In a laboratory study pairing food chemistry and cancer biology, scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center tested the potentially harmful effect of foods and flavorings on the DNA of cells. They found that liquid smoke flavoring, black and green teas and coffee activated the highest levels of a well-known, cancer-linked gene called p53. […]
10 pesticides toxic to neurons involved in Parkinson’s
Researchers at UCLA Health and Harvard have identified 10 pesticides that significantly damaged neurons implicated in the development of Parkinson’s disease, providing new clues about environmental toxins’ role in the disease. While environmental factors such as pesticide exposure have long been linked to Parkinson’s, it has been harder to pinpoint which pesticides may raise risk […]
Soaking Potatoes In Water Before Frying Reduces Acrylamide
Good news for chips lovers everywhere — new research in the journal Science of Food and Agriculture shows that pre-soaking potatoes in water before frying can reduce levels of acrylamide. Acrylamide is a naturally occurring chemical that occurs when starch rich foods are cooked at high temperatures, such as frying, baking, grilling or roasting. There […]
Elevated levels of toxic metals in some mixed-fruit juices and soft drinks
A new study has found that some commonly consumed beverages contained levels of toxic metals that exceed federal drinking water standards. Five of the 60 beverages tested contained levels of a toxic metal above federal drinking water standards, according to the study from Tulane University. Two mixed juices had levels of arsenic above the 10 […]
Possible correlation shown between TMI nuclear accident and thyroid cancers
Penn State College of Medicine researchers have shown, for the first time, a possible correlation between the partial meltdown of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station and thyroid cancers in the counties surrounding the plant. Three Mile Island (TMI), located near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, had a partial meltdown accident on March 28, 1979. During the […]
Kombucha to kimchi: Which fermented foods are best for your brain?
Many countries around the world have their own staple fermented foods which are ingrained into culture and diet. It can’t be a coincidence that this has happened again and again. It seems logical that fermented foods offer more than a method of preservation.? Diet can hugely impact your mental health and previous research has shown […]
Researchers Unlock The Mystery Of The Jellybean
The association of jellybeans with the Easter season is as commonplace as chocolates on Valentine’s Day and evergreens at Christmas. But most who love munching on the jelly-filled delicacies in the sugar shell know little about the creation and physics of this confectionery marvel. Gregory Ziegler, associate professor of food science at Penn State University, […]
The Plutonium Files: America’s Secret Medical Experiments in the Cold War
When the vast wartime factories of the Manhattan Project began producing plutonium in quantities never before seen on earth, scientists working on the top-secret bomb-building program grew apprehensive. Fearful that plutonium might cause a cancer epidemic among workers and desperate to learn more about what it could do to the human body, the Manhattan Project’s medical doctors […]
Century-old drug as potential new approach to autism
In a small, randomized Phase I/II clinical trial (SAT1), researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine say a 100-year-old drug called suramin, originally developed to treat African sleeping sickness, was safely administered to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who subsequently displayed measurable, but transient, improvement in core symptoms of autism. ASD […]
Reusable plastic bottles release hundreds of chemicals
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have found several hundred different chemical substances in tap water stored in reusable plastic bottles. Several of these substances are potentially harmful to human health. There is a need for better regulation and manufacturing standards for manufacturers, according to the chemists behind the study. Have you ever experienced the […]