If you don’t want your pet anymore, eat it your lions

The Aalborg Zoo, in Northern Denmark, has launched an unusual and controversial call on their social networks: asks the owners of domestic animals to donate them as food for predators of the enclosure, such as European lynx, lions, tigers and African wild dogs. The proposal, Posted on your Facebook pagehas generated an intense debate in both Denmark and internationally. Is it a practice consistent with nature? Or is it an unacceptable cost of pets? What exactly ask for? The process is regulated and explained in detail in The Zoo’s own website. Anyone can donate up to four small animals – as rabbits, chickens or guinea pigs. In the case of horses, specific requirements are required: the animal must have a passport, not having received medication and going through a previous evaluation. It is also indicated that there could be waiting list, since the zoo needs vary during the year. Nowhere do they talk about dogs or cats. In fact, they have nuanced that all animals are “soft” euthanized by trained personnel, and are then used as food. As they have clarified in the Facebook post: “In this way, nothing is wasted, and we ensure the natural behavior, nutrition and well -being of our predators.” Is there no other method? As explained from the institution, the initiative seeks to recreate a food chain as close as possible to nature. The Zoo Deputy Director, Pia Nielsen, has declared The Guardian: “When raising carnivores, it is necessary to provide meat, preferably with hair, bones … to have a diet as natural as possible.” The case of the European lynx is especially illustrative: this species requires entire dams, as similar as possible to those that would hunt. Therefore, the zoo justifies that this type of food favors its well -being, stimulates natural behaviors and prevents the use of processed or frozen meats. As has detailed in Euronews The scientific head of the zoo, Anette Sofie Warncke Nutzhorn: “We have always done it, and we see it as something very natural. We prefer this to bury animals and waste the meat.” And an inevitable question. Is it legal to donate live animals to be used as food? The answer is yes, it is legal in Denmark under certain conditions. The 2013 Animal Welfare Law It requires that animals should be treated with respect, with adequate conditions of care and without suffering unnecessary pain. In this context, the sacrifice of animals donated to the zoo is allowed if it is ethically justified and carried out by professionals. In addition, Denmark counts With a B rating in the animal protection index of World Animal Protectionwhich means that it has moderately strong legislation regarding the rights and well -being of animals. In contrast, in countries such as Spain or Germany this practice would be hardly socially accepted, although not always illegal, depending on the destination of the animal and the sacrifice process. The controversy explodes. The Facebook publication caused an avalanche of reactions. Some users considered it a “sickly” proposal or a “terrible trend of indifference with animals.” However, others defended it firmly, arguing that it is better for animals to serve to feed others instead of being buried or discarded. It should be noted that a user wrote sarcastically in the comments: “What if you have tired of some of your children these holidays?” To which the zoo responded with humor: “Your children are very welcome in the zoo, but not as food … here we only accept animals with feathers or skin” On the other hand, some people shared their positive experiences. A woman, Signe Flyvholm, He has commented to New York Times who thought of donating her horse to the zoo: “She could make a difference being used as food.” However, due to its size, it ended up donating it to an organization that made it biofuel and fertilizer. It is not the first time. As Euronews has pointed outrecalls the known case occurred in 2014, when the Copenhagen Zoological Euthanasio to a healthy giraffe called Marius, whose genetics was already overrepresented. The animal was then publicly dissected and fed to the lions. Shortly after, four lions were also sacrificed to avoid territorial conflicts. Just a year ago, a zoo in Nuremberg, Germany, caused another scandal by sacrificing 12 healthy baboons for lack of space and feeding the lions, in front of the public. Activists protested even chaining the tickets. Does the end justify the media? The case of the Aalborg Zoo opens a complex and urgent issue on the limits between animal welfare, ecological ethics and human sensitivity. Is it more respectful to allow a dead animal to feed another? Or is it an unjustifiable reification of domestic animals? The practice may seem brutal in the eyes of many, but reflects a logic consistent with biology and wildlife management in captivity. Even so, it is not exempt from controversy, especially when what is put into play are pets, animals traditionally loved by people. Be that as it may, the debate is open. And the Aalborg Zoo, voluntarily or involuntarily, has revealed a moral fracture that divides not only Denmark, but the entire world. Image | Unspash and Unspash Xataka | If Spain believes that velutinas are a problem is because it does not know what the US has found: radioactive wasps

There are people freezing mandarins and clementines to eat them later as a “ice cream”

In one of the many viral videos that can be making a Scroll Fast in social networks, a young woman a frozen cucumber is passed by the face with the solemnity of who applies a luxury mask. It seems absurd, but the clip accumulates thousands of “like.” It is not an isolated case: in networks, frozen foods have become homemade cosmetics, visual snacks and even summer rituals. This year, a new trend makes its way with force: freezing fruits, and especially Clementines. The goal is not to keep them for later, but enjoy them in their most refreshing and surprising version. A citrus explosion. The phenomenon, baptized by some like the “Frozen Clementine Hack”, became popular after the video by creator Hannah Rose, who already exceeds 10 million views on Instagram. The procedure is simple: freezing clementines, passing them under hot water for a few seconds and cutting them in half. The result is small frozen segments that easily detach from the skin, ready to eat as if they were natural jelly. As They have detailed in a Food & Wine reportattractiveness goes beyond flavor: crunchy texture, the sound when bite and the star pattern that appears when cutting the fruit contributes to a complete sensory experience, ideal for sharing in networks. Is it another posture sample? Beyond the visual impact, the truth is that there is a logic behind this viral gesture. Fruit fruits is not new, but some lend themselves better than others. Clementines, for example, have less free water than other fruits, which reduces the risk of large ice crystals that break its structure. According to My partner explained in this media“The more water a food has, the more its structure is altered when freezing.” Hence, the defrosted lettuce is soft and watery, while small and firm fruits such as mandarins, or starch vegetables such as peas, support the process much better. Is it healthy? In principle, freezing clementines is perfectly safe and healthy, provided that minimal precautions are followed. The ideal is to consume them directly frozen or fresh from the cold, avoiding leaving them at room temperature too long. At a nutritional level, most important compounds – fibra, minerals, proteins and fat -soluble vitamins – remain stable in the freezer. Yes indeed, As we have explained in this mediumsome hydrosoluble vitamins such as C can decrease during the defrosting process. In other words: it is not a miraculous way of consuming fruit, but it does not have relevant inconveniences. And if that helps more people eat fruit in summer, maybe I have already fulfilled its purpose. Opening the door to other fruits. As they have pointed out In Food & Winefrozen grapes, for example, They have been a typical snack for some time In summer. The mango in Frozen cubes It is ideal for soft milkshakes or ice cream. And the watermelon, although it is not recommended to defrost to eat raw, it works well if it is consumed directly crushed as graniza. The summer fruit. What began as one more curiosity in Tiktok has ended up consolidating itself as a summer habit with some scientific support. Beyond the filter and the sound effect, freezing fruit – especially the one that tolerates it well – can be an accessible and attractive way of maintaining healthy habits even In full heat wave. Image | Instagram and Unspash Xataka | Solving the big question that always arises when we freeze food: whether it loses nutrients or not

How to use artificial intelligence to know the calories and nutritional values of what you eat

Life is not made to count calories, but if you want to have greater control of what you eat the artificial intelligence It can help you. For that, let’s tell you How to look at the calories other data of what you eat Using artificial intelligence, so that you can have more information and consciousness. We are going to start with a series of prior tips to be able to do this, so that you can also understand The limitations of AI To count calories. Then we will tell you two ways to proceed, using conventional artificial intelligence chatbots or specific applications. Before starting, some notes Both the generals and the specialists in the task of giving you the nutritional value of an element will use the photo of what you have sent, they will recognize the food or the dish that appears, and will make an estimate of their calories or the information you ask. Here, you should know that The information will not be accurate when you teach something cookedsomething that is not a commercial product. In these cases it will recognize what it is, and will tell you an estimate of its nutritional data and calories based on the ingredients that it usually has or in which he recognizes inside the photo. But there may always be variations, and cannot calculate how much of each thing you have thrown, that is, it is not something precise. The simpler the dish you teach more precision. For example, it is not the same to teach you a paella as a loin and cheese snack, because in the second case the approximate ingredients and proportions of each are clearer, so they will adjust the level more. A trained for this will always have more precision than the generals. Therefore, it may be interesting to lower an app created for this function or Use accessories for general AIsuch as Chatgpt GPT or the Gemini Gemstrained versions for concrete functions of these AI. Accuracy will improve a lot When asked about commercial productsby a product with supermarket with brand and label that the AI can recognize, and from which it can extract the official nutritional information of the Internet. Finally, In all cases you can ask about specific ingredients At an informative level, or to know if it contains something that may affect some disease or intolerance you have. You will only have to ask him next to the photo or after asking him the first question about that product. Food information with generative We are going to start telling you how you can look at the calories and information of what you eat using a generative AI such as Chatgpt, COPILOT, Gemini or similar ones. Using these apps that have already entered our day to day, you will save and register in others, but The information will be less accurate And there may be more mistakes, since they have not been specifically trained for this. We will use chatgpt in the example, but you can use another. All you have to do is Send a photo of the food asking you to tell you the calories and nutritional information in a Prompt. Something like “Tell me how many calories this also has its nutritional value”. You can also ask for other data that you consider. If you do it with a handmade food, The AI will identify what the typical ingredients will be and consider that the recipe usually has. And when you do, you will tell you the information of this dish that you have taught. Of course, it will not be the information of what you have taught exactly, but of a portion of what this dish usually has. It will also notify you of the factors that may vary. When asked about simpler things, like a snack where all ingredients are clearly seen, then precision will increase. You can even ask for several things at once that appear in a photo, and will give you a nutritional value of the complete ration. Of course, then you can reject you to tell you that of one of the concrete elements. When they are products Packaged, out -of -processed and/or with a visible brandthen the AI is easier to identify what is exactly, and search the Internet what are the ingredients and the complete nutritional value of that. And as we have told you, you can also search GPTS of ChatgPT or Gemini Gems specialized in detecting food composition and value in order to have more reliable information. Use nutritional apps with AI There are nutritional applications that use artificial intelligence, such as Healthify, Snapcalorie or the Chilean Otter. These applications seek to help you make weekly planning or diet, analyzing and adding the calories of what you eat throughout the day. Its operation is simple, and first you have to configure your data as age, sex, height and weight, and say what your goals are. Depending on your goals, you will make a plan of the calories that you must eat during the day, and for each meal you will upload photos of what you eat. When you do, the calories of what you have ever eating will be added And it helps you visualize what you eat more. In each of the meals, you can add what you eat drawing a photo or adding one that you have In your gallery. Some apps will ask you to describe what it is to have a better idea. Then, the internal AI of these apps will analyze what it is and will tell you how many calories it has, adding it to what you have eaten that day. In Xataka Basics | 22 useful and not so well -known free artificial intelligence tools

is to eat more fiber and experts are nothing against

For years, the fiber was that forgotten ingredient, relegated to the reverse of cereal boxes and the boring advice of “eats more fruits and vegetables.” No one could imagine that, with the passage of time and thanks to social networks, it would become something Aesthetic, even with its own hashtag: #Fibermaxxing. And best of all: nutritionists not only do not criticize it, but give it the approval with enthusiasm. A unique phenomenon. As is usually the case with viral trends, it all started with short, apparently innocent videos, but caught the attention of thousands (and then millions) of people. In a New York Times report They have explained That the driver of the movement was the creator of Pamela Corral content, known as @impamibaby. In one of his most popular videos, with more than 10 million visualizationsappears showing his favorite breakfast: a chia pudding full of red fruits and seeds. And although the video seems like a Chia ad, the scientific community does not deny it but supports it. Fibermaxxing. The term is not a doctor, but as the dietitian Kara Landau explains In statements to Healthlineit is a practice consisting of consciously and constantly adding more fiber in each meal or snack of the day. That is, it is not about stopping eating something, but about adding more foods rich in fiber to what we already eat. The objectives are several: improve digestion, feed the intestinal microbiota, balance hormones, control appetite and, incidentally, reduce risks of diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol or even certain types of cancer, According to Women’s Health. There are no miracles here. This new viral trend pushes more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and seeds. As Sara Riehm explains, dietitian from Orlando Health Center for Health Improvement, In Women’s Health: “It is a change of mentality that goes from abundance restriction.” Instead of eliminating food, it’s about adding good. Of course, like They have warned Several experts in Healthline, it is essential to increase the fiber little by little and drink enough water to avoid digestive problems such as swelling or gases. However, not everyone can launch at 38 grams daily without consequences: people with irritable intestine syndrome (SII), bacterial overgrowth (Sibo) or inflammatory intestinal diseases should consult a specialist before. One more fashion? Unlike other viral fashions, fibermaxxing has scientific support. As He has collected The Guardian, a study published in 2019 confirmed that a fiber -rich diet can reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases between 16% and 24%. In addition, adding only 7 grams a day (for example, half a boat of beans) can already make a difference. Even from clinical medicine, such as points Dr. Mir Ali in Women’s Health, it is recognized that the fiber “helps maintain a healthy intestinal flora, regulates metabolism and controls hormonal levels.” The attractiveness of fibermaxxing is that it is not part of the obsession with weight loss or aesthetics, but of digestive and metabolic well -being. Not every fiber is the same. Fiber is not a single nutrient, but a set. There are two key types: the soluble, which forms a kind of gel in the digestive system and contributes to the control of cholesterol and glucose (present in foods such as oats or banana), and insoluble, which adds volume to feces and favors a regular intestinal transit. The latter abounds in vegetables such as broccoli, nuts or whole wheat flours. As They have detailed In May Clinic, the important thing is not only the amount of grams, but the diversity of sources. The more variety of vegetables, fruits, legumes and cereals we consume, the better our intestinal microbiota will feed. An isolated fashion? Not quite. In recent months we have seen other nutritional microtende that are also born in social networks and end up awakening the interest of science. This is the case of strange cult of resistant starcha practice that consists of cooling foods such as rice or cooked potatoes to change its molecular structure and reduce its glycemic impact. It has also sneaked into the supermarket shelves The so -called clear protein: drinks that look like flavored water, drink like a soda and provide proteins like a shake. Light, instagrammeable and functional, is the new object of desire for those who seek more than a simple snack between meals. A commitment to digestive health. In short, all trends share something in common: it is no longer just about thinning, but about optimizing health from a functional, shared and, why not, visually appealing. Networks not only dictate what we eat: they are redefining the concept of well -being. Image | Unspash Xataka | “Men have a hard time asking for help because they feel that makes them weak.”

The Spaniards eat less and less fish. So the fishmongers are recycling their product … for pets

In Spain we eat less fish. Much less. And we have more pets. Many more. Life fishmongers are not alien to one or another trend, so they have decided to do A movement quite logical: to make a place in the lucrative, promising and above all growing business of food for pets. After all, if they have already done the large supermarket chains, why can’t your neighborhood fish do? The logic is simple: that the place where you buy fish for you, for your children, couple and other family is also the place where you buy it for your hairy. What happened? That Fedepescathe Spanish Federation that represents businesses dedicated to the sale of fishing products, has just released an original campaign. Original and expected. Monday, during an act held in MadridThe organization presented a campaign to encourage its clients not to take home food for them or their family. He wants them to do it also for their pets. In fact, slogan cannot be clearer: “In the fish market there is also food for your hairy compi!” Fedepesca campaign poster. “For the whole family”. The strategy is well cooked. If the fishmongers are reliable businesses in which to acquire fresh, seafood and frozen fish, why were they also going to be to buy pet packaged foods that fish has as “protagonist ingredient”? Fedepesca itself remember which is something that supermarkets have been doing and would allow traditional fishmongers to become points of sale for “the whole family.” “The initiative aims emphasize. According to EFEAGROthe Federation has begun to introduce packaging food for pets in Madrid by the hand of a wholesaler and there are associations of Seville and Catalonia interested in following their steps. In total Fedepesca brings together near 6.2000 businesses. Reinvent or die. The movement is curious, but not surprising. Although Spain is a country with thousands of kilometers Of coast and a gastronomy linked to the sea, the fishmongers are finding that we eat less and less fish. The Last data The government shows that between April 2024 and last March the consumption of marine products fell 2.7%, a percentage that rises to 4.3% if we speak only of fish. And it is not a timely drop. In 2003 the annual per capita consumption of products related to fishing touched the 27.8 kilosfact that in 2009 even reached touch the 30 kg. In 2023 that indicator had descended until 18.9 And last year he got off 18a negative trend that has no signs of changing in view of the balance of recent months. Given this scenario, fishmongers have opted for new business roads, such as home shipments and Sale of algae… or pet food. More pets. The panorama is very different if we talk about company animals. In fact there are calculations that show your census overcomes to children. Although The data They must be handled cautiously are demolving: a few months ago The country He made a survey Between veterinary schools and concluded that in Spain there are 9.3 million dogs and 1.6 million censored cats. In total 10.8 registered pets. Leaving aside that there are many other species that are used as company animals, the data far exceeds the number of minors registered by the INE. ANFAC, the association that brings together pet food manufacturers, assures That in Spain there are more than 30 million pets, of which about 9.3 are dogs and 5.8 felines. Differences can be explained because not all animals have chip. And an appetizing business. These figures translate into something else: business. More more pets is the market focused on its food and care. ANFAC calculates that the sales volume went from 561,305 tons in 2023 to 573,210 in 2024. And that reflects only the weight. The rise is greater if we talk about billing. Fortune Business INSGIGHT esteem That the world market for pet care reached 259,370 million dollars in 2024 and its forecasts are of clear growth. Their estimates pass through that this year the 273,420 million are already in the beginning of the next decade, the 428,000 million are rubbed. Images | Anusha Barwa (UNSPLASH), Grupo Eroski S.Coop (Flickr) and Fedepesca In Xataka | In Spain there are less and fewer children, so the ice cream industry has launched for a more buoyant market: dogs

What to do with half a million dogs that can no longer eat

It happened in January 2024. In a society that changes to the vertiginous rhythm, the youth of South Korea had long been reluctant to a menu that was part of the culture of the nation for centuries: the Dog meat. Then there was a change of legislation, the “Menu with dogs” was prohibited, pursuing the practice With three years in jail. The problem is now numerical: what to do with half a million dogs. Force extinction. I told it in an extensive BBC report. The national prohibition of the consumption of dog meat in South Korea, approved in 2024 and whose implementation will culminate in February 2027, has plunged thousands of farmers in uncertainty and despair. During generations, the breeding of meat dogs was a source of legitimate income and, for some, even honorable. The historical decision of South Korea to ban the sale of dog meat in 2024 marked a point of cultural inflection after centuries of tradition culinary that included dishes such as The Bosintanga soup appreciated for its supposed vigorizing properties. Half a million. Today, however, figures such as Reverend Joo Yeong-Bong (religious leader and president of the Korean Association of Edible Dogs) describe a unsustainable situation: Merchants have disappeared, debts accumulate and the means to subsist fade. Not just that. The Times told That many farmers have hundreds of animals that can no longer sell, dogs whose relocation is complex or directly impossible. The government has offered compensation for Up to 600,000 Wones by dog ​​to those who close their farms before the term, but the measure is perceived as insufficient and poorly structured in front of an industry that still has about 500,000 animals in captivity. An ethical and political storm. The apparent victory of the animalist movement has uncovered a anguishing paradox: Dogs saved from the slaughterhouse could end up being sacrificed anyway due to lack of alternatives. Most of these animals are large, selected for their weight and commercial value, but considered Little suitable for adoption In an urbanized society where the small apartments. Plus: Many belong or are crossed with the Tosa-Inu breedcataloged as dangerous and subject to strict regulation. And if that were not enough, the shelter saturationthe lack of logistics resources and the social stigma that the dogs raised for consumption drag. Although the government ensures that euthanasia is not part of the plan, even leaders of animal welfare associations have admitted that many dogs They will end up being sacrificed. Activists such as Lee Sangkyung, from Humane World for Animals KoreaThey denounce that neither the State nor civil organizations were prepared to absorb the consequences of their own triumph. Partial solutions. Some isolated cases, such as R200 dogs escate In Asan and its shipment to Canada and the United States, they show that international adoption can be an exhaust valve, although limited. He stood out The BBC that testimonies such as former Yang Jong-Tae They reveal an emotional transformation: seeing how rescuers treated dogs with human dignity to him deeply, despite continuing to oppose the veto. For him, as for many in his guild, dog meat is not morally different to that of cow or pork. However, experts like Chun Myung-Sun point out that the consumption of canine meat entails health risks Superiors for not being integrated into the regulated meat system of the country. Although dog meat is still consumed in countries such as China, Vietnam or parts of Africa, in South Korea it has become more and more taboo. In 2024, only 8 % of citizens claimed to have tried it in the last year, compared to 27 % in 2015. From the announcement of the veto, more than 600 of the 1,537 farms They have closed. Ruin and generational emptiness. In addition, cultural progress brings with it a painful social invoice. The Times told that many breeders, especially the elderly, have resigned their future To poverty. Born in times of hunger and war, they say they can survive without income. However, young people in the sector face a much more gloomy reality: indebted, without buyers or clear job exit, and trapped in an activity condemned by law. Cases Like Chan-Wooa 33 -year -old farmer with 600 dogs and all its invested capital, describe the feeling of helplessness when seeing that neither the government nor the animalist organizations have offered them real solutions. Its history illustrates the clash between a moral system in transformation and an informal economy left on the sidelines. What began as a fight for animal compassion now runs the risk of translating A humanitarian disaster unnoticed. The invisible cost. The South Korean government currently invests some 4.3 million dollars Annual in expanding shelters and supporting private facilities, but still lacks a solid plan for the “disposition” of dogs. Animal defenders have relocated thousands since 2015, but warn that they cannot absorb The current volume. The farmers, on the other hand, cry out for an extension of the grace period, although some fear that it is not enough. Joo Yeong-Bong He warned That if a sustainable way is not found to solve the fate of dogs and humans trapped in this forced transition, the consequences in 2027 could be tragic. Thus, while the Fex prohibition From dog in South Korea can represent a moral milestone for the vast majority, it also exposes the ethical, economic and social dilemmas that arise after the approval of the law. Image | Pexels In Xataka | South Korea has eaten dogs for centuries. From now on, this practice will pursue with three years in jail In Xataka | South Korea plans to ban dog meat. So the “farmers” threaten to release two million in Seoul

measure exactly the time they eat, according to scientists

Overweight is no longer an exclusive problem of adults or an isolated issue in childhood. Between improvised lunches and late dinners a serious problem is emerging. To follow the current inertia, a study Posted in The Lancet He has warned that Spain could be placed as the fourth country in the world with the highest prevalence of childhood obesity in 2050. And the answer is not only in what is eaten, but when. Looking beyond the plate. For decades, the nutritional debate focused on calories, Fats, sugars and Tags. But a key question had been out of radar: does the time it is eaten? Here the discipline of the Chrononutrition. This discipline analyzes how food schedules can directly influence our health. More technically, it is about biological watches (adjusted by factors such as light, sleep, physical activity and food) are closely linked to metabolism through the so -called circadian rhythms. Therefore, dinner late, that in Spain it is a usual tonic, it could be taking its toll. Not only does digestion hinder: it can also imbue metabolism, make insulin work worse and, over time, favor overweight, even if the dish seems healthy. Under that premise. A group of researchers from the valuenut project, from the Complutense University of Madrid, It was proposed to respond to that theorybut focusing on the little ones. To do this, they gathered 880 schoolchildren between 8 and 13 years old, from five Spanish provinces: A Coruña, Barcelona, ​​Madrid, Seville and Valencia. The goal was not just to know what children ate, but also what time they did. The study focused on three concrete aspects: breakfast, dinner and the “food window”. This little known concept refers to the time between the first meal of the day and the last to know how daily intake is distributed. The criteria? They considered late breakfast that occurs after 8:53 am, and late dinner that is taken from 9:10 p.m. If the difference between the two exceeded 12 hours, there was talk of a prolonged food window. The results. Unlike what They have suggested Some studies in adults, in this case there was no direct relationship between eating late or lengthening too much time between the first and last meal of the day, and neither was a greater risk of obesity in the children analyzed. However, the metabolism did give signals of change, such as the schoolchildren who had breakfast later presented lower levels of glucose and LDL cholesterol (the one known as “bad”), and higher in HDL (the “good”). A fact that revealed the thread that had to be thrown away. There was the pattern. When the late dinners or very prolonged food windows were analyzed, a different pattern emerged: the quality of the diet got worse. Less planned meals, more improvised and with less nutritional value. On the other hand, it was also given that there were children who ate the days for more hours, that is, with a longer window. These showed unavailable values ​​at glucose and cholesterol level and indices to develop cardiovascular diseases in the future. But there is more. And to this equation an additional factor was added: the dream. The study revealed that 60 % of these children also slept less hours, which could further enhance the negative effects on their metabolism. Less rest, more mismatch in food schedules and a lower quality diet: a silent, but potentially harmful cocktail. Synchronizing times. In the light of the results, the researchers launch a clear message: it is not enough to eat well, you also have to eat on time. From the study itself has clarified that the recommendation is to shorten the daily window, that is, that all meals are concentrated in a period of less than 12 hours. Of course, in the case of Spain, where late dinners are deeply rooted to culture, so the challenge is not less. However, if you want to stop childhood obesity, the “when” must occupy a place as relevant as the “what” and “how much”. The research also raises new lines of work: what role does the child’s chronotype play? What happens if this data is combined with sleep quality? What if it is also taught to better plan meals? Understanding how the internal clock works from childhood can be key to preventing this problem from growing with them. Image | Pavel Danilyuk Xataka | Mexico has given an ultimatum to schools: they have six months to throw all the “junk” food of the menus

“Ready to eat” are sweeping supermarkets. It is because we no longer buy products, we buy time

Juan Roig He said it And half Spain was thrown on him: “In the middle of the 21st century there will be no kitchens.” Discussing whether it was a prophecy or a simple interested provocation, eight million Spaniards were already giving him right. Those who were buying prepared dishes, according to someone so little suspicious of having an interest like the EFE agency. Not that Roig is a visionary guru, he was simply reading the data that others wanted to ignore. The numbers speak for themselves: the consumption of dishes “ready to eat” bought in supermarkets (or in that genius of Naming‘Merchants’) It has grown 48% in just two years. Mercadona has this section In 1,260 storesbut Lidl also launched its own rangeAlcampo sells Up to 200 different dishes according to the store and Day has 180 products like this. Even Ikea has climbed to that car: to sell, more than ingredients, solutions. AND We are not talking about junk food or commitment solutionslike those packaged potato tortillas that made Belcebú cry. Now we see paellas, homemade croquettes, lentils, lasagers or potato tortillas themselves that know exactly what we hope they know. The trend goes beyond the supermarket: in the last twenty years the consumption of this type of dishes has multiplied by five. Supermarkets are simply integrating it into their offer and taking advantage of the fact that they are a usual place of passage, not a concrete destination such as the food houses. The nuance that explains this boom is that We are not buying exactly food, we are buying time. It is a symptom of change of our priorities. We are not stopping cooking for lazy, but by exhausted. Maybe also because we have more options what to do with that time recovered. Our parents had three television channels and the bar dominoes; We have platforms of streamingvideo games, Yoga online classes, cheap Ryanair tickets, establishments oriented towards “experiences” and an infinite offer of stimuli competing for our attention. It may simply Let’s be less willing to give up those two hours of kitchen when we know everything we could do with them. If we add the paid work, the domestic, the displacements and the care, the royal days exceed the 60 hours per week, according to the National Survey of Working Conditions of the INE. What we buy with each prepared dish is not just food: it’s a break. Returned time. A truce. And that’s why they succeed. In Xataka | Spain has become a country addicted to something that some years ago enjoyed little prestige: the white brand Outstanding image | Mercadona

Believing that the healthy lasts less is changing how we eat (and how much we waste)

Today, knowing how much a food really lasts has become almost a mystery. How much does a pepper in the fridge endure? Why does that apple have been in the fruitman for a week and nobody eats it? Have you spoiled or simply believe it? This confusion could be causing something else, an unnecessary increase in food waste. Short. Many foods come with labels such as “consuming preferably before”, “expiration date”, or even “packaged the …”, which has always been interpreted as a deadline for food security. However, According to EFSA (European Food Security Agency), this type of labeling does not mean that food is not safe after that date, but could lose quality, not security. There is a study behind. Between 2018 and 2024, more than 3,500 consumers from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and South Korea participated in an academic study in eight parts, Published in the Journal of Marketing Research. The objective of research was to understand how the perception of “healthy foods” affects their management and consumption. In one of the experiments, scientists asked participants to classify six products (cereals, snack bars, protein bars, yogurt, cookies and fried potatoes) in two categories: those who considered healthier and those who believed they would expire faster. The majority assumed that the food considered “healthier” were the ones who thought they would spoil before. Jeehye Christine Kim, professor at the University of Virginia and co -author of the study, explained it as follows: “This is due to the lack of knowledge about the deterioration of food. Consumers apply what they know about fresh fruits and vegetables to packaged foods, even when it is not logical to do it.” But there is something else. Research has shown that consumers were more likely to throw healthy food as their expiration date approached than to discard less healthy products in the same situation. However, researchers have given him a name: Heuristic Health. An automatic assumption that leads to think that, if a food is healthy, it must also be more perishable. That belief is born from the real experience with fresh fruits and vegetables – which are spoiled quickly – and is erroneously applied to packaged products such as yogurts or bars. To that is added another factor: the fear of making mistakes. As we do not always know how to identify whether a food is still safe or not, and since the labels do not help, we prefer to discard it “just in case.” But that “just in case” has a cost: more wasted food, many times without need. A search to waste less. Researchers suggest that one of the keys to solve this problem is on labeling. As explained by Brent McFerran, professor at Simon Fraser University and Co -author of the study, to The Wall Street Journalboth the food industry and governments must act, since “many perfectly healthy and safe foods for consumption usually throw themselves in the trash due to ignorance of how long they can be consumed without danger.” For its part, EFSA promotes information campaigns so that consumers learn the difference between expiration labels and preferred consumption, and drives manufacturers to improve the clarity of their containers. Beyond choosing healthy. Eating healthy should not mean throwing more food. But while confusion persists on what a date printed in a container really means, thousands of perfectly edible products will continue to end in the trash every day. Understanding what the labels mean, demanding clarity and rethinking our perceptions can have a real impact, not only on our health, but also on the planet. Because choosing healthy should also include taking care of what is not wasted. Image | Dean Hochman Xataka | A squirrel could cross Spain jumping from supermarket in supermarket: how we have obsessed with the purchase

Kim Kardashian put him fashionable, an influencer viralized him and science continues to say the same thing: he doesn’t eat placenta

All the people who have seen Games of Thrones —Ojo, Mini Spoiler – will remember that mythical scene in which Daenerys Targaryen devours a raw heart before a crowd. For this sequence, they used a heart made of solidified jam that The actress recalled Thus: “I knew bleach and raw pasta. I ate about 28 hearts during the days we shot that scene. Luckily, they gave me a spit because I vomited in him very often.” A brutal scene that, today, has claimed life more or less: a influencer Argentino, Lucas Gago, It has gone viral After publishing a video in which he eats – literally – the placenta of his newborn daughter. This act, recorded after home delivery, generated a wave of reactions in social networks: from astonishment to absolute rejection. Although for many it was simply one more provocation on the Internet, the video revived a debate that mixes biology, personal beliefs, celebrities and pseudoscience. From the viral to the origin. Although Gago’s case is extreme, the idea of ​​eating placenta is not new. In recent years, this practice, known as placentophagyHe has gained notoriety, especially since celebrities like Kim Kardashian They counted publicly that had consumed it encapsulated after giving birth, hoping to avoid postpartum depression. Since then, several public figures They have followed that pathpresenting it as a way of reconnecting with the natural or “reuse” what the body produces. An ancestral ritual? Even if that premise is repeated, the story does not support it. An ethnographic investigation that He has studied To 179 contemporary cultures has not found evidence that eating placenta after childbirth was common. Now, in the animal world the situation is different. A study, Posted in Ecology of Food and Nutritionhas observed that many mammals, such as primates, rodents and carnivores, do usually eat the placenta. According to researchers, this practice can help them reduce pain and activate care instincts towards their young. What do experts say? According to Mayo Clinicthere is no conclusive scientific evidence to prove benefits such as increased energy, improvement in breast milk production or prevention of mood disorders. In recent years, more and more people have begun to consume the placenta in capsules, believing that it is beneficial. However, Cleveland Clinic He has warned about the risks that this implies. In a recent article He explained That the placenta can contain bacteria or toxins accumulated during pregnancy, which could cause infections. Dr. Oluwatatosin Goje, an expert in infectious diseases, explained that consuming it, either raw, cooked Or in capsules, you could reintroduce those harmful agents in the body, representing a risk for both the mother and the baby if she is breastfeeding. Other uses of the placenta. In most hospital deliveries, the placenta is considered biological residue and is ruled out according to health protocols. Only in specific cases and under medical authorization, parents can request to keep it, something that is not always allowed or regulated in all countries. However, there are people who decide to keep it, as is the case of artists and filmmakers who have addressed this organ from a symbolic and performative perspective. For example, chef Eddie Lin made the documentary American Afterbirthin which The use of placentas is investigated In artistic, gastronomic and social contexts, proposing a cultural and provocative approach on the subject. The most recent case is that of the influencer Spanish Violet Mangriñán, who decided to plant a tree Using the placenta of her daughter Gala, in a gesture she considered spiritual and ecological. Trend or danger? What began as a striking gesture for social networks ended up awakening a much broader discussion about the limits between the natural, the symbolic and the safe. Although some public figures have contributed to popularize the idea of ​​consuming the placenta for its supposed benefits, science remains without supporting these practices and, on the other hand, alerts on possible risks. In a time where the intimate becomes viral and alternative, it disguises itself as healthy, it should be remembered that not everything we see on the Internet is a good idea to replicate. And that, although the human body is a biological miracle, not everything that comes out of it must go directly to the plate. Image | Unspash and Instagram Xataka | Is it healthy to eat an ice cream each and every day of summer? Science already has an answer

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