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Why is cheese so addictive?
Craving cheese
Our food-obsessed minds crave novelty. When we have a new flavour offered, the desire to try something novel is irresistible.
There are also some scientific-sounding claims that cheese is as addictive as cocaine because it contains opium-like chemicals called casomorphin peptides.
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Key Ideas
Getting enough protein
If you are worried about the amount of protein in your diet, you are probably eating more than enough.
Many people think if a meal has protein in it, it is full of health a...
Protein is the most important macronutrient
Protein, along with fat and carbohydrate, is one of the three basic macronutrients, and probably the most important.
Protein contains nitrogen, without which we cannot grow or reproduce. Protein contains nine amino-acids that we can only get from food. Without them, our hair, nails, bones, muscles and immune system would be severely weakened.
We eat too much protein
According to official guidelines, a minimum of 0.8g of protein a day per kilogram of body weight is recommended. Yet, the average person in the US and Canada gets a full 90g a day, 20% more than the recommended amount. The average European consumes 85g of protein a day, and the average Chinese person 75g.
We hope our protein-enhanced food will lead us to better health, yet singling out protein can lead to an unbalanced view of health.
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Key Ideas
Vegan fast food
Vegan fast food alternatives may often be worse for your health than the meat equivalent. It is good that people start to think about plant-based foods, but the danger lies in thinking t...
Plant-based protein menus
Plant-based protein sources are not the same as animal protein sources. Proteins are made up of amino acids which are the building blocks of every cell and hormone in our body. Meat protein contains all nine essential amino acids, whereas plant-based protein usually lacks at least one of the nine essential amino acids our body needs.
Unripe jackfruit makes a convincing choice for pulled pork alternatives, curries and burgers. But it is almost valueless if you needed protein since jackfruit consists of carbohydrates. Vegan burgers are made up of beans, but this is not a complete protein source.
Iron content
One study found that 25% of vegans (mainly women) had very low blood iron levels, compared to 0% of omnivores.
Plants like whole grains, legumes and spinach are high in iron but is not always the best type. Animal sources contain haem iron. Non-haem iron, found in plants, is not as well absorbed by the body.
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Key Ideas
Understanding how long food lasts
Should humanity face a nuclear apocalypse of worldwide war, we need to understand which foods might be safe for survivors to eat, and how long the foods will last.
To understand this, we ne...
Why foods go bad
Most foods spoil because of the growth of microbes. Preserving food is an attempt to limit microbial growth. Food can be preserved by drying, salting, chilling, or storing in air-tight containers.
- Drying is the most effective because microbial growth is inhibited.
- Salting is effective because it removes moisture, creating an environment where microbes cannot survive.
- Sugar coating can prevent bacterial cells from functioning correctly.
- Storing in air-tight containers is less effective because there are probably a lot of microbes on the food before you put it in the container. Some microbes are anaerobic, meaning they don't need oxygen.
Food preservatives
Preservatives are used in foods to extend their shelf lives. One of McDonald's Big Mac in Iceland is an example of a long-lasting processed food. It has been on display since 2009, in a glass box. Preservatives that has been discontinued by McDonald's are:
- calcium propionate that prevents mold growth on bread.
- sorbic acid that also inhibits mold from cheese
- sodium benzoate, which inhibits the growth of bacteria in the Big Mac special sauce.