The Nose Knows? (mouse snot)

Would it have occurred to you to study this?!!  Maybe, some people have too much time on their hands: 
A study recently published in The Journal of Neuroscience showed that certain chemicals in the nasal mucus of mice contains enzymes that can cleave aldehydes.  One example is that an aromatic substance that smelled like almonds was changed to a weaker smell of tea.
They didn't say if they plan to study whether this is related to why humans have less appetite when suffering from a cold.  Or, maybe it could be used as a dieting aid??

Bake Quick - Almost Home-made (biscuit mix)

Always in a Hurry?  If you make your own biscuit mix, you can have some control over the sodium and fiber content, and still save time when throwing together a meal.  When I make this mix, I reduce the salt to 1 teaspoon, I use 1/3 or 1/2 whole wheat flour instead of all all-purpose flour, and I use butter-flavored shortening (which means I'm less tempted to add calories by adding butter at the table). 

Biscuit Mix
8 cups (2 lb) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup        baking powder
3 Tbsp         sugar
1 1/4 cup     dry milk solids
1 1/3 cup     shortening
1 Tbsp         salt

Combine all ingredients until the texture of fine meal.  Store covered, refrigerated.
Use like commercial biscuit mix.  Here is a basic recipe for drop biscuits.

Biscuits

1 cup mix
5 Tbsp. (scant 1/3 cup) water

Mix together and drop on greased baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.  Makes 4 biscuits.
I like to add interest to a meal by putting an add-in into the dough before baking.  Examples:  a few tablespoons of shredded cheese (such as sharp cheddar); or a teaspoon of dried herb; or 1/4 teaspoon of ground spice.  You could use garlic powder, Italian seasoning, chili powder, one of your own favorites or a combination.

Something to Smile About (Fluoride has been in the news)

++ Fluoride has been in the news lately because recommendations for it are changing.  The Institute of Medicine periodically reviews and up-dates the RDA charts (Recommended Dietary Allowances and related information).  Let's look at some basic information about fluoride and at what the up-dates mean for you.   

What is fluoride?  What does it do?  Fluoride is a usable form of the mineral fluorine - a mineral in the sense that a chemist uses.  Pure fluorine is a poisonous gas.  In the form of fluoride, it is a helpful nutrient.  If an infant or child consumes the right amount of fluoride, teeth and bones will be stronger.  It is also helpful for adults, but the effect may be less pronounced. With regular intake, it also is in the saliva.  As saliva bathes your teeth, the fluoride helps them resist the acid that causes cavities and helps kill the bacteria than contribute to making that acid.  Consistently getting enough fluoride can cut a child's life-time risk/incidence of tooth decay by half.

Where do I get fluoride?  Fluoride is naturally in water.  Some parts of the country have too little in their water supplies, some have too much; a few are just right.  Some states and some cities have laws about adjusting the amount of fluoride put into city water systems.  Typical levels of fluoridation of water supplies have been 0.7-1.2 parts per million (about 1/4 mg/cup).  The new recommendations are to stay near the low end of that range.
It is rarely in bottled water, although it is added to a few brands that are targeted to infants and small children.  When water is filtered, some fluoride is removed. How much is left depends on the kind of filter and whether it is being used properly.  As a rule, charcoal filters (like those in filtration pitchers) leave you with more than reverse-osmosis. 
Tea leaves and sea food contain varying amounts of fluoride but it is not in other foods unless it comes from the water used in cooking.  There are also supplements you can buy - mouth rinses, pills similar to vitamins, etc. Tooth paste with fluoride is a useful topical application, but it can't do the job by itself.

Why are the recommendations changing?  Unfortunately, if a child consistently gets too much fluoride, teeth are prone to mottling, which means brownish spots on the teeth.  In minor cases, this just looks bad, and in fact, the teeth are quite strong.  In severe cases, the teeth can be crumbly.  As alternative forms of fluoride supplementation become more effective and more common, less is needed in drinking water - speaking of the country as a whole.  (Your community may have an  unusual situation.)

Bottom line:  Use fluoridated water if it is available.  And, next time you are due for a dental exam, ask your dentist about what is recommended in your circumstances, and about what is best for your children.  Smile!

New Meat Labels

++  Have you noticed that many food packages have nutrition labels, but meats  (including poultry and fish) do not?   That is about to change.  A new law was enacted recently to correct this, and the labels are now being phased in.  They will take full effect in 2012. 

Here is a sample of what the new nutrition labels for meat will look like.  The labels will give information on the nutrient content of meats in a way that is uniform and easy to read.  The biggest advantage for most people will be that this makes it easier to compare the fat content of various products, including saturated fat and cholesterol.  Poultry products that have had brine added will now have labels to tell you how much sodium you are eating - a real help for people who have salt restrictions due to kidney disease of high blood pressure. 

Look for the new labels soon and see what else you can learn about your food.

Something to Ponder

Santa Claus goes down and up a lot of chimneys when he's making his rounds.  How does he keep his suit clean?