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Cranberry juice really can help with UTIs – and reduce reliance on antibiotics

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christian-moro-121754">Christian Moro</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/charlotte-phelps-1187658">Charlotte Phelps</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em></p> <p>Cranberry juice has been <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92762/">used medicinally for centuries</a>. Our new research indicates it should be a normal aspect of urinary tract infection (UTI) management today.</p> <p>While some benefits of cranberry compounds for the prevention of UTIs have been suspected for <a href="https://theconversation.com/cranberry-juice-can-prevent-recurrent-utis-but-only-for-some-people-203926">some time</a>, it hasn’t been clear whether the benefits from cranberry juice were simply from drinking <a href="https://bjgp.org/content/70/692/e200">more fluid</a>, or something in the fruit itself.</p> <p>For our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405456924001226">study</a>, published this week, we combined and collectively assessed 3,091 participants across more than 20 clinical trials.</p> <p>Our analysis indicates that increasing liquids reduces the rate of UTIs compared with no treatment, but cranberry in liquid form is even better at reducing UTIs and antibiotic use.</p> <h2>Are UTIs really that bad?</h2> <p>Urinary tract infections affect more than <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1756287219832172">50% of women</a> and <a href="https://bjgpopen.org/content/bjgpoa/5/2/bjgpopen20X101140.full.pdf">20% of men</a> in their lifetime.</p> <p>Most commonly, UTIs are caused from the bug called <em>Escherichia coli</em> (E.coli). This bug lives harmlessly in our <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK562895/">intestines</a>, but can cause infection in the <a href="http://doi.org/10.33235/anzcj.30.1.4-10">urinary tract</a>. This is why, particularly for women, it is recommended people wipe from front to back after using the toilet.</p> <p>An untreated UTI can move up to the kidneys and cause even more serious illness.</p> <p>Even when not managing infection, many people are anxious about contracting a UTI. Sexually active women, pregnant women and older women may all be at <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK436013/">increased risk</a>.</p> <h2>Why cranberries?</h2> <p>To cause a UTI, the bacteria need to attach to the wall of the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-44916-8">urinary bladder</a>. Increasing fluids helps to flush out bacteria before it attaches (or makes its way up into the bladder).</p> <p>Some beneficial compounds in cranberry, such as <a href="https://www.cochrane.org/CD001321/RENAL_cranberries-preventing-urinary-tract-infections">proanthocyanidins</a> (also called condensed tannins), prevent the bacteria from attaching to the wall itself.</p> <p>While there are treatments, over 90% of the bugs that cause UTIs exhibit some form of <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance">microbial resistance</a>. This suggests that they are rapidly changing and some cases of UTI might be left <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/antibiotic-resistant-utis-are-common-and-other-infections-may-soon-be-resistant-too/">untreatable</a>.</p> <h2>What we found</h2> <p>Our analysis <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405456924001226">showed</a> a 54% lower rate of UTIs from cranberry juice consumption compared to no treatment. This means that significantly fewer participants who regularly consumed cranberry juice (most commonly around 200 millilitres each day) reported having a UTI during the periods assessed in the studies we analysed.</p> <p>Cranberry juice was also linked to a 49% lower rate of antibiotic use than placebo liquid and a 59% lower rate than no treatment, based on analysis of indirect and direct effects across six studies. The use of cranberry compounds, whether in drinks or tablet form, also reduced the prevalence of symptoms associated with UTIs.</p> <p>While some studies we included presented conflicts of interest (such as receiving funding from cranberry companies), we took this “high risk of bias” into account when analysing the data.</p> <h2>So, when can cranberry juice help?</h2> <p>We found three main benefits of cranberry juice for UTIs.</p> <p><strong>1. Reduced rates of infections</strong></p> <p>Increasing fluids (for example, drinking more water) reduced the prevalence of UTIs, and taking cranberry compounds (such as tablets) was also beneficial. But the most benefits were identified from increasing fluids and taking cranberry compounds at the same time, such as with cranberry juice.</p> <p><strong>2. Reduced use of antibiotics</strong></p> <p>The data shows cranberry juice lowers the need to use antibiotics by 59%. This was identified as fewer participants in randomised cranberry juice groups required antibiotics.</p> <p>Increasing fluid intake also helped reduce antibiotic use (by 25%). But this was not as useful as increasing fluids at the same time as using cranberry compounds.</p> <p>Cranberry compounds alone (such as tablets without associated increases in fluid intake) did not affect antibiotic use.</p> <p><strong>3. Reducing symptoms</strong></p> <p>Taking cranberry compounds (in any form, liquid or tablet) reduced the symptoms of UTIs, as measured in the overall data, by more than five times.</p> <h2>Take home advice</h2> <p>While cranberry juice cannot treat a UTI, it can certainly be part of UTI management.</p> <p>If you suspect that you have a UTI, see your GP as soon as possible.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/235314/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christian-moro-121754"><em>Christian Moro</em></a><em>, Associate Professor of Science &amp; Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/charlotte-phelps-1187658">Charlotte Phelps</a>, Senior Teaching Fellow, Medical Program, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cranberry-juice-really-can-help-with-utis-and-reduce-reliance-on-antibiotics-235314">original article</a>.</em></p>

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Can you drink your fruit and vegetables? How does juice compare to the whole food?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-beckett-22673">Emma Beckett</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a></em></p> <p>Do you struggle to eat your fruits and vegetables? You are not alone. Less than 5% of Australians eat the recommended serves of fresh produce <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/dietary-behaviour/latest-release">each day</a> (with 44% eating enough fruit but only 6% eating the recommended vegetables).</p> <p>Adults <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups">should aim to eat</a> at least five serves of vegetables (or roughly 375 grams) and two serves of fruit (about 300 grams) each day. Fruits and vegetables help keep us healthy because they have lots of nutrients (vitamins, minerals and fibre) and health-promoting bioactive compounds (substances not technically essential but which have health benefits) without having many calories.</p> <p>So, if you are having trouble <a href="https://theconversation.com/want-your-child-to-eat-more-veggies-talk-to-them-about-eating-the-rainbow-195563">eating the rainbow</a>, you might be wondering – is it OK to drink your fruits and vegetables instead in a juice or smoothie? Like everything in nutrition, the answer is all about context.</p> <h2>It might help overcome barriers</h2> <p>Common reasons for not eating enough fruits and vegetables are <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1747-0080.12735">preferences, habits, perishability, cost, availability, time and poor cooking skills</a>. Drinking your fruits and vegetables in juices or smoothies can help overcome some of these barriers.</p> <p><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-3010.2009.01760.x">Juicing or blending</a> can help disguise tastes you don’t like, like bitterness in vegetables. And it can blitz imperfections such as bruises or soft spots. Preparation doesn’t take much skill or time, particularly if you just have to pour store-bought juice from the bottle. Treating for food safety and shipping time does change the make up of juices slightly, but unsweetened juices still remain significant sources of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12403253/">nutrients</a> and <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00070701111140089/full/html?fullSc=1">beneficial bioactives</a>.</p> <p>Juicing can <a href="https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/advance-article-pdf/doi/10.1093/nutrit/nuz031/30096176/nuz031.pdf">extend shelf life</a> and reduce the cost of nutrients. In fact, when researchers looked at the density of nutrients relative to the costs of common foods, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/11/5771">fruit juice was the top performer</a>.</p> <h2>So, drinking my fruits and veggies counts as a serve, right?</h2> <p>How juice is positioned in healthy eating recommendations is a bit confusing. The <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/fruit">Australian Dietary Guidelines</a> include 100% fruit juice with fruit but vegetable juice isn’t mentioned. This is likely because vegetable juices weren’t as common in 2013 when the guidelines were last revised.</p> <p><a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/five-food-groups/fruit">The guidelines</a> also warn against having juice too often or in too high amounts. This appears to be based on the logic that juice is similar, but not quite as good as, whole fruit. Juice has lower levels of fibre compared to fruits, with fibre important for gut health, heart health and promoting feelings of fullness. Juice and smoothies also release the sugar from the fruit’s other structures, making them “free”. The <a href="https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/9789241549028">World Health Organization recommends</a> we limit free sugars for good health.</p> <p>But fruit and vegetables are more than just the sum of their parts. When we take a “<a href="https://hal.science/hal-01630639/">reductionist</a>” approach to nutrition, foods and drinks are judged based on assumptions made about limited features such as sugar content or specific vitamins.</p> <p>But these features might not have the impact we logically assume because of the complexity of foods and people. When humans eat varied and complex diets, we don’t necessarily need to be concerned that some foods are lower in fibre than others. Juice can retain the nutrients and bioactive compounds of fruit and vegetables and even add more because parts of the fruit we don’t normally eat, like the skin, can be included.</p> <h2>So, it is healthy then?</h2> <p>A recent <a href="https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nutrit/nuae036/7659479?login=false">umbrella review of meta-analyses</a> (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8977198/">a type of research</a> that combines data from multiple studies of multiple outcomes into one paper looked at the relationship between 100% juice and a range of health outcomes.</p> <p>Most of the evidence showed juice had a neutral impact on health (meaning no impact) or a positive one. Pure 100% juice was linked to improved heart health and inflammatory markers and wasn’t clearly linked to weight gain, multiple cancer types or metabolic markers (such as blood sugar levels).</p> <p>Some health risks linked to drinking juice were <a href="https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/advance-article/doi/10.1093/nutrit/nuae036/7659479?login=false">reported</a>: death from heart disease, prostate cancer and diabetes risk. But the risks were all reported in <a href="https://www.cancer.gov/research/participate/what-are-observational-studies#:%7E:text=Observational%20studies%20are%20research%20studies,over%20a%20period%20of%20time.">observational studies</a>, where researchers look at data from groups of people collected over time. These are not controlled and do not record consumption in the moment. So other drinks people think of as 100% fruit juice (such as sugar-sweetened juices or cordials) might accidentally be counted as 100% fruit juice. These types of studies are not good at showing the direct causes of illness or death.</p> <h2>What about my teeth?</h2> <p>The common belief juice damages teeth might not stack up. Studies that show juice damages teeth often <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00190/full">lump 100% juice in with sweetened drinks</a>. Or they use model systems like fake mouths that <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00190/full">don’t match</a> how people drinks juice in real life. Some <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00190/full">use extreme scenarios</a> like sipping on large volumes of drink frequently over long periods of time.</p> <p>Juice is acidic and does contain sugars, but it is possible proper oral hygiene, including <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0300571207000152?via%3Dihub">rinsing, cleaning</a> and using straws can mitigate these risks.</p> <p>Again, reducing juice to its acid level misses the rest of the story, including the nutrients and bioactives contained in juice that are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352385919300210#:%7E:text=Research%20has%20also%20confirmed%20that,prevention%20of%20oral%20inflammatory%20disorders.">beneficial to oral health</a>.</p> <h2>So, what should I do?</h2> <p>Comparing whole fruit (a food) to juice (a drink) can be problematic. They serve different culinary purposes, so aren’t really interchangeable.</p> <p>The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating recommends <a href="https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-guide-healthy-eating">water as the preferred beverage</a> but this assumes you are getting all your essential nutrients from eating.</p> <p>Where juice fits in your diet depends on what you are eating and what other drinks it is replacing. Juice might replace water in the context of a “perfect” diet. Or juice might replace <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/substitution-of-pure-fruit-juice-for-fruit-and-sugarsweetened-beverages-and-cardiometabolic-risk-in-epicnl-a-prospective-cohort-study/B7314F1198109712DE0F2E44D919A6A7">alcohol or sugary soft drinks</a> and make the relative benefits look very different.</p> <h2>On balance</h2> <p>Whether you want to eat your fruits and vegetables or drink them comes down to what works for you, how it fits into the context of your diet and your life.</p> <p>Smoothies and juices aren’t a silver bullet, and there is no evidence they work as a “cleanse” or <a href="https://theconversation.com/lemon-water-wont-detox-or-energise-you-but-it-may-affect-your-body-in-other-ways-180035">detox</a>. But, with society’s low levels of fruit and vegetable eating, having the option to access nutrients and bioactives in a cheap, easy and tasty way shouldn’t be discouraged either.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/205222/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emma-beckett-22673">Emma Beckett</a>, Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Nutrition, Dietetics &amp; Food Innovation - School of Health Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-you-drink-your-fruit-and-vegetables-how-does-juice-compare-to-the-whole-food-205222">original article</a>.</em></p>

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How kids are getting positive COVID test results with orange juice

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Teenagers in the UK have figured out how to “fake” positive results on COVID-19 tests - prompting at least one school to issue a warning to parents.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The trick has taken off on social media, as teens use orange juice or soft drinks to generate a false positive result on lateral flow Covid tests.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is not known whether any students have used it to successfully get time off school.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gateacre School in Belle Vale, Liverpool, asked students in years 7-10 to stay home from school after some positive COVID-19 test results were discovered in the school community, and warned parents to be vigilant about the social media trend.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Nationally, some school students have discovered that placing droplets of orange juice or other fruit juice on an LFD test gets a false ‘positive’ result,” </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/schools-warning-children-using-fruit-20896618?_ga=2.269013617.1871628857.1625379206-1709235865.1625379206" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">the warning email read</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In light of this, can you be extra vigilant when your child is doing their LFD tests. Also, remind them that a positive LFD test must be followed by a confirmatory PCR test.”</span></p> <p><strong>How it happens</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The false positive occurs due to the acidity of the juice or soft drink, rather than the beverage containing the virus, which essentially breaks the test.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, Mark Lorch, a professor of science communication and chemistry at the University of Hull, </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/covid-19-kids-are-using-soft-drinks-to-fake-positive-tests-ive-worked-out-the-science-and-how-to-spot-it-163739" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">has said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> it is possible to spot “fake” positive tests by washing them with a buffer solution that restores the correct pH to the testing device. Once this happens, the “positive” line disappears to reveal the negative result.</span></p> <p><strong>A selfish thing to do</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jon Deeks, a professor of biostatistics at the University of Birmingham, has criticised the practice and discouraged teens from trying it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“False positives affect not just that child but their family and their bubble at school, so [it is a] pretty selfish thing to do. There are less harmful ways to fake a day off school,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Professor Lorch instead encouraged students to help him publish his findings.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Children, I applaud your ingenuity, but now that I’ve found a way to uncover your trickery I suggest you use your cunning to devise a set of experiments and test my hypothesis,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Then we can publish your results in a peer-reviewed journal.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Mark Loch</span></em></p>

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Why does lemon juice lighten the colour of tea?

<p><strong>I’ve always wondered what happens when pouring a few drops of lemon juice into a cup of tea (no milk added). Why does it lighten the tea’s colour? – Michel, Paris</strong></p> <p>To answer this question, we need to think about the molecules that give a cup of tea its colour - and how lemon juice affects them.</p> <p>Tea is typically made from the plant <em>Camellia sinensis</em>.</p> <p>It is one of the most consumed beverages (second only to water) globally and is ranked as the <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/a-i4480e.pdf">most consumed manufactured drink</a>. The origins of its consumption were first recorded more than 5,000 years ago, so it is also one of the world’s oldest drinks.</p> <p>Tea has been used for a variety of health conditions in China since ancient times, and it took time (around 1,000 years) to change from being seen as a medicine to today’s “every day drink”. Some of the health benefits of tea are now receiving <a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-five-reasons-to-put-the-kettle-on-and-have-a-cup-of-tea-42419">renewed attention</a>.</p> <h2>The colour of tea</h2> <p>Today, tea varieties are heavily dependent on the processing techniques after harvest. These include oxidation and fermentation of tea leaves, which change their colour and flavour. Use of these manufacturing techniques provides six distinctive categories of tea, based primarily on colour: green, yellow, dark, white, oolong, and black.</p> <p>Black tea and green tea are often (but not always) obtained from the same plant but their chemical makeup is vastly different.</p> <p>The leaves used for green tea production are heated either by steam, pan frying, roasting or baking immediately after harvesting. This process stops chemical reactions driven by the enzyme polyphenol oxidase that would otherwise oxidise coloured chemicals such as polyphenols (catechins).</p> <p>This results in tea keeping its familiar yellow-green colour. Once the leaves are “fixed” they are soft – and are then rolled and dried to become the product we see on supermarket shelves.</p> <p>The production of black tea depends on the enzymes being allowed to oxidise the catechins completely to form new chemicals – these are pigments (theaflavin and thearubigin) that provide the characteristic dark colour.</p> <p>Although thearubigins are less common in your black teabag (around 10-20% of the dry weight), they are more soluble – so when you make a brew these compounds can account for up to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780080453828001088">60% of the solids</a> suspended in the solution.</p> <p>In broad terms, all other colour categories of tea fit between green and black. So categorisation of teas based simply on colour mostly depends on the type and amounts of these compounds found in the brewed product.</p> <h2>What happens when lemon juice is added?</h2> <p>The thearubigins in brewed tea are highly coloured (red-brown) molecules that <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030881460100108X">change according to the acidity of the liquid used</a>.</p> <p>If the water used for the tea infusion is relatively alkaline (for example, due to limescale found in “hard” water), the colour of the tea will be darker and deeper.</p> <p>However, once an acid such as a slice of lemon or lemon juice is added, tea changes colour because of an increase in acidity (reduction in pH) of the beverage itself. Lemon juice is quite strong as a food acid – a few drops are enough to alter the theaurbigins, resulting in a dramatic change in colour. Interestingly, theaflavins are not that affected by the change in acidity, and still retain their normal dark red colour.</p> <p>In a case of green tea, the addition of lemon juice will also affect the colour through a similar process. This results in a much paler beverage - beyond the level that would occur just by initial tea suspension.</p> <h2>Does lemon juice make your tea healthier?</h2> <p>The beneficial health effects of tea are linked to its total polyphenol content, mainly the catechins. However, one of the problems with these compounds is that they are rather unstable. When alkaline (hard) water is used, they break down relatively quickly (<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814603000621">within a few minutes of brewing</a>).</p> <p>Even if they do remain in solution, the absorption of these compounds is low (less than 2%), and can also be inhibited by the <a href="http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/4/2/373">food consumed with your cuppa</a>.</p> <p>Increasing the acidity of drinks has been shown to improve the stability of catechins in beverages. This is one of the main reasons why drinks such as iced teas tend to be quite acidic. However, to make them more palatable, relatively high levels of sweeteners (mainly sugars) are also added.</p> <p>So, all up, although the key compounds in your cup of tea tend to degrade quickly, the addition of lemon does protect them temporarily from this breakdown. But it’s not a huge effect. Adding lemon can enhance the flavour and enjoyment of tea, and change its colour, but its best not to expect any extra boosts to your health.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/91324/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: http://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em>Written by <span>Nenad Naumovski, Asistant Professor in Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Canberra and Duane Mellor, Senior lecturer, Coventry University</span>. Republished with permission of </em><a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/ive-always-wondered-why-does-lemon-juice-lighten-the-colour-of-tea-91324" target="_blank"><em>The Conversation</em></a><em>. </em></p>

Food & Wine

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Why do people crave tomato juice when flying?

<p>No one likes airplane food, it's a fact. Tucking into that pile of mush can often be as appetising as licking the armpit of the person sitting next to you.</p> <p>And while airline chefs are constantly improving the quality of grub served at 33,000 feet, it turns out that the loud jet noise can also affect passengers' taste buds.</p> <p>In noisy environments sweet foods just taste duller. Savoury foods takes better and richer, causing passengers to crave tomato juice above everything else.</p> <p>But if this is so, what else should you be eating or drinking in flight? Keep drinking that tomato juice, or choose green tea. If you are offered a meal, aim for anything that includes ingredients with umami savoury richness.</p> <p>That includes foods like roasted tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, aged cheeses, bacon, beef, chicken soup or broth, roasted squash, soy sauce or other savoury foods.</p> <p><img width="498" height="245" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/29044/image__498x245.jpg" alt="tomato juice plane" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Researchers did not find any effect of airplane noise on passengers' sense of sour, salty or bitter foods, but previous research commissioned by Lufthansa Airlines showed that passengers' sense of salty and sweet tastes diminished by 30 per cent when exposed to low cabin pressure.</p> <p>Time also plays a role in the quality of food on flights, as noted by economist Tyler Cowen in his book An Economist Gets Lunch.</p> <p>"Before deregulation in the 1970s, airline food was often excellent," Cowen writes.</p> <p>"Prices were so high that flying was, for the most part, the province of the wealthy rather than a common American experience, as it is today."</p> <p>As flying became more affordable, however, the food quality started to drop as well.</p> <p><em>Written by Ellen Creager. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/travel/international/2016/08/10-inflight-meals-that-taste-rather-yummy/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>10 inflight meals that taste rather yummy</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/08/20-secrets-to-enjoying-an-economy-flight/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>20 secrets to enjoying an economy flight</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/travel-tips/2016/09/10-of-the-most-annoying-things-on-a-flight/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>10 of the most annoying things on a flight</strong></em></span></a></p>

Travel Tips

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Pumpkin juice

<p>As seen in Harry Potter, but even the non-fans among us can appreciate a fresh take on a vegetable juice. Pumpkin is a starchy gourd, so even after it has been juiced, it needs a little acid and sweetness to balance it out, hence the addition of apple, lemon, and ginger. So go ahead and juice up some PJ to start the morning off in a magical way. </p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 2</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>½ pumpkin, seeds and stem removed, cut to fit juicer</li> <li>1 red apple, core and stem removed, cut to fit juicer</li> <li>1 Meyer lemon, cut to fit juicer</li> <li>1-inch piece ginger, skin removed</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Directions:</span></strong></p> <p>1. In a fruit and vegetable juicer, juice all ingredients. Discard solids.</p> <p>2. Strain juice through a fine-mesh sieve before serving in glasses.</p> <p>3. Add a few ice cubes to the glasses if you prefer a colder beverage. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container and refrigerate for one day or up to three days, if using a masticating juicer.</p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 178 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/02/grape-mint-mocktail/">Grape and mint soda mocktail</a></em></span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2016/01/lychee-and-mango-sorbet/">Lychee and mango sorbet</a></em></span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/12/pumpkin-and-ricotta-cannelloni/">Pumpkin and ricotta cannelloni</a></em></span></strong></p>

Food & Wine

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Is fruit juice as bad for you as they say?

<p>Fruit juice is getting a hard time lately, with the media warning us about the high sugar content. The drink that, for many, was consumed almost every day growing up is suddenly considered a no-no. Today we answer some of the questions that you might have about fruit juice so that you can decide whether it goes into your trolley come shopping day or not.</p> <p><strong>Will juice cause weight gain?</strong></p> <p>As with most foods and drinks, drinking a moderate amount of juice is not specifically going to cause you to put on weight. The reality is that it’s the choices that you make all day every day about how many calories you take in, and how many you burn, that will determine whether weight is lost or gained. A 200ml glass of 100 per cent orange juice contains around 75 calories so as part of your overall daily calorie intake it is not going to make a huge impact.</p> <p><strong>Is juice as healthy as fruit and vegetables?</strong></p> <p>When juice is made, the fibre is removed with the pulp. So while it still contains a lot of vitamins and minerals, the fibre, which makes you feel full and satisfied, isn’t there to tell you when you’ve had enough. For this reason it’s best to exercise portion control. The important thing is to enjoy a wide range of fruits and vegetables in your diet so that you get the most nutritional benefit.</p> <p><strong>Which juice is the most nutritious?</strong></p> <p>It’s always best to stick to the 100 per cent fruit juices as they don’t contain additional sugars or additives. Each fruit or vegetable that goes into the juice will have different health benefits, so it really depends on what you wish to focus on. For instance orange juice is a good source of vitamin C, folate, and potassium.</p> <p><strong>What does it mean if the juice is made from concentrate?</strong></p> <p>Whether you choose juice that is made from concentrate or not is really a matter of personal taste. A juice made from concentrate means the water was removed when the fruit was harvested and processed, and then added back later on. For some people, juice made from concentrate doesn’t taste as good as juice that isn’t so just choose what you prefer.</p> <p><strong>How much juice should my grandchildren be drinking?</strong></p> <p>A small glass of 100 per cent juice (150ml) is a good amount for kids, and can be watered down if you feel it is too sweet. Serve it with a straw as this helps keep the sugars away from their teeth. Be sure to encourage good dental hygiene – brush their teeth morning and night and ensure they have regular check ups at the dentist.</p>

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