Here’s what’s been happening in food news…
Gatorade’s New Formula
Thanks to 15-year-old Sarah Kavanagh’s influential petition, Change.org, Gatorade has removed the flame retardant known as BVO from their products. Knowledge of such harmful additives was probably sparse with the appearance of Gatorade as a trustworthy sports drink often recommended to athletes. However, BVO use is tied to reduced fertility, thyroid dysfunction, premature puberty and impairment of brain development. Furthermore, BVO can taint the purity of breast milk, putting children in harm’s way. Needless to say, we owe Sarah a big one. Maybe now she can tackle the manufacturers of Coca-Cola products who still feature flame retardant as an ingredient.
Binge-Drinking Can Lead to Diabetes
Studies have shown that binge drinking, even once per week, increases levels of plasma insulin, which can act as a precursor for type 2 diabetes. A buildup of insulin resistance can persist for years, so take precaution, and fight the urge to engage in college binge drinking. Caloric intake of binging, whether on food or alcohol, is insignificant; it’s the direct exposure to alcohol that triggers damaged glucose tolerance. Some tips are to pace yourself while drinking, alternate between sips of alcohol and water to clear out toxins and restore a proper glucose balance, and to set a limit on the t0tal number of drinks you will consume for the day.
OpenTable buys FoodSpotting for $10M
Good news for all you restaurant fanatics out there! OpenTable, the popular and convenient online reservation service, has purchased the social media app Foodspotting for $10 million dollars. Judging by the dollar value, we can be sure this pair will do wonders. Besides using OpenTable for booking a table on a busy Friday night in less than two minutes, you can now directly share your succulent, mouth-watering photos through Foodspotting instantly. OpenTable seeks to enhance the dining experience, discovery of restaurants and vitality of dining scenes with the power of imagery and social media in this partnership.
Enhance Your Mood with Fruits and Veggies
New reports link the intake of fruits and vegetables to higher levels of positive mood, energy and calmness. The study was tested on a wide range of foods, but only veggies and fruits showed improved optimism and well being. Here are some tips to fill your daily quota (or more!): Get out that apple for a healthy mid-day snack. Try a green smoothie loaded with vegetables to kick-start your day. At dinner, fill half your plate with vegetables and the remaining with protein and whole grain carbohydrates. Dip a few berries in melted dark chocolate for dessert.
Waygo: A New App that Translates Foreign Language Menus
Ever feel lost upon reading the menu at a Chinese restaurant, or feel like the epitome of a clueless tourist wandering a confusing, foreign land? The trouble has ended! A new phone app, Waygo, is the new must-have restaurant essential. Waygo is simple: open the app, scan the menu, and a translation of any foreign word will appear instantly. Waygo can also translate full sentences at a time, so no need to fear those appetizer names that appear dauntingly long.
World of Beer Mobile App Now Available
World of Beer, newly opened right here in Evanston, now has an app that gives the lowdown on of its selection of beers, including color, style, origin and a brief description. The app allows you to experiment with new beers by preparing you for the flavors and guaranteeing you won’t absolutely detest the beer you select. Also, looking up some good choices in advance makes easy to run over and meet friends with a drink order already in mind. The app offers a loyalty club as well, where you receive points towards free beer upon purchase; happy hour just got happier.
New Diet Trick Depends on the Clock
New research has proven that timing of meals really does matter. Eating a heavy meal later in the day can add pounds to your waistline, and the key to trimming down is to eat most of your daily caloric intake earlier in the day. It can be challenging for college students to eat small meals throughout the day with a busy class schedule and to resist the temptation for comfort food while studying late at night, but try to carry around small bags of nuts, carrots and celery with hummus, cheese sticks, and fruit like apples or bananas with a to-go packet of peanut butter. Noshing throughout the day will keep you full and your metabolism revved. If you have a late class or a club, bring your dinner to it, and eat early. Or bring small snacks and eat half during the activity and half late at night.