 100-calorie serving. Nutrients included vitamins A, C, D, E, K and many of the B vitamins, along with the minerals calcium, potassium, iron and zinc, plus fiber and even protein. The Top 5 Vegetables Watercress Chinese cabbage Chard Beet greens Spinach You might be surprised to read that watercress, often used as a mere garnish, ranked No. 1. Think of this pleasantly peppery green as the perfect base for your salads or a great “bed” on which to serve a protein, like a broiled chicken breast. The cruciferous veggie Chinese cabbage (you might know it as Napa cabbage) took the second spot. It makes a great coleslaw or health salad and can also be made into fermented, probiotic-rich kimchi. The leafy greens chard, beet greens and spinach round out the top five, but there’s… read on >

If you’re looking for a tasty way to hydrate in warm weather, a juicy melon is the ticket. Melons are low-calorie, high-water content foods that also provide high doses of certain vitamins, minerals and important phyto-nutrients. Nutrients in Powerhouse Melons Cantaloupe: vitamins A and C, carotenoids, folate and potassium Honeydew: vitamins B and C, potassium and copper Watermelon: lycopene, vitamins A and C, and potassium To pick the perfect melon, gently rap it with your knuckles. If it makes a dull thud, it’s full of juice, and ripe for consumption. As refreshing as it is to bite into a melon, don’t limit yourself to snacking on chunks or wedges. Melons make great ingredients for salads, like the popular combination of watermelon and feta over arugula. Honeydew pairs well with cilantro and lime for a twist on salsa. And there are few easier appetizer recipes than melon and prosciutto, a centuries-old Italian antipasto that’s ideal for entertaining. Here’s a crunchy take on this tasty dish to serve at your next cookout or dinner get-together. The ingredients can be multiplied as needed. Melon and Prosciutto 4 slices prosciutto 1 small ripe cantaloupe, seeded and thinly sliced 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn into small pieces Preheat your oven… read on >

(HealthDay News) — In recent years, high-protein diets have surged in popularity. Though protein is essential for life, too much protein can be a problem, says Harvard Medical School. Getting too much protein is associated with: High cholesterol. Increased cancer risk. Kidney disease and kidney stones. Weight gain. Constipation or diarrhea.

Whether you have a dedicated space in an outdoor garden or just a few buckets on a small patio, there’s nothing quite like having your own herb garden for giving your cooking fresh flavor boosts. But what if you live in an apartment or in a cold climate that can’t sustain outdoor herbs in the winter? The answer is to create an indoor herb garden, even if it’s a small selection grown on a windowsill. Here’s how to get started. First, decide on your herbs. Pick the ones you’ll use most often, and buy from a reputable nursery or garden center. Because growing from seeds can be hit or miss, use started plants. Check growing instructions on the label or insert that comes with each plant to see how much water it needs. This will help you group your herbs appropriately. Rosemary, for one, likes drier conditions, so it won’t mix well in the same planter with basil, which likes more water and fertilizer. Now, select your planters. Window boxes should be about double the size of the containers the herbs came in. A hanging window box is great for a tight space. Whatever the style, make sure there’s a drainage hole in the bottom and a pan to catch any excess water. Replant. To repot your herbs, fill your planters halfway with potting soil.… read on >

Java junkies can sniff out even tiny amounts of coffee, and the more they drink, the better they can smell it, British researchers say. It’s a discovery with powerful implications for treating people addicted to substances with a distinct smell. “The higher the caffeine use, the quicker a person recognized the odor of coffee,” said study leader Lorenzo Stafford. He is an olfactory expert at the University of Portsmouth, in England. Not only could the regular coffee drinkers among the more than 90 volunteers quickly detect the aroma of a heavily diluted coffee chemical, their ability to do so increased with their level of craving, the findings showed. “The more they desired caffeine, the better their sense of smell for coffee,” Stafford said in a university news release. It’s the first evidence that java junkies are more sensitive to the smell of coffee, according to the study published recently in the journal Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology. Researchers had wondered if coffee drinkers and non-drinkers responded differently to the smell, and whether cravings might be related to an increased ability to detect it. Describing caffeine as the “most widely consumed psychoactive drug,” Stafford said the findings suggest that changes in the ability to detect smells could be a useful index of drug dependency. The study authors said their work could lead to new methods of aversion… read on >

Most folks know that sugary drinks aren’t healthy, but a new study finds fruit juices are not much better. In fact, consuming them regularly may help shorten your life, researchers say. “Older adults who drink more sugary beverages, which include fruit juice as well as sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages, may be at risk of dying earlier,” said study author Jean Welsh. She is an associate professor at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. “Efforts to decrease consumption of sodas and other sugar-sweetened beverages should also include fruit juices, and these efforts need to include adults as well as children,” Welsh said. For the study, Welsh and her colleagues collected data on 13,440 men and women, average age 64, who were part of a large stroke study from 2003 to 2007. Among these participants, 71% were obese or overweight. The participants were asked how many sugar-sweetened drinks they consumed. Over an average of six years, 1,168 of the participants died. The researchers found that those who drank the most sugar-sweetened beverages — including 100% fruit juice — had higher odds of dying during the study, compared with those who drank the least of these. Moreover, each additional 12-ounce drink increased the risk even more. The report was published online May 17 in JAMA Network Open. In the United States, about half of the population… read on >

There’s nothing quite like the smell and taste of warm blueberry muffins. But when you buy them from a local bakery or your favorite coffee shop, they can clock in at 500 calories or more. Making your own is well worth the time, because you can shave off 300 calories a pop. This recipe uses whole-wheat pastry flour, available at most supermarkets, as well as online. It has the same whole-grain goodness and fiber of regular whole-wheat flour, but is much softer and makes a more tender baked good. The yield is a dozen muffins, so you can enjoy them throughout the week. Lighter Blueberry Muffins 1-1/2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature 1 egg 1 cup low-fat buttermilk Juice and zest of 1 lemon 1 cup blueberries Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12-cup muffin tin or use paper liners. Place flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and stir well. In a medium bowl, mix sugar and butter with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in the egg, buttermilk, lemon zest and juice. Add the dry ingredients and stir until a batter forms, about 10 strokes with the spoon. Fill muffin cups to the… read on >

Want chips that deliver great taste without the typical additives in most packaged varieties? Then a food dehydrator is the kitchen appliance for you. At its core, a food dehydrator is a great way to preserve foods. Because it removes a food’s water content, mold and bacteria can’t grow. Dried fruits and vegetables make great on-the-go snacks that can be prepared days in advance. Two caveats: It is important to realize that dried foods are more calorie-dense than the original, so keep portions small to avoid weight gain. Also, the dehydrating process does remove some of a food’s natural nutrients, typically vitamins A and C, so make these up elsewhere in your diet. When choosing a home model food dehydrator, keep in mind the amount of counterspace you can devote to it if you plan to keep it out. The taller the unit and the more trays it has, the more food you can dry at once. Making vegetable chips with zucchini and carrots in a dehydrator lets you skip unhealthy sugar, salt and saturated fat while still feeding your munch-and-crunch cravings. They also have fewer calories than dried fruits. Zesty Zucchini and Carrot Chips 2 large zucchini, thinly sliced 4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs of your choice 1 teaspoon… read on >