Saturday, May 14

French fries versus almonds: Which is superior in terms of calories?

In a perfect world, substituting French fries for almonds on a daily basis would be a simple decision, and selecting the salty, fried option would have no negative consequences. However, according

to a Harvard expert, the findings of a new study supporting this scenario should be taken with a grain of salt. This study, which was paid for by the potato industry, shows that eating a 300-calorie portion of French fries or a 300-calorie portion of almonds every day for a month doesn't make a big difference in terms of weight gain or other risk factors for diabetes.

Dr. Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, notes that snacking on fried potato slivers instead of protein-packed almonds may not affect the scale in the short term, but this does not make the decision equally healthy. Almonds provide health benefits, including a reduction in "bad" LDL cholesterol. In the long term, they are the superior method for preventing or delaying the onset of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, or their complications.

"We've learned from numerous studies over the past two decades that weight loss studies lasting less than a year are likely to produce misleading results, so a 30-day study is less than useless," explains Dr Willett. "For example, studies that last for six months or less show that low-fat diets help people lose weight, but studies that last for a year or more show the opposite."

United States

HEALTH/FITNESS

Thursday, May 12

12 fresh birthday cake ideas 2022

There are a lot of birthday cake designs to pick from. If you are celebrating your birthday and need a unique cake design in 2022 then you can pick one of these bright and colourful cake designs by cakeadoodle.qa.

Cake

Wednesday, May 11

Light meals linked to overeating

Maintaining a healthy body weight requires sticking to moderate meal proportions. It's easy, however, to deceive oneself into thinking it's okay to eat a few more bites. Research published online in the journal Appetite on January 15, 2022, provides an example. On two separate occasions, scientists served 37 people the same pasta salad. The dinner was described as "light" on one occasion and as "full" on another. People who ate the "light" lunch ate slightly more than those who ate the "filling" meal (and reported feeling less full). The findings suggest that assumptions about how full you'll feel after eating can influence your actual food consumption and that buying meals promoted as "light" to reduce weight should be approached with caution, according to the study's authors.

Netherlands

Food

Turkey's most beautiful islands

Turkey is home to some of the world's most divine islands, from a car-free archipelago just a short ferry ride from Istanbul, to the likes of Gökçeada, where olive groves are lapped by the clear waters of the Aegean Sea. Here are a few of the best Turkish islands.

The Princes’ Islands

The Princes' Islands, Turkey

Despite being just a short ferry ride from Istanbul, the Princes' Islands feel a world away from the Turkish capital. It’s an archipelago of nine that floats in the Sea of Marmara and quietly enthrals visitors with its slow pace of life. The islands are all car-free and known for their romantic horse-drawn carriages (phaetons), which enhance the feeling that you’ve been transported back in time. Explore streets scented with magnolias, mimosas, tangerines, and lemon trees, and lined with wooden country mansions dripping with wisteria. Büyükada, meaning “big island,” is the largest and farthest from Istanbul, making it great for a day trip. Here you can visit one of the superb local fish restaurants, stock up on supplies from the main bazaar, or rent bikes and head off to a shady picnic spot beneath the pines lining the coast. The islands of Heybeliada, Burgazada, and Kınalıada or the smaller Sedef Adası, Yassıada, Sivriada, Kaşık Adası, and Tavşan Adası are all equally enchanting. Regular ferries depart from Istanbul – more specifically from Eminonu, Kabatas, Kadıköy, or Bostanci. After a day trip to the islands, head back to Loka Suites in Kadıköy for the night.

Turkey

Travel

Tuesday, May 10

Visit places that showcase the natural beauty of the earth.

Pexel image

The best of the earth's natural beauty

Nature

For many of us, the earth’s awe-inspiring natural beauty is what makes us want to travel far and catch a glimpse of mother nature’s wonders. From colossal glaciers meandering down mountainsides to caves sculpted by lava, here are five places to see nature’s most captivating sights, plus convenient, sustainability-minded places to stay.

The Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland

The Giant’s Causeway is the stuff of myth and legend

The legend goes that Northern Ireland was once home to a giant named Finn McCool. Across the Irish Sea in Scotland lived another giant named Benandonner, who threatened Finn and Northern Ireland. Finn tore up chunks of the Antrim coastline and hurled them into the sea, creating the path known as the Giant’s Causeway.

While the folklore is interesting, the science behind the Causeway’s creation is even more so. Formed 60 million years ago during a period of high volcanic activity, these 40,000 interlocking basalt columns are the result of lava cooling into near-perfect hexagons. It is a lasting reminder of the earth’s power. To complement your folklore-rich trip, stay at Dromore House Historic Country House, a Georgian family home just a 20-minute drive from the Giant’s Causeway.

Iceland

Travel