Study Shows How Tea Filters Contaminants In Water
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Brewing tea cleans your water, according to a study published in ACS Food Science & Technology. The study found that tea leaves absorb contaminants such as lead, cadmium, and arsenic with as little as 5 minutes of steeping. Steeping overnight increases the amount of metal contaminants extracted. “You’re taking the metals out of the water with the tea, but you don’t consume the tea leaves after, which is why it works,” said Benjamin Shindel, lead author of the study. Ground up leaves work best because of increased surface area, and the tea bag used also influences effectivity.
Some Ultraprocessed Foods May Be Worse Than Others, Research Finds
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Ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) are produced with multiple added ingredients using industrial processing that can't be replicated in a home kitchen. UPFs make up about 73% of the US food supply, account for 57% of the average adult's energy intake, including everything from sodas, candies and hot dogs to whole-grain breads, breakfast cereals, flavored yogurts and plant milks. Last month, one of the largest and longest studies on UPFs and heart health found that those who consumed the most UPFs were 23% more likely to develop coronary heart disease compared with the lowest consumers. Of the 10 UPF categories analyzed, two were clearly associated with greater risk: sugar-sweetened drinks (like soda and fruit punch) and processed meat, poultry and fish (like bacon, hot dogs, breaded fish, chicken sausages and salami sandwiches). Burgers or hot dogs? Burgers may be the healthier choice.
Heavy Metals, Including Lead, Found In Many Dark Chocolate Products, Study Finds
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New research found that dark chocolate products contain excessive lead and cadmium, two neurotoxic metals linked to cancer, chronic disease, or reproductive and developmental issues, especially in children. Published in the journal Frontiers In Nutrition, the study analyzed 72 dark cocoa products over an eight-year period and found that even organic dark chocolate contained high levels of heavy metals. Of the products tested, 43% exceeded the maximum allowable dose level for lead as established by California’s Proposition 65, while 35% exceeded the Prop 65 maximum allowable level for cadmium. Prop 65 sets a lead safety standard of .05 parts per million for chocolate, about half as much as the FDA's maximum allowable level.
Ultra-Processed Food May Increase Risk For Certain Cancers And Other Illnesses, Study Finds
Image Source: Dan Kitwood
Ultra-processed foods contain substances not found in home kitchens, such as high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, color enhancers, emulsifiers, and anti-caking agents. A recent umbrella study of more than 9 million people published in the British Medical Journal found that people who overconsume these foods have an increased risk of anxiety, depression, obesity, metabolic syndrome, colorectal cancer, and premature death. You might want to go easy on that leftover Easter candy.
Red Wine Loses Its Health Halo
Image Source: Aileen Son
Red wine contains a polyphenol, resveratrol, that's good for your heart, right? Wrong. The French Paradox (French people eat food high in saturated fat but have low rates of heart disease) is due to red wine's heart-protective effects, right? Wrong. The red-wine studies of yore have now been thoroughly contradicted. Today's science shows that even one drink per day, of any alcohol, can increase your risk of heart disease. Alcohol (including wine) is also a carcinogen, according to health agencies such as the World Health Organization, and no amount of any alcohol is safe. Damn. What am I going to do with all my expensive bottles of red wine? And bourbon? I think you know the answer.
