ice

the ice cream maker that my seven-year-old self always wanted to have at home

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“Haaaaaaaaaa make ice cream, in the Famoplay refrigerator, soooo delicious, strawberry, chocolate and vanilla.” I have few memories of my childhood (unfortunately), but I remember that ad from the year 2001 as if it had been broadcast during the World Cup break a few days ago. I remember that seven-year-old Jose glued to the black tube Sony in his parents’ living room, thinking, greedily, about how cool it would be to have his own refrigerator at home. It never happened. Today, 25 years later, the 32-year-old Jose, who has gray hair and is getting married in a few months, has been able to try out a refrigerator. One that, surprise, leaves the Famoplay refrigerator at the height of the bitumen. Because the Ninja CREAMi Scoop & Swirl It has little of a toy. It is one of those appliances that no one needs, that most will only use a few months a year (an ice cream in December always fits in, I said), that is a whim like the top of a pine tree, but that is a true marvel. Today, seven-year-old Jose smiles. ✅ Buy them if… You are patient enough to wait a day to eat the ice cream. You have little ones and you are looking for a culinary activity to do together. You have space at home and 350 euros that you don’t need. ❌ Don’t buy it if… You want to make ice cream on the spot and from scratch. You have a small kitchen or limited space. You want a silent device. The essentials in 30 seconds The Ninja CREAMi Scoop & Swirl is like the Ninja CREAMi, but with a dispensing system similar to what you would find in a frozen yogurt store. In addition, it has more programs designed for soft ice cream recipes. The idea and operation, however, are identical: you make the recipe, pour it into a container, freeze it and process it in the machine. In a normal Ninja Creami you eat the ice cream from the tub and in the Scoop and Swirl you have more options. The grace of the model in question is the lever. If you make soft ice cream or frozen yogurt, you can put the tub in an extruder that, by pulling the lever down, allows you to extract it through a nozzle and pour the product into a cone or tub. The machine works really scary, so much so that it is complicated, if not impossible, take issue. The only “but” that can be said is that it is large (although not heavy) and greedily noisy. Otherwise, the performance is exceptional and has lived up to each and every one of the recipes I have made these weeks. Ninja CREAMi Scoop & Swirl Ice cream maker with 2 tubs and 13 functions prepares ice cream, soft serve, gelato, smoothies and more, and has the option to add extras, stone/gold, NC701EUSTGD The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Our experience with the Ninja CREAMi Scoop & Swirl Image | Xataka How it works. Unlike ice cream makers, which cool and churn at the same time, the Ninja Creami processes solid blocks already prepared in a tub. That’s why it is “small”, because it doesn’t need a compressor. It has a blade called Creamerizer that, roughly speaking, moves downwards and “scrapes” and “combs” the frozen product. The technique is similar to the one followed to make slushies, except that by varying the rotation speed, depth and frequency of descent (hence the different modes) different textures can be achieved. It is also the reason why it makes noise, a lot of noise, not suitable for having an ice cream at nap time. In this video you can hear the noise it makes. Shall we make ice cream? That is the question that must be asked before anything else. Understanding the machine as a magical system that makes ice cream is a mistake. It requires some planning and patience, as the tubs need to be frozen for at least a day. It’s not so much “I’m going to eat ice cream,” but rather “I’m going to make the ice cream I want to eat tomorrow.” In the photos you are seeing a tub of açaí that I prepared the day before. You need another machine. A mixer, specifically. Although it may seem like it, the Ninja Creami is not a mixer. Doesn’t beat. Mixes hard ingredients into already processed preparations, but does not beat. Ideally, you should make the recipes in a blender and then pour them into the container. A mini negative point is that the tubs are small, 480 ml each, so if you make ice cream for four it is better to prepare two tubs and be cautious. The recipes. The machine includes a little book with some recipes of different types (it is not in Spanish, as a note) to try all the modes, and TikTok is full of ideas. In any case, in the long run I have ended up using only two modes: ice cream for ice cream and frozen yogurt for my açaí preparations. As for the recipes, you can get as exquisite as you want. It will depend on how deep your pantry is and how much you want to buy products that you are going to use sporadically. If you don’t want to complicate your life, take note: 100 ml of whipping cream (minimum 35% MG), 200 ml of whole milk, 70 grams of powdered sugar, two tablespoons full of pure cocoa powder and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. There you have a super simple chocolate ice cream. If you don’t like chocolate, replace it with two tablespoons of vanilla extract and you will have vanilla ice cream. Homemade açaí preparation | Image: Xataka How do the ice creams come out? In short, and assuming you don’t mess up the recipe, they come out spectacular. The texture and flavor are brutal. I’m not … Read more

The most important thing that the Renaissance left us was not Michelangelo’s ‘David’ or Botticelli’s ‘Spring’: it was ice cream

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From the classic flavors to the most baroque derivatives such as “tripe flavored with oreo and kinder”. For many the king of sweets, the ice cream It has a history dating back to the Italian Renaissance. It is true that the story of “ice with things” almost starts from the beginnings of civilization. The ancient Greeks, the Persians and the Chinese already mastered the art of cooling off using crushed ice mixed with fruits, honey or juice, a precursor to what we would currently consider a sorbet, which differs from ice cream in that it does not contain buttery ingredients. Like all things that have been done since time immemorial, it is not very clear how the idea came to Italywhether from China through the Silk Road or through Sicily thanks to Arab influence. From the distant antecedents to Italy What we do know is that ice cream became popular in Europe thanks to Cosimo I de’ Medicione of the key figures of the 16th century (not to be confused with Cosimo de’ Medici simply, founder of the dynasty and popularly known as Cosimo the Elder because it was not a question of heating his helmets too much is the nickname). Cosimo I took power in 1537becoming Grand Duke and boss of Florence at the age of 17. Cosimo decided to make his own that “the best mayor, the king” and, in addition to carrying out a successful economic and military policy, he completely renewed the Florentine administration (basically concentrating all the power in his hands) and promoted the flourishing of sciences and arts in the city (we owe him, for example, the construction of the Gallery Uffizi). And Cosimo I would end up going down in history, above all, as a great patron who welcomed and financed painters, sculptors, architects, astronomers and a very long etc. One of them would be Bernardo Buontalentiinventor, architect, set designer, designer, engineer and all-rounder at the Florentine court. Apparently, some guests from the Spanish court showed up by surpriseso Cosimo commissioned Buontalenti (who designed a fortress that made you a dessert) something to surprise the Spaniards during the welcome banquet. Buontalenti had already managed to preserve the snow which they brought from the mountains in underground chambers insulated with wood and cork, so a dessert was made by mixing snow with milk, eggs, lemon, orange, bergamot and sweetening it with honey or sugar (versions differ). Of course, that was a great success and at the Florentine court there began to be cakes to try the prodigious invention. Today, the largest festival in Europe dedicated to ice cream It is celebrated every year in the city of Florence, where in addition to Buontalenti, they also honor Ruggeria chicken peddler who a few years before Buontalenti himself had won a cooking contest presenting a dessert made from snow and frozen fruit. Italy, cradle of modern civilization. Next stop, France For some reason that no one in their right mind could explain, the Spanish did not have the good sense to take the recipe home and it is in France where the next chapter in the history of ice cream takes place. Catherine de’ Medicirelative of Cosimo I (try to trace the relationship in the family treeif you can) married Henry II of Orleans in 1533, thus becoming queen of France in one of the most turbulent periods in its history. She was queen consort until the death of her husband, with whom she did not get along at all, and then queen regent when her son Francisco II was still very young, who also had very fragile health and who died shortly after due to otitis. “And doesn’t it make you ice cream?” Paul Emil Jacobs, circa 1840. Thus, Catherine became regent for her second son, Charles IX, ruling for ten years until he finally took possession of the crown. However, Catherine would also survive Charles, thus becoming an advisor to Henry III, his third son and next king of France. Maybe Catherine remind you of someone. Returning to the topic at hand, Catherine, in addition to being a political animal, was, like Cosimo I, a convinced humanist and a great patron of letters and the arts (sponsoring, for example, the construction of the Tuileries). Catherine promoted the arts in France but did not forget her Italian roots, so the influence of elements italians at the French court it was notable. Thanks to Catherine, ballet was introduced to France and she was also partly responsible for the popularization of the commedia dell’artealthough it was not the first to present it in the French country. Catherine de’ Medici is a total fan of French gastronomy. François Clouet, before 1559. In more prosaic considerations, he also decided that French cuisine was a disaster and filled the court with Italian cooks, bringing ingredients such as olive oil, artichokes, beans, anchovies, pasta and much more. Besides taught the French to use the forkry, of course, made ice cream fashionable. And he did it by nothing more and nothing less than taking Ruggeri, the chicken man turned cook, to the French court. Tremendous plot twist. From the French court to heaven During the decades and centuries that followed, the expansion of ice cream is unstoppable (how could it not be?). In 1686, Francesco Procopio dei Coltelli moved from Palermo to Paris and opened the Café Procope, considered the oldest in France and where coffee and ice cream were served and names of the stature of Rousseau, Voltaire, Diderot, Balzac, Victor Hugo, George Sand, Napoleon Bonaparte and even Oscar Wilde, who liked to go to France from time to time to do his things, gathered to have a cone. If you are interested, you can still go have a drink. Throughout the 17th century, numerous gastronomy books were published that included the recipe for the famous Italian ice cream, and at the end of the 19th century, Italian immigrants introduced the recipe to New York (the Americans, in turn, would … Read more

In the middle of the heatwave, Italy is debating whether it is “idiotic” to pay €95 for an ice cream cone

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would you pay 95 euros for a cone ice cream? It may seem like a far-fetched question, but in Italy a thorny debate is heating up that has among its protagonists: Flavio Briatorethe Piedmontese businessman famous for his connection with the Alpine F-1 team. In recent days, the tycoon has heated up the networks by calling “cretin” (idiot) who spends dozens and dozens (and dozens) of euros on a cone ice cream, a comment that was not liked in a shop in Apulia known precisely for that: selling ice cream with gold for €95. As we said, the debate is served. What has happened? To understand the controversy we have to go back a few days, when a story began to circulate in the Italian press. explosive statement from Briatore that has little to do with his usual business: ice cream. Although the businessman is known above all for his connection with Formula 1, years ago he promoted a chain of exclusive pizzerias call Crazy Pizza. Perhaps that is why the ‘Pomeriggio Cinque’ program contacted him to talk about summer and food. Everything was perfect, until Briatore harshly criticized those who buy cone ice cream for 70 eurosenough to enjoy a good seafood dinner. What exactly did he say? He assured that anyone who spends so much money on a cookie and cream cone is a “cretin”a word that in Spanish could be translated as “idiot.” In recent days this outburst has been repeated again and again on Italian networks and media such as Daily of Puglia, Il Messaggero either Leggoamong many (many) other newspapers, fueling the debate about whether, matters of tone aside, Briatore is right: Is it crazy to spend 70 euros on an ice cream cone, no matter how luxurious and tasty it may be? Before continuing, one detail must be clarified. On Monday the newspaper The Republicone of the most read in Italy, accurate that in reality Briatore’s words are not new and his controversial video dates back to 2024. In any case, it doesn’t matter. His statements have now gone viral, the debate has permeated the country and, above all, it is now that the other interested party has responded: a business in the Puglia region that effectively sells ice cream at seafood prices. Of course, now its star product, the one that Briatore criticized, is no longer sold at 70 euros. That was his launch price. Now it costs a whopping €95an increase supposedly forced by the increase in the price of its ingredients. What business is that? Mokambo Gelateriaan artisanal ice cream shop located in Ruvo di Pugliaa city in Apulia of around 25,500 inhabitants. Although it is not a particularly populous town and is far from moving the hordes of tourists who visit Rome, Florence or Venice every year, Mokambo has managed to become a popular reference in its sector. And one of the reasons is its most exclusive product: Lo Scettro del Re (King’s Scepter), an ice cream launched in 2018 for 70 euros. Since then he has given a lot of talk. @nick_radogna Ho Mangiato il Gelato D’oro is €70 🍦Second is it worth it? #gelato ♬ suono originale – Nick Radogna What have their owners said? Basically they have taken advantage of their renewed media pull to show off their chest. Both since your profile on Instagram, where they accumulate 24,000 followers, as in interviews with Italian media. For example, a few days ago one of the business owners, Vincenzo Paparella, chatted with Corriere della Sera to respond to Flavio Briatore. “I think he simply hasn’t understood who we are. He probably imagined that we are one of those who take a normal cream ice cream, put a gold leaf on top and sell it at an exorbitant price. If that were the case, he would be absolutely right to criticize it. But our project is totally different,” claims. What the famous ‘King’s Scepter’ offers, claims the Italian ice cream maker, is not a simple cone with cream, but “a gastronomic experience” with “a journey, a history, a work of research and experimentation.” But… What is the ice cream like? A gourmet product in every rule. The ‘Scepter’ incorporates a sheet of 24-karat edible gold, Iranian saffron, Bronte pistachio and fresh whipped cream. In theory, its ingredients include freshly milked milk from the Murgia area and free-range eggs. Of all these products, the one that makes it most expensive is Sargol saffron of Mashhad, in theory the reason why right now it is charged 95 euros. The ice cream parlor of course offers cheaper items, such as cones for five euros. And is it sold? Although not everyone can spend 95 euros on a cone that can be enjoyed in a matter of minutes, Paparella claims that the ‘Scepter’ has achieved surprising success. “In this time we have received more than 2,000 people who have come from all over the world just to enjoy this experience,” presume the ice cream man In fact, they have 148 people with reservations to try it between now and September. It is not a negligible figure if we take into account that, beyond the price, Ruvo di Puglia is not exactly a well-known destination. What is the underlying debate? “The numbers speak clearer than any controversy,” ditch Paparella. And he is right. We may consider it expensive or not, but the undeniable thing is that the ‘Cetro’ has a market and there are people willing to travel to a remote town and spend almost 100 euros to taste a cone. At its core, the debate is old and quite simple: does the gourmetization? Is it demand that determines prices? Curiously, as was remembered these days in the Italian press, the controversy has now arisen from the hand of a businessman (Briatore) who is no stranger to the world of luxury. Images | Mokambo Gelateria In Xataka | Spain’s favorite ice creams are from Mercadona and have no “brand”. And there is a … Read more

Ice on the testicles, organic cotton boxers and no porn: welcome to “sperm-maxxing”

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Lately all the obsessions that go viral have the suffix ‘maxxing’; what if he fibermaxxinghe looksmaxxinghe cozymaxxing or the solomaxxing. We can add one more: sperm-maxxing. They are men who try to improve the quality of their semen to overcome infertility. It is a healthy practice that is putting the often ignored male infertility at the center, but it is also part of the obsession with monitoring everything and following advice not backed by science. The sperm-maxxers. We recently spoke NoFap, a movement of men who have abandoned masturbation to raise your testosterone and that has a strong religious background behind it. Although with certain similarities, sperm-maxxing relies on another approach. He movement is born from the hand of creators of the world gymbro and longevity fans like Bryan Johnson (who, by the way, recently boasted of having eliminated 85% of microplastics from his sperm). These are men who already monitor sleep, exercise and have turned the quality of their sperm into another metric to control. On the other side, that of the followers, there are men who are having problems conceiving and seek to improve their fertility by following the advice of these gurus. Hacking fertility. Many sperm-maxxing tips They are very beneficial and effective, such as following a Mediterranean diet, eliminating bad habits such as tobacco or alcohol, practicing strength training and sleeping better. However, there are also very questionable ones that are not supported by science and even some that are directly harmful, such as eating large amounts of red meat. Other recommendations of dubious effectiveness include spending a fortune on all types of supplements (zinc, folic acid, coenzyme Q10…), wearing only organic cotton underwear or avoiding porn so as not to ejaculate and thus improve semen quality. The latter has a direct link with the NoFap movement and part of a study that has already been refuted; The recommendation to improve semen quality is just the opposite: ejaculate more. The cold thing. Among the craziest tips of this movement is to put ice or directly immerse the testicles in ice water. The recommendation is based on the fact that the testicles should be at a lower temperature than the body. “They are outside the body for a specific reason,” says Ramy Abou Ghayda, urologist at Legacy Sperm Bank. There is evidence that andExcessive heat in the testicles can affect sperm production. Given this, it is clear that someone thought that if it became cold it would achieve just the opposite. Spoiler: it doesn’t work like that. The lack of evidence has not stopped brands from using this belief to sell products that promise to “boost your fertility.” For example there is a company called Snowballs (sublime) and sells you two “refrigerated” underwear for the modest price of $56. There is also Underdogwhich directly sells two ice packs with an ergonomic shape to place in the crotch for $40. A real problem. All things considered, sperm-maxxing puts a real issue at the center: male fertility is in decline. A meta-analysis published in 2023 found that, between 1973 and 2018, sperm concentration had decreased by 51.6% and the total count had fallen by 62.3%. Among the causes that have caused this decrease are exposure to pollutants and endocrine disruptors, in addition to bad habits such as tobacco or alcohol consumption, an unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle, stress and lack of sleep. A social issue. Male fertility problems cause between 30 and 50% of infertility cases. However, as they point out in Wiredonly men are tested in one in four casesfocusing diagnostic efforts almost exclusively on women’s infertility. They count in a Guardian report that the lack of diagnosis of male infertility leads many couples to start unnecessary IVF treatments. Male fertility has been undervalued to the point that 80% of family doctors in the United Kingdom have not received any type of training in this regard. There is clearly an information gap on the subject, one that many men are trying to fill with miracle supplements and sperm optimization metrics. Image | Xataka with Magnific In Xataka | Millionaires have invented their strangest sport: sperm races with replays and live statistics

Fernando Sáenz, one of the best ice cream makers in the world, puts the dots over the i’s, “Mercadona has modified the palate of the Spanish people”

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A few days ago, Fernando Sáenz, one of the best ice cream makers in Spain (and, quite possibly, the world) gave an interview that left everyone confused. It’s not just that Mercadona “has its clientele totally dedicated,” it’s that they have “modified the palate of the Spanish.” Coming from an ice cream maker famous for its strange gourmet flavors like ‘fig shade’, one might think this is a typical “elitist chef vs. super normie” outburst. And it is possible, yes; but what if it’s true? Can a single chain shape what a country eats? Who Fernando Saenz? An ice cream authority: the head behind sellaSera, in Logroño and one of the key suppliers of the best elite restaurants in the country (from Mugaritz to El Celler de Can Roca through Quique Dacosta or Eneko Atxa). Best Pastry Chef in Spain from the Royal Academy of Gastronomy, Best Sweet Space in Madrid Fusion and Prix ​​Chef Pâtissier 2025 of the International Academy of Gastronomy. In other words, not only is he someone who knows the world of ice cream deeply, he is someone who thinks about it deeply. Therefore, such a harsh statement is worth examining. Because Mercadona has a lot of power. After all, almost one euro out of every three spent in supermarkets she takes it. Not only that, between 2018 and 2023, the manufacturer brand references on their shelves fell 45%. Increasingly, Mercadona is judge and party in what is sold or not: its size allows it to do something that almost no competitor achieves and that is to convert each assortment decision into a change in habits on a national scale. And how does that change the “taste” of an entire country? It doesn’t just happen with ice cream, of course. But the sustained strategy of “short assortment and dominated by own brand” reduces the number of flavors, formats and recipes to which the regular buyer ends up being exposed. It’s not so much that ‘taste’ gets worse, as that the frame of reference becomes narrower and more homogeneous. In fact, some experts such as Howard Moskowitz talks about “hijacked palate” due to industrial dynamics. Can’t we do anything? We are trying to do it, in fact. In recent years the National Reformulation Plan has managed to reduce sugar, salt and saturated fat in most packaging categories, according to a study from the CEU San Pablo University; and Mercadona has reformulated its own products downwards. Ironically, Saénz puts his finger on the sore spot because one of the few categories where reformulation has not yet worked is ice cream. A palate at two speeds. The reduction in assortments is causing the industry to begin to concentrate on two levels: large stores and specialty stores. The “middle class” is dead and the problem may come in the long term: a generation raised on a narrow menu sets expectations that are difficult to move. Image | Fernando Saenz | DAP In Xataka | Spain’s favorite ice creams are from Mercadona and have no “brand”. And there is a Valencian company making gold with them

They prepare pizzas, ice and popcorn

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Lidl has a huge catalog of products that go beyond food, and in the bazaar section we can find quite a few things that are renewed every so often. We recommend paying attention to the online supermarket, especially now that they have arrived three Coca Cola machines which are ideal for summer. Coca Cola popcorn machine by 69.99 eurosideal for home cinema sessions. Coca Cola pizza machine by 79.99 eurosideal for making pizza without depending on an oven. Coca Cola ice machine by 79.99 eurosideal to always have ice during the summer. Coca Cola popcorn machine With a totally retro design, the Coca Cola machine to make popcorn which has a price of 69.99 euros (previously 169.90 euros) is ideal for home cinema sessions. It has a removable stainless steel cauldron and a pouring system to easily remove the popcorn. It also comes with a crank to turn the boiler and a measuring spoon. Its dimensions are 29 x 24.8 x 49 centimeters. Alternatively, on Amazon we can also find a popcorn maker with a fairly similar design, although without the Coca Cola logo. It is about the Cecotec Fun&Taste P’Corn Classic what does it cost 62.90 euros. Cecotec Fun&Taste P’Corn Classic The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Coca Cola pizza machine On the other hand, if you prefer to prepare good pizzas and you don’t have an oven, or you simply don’t want to use it, Lidl has one. Coca Cola machine to prepare pizzas by 79.99 euros (before 159.90 euros). It has four temperature levels, can be easily cleaned, includes a spatula and measures 36.5 x 35.4 x 22.3 centimeters. As an alternative, Cecotec also has a pizza preparation machine, and it is cheaper. Its price is 49.90 euros and has four temperature levels. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Coca Cola ice machine Finally, the Coca Cola ice maker is perfect for summer, whether used at home or in a field. Its price is 79.99 euroshas a 1.2 liter water tank, is capable of preparing between 8 and 10 kg of ice per day and comes with a carrying handle. Its dimensions are 28.3 x 22.6 x 30 centimeters. Alternatively, on Amazon we can find a Songmics ice machine that, for the same price as 79.99 eurosis capable of producing up to 12 kg of ice in 24 hours. Songmics ice machine The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Lidl, Coca Cola In Xataka | American refrigerator or 70 cm Combi? Be careful with making mistakes when buying liters that you may not be able to use In Xataka | Which home theater projector to buy, which is better?

Today at Lidl this ice making machine that will save you from buying bags in supermarkets or gas stations this summer

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Although there are still a few days until summer officially begins, it is already hot almost everywhere. Whether we are alone at home or when a visitor comes, having ice cubes in the freezer becomes almost essential to have cool drinks. But this one ends and the molds that we all have in the freezer are not always enough (plus they take a long time to do their job). We have an alternative to avoid this with the ice cube machine that Lidl has: it is from the Silvercrest brand and costs 62.99 euros. Ice cube machine 105W The price could vary. We earn commission from these links If you are not convinced or you simply do not arrive on time, we leave you below two alternatives that you can buy on Amazon: Cecotec Ice Maker Machine by 89.80 eurosan alternative with more power and self-wash function. Songmics Cube Machine by 79.99 eurosthe best-selling machine of this type on Amazon right now. A machine to produce cubes in less than 10 minutes These appliances are a great ally in summer. They allow us to have different shapes of ice cubes without having to resort to the refrigerator freezer. This Silvercrest machine is capable of making 9 large ice cubes in less than 9 minutes, although we can choose to make 9 smaller ice cubes, thus reducing the time to 7 minutes. This is ideal for making batches and keeping them in bags in case we go to the beach, for example. Furthermore, this machine has its own built-in tank, so it does not need a water intake. In fact, since it is quite compact, you can take it to the patio or terrace if you have a plug on hand. It comes with a shovel to handle the ice comfortably and its control panel is quite intuitive, so it is not difficult to handle at all. ⚡ IN BRIEF: silvercrest ice cube offer ✅ THE BEST It is very fast making ice: Being able to have ice cubes in less than 10 minutes is great and saves you having to buy bags at the supermarket. You can move it to the garden or patio: Being compact and only needing a plug, you can move it around your house depending on what you need. ❌ THE WORST The basket is not a freezer: The basket where the ice that is generated is stored is not designed to store the cubes for hours. You have to take them out so they don’t melt. 💡 BUY IT IF… You usually consume a lot of ice in the summer and you want to avoid having to buy bags at the supermarket or gas station. ⛔ DON’T BUY IT IF… You don’t want another appliance for your kitchen or you have enough with the freezer at home. You may also be interested KeeGone Stainless Steel Ice Cube Machine with LED Display Cleaning Function 2 Liter Water Tank Includes Shovel and Basket 2 Sizes for Kitchen The price could vary. We earn commission from these links HOMCOM Ice Machine, Self-Cleaning Ice Cube Machine, 12kg/24H, 9 Cubes Ready in 7 Minutes, 2 Ice Sizes, 1.5L Tank, for Home, Kitchen, Office, Bar, Blue The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Lidl In Xataka | American refrigerator or 70 cm Combi? Be careful with making mistakes when buying liters that you may not be able to use In Xataka | Which home theater projector to buy, which is better?

The “ice man” has been frozen for 5,300 years. There is still life inside

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In 1991, two German hikers they found each other with a corpse in the Alps, more specifically in the Ötztal Alps. At first they thought it would be a recent body, but nothing could be further from the truth: Ötzi, who takes his name from the place where he was found, died around 3255 BC. C. at approximately forty-six years of age due to hemorrhage caused by an arrow lodged in his left shoulder. Ötzi withstood the test of time thanks to glacial ice, becoming the oldest known natural human mummy in Europe. For science, the “iceman” has historically been a magnificent biological and archaeological record of the late Neolithic/Copper Age, bridging the gap, like someone who finds a painting in a cave. But a recent study It makes science look at it with different eyes: they have found life in Ötzi because the iceman is also an ecosystem. There is life within Ötzi. The Eurac Research research team has found yeast strains that could have been dormant for millennia, some of which are still metabolically active as they are especially adapted to the cold: Glaciozyma, Goffeauzyma, Mrakia and Phenoliferia. That is, living organisms have survived inside a human body for more than five thousand years. They also found anaerobic intestinal bacteria such as Romboutsia hominis, Clostridium moniliforme and Ruminococcus bromii, which when the Iceman was alive helped him digest elements of his diet at that time. Why is it important. The relevance of this discovery is enormous for both biology and archaeology, with implications that also point to space exploration: Biologically it is a real milestone: it is a before and after in what we know and can expect from microorganisms and their resistance. If microbes survive 5,300 years in alpine ice, they could potentially survive in similar inhospitable environments outside of Earth, such as the Moon’s south pole. And this has direct consequences for the search for extraterrestrial life. From an archaeological point of view, if a mummy contains microbial life inside, we must rethink how similar samples and other archaeological remains are preserved, stored and studied so as not to lose or degrade that valuable information. What the finding says about health before antibiotics. Some gut bacteria found in Ötzi are still present in modern humans, but others have disappeared from modern Western populations. Being able to compare your microbiome with ours allows you to have a photo of what the microbiota was like before antibiotics, ultra-processed foods and industrial agriculture and apply it to medicine. As already science has proventhe loss of this ancestral microbial diversity is associated with diseases such as Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis. In fact, Ötzi’s microbiome constitutes a good basis for designing more effective probiotics or improving fecal microbiota transplant therapies. How have they done it. Ötzi is available for visits at the South Tyrolean Archeology Museum in Bolzano, Italy, where he is kept in a cold room at -6°C and 99% relative humidity. After more than 30 years of studies, science has paradoxically introduced modern microbes into your body, so was essential use multiple samples and methods to differentiate which microorganisms were already present during Ötzi’s life and which colonized him later. From there, they combined genomic sequencing with laboratory culture and comparison with global databases, which for example allowed them to determine that the Methylobacterium and Sphingomonas bacteria found on the surface were introduced by modern humans, while Staphylococcus belonged to Ötzi’s original microbiome. Yes, but. The main limitation of the study is precisely contamination: handling a mummy exposes it to potential contamination by modern bacteria and fungi, which complicates the faithful reconstruction of its original microbial composition. On the other hand, the fact that a yeast shows activity in the laboratory does not prove that it has been active continuously for 5,300 years, since it could have been reactivated when the experimental conditions changed. To clear up doubts, more independent studies with other glacier mummies are necessary. In Xataka | In the 14th century, the “Little Ice Age” caught Europe completely off guard: this is how they managed to withstand the cold In Xataka | Getting up at 3:52 AM, putting your face in ice, rubbing a banana: the male “morning routine” taken to the extreme Cover | Museum of South Tyrol Archaeology, Eurac Research, Marion Lafogler and Andrea De Giovanni

In Asia they haven’t put ice in the water during meals for centuries. Digestive physiology just explained why they were right

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The other day a friend told me about a peculiarity she observed during a recent trip to China: the glass of ice water on the table is almost a rarity. Instead you’ll find a pot of green tea, a bowl of broth, or just nothing cold. For centuries, in much of Asia, drinking cold liquid during a meal has been an eccentricity more typical of the West than there. What for a long time seemed like a quaint custom, or directly a matter of infrastructure—ice was not always available everywhere—turns out to have a pretty solid physiological explanation. The temperature of the water we drink while we eat is not a minor detail. It affects the movements of the stomach, the rate at which it empties, and how the muscles of the digestive system behave. And science, although with important nuances, is beginning to agree with what millions of people in Asia have been practicing for millennia. Before getting into the physiology, we must understand how this debate has reached the West. It has not been through a medical congress or a scientific journal. It has arrived, like so many other things, through TikTok. The phenomenon is known as chinamaxxing either Becoming Chinese: a viral trend in which thousands of Western people adopt lifestyle habits from Chinese culture, including drinking hot water. According to documents The New York Timeshot water has become “the new superstar of online well-being”, with influencers documenting how this habit deflates them, gives them energy and improves their digestion. But what the Internet presents as a revolutionary discovery is nothing new. This practice has been rooted for thousands of years. in Indian Ayurveda—where the morning ritual of drinking hot water is known as usha paana— and in Traditional Chinese Medicine, where cold is believed to “turn off the agni“, the digestive fire, and weakens the vital energy or Qiforcing the body to expend extra energy to warm the stomach. Hot water, on the other hand, balances the Yin and the Yang and keeps the body calm. Just because something is part of an ancient tradition does not automatically make it scientific truth, of course. But it doesn’t disqualify him either. The question is what exactly science says when it begins to analyze what happens in the stomach according to the temperature of what we drink. What really happens in the stomach? To understand the debate, we must separate two things that are often confused: the effect of drinking water during a meal and the effect of the temperature of that water. They are different questions with different answers. On the one hand, regarding water itself, there is a widespread belief that drinking water during meals dilutes gastric juices and digestive enzymes, slowing down digestion. Medical portals such as HealthLine They explain that there is no solid scientific evidence that water dilutes gastric juices or significantly hinders digestion. The stomach has a dynamic regulatory system that detects changes in pH and automatically secretes more hydrochloric acid to compensate. Drinking a glass of water during a meal hardly alters that balance. Marina Domene, head of nutrition at SHA Spain nuances in Vogue Where is the real limit: the problem is not drinking water, but excesses. “What is not recommended is drinking excessive amounts, more than two or three large glasses, as it could distend the stomach too much and temporarily dilute the enzymes,” he explains. It also points out that there are specific contexts where it is advisable to be more careful: in people who suffer from hypochlorhydria – low production of stomach acid – it is not recommended to consume liquids during meals. On the other hand, regarding temperature the panorama changes and this is where physiology begins to agree with Asia. The temperature of the liquids directly affects gastric motility, that is, the muscle movements of the stomach that drive digestion. Domene explains it clearly: “Cold drinks can slightly slow down gastric emptying and constrict the blood vessels of the stomach, which in sensitive people can be heavy. Hot liquids, such as broths or infusions, have a relaxing effect on the smooth muscles of the stomach.” This is not just a clinical opinion. There are studies that support this, such as research on the effect of temperature on gastric emptying have observed that very cold drinks, around 2-5 °C, can temporarily slow down the initial phase of gastric emptying compared to liquids at body temperature. Drinks at 4°C also disrupt antral and pyloric contractions, briefly retaining stomach contents. An experiment with 11 young men who consumed 500 ml of water at different temperatures found that water at 2 °C reduced the frequency of gastric contractions compared to water at 60 °C, and that lower muscle activity was related to lower subsequent caloric intake. The sample sizes of these studies are modest—it should be said—but their results consistently point in the same direction. A study published in Gastroenterology Nursingfocused on patients who had recently undergone colon surgery, observed that the consumption of hot water had a positive impact on subsequent bowel movements. It is not a study designed for healthy people, but it adds evidence about the role of temperature in intestinal motility. Gastroenterologist Dr. Lisa Ganjhu, consulted by The New York Timesdescribes it more graphically: during the night, the digestive system slows down. Hot water generates waves of contraction and relaxation in the muscles of the esophagus, stomach and intestines. “It’s basically telling everyone, ‘Okay, get up. We’ve got to get going,’” he explains. Why did they take that path and not another? The physiological explanation that science offers today connects quite well with what traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda have been saying for centuries, although in completely different languages. In China, Japan and much of Southeast Asia, It is common to accompany meals with hot tea or soup. It is not a fad or a recent trend: it is part of the structure of food. The broth does not close the menu, it accompanies … Read more

This ice cream, sorbet or slushie maker is perfect for small kitchens. And it doesn’t reach 100 euros

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I don’t know about your community, but here in Andalusia it is already terribly hot. Fighting it with water or any cold soft drink is fine, but much better with an ice cream or slushy. If you are one of those who prefers to make it at home and not have to go buy it on the street, you can have it much easier with this refrigerator that our TikTok colleagues have found on AliExpress: it remains in just 98.35 euros with the coupon ‘XATAKAES10‘. Teendow KF-2501U1 Ice Cream Maker with 8 Preset Programs, Self-Cleaning Function, Blend and Swirl Functions, Countertop Model for Home The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A refrigerator with 8 different functions and easy to clean @xataka.seleccion I’m already an adult and I can buy the refrigerator I always wanted 😭 Taking advantage of the AliExpress Summer Sale (until June 10), I found this: 🍦 Teendow Refrigerator 👉🏼 8 programs to make: ice cream, sorbets, frozen yogurt, slushies and more 📲 Super easy-to-use front panel (with drawings included 😌) ✨ Function for creamier textures 🧼 dishwasher-safe pieces 📖 includes recipe book 💸 Price: €108 👉🏼 with the code XATAKAES10 it stays at €95 💥 And be careful, because there are MANY more offers in the Summer Sale 🔗 Links in bio #Aliexpress #Bargains #Summer #Ice Cream #Offers ♬ original sound – Xataka Selección Being able to make ice cream, slushies or sorbets at home is not only convenient and healthier, but it also allows you choose the flavor (or flavors) that you most fancy at that moment. Almost certainly at some point in your childhood you have dreamed of being able to do this yourself and with a refrigerator like this one from the Tendow brand you can do it (without spending too much, too). This refrigerator, called Teendow KF-2501U1, is a fairly compact appliance that will not take up much space in the kitchen. It has 8 different functions and, also, very intuitive to use: each one has a small drawing of its usefulness. In addition, it has another different function for cleaning and its parts are dishwasher safe, which is always very useful. It comes with three different ice cream cups, which is very useful for storing our desserts. And, by the way, includes a recipe book that will help us get ideas to prepare drinks or ice creams this summer. Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Aliexpress, American Heritage Chocolate In Xataka | American refrigerator or 70 cm Combi? Be careful with making mistakes when buying liters that you may not be able to use In Xataka | 1200 vs. 1400/1600 RPM in washing machines: is it worth paying extra to spin faster?

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