Archives for the 'health' tag
Coffee on My Mind
For many, many, many years, I hated coffee. I hated it not quite as much as the protagonist of Memoir from Antproof Case hates coffee, but close–very, very close. To those who would listen, I would summarize my objections by quoting the “immortal” words of Queen Elizabeth I in Van Loon’s Lives, “I wouldn’t wash my pigs in it.”
Then at some point–after all formal schooling so I can’t even blame that–I started drinking coffee. I’m still not sure I like it, but I drink it pretty regularly. So thus I am heartened to hear that a study claims coffee delays the onset of dementia.
However, as this study was run by Swedes, I admit I view it as suspect. I work with a Swede. Her coffee consumption alone keeps at least three coffee-growing families from poverty every year, so I suspect there’s a little self-justification of behavior going on this study.
But what the heck, if drinking coffee does delay dementia, it’s a more pleasurable and less arduous way of doing so than this, and it could also lead to reconciliation between hostile peoples, which in my experience calorie-restricted diets rarely do.
Coffee vs. Boobs: Celebrity Death Match
A quandary:
1) Coffee reduces breast size.
2) Coffee also reduces breast cancer.
Tie-breaker: Coffee is delicious.
Coffee wins!
A new Swedish study finds that about half of all women possess a gene shown to link size to coffee intake.
“Drinking coffee can have a major effect on breast size,” said Helena Jernström, a lecturer in experimental oncology at Lund University….While a regular brew appears to have a somewhat deflationary aspect, there is also one very positive effect in that coffee reduces the risk of breast cancer.
Thanks to fellow Crispy blogger Jacob for bringing this vital medical news to my attention.
Pizza Hut Tries Out a New Name: Pasta Hut
In an attempt to attract customers with a healthier and more diverse menu, Pizza Hut has announced plans to temporarily rename thirty of its UK restaurants Pasta Hut. Earlier this year, Pizza Hut introduced two pastas on its US menu: Creamy Chicken Alfredo and Meatball Marinara. And more recently, it started serving Bacon Mac N Cheese. Pizza Hut representative Alasdair Murdoch explained that for the past five years, they have been trying to offer more “variety and quality” for their customers:
The chain . . . is replacing its pizza-focused menu with a menu consisting mainly of pasta dishes.
This means that as well as the traditional deluxe pizzas, customers will also have the option of ordering more sophisticated dishes such as tomato and mozzarella mezzaluna and prawn and crayfish arrabiata.
[...]
Mr Murdoch said they have also upgraded their distinctive salad bar and have made improvements in areas including the nutrition and quality of ingredients in their pizzas and pastas.
A statement from the company also says that the restaurant plans to sneak ‘hidden vegetables in kids’ meals’.The re-naming is for a trial period only and customers can offer their thoughts on the new-look restaurants at Pastahut.co.uk.
While I applaud Pizza Hut for attempting to offer more variety and healthier options (although, looking at the nutritional facts, the pastas are not actually all that healthy), I’m not sure how well Pasta Hut would go over here in the States. Pizza Hut already announced the name change in the US earlier this year, but Pizza Hut claims it was merely an April Fools Day joke.
Pizza Hut has been doing pizza since before I was born, and they should stick to what they do best. Also, hiding vegetables in dishes like Creamy Chicken Alfredo or Bacon Mac N Cheese might not do so much for their nutritional value.
