ecobites

Making your life greener - one bite at a time.

A taste for celery is one many people never acquire, but scientists have just given them a reason to eat it. This confirms what the ancients already knew, celery is a medicinal food chock full of powerful phytonutrients. They have discovered a chemical found in high concentrations in celery could halt memory loss as we get older. A study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that treatment with luteolin reduced inflammation triggered by bacteria in the microglia, cells scattered throughout the central nervous system that are responsible for the brain’s defense against invading microorganisms.

Furthermore, there's also the issue of fake honey being sold as the real thing …

According to Food Safety News: "A favorite con among Chinese brokers was to mix sugar water, malt sweeteners, corn or rice syrup, jaggery, barley malt sweetener or other additives with a bit of actual honey. In recent years, many shippers have eliminated the honey completely and just use thickened, colored, natural or chemical sweeteners labeled as honey."

Margarine can actually make you angry - and should not be fed to school pupils, a new study has warned.

A chemical called 'trans fatty acids' - found in large quantities in margarine, and also in other fast foods - makes people aggressive and irritable.

Researchers studied 945 people with varying diets - and found those who ate large quantities of the chemical were consistently more aggressive.

The researchers warn that schools - and prisons - should look  their menus to ensure diet isn’t playing a part in aggressive behaviour.

The natural antibacterial and astringent properties of Neem make it an ideal ingredient in toothpaste. The populations of Africa and India used a twig from the Neem tree for many centuries to help keep their teeth clean and white and to help prevent dental problems. The Neem tree is known to Indians as a virtual living pharmacy. Daily, millions of people brush their teeth with Neem twigs.