Category Archives: Food
Don’t wash your chicken
A common misconception when preparing chicken for cooking is the need to rinse the poultry with water before it is cooked. In fact, the USDA recommends that you do NOT wash your chicken, as it increases the risk of spreading bacteria around the kitchen. Dr. Jennifer Quinlan helped to develop the “Don’t Wash Your Chicken” campaign, as a creative way to inform people about this mishandling.
Food Waste – A Story of Excess
We grow enough food to feed every single person on the planet, yet millions of people go to bed hungry. Discover the startling facts about global food waste and what we can do to solve this problem.
Taking a Walk After a Meal Aids Digestion
THE FACTS
For many people, the food-induced stupor that often follows a big meal is a good excuse for a nap. But for some, a brief walk shortly after eating is a quick way to burn some calories and aid digestion.
Over the years, researchers have found that a post-meal walk, as short as 15 minutes, can in fact help with digestion and improve blood sugar levels. In one study in 2008, German researchers looked at what happened when people ate a large meal and then consumed either an espresso or an alcoholic digestif — like brandy or flavored liqueur — or walked at a slow pace on a treadmill. Walking, they found, sped the rate at which food moved through the stomach. The beverages had no effect.
In other studies, researchers have found that walking has a significant effect on blood sugar after meals. Blood sugar typically rises and then falls after eating, but large spikes and variations can raise cardiovascular risk and potentially signal diabetes.
In a study published in 2009, researchers found that a 20-minute walk about 15 minutes after dinner led to lower post-meal blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes than either a walk before dinner or no walking at all. Another study, published recently in Diabetes Care, found that in older adults who were overweight and sedentary, walking for 15 minutes shortly after each meal improved daily blood sugar levels to a greater extent than a single 45-minute walk in the morning.
Researchers say that a post-meal stroll helps clear glucose from the bloodstream in part because more of it is taken up by the muscles.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Heading for a brief walk, instead of the couch, about 15 minutes after a meal may improve digestion and blood sugar control.
Tap, Filtered or Bottled Water?
Generally speaking—in the United States, at least—you can drink from the tap without any risk to your health under most circumstances. If you choose to buy water, you should do so because you prefer the taste or because you fall into a small group of people who put themselves at risk by drinking tap water (more on this later). For the most part, the water from your faucet will serve you well.
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