Some final facts, tidbits and crumbs that tell more of the story of what we eat

Top 10 Food Facts

1. The average food product travels about 1,500 miles to get to your grocery store, and food transportation accounts for 30,800 tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year.
2. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 76 million Americans are sickened, 325,000 are hospitalized and 5,000 die each year from foodborne illnesses.
3. Approximately one billion people worldwide do not have secure access to food, including 36 million in the United States.
4. The color of a chilli is no indication of its spiciness, but size usually is: The smaller the pepper, the hotter it is.
5. Yelling for eight years, seven months and six days produces enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.
6. When Pepsi-Cola was invented by Caleb Bradham in 1898, it was first marketed as a digestive aid and energy booster.
7. The pineapple is known as the international symbol of hospitality.
8. The popsicle was invented by 11-year-old Frank Epperson when he left his soda water drink with a stirring stick overnight on his porch.
9. Wheaties were discovered by accident when in 1921, a health clinician in Minneapolis was mixing a batch of bran gruel for his patients when he spilled some of the mix on a hot stove. The gruel crackled and sizzled into a crisp flake, the very first Wheaties prototype.
10. White chocolate is not a true chocolate because it contains no chocolate liquor. Instead it’s made of sugar, cocoa butter, milk solids, lecithin and vanilla.

foodincmovie.com, arrowscientific.com / source

Hungry? Tired? These foods can help

Often, especially for teenagers, emotions can cloud the mind and leave them feeling miserable. Whether it’s the stress of having three AP tests in a row or the fatigue after a hard day or sports practice, feelings and emotions can be difficult to deal with. Here are some foods that experts say can make a difference. Compiled by Dhruti Patel

Attitude

Don’t eat the following:
•    Bagels
White grains cause a spike in blood sugar levels and leave the body feeling lethargic.
•    Hot dogs (or other mass-produced packaged meats)
They contain a preservative called nitrate, which can cause migraines and tension headaches.
•    Cupcakes, white chocolate and any type of fast food
Teenagers should control their mood, instead of letting their food control it.

Nutritionist Samantha Heller / Source

Stress

Do eat the following:
•    Papaya
It contains a large amount of Vitamin C, which has been proven to lower the flow of stress hormones in rats, which have a similar anatomy to humans.
•    Almonds
They have Vitamin E, which is known to be a stress-reducer.
•    Avocados, pumpkin seeds, salmon and oatmeal
These are more foods that can help fight stress.

Yahoo! Health Writer David Zinczenko / Source

Energy

Don’t eat the following:
•     Caffeine
High levels of caffeine can make a person nervous and irritable.

Do eat the following:
•    Whole grains
They have high levels of carbohydrates and fibers that help keep energy levels up.
•    Eggs
They contain superior amino acids and energizing proteins.
•    Green, leafy vegetables and raw foods such as fruit, nuts and seeds
They can keep people going all day.

WebMD, Associated Content by Yahoo / Source

Happiness

Do eat the following:
•    Milk
It contains whey protein, which reduces the body’s physical reaction to stress.
•    Strawberries
They have soluble fiber, which slows the digestion process and thus helps maintain blood-pressure levels. It helps the body stay calm and less irritable.
•    Oily fish, spinach, sweet potatoes, turkey, Brazil nuts, low-fat yogurt and cottage cheese
All of these can help improve a person’s mood.

Dietician Susan Kleiner / Source

A century of food