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Aussies outraged over price of staple snack

<p>Australians have expressed outrage over the price of Tim Tams, after one Reddit user spotted the staple snack being sold in stores and online for $6 per pack. </p> <p>“I (remember) when a double pack used to only be about $4.50. F**k this shit,” the user who posted the photo stated.</p> <p>Others blasted the price hike as excessive and "un-Australian". </p> <p>One commenter pointed out that the iconic Australian biscuit was potentially cheaper overseas, despite the import taxes. </p> <p>“That’s in Australia? They’re half that in Canada and they have to import them from Australia,” one said.</p> <p>“Like many other shrunken and quality reduced products I can live without them," another added. </p> <p>Arnott's traditional flavours are currently listed at $6 in Coles and Woolworths, while a family packet will set buyers back $7. </p> <p>An Arnott's spokesperson told the Daily Mail that the price hike was due to increased input costs. </p> <p>“Like most Australian manufacturers, we are experiencing a significant increase in our input costs, including the surging price of cocoa," the spokesperson said.</p> <p>“This has led us to make the difficult decision to increase the price of our Tim Tam biscuits.</p> <p>“We continue to invest in promotional programs with our retailers year-round, to ensure consumers can buy our products at great value prices.</p> <p>‘The changes are necessary for Arnott’s to remain competitive as an Australian manufacturer and to continue to make the delicious products Australians know and love.”</p> <p><em>Image: Reddit</em></p>

Money & Banking

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What causes food cravings? And what can we do about them?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gabrielle-weidemann-91497">Gabrielle Weidemann</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-mahlberg-1634725">Justin Mahlberg</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p>Many of us try to eat more fruits and vegetables and less ultra-processed food. But why is sticking to your goals so hard?</p> <p>High-fat, sugar-rich and salty foods are simply so enjoyable to eat. And it’s not just you – we’ve evolved that way. These foods <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5928395/">activate</a> the brain’s reward system because in the past they were <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/a0030684">rare</a>.</p> <p>Now, they’re all around us. In wealthy modern societies we are bombarded by <a href="https://theconversation.com/junk-food-is-promoted-online-to-appeal-to-kids-and-target-young-men-our-study-shows-234285">advertising</a> which intentionally reminds us about the sight, smell and taste of calorie-dense foods. And in response to these powerful cues, our brains respond just as they’re designed to, triggering <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12354">an intense urge</a> to eat them.</p> <p>Here’s how food cravings work and what you can do if you find yourself hunting for sweet or salty foods.</p> <h2>What causes cravings?</h2> <p>A food craving is an intense desire or urge to eat something, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15589112/">often focused on a particular food</a>.</p> <p>We are programmed to learn how good a food tastes and smells and where we can find it again, especially if it’s high in fat, sugar or salt.</p> <p>Something that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12354">reminds us</a> of enjoying a certain food, such as an eye-catching ad or delicious smell, can cause us to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12354">crave it</a>.</p> <p>The cue triggers a physical response, increasing saliva production and gastric activity. These responses are relatively automatic and difficult to control.</p> <h2>What else influences our choices?</h2> <p>While the effect of cues on our physical response is relatively automatic, what we do next is influenced by <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1090198107303308">complex</a> factors.<br />Whether or not you eat the food might depend on things like cost, whether it’s easily available, and if eating it would align with your health goals.</p> <p>But it’s usually hard to keep healthy eating in mind. This is because we tend to prioritise a more immediate reward, like the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.04.029">pleasure of eating</a>, over one that’s delayed or abstract – including health goals that will make us feel good in the long term.</p> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3999(00)00076-3">Stress</a> can also make us eat more. When hungry, we <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8656885/">choose larger portions</a>, underestimate calories and find eating more <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666315000793">rewarding</a>.</p> <h2>Looking for something salty or sweet</h2> <p>So what if a cue prompts us to look for a certain food, but it’s not available?</p> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2014.04.005">Previous research</a> suggested you would then look for anything that makes you feel good. So if you saw someone eating a doughnut but there were none around, you might eat chips or even drink alcohol.</p> <p>But our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2024.107640">new research</a> has confirmed something you probably knew: it’s more specific than that.</p> <p>If an ad for chips makes you look for food, it’s likely a slice of cake won’t cut it – you’ll be looking for something salty. Cues in our environment don’t just make us crave food generally, they prompt us to look for certain food “categories”, such as salty, sweet or creamy.</p> <h2>Food cues and mindless eating</h2> <p>Your <a href="https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/161283824.pdf">eating history</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.24179">genetics</a> can also make it harder to suppress food cravings. But don’t beat yourself up – relying on willpower alone is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2015.01.004">hard</a> for almost everyone.</p> <p>Food cues are so powerful they can prompt us to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797613484043">seek</a> out a certain food, even if we’re not overcome by a particularly <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797613484043">strong urge</a> to eat it. The effect is more intense if the food is easily available.</p> <p>This helps explain why we can eat an entire large bag of chips that’s in front of us, even though our pleasure decreases as we <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9384(81)90310-3">eat</a>. Sometimes we use finishing the packet as the signal to stop <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.03.025">eating</a> rather than hunger or desire.</p> <h2>Is there anything I can do to resist cravings?</h2> <p>We largely don’t have control over cues in our environment and the cravings they trigger. But there are some ways you can try and control the situations you make food choices in.</p> <ul> <li> <p><strong>Acknowledge your craving and think about a healthier way to satisfy it</strong>. For example, if you’re craving chips, could you have lightly-salted nuts instead? If you want something sweet, you could try fruit.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Avoid shopping when you’re hungry, and make a list beforehand</strong>. Making the most of supermarket “click and collect” or delivery options can also help avoid ads and impulse buys in the aisle.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>At home, have fruit and vegetables easily available – and easy to see</strong>. Also have other nutrient dense, fibre-rich and unprocessed foods on hand such as nuts or plain yoghurt. If you can, remove high-fat, sugar-rich and salty foods from your environment.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Make sure your goals for eating are <a href="https://www.aafp.org/pubs/fpm/issues/2018/0300/p31.html">SMART</a></strong>. This means they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.</p> </li> <li> <p><strong>Be kind to yourself</strong>. Don’t beat yourself up if you eat something that doesn’t meet your health goals. Just keep on trying.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/237035/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> </li> </ul> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/gabrielle-weidemann-91497">Gabrielle Weidemann</a>, Associate Professor in Psychological Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-mahlberg-1634725">Justin Mahlberg</a>, Research Fellow, Pyschology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-causes-food-cravings-and-what-can-we-do-about-them-237035">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Food & Wine

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Want the health benefits of strength training but not keen on the gym? Try ‘exercise snacking’

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-keogh-129041">Justin Keogh</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jackson-fyfe-134774">Jackson Fyfe</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p>The science is clear: <a href="https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/full/10.1139/apnm-2020-0245">resistance training</a> is crucial to ageing well. Lifting weights (or doing bodyweight exercises like lunges, squats or push-ups) can help you live independently for longer, make your bones stronger, reduce your risk of diseases such as diabetes, and may even improve your <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28919335/">sleep and mental health</a>.</p> <p>But not everyone loves the gym. Perhaps you feel you’re not a “gym person” and never will be, or you’re too old to start. Being a gym-goer can be expensive and time-consuming, and some people report feeling <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/StartingStrength/comments/j3hq32/unwelcome_feeling_at_the_gym/">unwelcome</a> or <a href="https://www.quora.com/I-feel-awkward-and-I-want-to-start-a-gym-but-could-not-What-should-I-do">awkward</a> at the gym.</p> <p>The good news is you don’t need the gym, or lots of free time, to get the health benefits resistance training can offer.</p> <p>You can try “exercise snacking” instead.</p> <h2>What is exercise snacking?</h2> <p>Exercise snacking involves doing multiple shorter bouts (as little as 20 seconds) of exercise throughout the day – often with minimal or no equipment. It’s OK to have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01605-8">several hours of rest</a> between.</p> <p>You could do simple bodyweight exercises such as:</p> <ul> <li> <p>chair sit-to-stand (squats)</p> </li> <li> <p>lunges</p> </li> <li> <p>box step-ups</p> </li> <li> <p>calf raises</p> </li> <li> <p>push-ups.</p> </li> </ul> <p>Exercise snacking like this can help improve muscle mass, strength and physical function.</p> <p>It’s OK to hold onto a nearby object for balance, if you need. And doing these exercises regularly will also improve your balance. That, in turn, reduces your risk of falls and fractures.</p> <h2>OK I have done all those, now what?</h2> <p>Great! You can also try using resistance bands or dumbbells to do the previously mentioned five exercises as well as some of the following exercises:</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/IP4wM2JpDdQ?si=1B1GyV_FY5rcArW8&amp;t=6">seated rows</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/G6GIffCaJCQ?si=RxXZtzMqQ0DGxF3k&amp;t=48">chest</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUnnz5i4Mnw&amp;t=5s">shoulder presses</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://youtu.be/z0omicIkYu4?si=8WffT3ij12SNTqEs">bicep curls</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wXVnxBgLHo">knee extensions</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtTcXXgeRYo">leg curls</a>.</p> </li> </ul> <p>When using resistance bands, make sure you hold them tightly and that they’re securely attached to an immovable object.</p> <p>Exercise snacking works well when you pair it with an activity you do often throughout the day. Perhaps you could:</p> <ul> <li> <p>do a few extra squats every time you get up from a bed or chair</p> </li> <li> <p>do some lunges during a TV ad break</p> </li> <li> <p>chuck in a few half squats while you’re waiting for your kettle to boil</p> </li> <li> <p>do a couple of elevated push-ups (where you support your body with your hands on a chair or a bench while doing the push-up) before tucking into lunch</p> </li> <li> <p>sneak in a couple of calf raises while you’re brushing your teeth.</p> </li> </ul> <h2>What does the evidence say about exercise snacking?</h2> <p>One <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31687210/">study</a> had older adults without a history of resistance training do exercise snacks at home twice per day for four weeks.</p> <p>Each session involved five simple bodyweight exercises (chair sit-to-stand, seated knee extension, standing knee bends, marching on the spot, and standing calf raises). The participants did each exercise continuously for one minute, with a one-minute break between exercises.</p> <p>These short and simple exercise sessions, which lasted just nine minutes, were enough to improve a person’s ability to stand up from a chair by 31% after four weeks (compared to a control group who didn’t exercise). Leg power and thigh muscle size improved, too.</p> <p>Research involving one of us (Jackson Fyfe) has also <a href="https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-022-03207-z">shown</a> older adults found “exercise snacking” feasible and enjoyable when done at home either once, twice, or three times per day for four weeks.</p> <p>Exercise snacking may be a more sustainable approach to improve muscle health in those who don’t want to – or can’t – lift heavier weights in a gym.</p> <h2>A little can yield a lot</h2> <p>We know from other research that the more you exercise, the more likely it is you will <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167268119302586">keep exercising in future</a>.</p> <p>Very brief resistance training, albeit with heavier weights, may be more <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29975122/">enjoyable</a> than traditional approaches where people aim to do many, many sets.</p> <p>We also know brief-and-frequent exercise sessions can break up <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26378942/">periods</a> of sedentary behaviour (which usually means sitting too much). Too much sitting increases your risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, whereas exercise snacking can help keep your <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36921112/">blood sugar levels steady</a>.</p> <p>Of course, longer-term studies are needed. But the evidence we do have suggests exercise snacking really helps.</p> <h2>Why does any of this matter?</h2> <p>As you age, you lose strength and mass in the muscles you use to walk, or stand up. Everyday tasks can become a struggle.</p> <p>All this <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36907247/">contributes</a> to disability, hospitalisation, chronic disease, and reliance on community and residential aged care support.</p> <p>By preserving your muscle mass and strength, you can:</p> <ul> <li> <p>reduce joint pain</p> </li> <li> <p>get on with activities you enjoy</p> </li> <li> <p>live independently in your own home</p> </li> <li> <p>delay or even eliminate the need for expensive health care or residential aged care.</p> </li> </ul> <h2>What if I walk a lot – is that enough?</h2> <p>Walking may maintain some level of lower body muscle mass, but it won’t preserve your <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38190393/">upper body muscles</a>.</p> <p>If you find it difficult to get out of a chair, or can only walk short distances without getting out of breath, resistance training is the best way to regain some of the independence and function you’ve lost.</p> <p>It’s even more important for women, as muscle mass and strength are typically lower in older women than men. And if you’ve been diagnosed with osteoporosis, which is more common in older women than men, resistance exercise snacking at home can improve your balance, strength, and bone mineral density. All of this reduces the risk of falls and fractures.</p> <p>You don’t need <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37171517/">heavy weights</a> or fancy equipment to benefit from resistance training.</p> <p>So, will you start exercise snacking today?<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/232374/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-keogh-129041">Justin Keogh</a>, Associate Dean of Research, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jackson-fyfe-134774">Jackson Fyfe</a>, Senior Lecturer, Strength and Conditioning Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/want-the-health-benefits-of-strength-training-but-not-keen-on-the-gym-try-exercise-snacking-232374">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Body

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Will watching the Olympic Games make you eat more?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/birau-mia-1238429">Birau Mia</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/em-lyon-business-school-2363">EM Lyon Business School</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carolina-o-c-werle-1434243">Carolina O.C. Werle</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grenoble-ecole-de-management-gem-2181">Grenoble École de Management (GEM)</a></em></p> <p>Ever wondered why you reach for a snack after hitting the gym? <a href="https://joe.bioscientifica.com/downloadpdf/view/journals/joe/193/2/1930251.pdf">Research shows</a> that physical exercise often leads to increased food consumption, whether it is treating yourself for a job well done or replenishing the energy you have burned. With countless sports events airing and our screens constantly filled with sports’ competitions, a new question arises: Can watching sports on a screen also influence how much we eat?</p> <p>The answer is yes. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329317300915">Our research</a> co-authored with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jannine-lasaleta-94504987">Jannine Lasaleta</a> reveals that watching sports’ videos can increase candy consumption. But there is more to the story: the difficulty of the sports you are watching plays a crucial role in these effects.</p> <h2>From screens to junk food</h2> <p>We first invited 112 students to the <a href="https://www.grenoble-em.com/campus-gem-labs-grenoble">Grenoble Ecole de Management experimental lab</a> to watch a video and test some candies. Half of the students watched a video with men and women <a href="https://fr.adforum.com/creative-work/ad/player/51706/train-barefoot/nike">playing sports</a>, while the other half watched one <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyqR5yI6boo">without any physical activity</a>. We then gave each student a 70g cup of candy and asked them to judge its quality for three minutes. The students who saw the sports’ video ate more candy than those who saw the one without physical activity.</p> <p>Our initial test thus revealed that watching sports’ videos can boost candy consumption, but here’s the twist: male students indulged in far more candy than female students, so maybe the results were triggered by males’ consumption. Plus, we were still unsure if the type of sport watched affects the candy intake.</p> <p>To learn more, we invited just the female students to watch videos portraying either easy (light running) or difficult-to-perform sports (athletics long jump, gymnastics, baseball, rugby or rock climbing). After, the students were invited to test the same candies as before. Students who watched the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SMXKGE_u-Y">easy sports video</a> (showing a woman and a man running through different landscapes) ate much more candy (30.1 grams) than those who watched the <a href="https://fr.adforum.com/creative-work/ad/player/51706/train-barefoot/nike">difficult sports video</a> (18 grams).</p> <p>We can thus conclude that the ease or difficulty of the exercise shown significantly impacts candy consumption – watching easy-to-perform sports leads to considerably higher candy intake than watching difficult ones.</p> <h2>Why is this happening?</h2> <p>To explain our findings, we looked at research on <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jcr/article-abstract/32/3/370/1867208">goal motivation</a>. When people feel they are not meeting a goal, they push harder; but once they see progress, they tend to slack off. For example, after a workout, those aiming to stay fit might feel they have made good progress and then ease up on their efforts. This can lead to a drop in motivation to pursue related goals, like healthy eating. <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2006-09808-003">Research</a> shows that achieving smaller goals (like exercising) can make people feel they have earned a break, which can result in indulging more in food. So completing a workout might make you more likely to reward yourself with extra food than if you had not finished your session. And why are women more susceptible to the phenomenon of eating more candy after watching an easy-to-perform sports video? Simply because it has been long <a href="https://phys.org/news/2005-04-women-weight-men.html">shown</a> that women are more concerned with their weight than men and therefore their dieting goals are more salient.</p> <p>Our research suggests that merely watching sports can lead to a sense of vicarious fulfilment of fitness goals. When people can picture themselves doing the activity they are watching, they feel as though they have already exercised, which can lead to more-indulgent food choices. If they perceive the exercise shown as easy rather than difficult, they can more easily imagine themselves doing it, leading to greater feelings of progress toward their fitness goals. This perceived achievement can make them feel they have earned the right to indulge and influence their search for a reward, often resulting in increased food intake.</p> <h2>So what?</h2> <p>This knowledge can be used by policymakers or marketers who aim to encourage healthful lifestyles. When promoting healthy activities by picturing physical activity that seems too easy, people may feel a greater sense of achievement that could backfire and lead to increased consumption. We suggest showing an easy exercise (like walking or jogging) followed by a tougher one (like sprinting or marathon running) as an alternative solution. This approach can motivate people to start with basic exercises while reminding that there is still a long way to go to reach their fitness goals. This strategy could offer an alternative to promote physical activity without giving a false sense of accomplishment.</p> <p>So what is the takeaway for us? Be mindful of how watching sports can affect our eating habits. If you are aiming to stay on track with your diet, watch more challenging sports – it might just help you resist that extra chocolate bar. Moreover, when setting dieting goals, remind yourself that real progress comes from consistent effort, not just imagining yourself doing a workout. Engage in activities that genuinely challenge you, and pair them with mindful eating habits. This way, you can avoid the trap of feeling the fitness goal to be prematurely accomplished and then overindulging.</p> <p>In conclusion, should you watch the Olympic games if you want to keep up with your diet? Of course, but it might be better to choose the physical activities you find the most difficult to perform – and watch them without moderation.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/231199/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/birau-mia-1238429">Birau Mia</a>, Associate Professor of Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/em-lyon-business-school-2363">EM Lyon Business School</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carolina-o-c-werle-1434243">Carolina O.C. Werle</a>, Professor of marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/grenoble-ecole-de-management-gem-2181">Grenoble École de Management (GEM)</a></em></p> <p><em>Image </em><em>credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/will-watching-the-olympic-games-make-you-eat-more-231199">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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Mum slammed for being "stingy" after refusing to buy $2 snack for daughter's playdate

<p>A mum has come under fire for being "selfish" and "stingy" after refusing to buy a $2 snack for her 11-year-old daughter’s best friend.</p> <p>The woman, believed to be from the US, and her daughter Ellie were invited for a playdate at an indoor playground with 12-year-old Sophie and her mum.</p> <p>Sophie's mum offered to put them on her membership card so that Ellie and her mum could go to the indoor playground for free. </p> <p>“Sophie’s mum called me... and Sophie wanted to know if Ellie could come and play," she began in a Reddit thread called <em>Am I the a****** .</em></p> <p>"She offered to put me on her membership card so it would be free for me so I got Ellie in the car and we met them at the playground.” </p> <p>Trouble started when the girls got hungry after an hour of playing, and Ellie's mum only packed a snack for her daughter. </p> <p>“Sophie’s mum didn’t have any snacks on her,” she said.</p> <p>“I told her they sell snacks in the front but she claimed that she didn’t have any money on her and asked me to buy Sophie some Goldfish."</p> <p>Ellie's mum agreed to grab the crackers on one condition - Sophie's mum had to transfer the money to her. </p> <p>“She says she paid for my kid to get in so I could cover the $2 for the Goldfish. I said no, I took care of my kid and it’s not my job to take care of hers too.</p> <p>“I told her if she wanted me to bring snacks she should’ve told me when she invited me but I won’t be wasting $2 for a 50 cent bag of Goldfish because she was unprepared.”</p> <p>She added that Sophie's mum eventually managed to get snacks for her own daughter, and wondered "if she lied about not having money".</p> <p>She then accused Sophie's mum of being "petty" for asking her to pay back for “all the times” she's used her membership to get a guest pass at the indoor playground, adding that "they regularly pay for us to join them on outings.”</p> <p>Her post was met with over 2500 comments slamming her for being “selfish”, “stingy” and “ungrateful”.</p> <p>“You were invited to a place for free that you would otherwise have had to pay for. You only packed snacks for your child? Why didn’t you also take snacks for the other child?" one wrote. </p> <p>“Yes, you did not have to do so, and that child is not your responsibility, but if I was meeting someone for a playdate for my child, not paying to get in, knowing, at some point both girls were going to be hungry, I would have packed snacks for both, as a thank you for the invitation and just because," the commenter continued. </p> <p>“If someone asked me to transfer them $2, I’m rolling my eyes big time. It’s petty, especially when someone gave you something likely far more valuable," another added. </p> <p>“Seriously. I don’t even think I could tell a stranger no when it comes to feeding their hungry child, much less a person I know and spend time with," a third commented. </p> <p>Others called the mum a "fool", for potentially causing Ellie to lose her best friend.</p> <p>“Don’t be an idiot. Apologise. You might care about 50 cents. But your daughter will lose her best friend. And that is worth a lot more. Your daughter might never get a friend like that... And the fact that universe gift wrapped a friend for your daughter. And you choose to throw it in the trash. Wow, you are truly a fool," they said. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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The 7 most addictive (and delicious) foods on the planet

<p><strong>Why we can't get enough</strong></p> <p>What is it about the three Cs: Chocolate, cheese and chips? For some reason, we can never get enough of them. But wanting to chow on a particular food is one thing, being addicted to it is another. Fact is, you can become addicted to a certain food, and you can blame your brain’s response to it. That’s because certain foods elicit a release of dopamine in the brain, which can lead to more cravings for that particular treat, especially when it comes to foods that are high in sugar, salt and/or fat. Addictive foods are ones that hit your brain right in its pleasure centre, ostensibly telling you that you need more, more, more.</p> <p>“When this pleasure/reward centre is stimulated, the brain starts secreting dopamine and other chemicals that make us enjoy the experience even more,” says registered dietitian Ashvini Mashru. “Because your brain loves the sensation caused by that dopamine release, it seeks more of it by creating cravings, that if listened to can cause a vicious cycle of addiction.”</p> <p><strong>Chocoholics take note</strong></p> <p>That bowl of Smarties sitting on your colleague’s desk is a delicious temptation, a crunchy chocolatey treat that’s hard to resist. What we know is that chocolate is one of the most addictive foods around because it binds to the same pleasure centres in the brain as alcohol and certain drugs, according to a 2011 study conducted by Drexel University.</p> <p>It also boasts a nice ‘mouth feel’, which stimulates oxytocin production, another feel-good hormone, according to Dan DeFigio, author of Beating Sugar Addiction for Dummies. “Over time, our brains start looking for that dopamine hit, and every time we eat chocolate, it reinforces that ‘wiring,’” he says.</p> <p><strong>More cheese please</strong></p> <p>If you’ve hovered over a cheese platter and piled up the cubes, you’ll be relieved to know that it’s not just you. Cheese, which is generally high in fat and cholesterol, also contains a substance called casomorphin that binds to the opioid or feel-good receptors in the brain.</p> <p>“Casomorphins attach to neurotransmitters in our brains and release dopamine, feel-good chemicals, that often lead us to wanting more,” says Dr Neal Barnard, author of The Cheese Trap. “While cheese does have its health benefits, it also can be seriously addictive.”</p> <p><strong>Carb fix</strong></p> <p>Reach into that bowl of potato chips, tortilla chips or pretzels over and over again, and you’ll know something is happening on the addiction front. And, while there’s no particular compound in these foods that bind to specific brain receptors to cause a euphoric, stimulating, or addictive behaviour, there’s something else at play.</p> <p>“Simple carbohydrates are seen as ‘addictive’ because they cause a quick glucose release, and this quickly increases a person’s energy, says nutritionist Celina Jean. “This energy will quickly be used up, and then you’ll be forced to eat more simple carbohydrates to keep your blood sugar raised.”</p> <p><strong>Oh, sweet sips</strong></p> <p>Not only do sugary soft drinks (including sweet tea) provide us with very little nutrients, but one 375mL can contain a staggering 43 grams of sugar. Like sugary treats, fizzy drinks can stimulate the release of dopamine. Add caffeine and you’re getting a double-energy hit.</p> <p>“Once you’re hooked on caffeine, you can suffer symptoms of withdrawal if you try to stop, including sluggishness, headaches and emotional distress,” says Mashru.</p> <p><strong>Pass the fries</strong></p> <p>Hot chips or French fries are typically crisp, hot and salty. This is a triple-threat that signals the tongue and the brain to eat more, Mashru says. The fat content in fries triggers receptors in our mouths that send a signal to our brain and gut reinforcing the desire to eat more.</p> <p>“These little potato sticks are also a comfort food,” Mashru says. “Therefore, every time you go through the line in a restaurant and see them on the menu, you may find the urge to order them as a side to your entrée irresistible.”</p> <p><strong>Ice cream, you scream</strong></p> <p>Cravings for ice cream can be insatiable – it’s all about the sugar content and creamy texture, and researchers agree that foods like ice cream, which is basically cream and milk, stimulate the brain in the same way drugs do, inducing behaviours that resemble addiction, says dietitian Keri Glassman.</p> <p>“The sugar ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ you experience are consistent with sugar ‘dependency’,” she says. “When your body gets used to sugar, you feel out of sorts when you consume less, which causes you to eat more.”</p> <p><strong>Pizza</strong></p> <p>Whether it’s the stringy salty mozzarella cheese, the fluffy dough or the sugar in the tomato sauce, pizza ranks first in food addiction, according to a recent University of Michigan study.</p> <p>That’s because when you eat it, your blood sugar zips up quickly and then when it drops, you feel hungry again and want more.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/the-most-addicting-foods-on-the-planet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Food & Wine

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“They snack-shamed my three year old”: Mum fires up on school note

<p>An American mother has taken to social media to share her Pringle problem with the world. </p> <p>As Megan Peavey explained in her TikTok video, she’d sent her three-year-old son to school with some chips in his lunchbox to enjoy when snacktime rolled around. </p> <p>However, the staff at the school weren’t exactly of the opinion that Pringles were the right choice, going so far as to suggest Megan had purposefully done the wrong thing and given her child something ‘unhealthy’. </p> <p>“Look at what happened to me today,” she said in the now-private clip. “I sent my son to school with Pringles, which is a very age appropriate snack for a three year old.” </p> <p>She went on to explain that the school had responded by sending the boy home with his empty chip container, the line “please help us make healthy choices at school” written across it in bold black marker. </p> <p>“They wrote that on his Pringles cup,” she said, “they snack shamed my three year old, they snack shamed me, by writing that passive-aggressively on his trash.</p> <p>After asking viewers what they might do in that situation, she described how she got in touch with the school, calling them out on what they’d done, and they “did not label things as healthy and unhealthy” in their house “because that starts eating disorders”.</p> <p>“Do you think that’s ridiculous?” came her final question. “Because I f***ing do.” </p> <p>Megan later shared an update on the entire situation, outlining how she had spoken to the school’s director, and was told “it was passive-aggressive of me to keep sending Pringles after the note”. </p> <p>But, as she pointed out, she didn’t believe Pringles to be an ‘unhealthy’ snack like they did.</p> <p>“I consider things like Doritos, Cheetos, and Milky Way bars to be unhealthy,” she noted, before adding that she regularly sends her son to school with the likes of granola bars with his other snacks, and that she just would have appreciated the school speaking to her directly without leaping to the note. </p> <p>Megan stood her ground and didn’t apologise to the educators, before she “walked downstairs and I just checked my son out - we’re done there.”</p> <p>Her comments were flooded by fellow parents who were more than eager to back her up, with many noting that they may not have handled it so well themselves - one even wrote that she’d have sent her child with an entire tub and a handwritten “no thank you” the next day. </p> <p>“I cannot even explain how out of line and wild this seems to me - on the school's part," another said.</p> <p>“On his birthday…send pringles for EVERY kid in the class,” someone suggested.</p> <p>And one pre-k teacher even came forward to share her take, noting “never would I ever tell a family to 'make healthy choices'. My girls get a bag of chips with their sandwiches, along with fresh fruit."</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Tim Tam slammed over biscuit blunder

<p>A bemused shopper has caused a stir online with their side-by-side comparison of Tim Tam packets. </p> <p>In a photo posted to Reddit, biscuit fans were met with the horrifying discovery that unless they were buying Tim Tam’s Original line, they were receiving significantly less biscuit for their buck. </p> <p>Two packets had been placed side by side - one Tim Tam’s Original biscuits, the other their Deluxe Dark Choc Mint - to make the disparity in Tim Tam to plastic ratio clear for all to see.</p> <p>In the deluxe pack, eight biscuits could be nestled in the plastic with large gaps between them, typically weighing in at 175g when full. Meanwhile, in the original, 11 could be sandwiched into the packaging, and weighed 200g before any were eaten. </p> <p>Most importantly, both packs - from the outside - appeared to be exactly the same size. </p> <p>“Australia’s biggest scam unwrapped,” <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/australia/comments/12tws3i/australias_biggest_scam_unwrapped/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the post was titled</a>, drawing in over 600 comments, and over 7,000 ‘upvotes’ - the Reddit equivalent of telling fellow users that something is worth a look at. </p> <p>As one put it, “that’s gotta be the most un-Australian Australian thing I’ve ever seen.”</p> <p>“As an American looking at this, it actually bothers me how inefficient the packaging is. You can get so much more in there,” another pointed out.</p> <p>“Stupid amount of plastic for eight biscuits,” one noted. </p> <p>“Honestly just make the packet smaller,” someone suggested, before adding that “this only increases plastic waste. At least a smaller expensive product ‘feels’ more premium.”</p> <p>There were those that could see the funny side, of course, taking to the comments to try and lighten the situation for those mourning the loss of their beloved biccies. </p> <p>“11 Tim Tams. Why 11? Not divisible by anything. I can’t eat 1/4 of the packet, or 1/2, so looks like I’m eating the lot,” one wrote. </p> <p>“And here I was, thinking I was just eating them too quickly,” joked another.</p> <p>“Duh, that's why they're called ‘Deluxe’, cause they're rarer and way harder to capture in the wild to put in packs,” one expert on the matter explained. </p> <p>And while the original poster went on to respond to many that they were only having some fun, and it really wasn’t that serious, there were those that simply wanted to rain on their parade, repeatedly pointing out that the weight and quantity of biscuits was clearly displayed on the packaging itself.</p> <p>In response to one such comment, the poster said that they were “literally having a laugh, I’m not a victim having a cry. It’s biscuits. The photo shows the spacing of the deluxe which is wasteful and the packet sizes are the same length, which is deceiving.”</p> <p>And, as they also later explained, the packaging information simply wasn’t a factor because “I’m a professional Tim Tam eater so I pick based on flavours.”</p> <p><em>Images: Reddit</em></p>

Food & Wine

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"You're all wrong": Expat slams Aussie snacks

<p>A Canadian expat has given a controversial opinion on several popular Aussie snacks.</p> <p>Her opinion, which no one asked for, claimed that some of Australia’s most cherished snacks were simply not worth the hype.</p> <p>Iona claimed that since she’s lived in the country for nearly seven years, she was entitled to a candid opinion, free of nostalgic basis.</p> <p>The expat clearly knew her video would cause a stir as she pleaded for people “not to get mad”.</p> <p>She began her TikTok, "These are Aussie snacks I would not touch with a 10-foot pole,”</p> <p>The first snack she blasted was the infamous Smith’s Burger Rings, a BBQ flavoured corn-based chip that is no doubt an Aussie staple.</p> <p>"Burger rings are a crime to tastebuds everywhere," she said. "They don't even taste like burgers, they taste like sadness.”</p> <p>From there she was quick to attack the next product, Arnott’s beloved TeeVee snacks.</p> <p>"I would rather go to Bunnings and suck on sandpaper than eat these again," she said, pointing to a TeeVee snack box. "You're all wrong.”</p> <p>The beloved Arnott’s Chicken Crimpy shapes also came under the line of fire, with Iona sharing they “taste like nothing”.</p> <p>Even Cadbury made the list with their strawberry flavoured Freddos and the Caramilk bar, both labelled a solid “no” for the Canadian. “Jail. Immediate jail!” she remarked.</p> <p>Aussies were quick to shut her down, sharing their opinions in the comment section.</p> <p>"You don't have Aussie tastebuds. They all rock,” one wrote.</p> <p>“Nah, you've too far gone!” another responded, with the official TikTok account for Shapes replying, ”Agreed."</p> <p>Another TikToker remarked, “I really tried to be tolerant and accepting but I punched a hole in my wall when burger rings came up, and things only got worse from there.”</p> <p>Some jumped to Iona’s defence, with one “Australian” commenting, "I'm Australian and I agree with everything,” but the majority of comments declared she had no business slandering Aussie icons.</p> <p><em>Image credit: TikTok</em></p>

Food & Wine

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The truth about ‘illegal’ car snacks revealed

<p>Be it a long haul trip between towns, a coastal getaway, or an early morning Saturday sports run to the local oval, drivers all across Australia have found themselves steering to the drive-through or reaching in the Esky for a much-needed snack. </p> <p>And while rumours have swirled for years that such an act could put hungry drivers behind bars, they don’t have to fear any longer. Road rules may differ from state to state, but at the end of the drive, the answer remains the same: it isn’t illegal to eat while driving in Australia. </p> <p>There are, of course, various conditions that come along with the ruling, and most circle back to whether or not a driver is in complete control over their vehicle at the time of snacking. </p> <p>For example, in New South Wales, if you are found to have lost control of your vehicle due to eating, police officers have the power to impose a fine of $481 and three demerit points. </p> <p>In Victoria, there is no specific rule that prevents drivers from digging in on their drive. However, they can still receive a careless driving charge if eating is found to have a negative impact on either their concentration or their control over their vehicle. This charge comes with a penalty of $444 and - like New South Wales - three demerit points, as well as a maximum of 12 court penalty units if the driver is found guilty by a magistrate. </p> <p>The state of Queensland follows suit - it isn’t illegal there either, though “distracted driving” remains a real threat, with research even determining that eating can be just as dangerous as texting while behind the wheel. And drivers found to be travelling without control over their vehicles can face a fine of up to $575. While this is larger than either New South Wales or Victoria’s financial penalty, the demerit point cost remains the same at three. </p> <p>As a spokesperson for Queensland Transport and Main Roads told <em>Drive</em>, “a driver must always have proper control of their vehicle and drive with care and attention for the safety of other road users.</p> <p>"While there are no specific laws prohibiting a driver from eating while driving, it is up to the driver to ensure they remain in proper control of their vehicle and sufficiently alert to the road environment."</p> <p>And for drivers in the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania, Western Australia, and South Australia, <em>Drive</em> have reported that the message essentially remains the same. While there are no rules that specifically prohibit behind-the-wheel snacking, a driver can - and will - face penalties if they are found to be demonstrating poor control of their vehicle.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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“How dare they do this to our national lolly”: This pineapple is not fineapple

<p>There are two things that are important when selecting your next sweet treat: taste and truth. </p> <p>Though the latter may apply more to the unfortunate souls in New Zealand who have been forced to confront the truth about a beloved national snack. One popular confectionary brand - which clearly is not at “the pineapple of politeness” - has been exposed for lying about their “handmade” products.</p> <p>Potter Brothers Pineapple Chews are a lolly staple, and even managed to take the crown in a taste test between New Zealand’s primary pineapple parties. <em>The Spin Off</em> judges were so impressed with the treats that they placed them above Pascall Pineapple Lumps, who had led the competition for years beforehand.</p> <p>The win, however, did not pack a fruit punch for one New Zealand resident, who had some suspicions about the validity of the company’s chews.</p> <p>Two years prior, Courtnay Adele had recorded her discovery that Potter Brothers Pineapple Chews did not appear to be the lovingly homemade confections that they claimed to be. </p> <p>In the clip - posted to TikTok with the caption “How dare they do this to our national lolly” - Courtnay explained that she’s someone who likes to nibble the chocolate coating from her lollies, and after demonstrating, it was clear to see that there was “a layer of chocolate over another layer of chocolate.” </p> <p dir="ltr">She went on from there to surmise that the packet - which contained more air than it did food - did not have 100% handmade treats, and instead they were just “normal pineapple lump[s] that this company has just covered with their own chocolate”.</p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 620.262px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7207655479906962690&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40courtnayadele%2Fvideo%2F7207655479906962690&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F5cc393c5949b4f7e848d5c187299436c_1678163077%7Etplv-dmt-logom%3Atos-alisg-i-0068%2Fe56b4dcd68214d599f148f3243f01191.image%3Fx-expires%3D1678957200%26x-signature%3D3wz7i440QI635S%252BVk3GTZOFwel0%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">The prickly affair wasn’t to end there, with the Potter Brothers’ win leaving a sour taste in Courtnay’s mouth, and forcing her to revisit the scandal.</p> <p>As she told <em>news.com.au</em>, “after Potter Brothers were ranked at number one, I went and got a new bag to see if they were still doing the same thing I had discovered years earlier. </p> <p>“The bag I got was definitely still recoated pineapple lumps, so I commented on the original story and it started getting some traction.”</p> <p>People shared her dismay, with even those who don’t like the lollies jumping in to demand answers, and Courtnay eventually shared an update with her followers, stressing that the issue was in the company’s marketing. </p> <p>With the internet riled up over Pineapplegate, and local TV news stations picking up the story, the company felt it necessary to issue a statement addressing the scandal. </p> <p>“When we started, we were young, excitable, and naive,” <em>Stuff.co.nz</em> reported a statement to read, “and didn’t consider how the use of some words in our content may not be appropriate. </p> <p>“We stress that this was not intentional and these are learnings that have been taken to heart in recent times.”</p> <p>And since the news first broke, references to the lollies’ ‘handmade’ nature have been removed from the company’s website, while the packaging now reads “Small Batch Made in New Zealand”.</p> <p>Courtnay, for one, has no intentions of sticking around to find out if that’s true, telling her followers that “I won’t be buying them again. I’ll stick with the OG pineapple lumps.” </p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Caught in the act: supermassive black hole 8.5 billion light years away enjoys violent stellar snack

<p>A supermassive black hole at the centre of a galaxy some 8.5 billion years way has ripped apart a nearby star, producing some of the most luminous jets ever seen.</p> <p>When stars and other objects stray too close to a <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/space/how-big-is-a-black-hole-watch-how-it-eats/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supermassive black hole</a> they are destroyed by the black hole’s immense gravity.</p> <p>These occurrences, known as <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/space/a-star-is-torn/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tidal-disruption events (TDEs)</a>, result in a <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/space/the-sleeping-giant-black-hole-that-awoke-to-destroy-a-star/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">circling disk of material</a> that is slowly pulled into the black hole and very occasionally, as in the case of supermassive black hole AT2022cmc, ejecting bright beams of material travelling close to the speed of light.</p> <p>Luminous jets are produced in an estimated 1% of cases and are known as a type of astronomical occurrence known as a transient, because they are short-lived.</p> <p>Bright flashes from the jets were spotted in data from the <a href="https://www.ztf.caltech.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF)</a> in <a href="https://astronomerstelegram.org/?read=15232" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">February this year</a> using a special new technique which can comb through the equivalent of a million pages of information every night.</p> <p>Due to the rapid results produced by the novel data analysis method, a research team in the US was able to swiftly follow up on the transient event with multiwavelength observations of the system from different observatory facilities.</p> <p>The jets were visible across many wavelengths, from X-rays to radio, and follow-up observations enabled the European Southern Observatory’s <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/australia/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Very Large Telescope</a> to place AT2022cmc at a whopping distance of 8.5 billion light years away, while optical and infrared observation from NASA’s <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/main/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hubble telescope</a> were able to precisely pinpoint AT2022cmc’s location.</p> <p>“The last time scientists discovered one of these jets was well over a decade ago,” said Michael Coughlin, an assistant professor of astronomy at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and co-lead on the paper <a href="https://www.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05465-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published in <em>Nature</em></a>. “From the data we have, we can estimate that relativistic jets are launched in only 1% of these destructive events, making AT2022cmc an extremely rare occurrence.”</p> <p>Exactly why this behaviour is so rare remains an enigma, however, the research team believe that AT2022cmc’s rapid spin powers the jets, adding to the current understanding of the physics of these behemoth dead stars at the centres of galaxies.</p> <p>This detection – and the method used to discover it – are valuable as a future models for astronomers as they scour the skies for more events. “Scientists can use AT2022cmc as a model for what to look for and find more disruptive events from distant black holes,” says lead author Igor Andreoni, from the Department of Astronomy at UMD and NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre.</p> <p>This includes using ground-based optical surveys, as opposed to gamma-ray observatories in space – how previous jets were primarily discovered.</p> <p>“Our new search technique helps us to quickly identify rare cosmic events in the ZTF survey data,” says Andreoni.</p> <p>“And since ZTF and upcoming larger surveys such as <a href="https://www.lsst.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vera Rubin’s Large Synoptic Survey Telescope</a> scan the sky so frequently, we can now expect to uncover a wealth of rare, or previously undiscovered cosmic events and study them in detail. More than ever, big data mining is an important tool to advance our knowledge of the universe”.</p> <p><!-- Start of tracking content syndication. Please do not remove this section as it allows us to keep track of republished articles --></p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=226753&amp;title=Caught+in+the+act%3A+supermassive+black+hole+8.5+billion+light+years+away+enjoys+violent+stellar+snack" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /></p> <p><!-- End of tracking content syndication --></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/supermassive-black-hole-stellar-snack/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on Cosmos Magazine and was written by Clare Kenyon. </em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Technology

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Homemade snack eaten by the Queen every day for over nine decades

<p dir="ltr">A former royal chef has revealed that Queen Elizabeth II has been eating one particular snack ever since she was first served it as a child in the royal nursery.</p> <p dir="ltr">Darren McGrady worked for the royal family for almost two decades according to <em>The Sun</em>, and has since revealed some of the Queen’s favourite dishes and frequent requests, including one known as Jam Pennies.</p> <p dir="ltr">McGrady described Jam Pennies as a simple sandwich of “bread and jam with a little butter - usually strawberry jam”, and said the Queen has been eating them every day for 91 years.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’d make the jam at Balmoral Castle with the gorgeous Scottish strawberries from the gardens,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, another former royal chef has said the Queen is partial to a tuna and mayonnaise sandwich, a popular combination among Brits, but with her own twist.</p> <p dir="ltr">Owen Hodgson told the <em>Telegraph </em>that the monarch prefers hers well-buttered with cucumbers and pepper.</p> <p dir="ltr">Aside from sandwiches, McGrady has shared more insights into Her Majesty’s dining habits, including her insistence on having afternoon tea no matter where in the world she happens to be.</p> <p dir="ltr">The chef recalled one particular instance when he flew to Australia and settled aboard a royal yacht at 5am local time, which was five in the afternoon for the Queen - meaning his first task was to make scones.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In terms of scones - one day plain and one day with raisins folded through,” he said of the Queen’s usual afternoon tea spread.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Also, tiny pastries like raspberry tartlets and a cut cake, honey and cream sponge, fruit cake, banana bread, or her favourite chocolate biscuit cake.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-173e3f25-7fff-7124-bfda-aae4a4b6d2c9"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“It would all be washed down with a delightful steaming hot cup of Earl Grey tea.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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How to store these 11 super perishable foods

<p><strong>Fresh herbs</strong></p> <p>Green, leafy herbs like parsley, coriander and basil tend to go off quickly. To extend their freshness, trim off the bottoms of the stems, place them in a glass of water, and drape a plastic bag or plastic wrap over the tops. With the exception of basil (which should be left on the counter), you can keep fresh herbs this way in the fridge and they’ll stay fresh for 2 to 3 weeks!</p> <p><strong>Berries</strong></p> <p><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Berries are also quick to take a turn for the worse. Mould seems to pop up overnight. To keep them fresh longer, make sure they’re completely dry and store them, unwashed, in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator in a container lined with paper towels. This will keep the moisture away and keep them tasty for 5 to 7 days.</span></p> <p><strong>Bread</strong></p> <p>Just baked a loaf of homemade bread? You have two good options for keeping bread fresh, depending on the type: store a crusty loaf unwrapped at room temperature, then once it’s sliced, place it in a closed paper bag. For a soft-crust loaf, keep it in an airtight plastic bag and stored at room temperature. Bread is one product that does not thrive in the refrigerator!</p> <p><strong>Bananas </strong></p> <p>Bananas can turn brown and speckled in the blink of an eye, and that’s good news if you’re planning to make a banana cake or banana smoothie. If those aren’t on your to-do list, pull them apart and wrap the stems tightly in plastic wrap. This helps reduce the amount of ethylene gas emitted, which slows the ripening process.</p> <p><strong>Mushrooms </strong></p> <p>Nobody likes slimy mushrooms, so unless they’re pre-packaged (in which case, leave them alone), be sure to store them, unwashed, in a paper bag. The paper allows air to circulate and will also absorb any moisture that forms. This will ultimately slow down their decay and keep them fresh for up to one week.</p> <p><strong>Cheese</strong></p> <p>Though cheese isn’t as quick to spoil as fresh produce, it can still become a hotbed for mould. To keep it free from fungus for as long as possible, wrap it in wax or parchment paper, then put it in a partially sealed plastic bag or container. To keep the outer layer from getting hard and crusty, add a thin layer of butter or oil to the cut side before storing it.</p> <p><strong>Celery</strong></p> <p>Is anything as unappealing as rubbery celery? To keep your stalks crisp, separate, wash and dry them, then wrap them tightly in aluminium foil. Storing them this way will keep the air out but the moisture in, and that pesky ethylene gas will still be able to escape (plastic bags just trap it in).</p> <p><strong>Leafy Greens</strong></p> <p>Leafy greens are notorious for wilting quickly. To combat this and prolong their freshness, line your crisper drawer with paper towels or store the leaves in a ziplock bag with paper towels. Moisture is what causes the leaves to lose their crisp texture, so be sure to replace the towels as needed.</p> <p><strong>Tomatoes</strong></p> <p>There has been a bit of debate about how best to store tomatoes. Perfectly ripe tomatoes should be kept on the counter away from direct sunlight, not touching one another, with the stem side down. Tomatoes that are super ripe should be stored in the refrigerator (but let them come to room temperature before eating them for the best flavour).</p> <p><strong>Milk </strong></p> <p>Though the shelf-life of milk is fairly lengthy, there is still something you can do to keep it fresh longer. Simply add a pinch of salt to the jug or carton, and this will allow you to enjoy your milk for up to two weeks past its expiration date!</p> <p>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/how-to-store-these-11-super-perishable-foods" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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The scientific way to split your Oreos

<p>How do you eat your Oreos?</p> <p>Perhaps you twist the top layer, separating the cookie into two parts, and then eat them one by one. Alternatively, do you dunk the biscuit into milk to soften it just the right amount? Or maybe you just shove the entire thing in your mouth, all for efficiency of course.</p> <p>Snacking on an Oreo while testing its mechanical properties in the lab is apparently a legitimate methodology of research, according to a team of <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/physics/yeast-free-pizza-dough-fluid-dynamics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rheologists </a>– physicists who study complex fluids – from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.</p> <p>In a cookie-breaking <a href="https://aip.scitation.org/doi/full/10.1063/5.0085362" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new study</a>, the authors have introduced an emerging field called “Oreology”, derived from the Nabisco Oreo for cookie and the Greek rheo logia for “flow study”. It’s the study of the flow and fracture of sandwich cookies and the research has been published in the journal Physics of Fluids.</p> <p>Oreo creme is a member of the class of flowable soft solids known as “yield stress fluids,” which are fluids that act as soft solids when undisturbed and only flow under a sufficiently large amount of applied stress.</p> <p>The researchers characterised the flow and fracture of Oreos, finding that the creme – which they’ve found is “mushy” in rheological texture – tends to stick to just one side of the cookie.</p> <p>“Rheology can be used to measure the texture of food depending on the failure stresses and strains,” says first author Crystal Owens, a graduate student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at MIT. “We were able to characterise Oreo creme as quantitatively mushy.”</p> <p>The team used a laboratory rheometer – an instrument which characterises the flow of a substance in response to forces – to measure the fail mechanics of an Oreo’s filling. The rheometer fixed one side of the cookie in place and carefully twisted the other until the filling failed and the cookie broke apart, after which the amount of creme on each wafer could be determined by visual inspection.</p> <p>“I had in my mind that if you twist the Oreos perfectly, you should split the creme perfectly in the middle,” says Owens. “But what actually happens is the creme almost always comes off of one side.”</p> <p>In fact, nearly all of the creme (95%) remained on just one of the biscuits after breaking, and it seems that the production process is the likely cause. Within the boxes tested, 80% of cookies had creme–heavy sides oriented uniformly in one direction, rather than 50% as would be expected from random chance.</p> <p>In a thorough investigation of this phenomenon, the rheologists also tested the influence of rotation rate, amount of creme, and flavour on the post-mortem creme distribution.</p> <p>After being dipped in milk, the Oreos degraded quickly, crumbling after about 60 seconds. Flavour and filling seemed to have little effect on the cookie mechanics but breaking the cookies apart cleanly did depend on the rotation rate.</p> <p>“If you try to twist the Oreos faster, it will actually take more strain and more stress to break them,” Owens advises. “So, maybe this is a lesson for people who are stressed and desperate to open their cookies.</p> <p>“It’ll be easier if you do it a little bit slower.”</p> <p>The team encourages further contributions to this emerging field of study but acknowledges the fact that a laboratory rheometer is not widely accessible.</p> <p>But the researchers have come up with a way to overcome this hurdle, thanks to a design for an open–source 3D–printed “Oreometer” – a rheometer specially made for twisting Oreos – for use in higher-precision home studies.</p> <p>Powered by rubber bands and coins, the team hopes to encourage educators and Oreo enthusiasts to continue studying the cookies and learning about rheology.</p> <p>“One of the main things we can do with the Oreometer is develop an at-home education and self-discovery plan, where you teach people about basic fluid properties like shear strain and stress,” concludes author Max Fan, an undergraduate student at MIT.</p> <p>This article originally appeared in <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/science/engineering/fluid-physics-twisting-oreo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a>. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Life Savers celebrates a century with new range of treats

<p dir="ltr">Shoppers across the country are in for a treat, with a brand new range from one of Australia’s favourite lolly brands hitting the shelves.</p> <p dir="ltr">Life Savers, the star of many an Aussie childhood, is celebrating its 100th birthday with a new selection of confectionaries and chocolate treats.</p> <p dir="ltr">Those who enjoy a tingly kick can try the new Life Savers STIX Sherbert Fizz, featuring soft and tangy raspberry or green apple flavoured tubes with a fizzy sherbet centre.</p> <p dir="ltr">There’s also the Life Savers STIX Mixed Sherbert Fizz with green apple, raspberry and tropical flavoured tubes.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Joining the party and sweetening the deal are the new Life Savers 5 Flavours Jelly Beans with the classic five flavours that have stood the test of time, including juicy raspberry, pineapple, orange, watermelon, and blackcurrant flavour — and the Life Savers Gummy Rings Duo,” Aimee Cutajar, senior marketing manager at Life Savers said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And it doesn’t stop here. Also joining the Life Savers family on shelves nationwide are Life Savers Blackcurrant Pastilles, Fruit Pastilles Bags, Fruit Tingles Bags and Fruit Tingles Chocolate Balls.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Cutajar said for those who prefer to indulge in something creamy and smooth, Life Savers has reinvented its classic Fruit Tingles with the new Life Savers Fruit Tingles &amp; Raspberry Jellies Milk Chocolate Block.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Made with creamy Darrell Lea Milk Chocolate, this new kid around the block is jam packed with soft, chewy raspberry jellies, alongside crunchy and tingling Fruit Tingles. The new block is guaranteed 100 per cent palm oil-free and all chocolate is made using 100 per cent sustainably sourced cocoa.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-847ecf4c-7fff-ea86-ff99-7eeea7dd801b"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Cutajar confirmed there won’t be any changes to the traditional Life Savers range.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: News.com.au</em></p>

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