For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

This week sitting goes out of style, mindful eating competes with nutritionists, and we learn the truth about boxers vs briefs.

Want to see all my favorite links? Be sure to follow me on on Delicious. I also share links on Twitter @summertomato,  Google+ and the Summer Tomato Facebook page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you. (And yes, I took that pepper heart pic myself).

Links of the week

• Diabetes Study: ‘Mindful Eating’ Equals Traditional Education in Lowering Weight and Blood Sugar <<Mindful eating can be as effective as nutrition education? Imagine if we combined the two. (ScienceDaily)
• Does the Average Person Pack On Pounds During the Holidays? Fact vs. Myth <<I wrote this article recently for ZocDoc, and was honestly surprised by the answer. (ZocDoc)
• GMO labeling or no, a movement comes of age <<Upset about the results of Prop 37 at the polls this week? Don’t worry, the fight isn’t over. (Grist)
• The anti-sitting movement moves outside the office as more studies show sitting stinks <<Competitive standing? I love it. (Boston Globe)
• Healthy Living Adds Fourteen Years to Your Life, Study Suggests <<Not weeks, or months. Years. Think about that. (ScienceDaily)
• Use Onion Skin as a Built-In Handle for Safe Chopping <<I’ve always used this trick instinctively (it’s always why I leave the stems on beets until after I finish peeling them), but it’s a handy tip if you haven’t thought of it. (Lifehacker)
• Boxers or Briefs? <<I always wondered if there were any meaningful health differences. Now I know. (Mark’s Daily Apple)
• Whether fast food or full service, restaurants mean a poor diet for kids <<You mean Chili’s and The Cheesecake Factory are just as bad as McDonald’s?! Oh what a world! (LA Times)
• Study finds exercise adds to life expectancy, even for obese <<The surprising finding is that even relatively small amounts of exercise, and even in the absence of weight loss, exercise is very good for you. (LA Times)
• The Greenest Salad Recipe <<Salad is so underrated. I want this. (101 Cookbooks)

What inspired you this week?

For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

This week we learn that probiotics fight colds, raw food limits brain growth, and why longevity may require more than diet and exercise.

Want to see all my favorite links? Be sure to follow me on on Delicious. I also share links on Twitter @summertomato,  Google+ and the Summer Tomato Facebook page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you. (And yes, I took that pepper heart pic myself).

Links of the week

• The Island Where People Forget to Die <<A healthy lifestyle means more than just diet and exercise. This is long, but a great read for anyone interested in longevity and traditional diets. (New York Times)
• Omega-3 Intake Heightens Working Memory in Healthy Young Adults <<Improving the cognitive performance of healthy, young adults was thought impossible, but it seems fish oil might make us smarter still. (ScienceDaily)
• The Roots Of The Anti-Genetic Engineering Movement? Follow The Money! <<BS of the week. Follow the money indeed. Shocking that organic producers support legislation that requires more transparency from food companies, right? But take a look at who is funding the anti-prop 37 campaign, and don’t forget to notice the amounts contributed. (Forbes)
• Probiotics Are Secret Weapon for Fighting Symptoms of the Common Cold in College Students <<This week I gave some suggestions on how to avoid the flu, but if you do come down with something it looks like probiotics could help ease symptoms. (ScienceDaily)
• Raw Food Not Enough to Feed Big Brains <<This is not the first evidence I’ve seen that cooking food is largely what made us human. In fact, I’ve read a whole book about it. (Science)
• When it comes to food, how does your lawmaker stack up? <<This is awesome. Finally we have a resource to see how our representatives vote on food issues. (Grist)
• American Academy of Pediatrics Weighs in for First Time On Organic Foods for Children <<This is interesting, but honestly I think it’s worth erring on the side of caution when it comes to children and their developing nervous systems. We know high doses are dangerous for young children, but the effects of lower doses of pesticide exposure at a young age could be more subtle. (ScienceDaily)
• Moderate Drinking Decreases Number of New Brain Cells <<College students, take note. (ScienceDaily)
• Nearly 80 Million Americans Won’t Need Vitamin D Supplements Under New Guidelines <<Based on these arguments I’d consider 20 ng/ml to be the bare minimum, and there’s no reason not to try for over 30 if you can. Keep in mind too that for most of us it’s impossible to tell how much vitamin D we should take without knowing our levels at various times throughout the year (our main source is sunshine). (ScienceDaily)
• Celery Stir Fry <<I was just thinking about how celery is underrated as a flavor and ingredient, then Elise goes and features it in a simple and delicious sounding recipe. How serendipitous! (Simply Recipes)

What inspired you this week?

For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

Why food companies shouldn’t be regulating themselves for safety, GMO foods should be labeled, and too much exercise is a bad idea.

Want to see all my favorite links? Be sure to follow me on on Delicious. I also share links on Twitter @summertomato,  Google+ and the Summer Tomato Facebook page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you. (And yes, I took that pepper heart pic myself).

Links of the week

• Food Sickens Millions as Company-Paid Checks Find It Safe <<48 Million Americans are sickened every year because of preventable food poisonings, and yet they are still allowed to regulate themselves. Be outraged, demand better. (Bloomberg)
• Vote for the Dinner Party <<Why everyone who cares about food should support Prop 37 on labeling GMOs in California. (New York Times)
• Are Sprouted Grains And Beans Healthier? Fact Vs. Myth <<Just a note to new readers that I write a weekly mythbusting column over at the ZocDoc blog. Here’s this week’s.
• Why You Shouldn’t Burn More Than 4,000 Calories a Week Through Exercise <<There is such a thing as too much exercise. (Mark’s Daily Apple)
• Why You Should Buy Bulk Foods <<“Organic bulk foods are on average 89 percent less expensive than their organic packaged counterparts.” Plus you waste less. Win-win. (Treehugger)
• High Lead Found in City-Sourced Eggs <<Bad news for home chicken farmers. This is unfortunate, but it may be one of the realities of living in an urban environment. (New York Times)
• How to Make a Better Vinaigrette <<Great article and reminder that you never, ever need to buy bottled salad dressing. (Gilt Taste)
• Fruits and Vegetables: Seven-A-Day for Happiness and Mental Health <<It doesn’t just make you healthier, it also makes you happier. Of course, I agree. (ScienceDaily)
• How to Grocery Shop When You’re Cooking for One <<This is surprisingly excellent advice. A great resource for college students and other single folks. (Lifehacker)
• Baked Shrimp with Tomatillos <<Tomatillos are one of my absolute favorite late summer, early fall ingredients. Pairing with shrimp sounds divine. (Simply Recipes)

What inspired you this week?

For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

And we’re back! Sorry for the hiatus, I had to spend a few weeks finishing up a big project I’m working on. Keep calm and carry on.

This week lard is making a comeback, salt may improve your coffee, and why we aren’t eating more GMO animals.

Want to see all my favorite links? Be sure to follow me on on Delicious. I also share links on Twitter @summertomato,  Google+ and the Summer Tomato Facebook page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you. (And yes, I took that pepper heart pic myself).

Links of the week

• So There’s Arsenic in Our Rice—Now What? <<This is a bit terrifying, and a great reminder of how dangerous it can be when we don’t respect our environment. (The Atlantic)
• LARD MAKING A COMEBACK <<Did you think lard was bad for you? Think again. (Dr. Weil)
• Scientists fret over FDA slowness on genetically altered animals <<BS of the week. Why anyone besides corporations would want genetically modified animals to enter our food chain faster is beyond me. They claim they can make “meat with healthier fat” (see previous article) and can remove allergens from milk (while inadvertently increasing others—as described in this article). But as these examples illustrate, we don’t understand nutrition well enough to pretend we can improve upon nature just yet. Related: If you’re in CA, vote Yes on 37. (LA Times)
• Use a Pinch of Salt to Keep Veggies Bright and Green (and Other Creative Uses for Salt) <<This is cool and worth reading. Salt supposedly improves bitter coffee and the consistency of scrambled eggs, in addition to preserving color and adding flavor. (Lifehacker)
• F.A.D.-Free Tuna Comes to Safeway – Affordably <<Good news for tuna lovers. (NY Times)
• Fish linked to heart failure risk, omega-3 results mixed <<The headline is sort of confusing, but the take home message is that eating fish is helpful while taking supplements may not be. (Medline)
• BUILD STAMINA WITH STAIR CLIMBING <<Taking the stairs is an underrated way to improve fitness. (Dr. Weil)
• Exposure to Herbicide May Increase Risk of Rare Disorder <<Yet another reason to avoid herbicides and pesticides, particularly if you’re pregnant. (ScienceDaily)
• ChefSteps Offers Free Online Culinary Lessons from Modernist Cuisine Alumni <<This looks beyond awesome. I can’t wait. (Lifehacker)
• SPICED LENTIL SOUP WITH COCONUT MILK <<Looks like a delicious fall dish. Lentils and coconut pair beautifully together. (Sprouted Kitchen)

What inspired you this week?

For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

This week learn why Coca-Cola is afraid of Twitter, health isn’t the best reason to exercise, and cutting calories might prevent cancer but probably won’t extend your life.

Want to see all my favorite links? Be sure to follow me on on Delicious. I also share links on Twitter @summertomato,  Google+ and the Summer Tomato Facebook page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you. (And yes, I took that pepper heart pic myself).

Links of the week

• The Long Angry Arm of Coca-Cola <<Please read this, so you know what we’re up against (and why we might win). (Weighty Matters)
• Does Calorie Restriction Extend Lifespan in Mammals? <<The latest data suggests calorie restriction isn’t as promising as people hoped in prolonging lifespan in primates, but it does seem to protect against cancer and make you look better. This is a great analysis. (Whole Health Source)
• Should You Fast – At Least Briefly? <<While we’re on the subject of eating less, it’s worth mentioning that intermittent fasting is also encouraging for improving health. (Dr. Weil)
• How much does obesity cost American society? <<I wish the politicians would put this in their deficit pipes and smoke it. (Food Politics)
• Changing Our Tune on Exercise <<I love this. I’ve long been a believer that the hardest part of living healthy is not knowing what to do, but knowing how to do it. The cool part about this particular method is that it’s based in reality: exercise really does make your life better. (New York Times)
• ‘Study: Fruits, vegetables may be key to long-term weight loss <<This article is filled with annoying speculation and few facts, but the take home message is interesting. Basically vegetable consumption is the best predictor of long-term weight control, but not short-term. (LA Times)
• Many Trendy ‘Microgreens’ Are More Nutritious Than Their Mature Counterparts <<Suddenly want to eat more vegetables? Why not throw some microgreens in there? They are really cute too. (ScienceDaily)
• Living Against the Clock: Does Loss of Daily Rhythms Cause Obesity? <<Another poor write up describing something interesting. I’m only sharing because this is not the first data I’ve seen suggesting circadian rhythms are important in body weight regulation, and I recommend putting yourself on the most regular sleep and eating schedules you can manage. (ScienceDaily)
• Chipotle Salmon <<This is the first time I’ve been intrigued by a new salmon recipe in awhile. ‘Tis the season! (Barefeet in the Kitchen)
• PandoHouse Rock — The GMO Song: “OMG GMOs!” <<Not sure how cool this is, but it is a pretty succinct explanation of why I’m voting yes on Prop 37 in November. (PandoDaily)

What inspired you this week?

For The Love of Food

Welcome to Friday’s For The Love of Food, Summer Tomato’s weekly link roundup.

This week, artificial butter flavor linked to Alzheimer’s, the value of “cheat day,” and why to vote for GMO labels.

Want to see all my favorite links? Be sure to follow me on on Delicious. I also share links on Twitter @summertomato,  Google+ and the Summer Tomato Facebook page. I’m very active on all these sites and would love to connect with you. (And yes, I took that pepper heart pic myself).

Links of the week

• Big Food puts its back into fighting GMO labeling in California <<Whether you believe GMOs are safe or not, labeling is a good idea. Yes on 37. (Grist)
• Dear Mark: Should I Increase Carb Intake for Weight Loss? <<Great article, particularly for those of you interested in “cheat day.” (Mark’s Daily Apple)
• Americans Gaining More Weight Than They Say <<Haha, science calls BS of the week on us! Turns out we’re lying to ourselves about how fat we are. Of course this problem is easy to solve with a FitBit Aria. (ScienceDaily)
• The Terrible Tragedy of the Healthy Eater <<Ever obsess over the healthfulness of your food? You’ll adore this parody. (Northwest Edible Life)
• The last days of the low-fat diet fad <<I must have missed this story when it originally came out, but it’s worth reading. (Grist)
• Dieting vs. Exercise for Weight Loss <<Hint: You need both, but mostly diet. (NY Times)
• High-carb diet tied to breast cancer risk for some <<If you read the fine print, by “high-carb” they mean lots of processed food. (Medline)
• 20 TASTY APHRODISIACS TO PUT SIZZLE IN YOUR SEX LIFE <<Don’t take these too literally, but it’s a fun read. (Ecosalon)
• Artificial Butter Flavoring Ingredient Linked to Key Alzheimer’s Disease Process <<This doesn’t prove a direct cause, but it should give you pause about all the random chemicals in processed foods and the things we don’t know they are doing. (ScienceDaily)
• Clams in a light fennel and shallot broth <<Looks and sounds amazing. I’m in. (Cannelle et Vanille)

What inspired you this week?