Foodies In The News

[Pepper Pig]

I would love this. https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/f ... ant-review

[Pepper Pig]

Felicity compares supermarket chicken soup.

https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter/2 ... table-soup

[Suffs]

I’m glad Jay didn’t leave us without this warning and
I’m glad he enjoyed the icecream next door … it’s just a shame he had to suffer the Gilgamesh experience again.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/f ... ant-review

[Earthmaiden]

[Pepper Pig]

What’s trendy in 2025.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/f ... -food-2025

I am officially very old.

[Stokey Sue]

Me too, but I fancy going back to Chez Bruce again, and to Mauby for the first time

[Pepper Pig]

Tea drinking. https://www.theguardian.com/science/202 ... ater-study

[Suffs]

I read that and I’m a bit puzzled … if the tea removed the metals where fo they go?! Can SSue explain that simply to the non-scientists perhaps?

[Earthmaiden]

I wondered that but didn't like to ask! Some kind of alchemy?

[Stokey Sue]

I assumed the metal ions stick to the tea leaves - and although I can't read the food science paper in full (locked) that's what it says in the abstract (summary) "an efficient sorbent". Like using egg white to clear broth, but on an atomic scale. So don't eat the tea leaves

A 15% reduction didn't seem a lot but I suppose if that adds up to a more than 10% reduction in your lifetime load that could be significant

Tea also adds fluoride to the water

[Suffs]

Thank you SSue … that’s helpful .

[Badger's Mate]

Tea drinking is considered counterproductive for the body’s absorption of metals like iron, too - not just the bad stuff. I assume that something in tea, probably tannins, binds to the metal ions and prevents uptake of iron in the gut. In a broadly similar way, calcium produces insoluble salts with fatty acids reducing fat uptake in the gut.

[Stokey Sue]

Tea drinking is considered counterproductive for the body’s absorption of metals like iron, too - not just the bad stuff. I assume that something in tea, probably tannins, binds to the metal ions and prevents uptake of iron in the gut. In a broadly similar way, calcium produces insoluble salts with fatty acids reducing fat uptake in the gut.

Yes I think two different things, the tannins and polyphenols from tea chelate the metals in the gut contents (chelation is like loosely attaching something to the metal, approximately) The chelated metal doesn't cross the gut wall into the blood stream. But the paper the Guardian refers measured the actual concentration of metal in the liquid part of the tea, so can only have gone into the leaves. Chelated metals are still there, just not doing anything interesting.

[miss mouse]

Tea also adds fluoride to the water

Does it? I didn't know that. Is it a meaningful amount?

[Stokey Sue]

Tea also adds fluoride to the water

Does it? I didn't know that. Is it a meaningful amount?

It must be tiny, but might be significant in a lifetime of dedicated tea swilling I suppose
without fact checking, I think I remember all camellias pick up fluoride from soil

[miss mouse]

Thanks

It must be tiny, but might be significant in a lifetime of dedicated tea swilling I suppose
without fact checking, I think I remember all camellias pick up fluoride from soil

Only if you are personally curious, not for me, my crumbling tombstones are beyond salvage I fear.

[Stokey Sue]

Mine aren't crumbling too badly for my age, and I seldom drink tea, but a dentist pointed out that my intake of carotenoid supplements (the orange dyes from marigolds mainly) to help my fading sight is colouring my teeth orange, like some rodents particularly beaver & capybara. oops.

[miss mouse]

Oh dear. That a difficult one, teeth or eyes, eyes win outright for me. Pretend it's a fashion statement and co-ordinate gloves and scarves with teeth, it could be new street-fashion.

[Stokey Sue]

Eyes definitely winning, Sensodyne whitening toothpaste seems to help a bit

[Pepper Pig]

Now here’s an idea. Chinese foodies pose as mourners to try funeral home's noodles https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjry8zz8yego