Science

To the question of whether ultraprocessed foods are as bad as they have told us, science still has no clear answer

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When going to the supermarket it is easily being surrounded by fried potato bags with different flavors, cookies, soft drinks, frozen pizzas or chicken nuggets that are part of our shopping basket. They are the so -called ultraprocessed foods (UPF), products that have gone through multiple industrial phases and often contain ingredients that are not found in house kitchen, such as corn syrup or hydrogenated oils. A debate for a long time. The alarm was given in the early 2000s Brazilian researcher Carlos Monteiro. While trying to decipher The increase in obesity and type 2 diabetes in your countrydiscovered something paradoxical: people bought less sugar and salt than before. The explanation was in the Super cart: they had replaced the basic ingredients with precooked and ready products to consume that they were loaded with these same foods. Growing evidence. From that moment on, scientists began to put the batteries to try to demonstrate whether there was a link between the high consumption of these products with health problems, because they had increased at a vertiginous pace. From there, dozens of studies associate high diets in ultraprocessed with higher risk of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, cancer and even depression and anxiety. A large -scale study with more than 110,000 adults in the United States found that those with the highest consumption of ultraprocessing were 4% more likely to die for any cause during the monitoring period. Variations between countries. The same amount of ultraprocessing in all countries is not consumed of our area. While in the United States and the United Kingdom Almost 60% of calories come from ultraprocessed In Spain the figure is around 26-30%. Despite being in the lower part of the table compared to Anglo -Saxon countries, recent studies, such as the one published by The BMJ, alert that the strongest evidence associates ultraprocessed exposure with cardiometabolic health problems, metal disorders and mortality in general. Is El Villano processing? Despite the overwhelming correlations, not the entire scientific community agrees to demonize the ultra -processed as a category. The main argument of skeptics is that The group is too broad and heterogeneous. In this way, the question is raised if it is logical to put some donuts, fried potatoes and a supermarket yogurt in the same bag. Some researchers wonder if the association with poor health is not due, simply, that these products are usually rich in fat, sugar and salt, and poor in fiber and vitamins. However, several studies have tried to clear this unknown. A clinical trial of the University College of London He compared two dietsone based on minimally processed foods and another with ultraprocessed, but both with identical levels of key nutrients such as proteins, fats, fiber and sugar. Surprisingly, participants lost twice the weight with the minimally processed food diet. This suggests that nutritional composition is not everything. Beyond calories. A breaker essay led by physiologist Kevin Hall in the National Institutes of Health of the United States (NIH) locked -literally -20 adults In a research center and gave them freedom to eat everything they wanted. For two weeks they followed an ultraprocess diet, and two others an unprocessed diet. The results were revealing: with the ultraprocessed diet the participants consumed 500 calories more a day and won almost a kilo. Hall and others investigations suggest that energy density and food texture are key. Many ultraprocess, having less water, concentrate more calories in less grams. In addition, its texture is often softer, which leads us to eat faster. By eating faster, our brain does not have time to register satiety signals, which facilitates excess caloric consumption. Ciaran Forde, researcher at the University of Wageningen, demonstrated that people ate much less when they were presented with hard texture foods (such as gofre -type fries) compared to soft texture foods (such as potato puree), regardless of whether they were ultra -processed or not. “What we saw was that the speed of eating and the texture properties of the meals boost consumption, not the degree of processing,” says Forde. What do we do then? Although the debate on the definition and the exact mechanisms continues, the general trend is clear: a diet with a high percentage of ultraprocesses is consistently associated with worse health results. The solution, however, does not seem to be a total prohibition. Kevin Hall himself, one of the most critical researchers, admits which consumes salad salads and dressings bought in the store. His advice for friends and colleagues is pragmatic: “Eat more vegetables without starch, legumes, fruits, integral grains and limits the intake of added sugars, sodium and saturated fats. Choose the ultra -processed that help you to be convenient and affordable, and avoid those that make it difficult.” Images | Alan Alves Xataka | Making rice of more is no longer a mistake: cooling it and reheating it can reduce your calories according to some nutritionists

Before the great fire wave in Spain, science already has a culprit of its propagation: climate change

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This 2025 It has been a devastating year for Spain and Portugal Because of the A large amount of forest fires that they have been giving, In many cases intentionallybut that were fueled without control. A new scientific analysis has concluded that the climatic crisis has played a determining role, multiplying by 40 the probability that the extreme weather conditions that fueled the flames would be given. Not just that. The study determines that these phenomena were 30% more intense than they would have been in a world without global warming. And this is important to highlight it: the study does not indicate that climate change causes fires, but they intensify their force of destruction when they make them uncontrollable more likely. Putting figures. The reportprepared by the World Weather Attribution network, put figures to a catastrophe of historical dimensions. On September 1, the fires had calcined about 380,000 hectares in Spain and 260,000 in Portugal. In total, 640,000 hectares, an area four times higher than that of London and represents approximately 1% of the surface of the Iberian Peninsula. In historical terms, for Spain 2025 it will close as the fifth year with the highest burned surface since there are records in 1961. If we are going to European, we can affirm that the worst year since The EFFIS system (European Forest Fire Information System) began registering data in 2006, with more than one million hectares calcined, being two thirds of those corresponding to Spain and Portugal. Impresses researchers. “The size of these fires has been amazing”, affirms Clair Barnes, scientist at Imperial College in London and co -author of the study. “Warmer, dry and flammable conditions are becoming more severe with climate change and are giving rise to fires of an unprecedented intensity.” And it is that the surprise is logical. According to the data they have analyzed, they point out that these extreme risk conditions for the propagation of fire will be given every 15 years with the current climate. This is something that only happened once every 500 years in the preindustrial era. An explosive cocktail. The fuel of these megaincendios was an unprecedented weather situation. The large amount of fires occurred during a heat wave in Spain that was one of the longest ever registered, with a duration of 16 days (from August 3 to 18). But it was not only the longest, but also the most intense, with an upper 4.6 ° C temperature anomaly compared to a pre -industrial climate. The impact of climate change in this extreme heat is even more pronounced. According to the analysis, a ten -day heat wave as intense as the lived is now an event that is expected once every 13 years. Before humans began to heat our environment, such a heat was extremely rare and it was only expected to happen less than once every 2,500 years. It is not just the weather. Although the report points to climate change as the great amplifier, it is not the only factor. Scientists highlight that both in Spain and Portugal, rural depopulation and population aging have left large extensions of forest land without managing, creating a massive accumulation of dry vegetation that acts as a perfect fuel. One of the examples that is put is in the decrease of traditional practices such as extensive grazing has reduced natural control over that vegetation. David García, applied mathematician of the University of Alicante and co -author of the study, points out that the public debate in Spain has focused a lot on the decline of these rural activities. It points to that “much less the effect of climate change has been discussed in these fires, which, as has been demonstrated, has been immense.” To this is added that human ignition, whether accidental or intention, is behind about 90% of fires whose causes are identified. With huge fuel loads and extreme weather conditions, minor human actions can trigger catastrophic results. The science behind. To reach these conclusions, the research team analyzed the weather conditions that the fires propitiate using the daily severity index (DSR), which is a metric derived from the Canada Fire Meteorological Index (FWI). In summary, this index combines long -term rainfall data, temperature, humidity and wind to estimate the probability and severity of a fire. In this way, the scientists compared the meteorological data observed in the current climate (which has been heated from the pre -industrial era) with a counterfactual of how these conditions would be in a climate without that warming. In this way, with the methodology used, the “footprint” of climate change in a specific extreme event can be isolated and quantified. The result. The climatic crisis is taking the ecosystems and response capacity to the limit. For the first time, Spain activated the EU Civil Protection mechanism to request help in the fight against forest fires, and now they are already raised to apply new regulations with the aim of preparing for the future that awaits our country. Images | Ume (x) Matt Palmer In Xataka | The plan to clean the air capturing as a blow of reality has just received: the earth does not have as much space as we believed

China has just told the world the place it wants to occupy. And he has done it with a parade of weapons that seem like science fiction

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During September 3, Beijing has become the stage of one of the Chinese military parades more elaborate that are remembered, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. An event that China has used to Promote nationalism through a parade where to show the world the place he wants to occupy. And according to the artillery that has seen the lightThere are no limits. Artillery as support. As we said, the imposing military parade in Beijing was conceived as An unequivocal message: Xi Jinping’s vision of a new world order with China in the center has a warlike vanguard apparatus that begins to be at the height, and even ahead, of its rivals. Among the protagonists highlighted the new intercontinental ballistic missile DF-61successor of DF-41together with missiles with hypersonic plankers capable of exceeding the speed of sound five times and complicating any antimile defense. The demonstration included a broad Drones repertoire (aerial, terrestrial and submarines) with functions ranging from direct combat to logistics, some designed to act as “faithful squires” of Chinese furtive fighters, consolidating the EPL’s commitment to the Autonomous War. DF-61 Directed energy weapons. Beyond the missiles, the true revolution was on the exhibition of Laser and energy weapons directed, in naval and land versions, capable of neutralizing sensory and drones enemy at ridiculous costs compared to conventional ammunition. If these systems are deployed in number, such as They hinted Official sources could suppose an unprecedented challenge for any force that tries to stop Chinese military movements in their region of influence. This technological turn, supported by an enormous industrial capacity, points to a strategy where the quantity and sophistication They combine to cement China’s strategic ascent. Set of laser weapons during the military parade Two versions. They appeared Two laser systems Air defense: a large one, intended for its installation in warships, and another mounted on an eight -wheeled vehicle, capable of hosting the necessary electrical power to overcome the limitations of previous versions. These systems, which do not depend on kinetic projectiles but on Electromagnetic energy To destroy objectives through heat, electrical interference or sensor blindness, they mark a turning point in the anti -aircraft and anti -anton defense. In front of them, high -power microwave systems (also in development) offer the ability to neutralize whole swarms of drones with simultaneous bursts. The logistics and economic advantage is evident: each shot costs a fraction of a missile and does not require transporting heavy ammunition, only energy. Submarine drone AJX002 The debut of underwater drones. China also showed for the first time Two submarine vehicles not large -sized (Xluuv), consolidating their leadership in a field where at least five different programs in the test phase already operate. One of the exhibited models, identified as AJX002measures between 18 and 20 meters long with a reduced diameter of up to 1.5 meters, while the second shares length but is considerably wider, between 2 and 3 meters, and carries two masts. Although their specific missions have not been revealed, analysts consider carry torpedoes or mineseither fulfill recognition functions in prolonged and high autonomy operations. With this presentation, the Chinese Navy confirms its intention to integrate underwater platforms Autonomous on a large scaleexpanding the unmanned war options in a domain traditionally reserved for conventional submarines. Some of the hypersonic missiles shown The YJ-17: hypersonic and “nuclear.” Among the most strategic revelations The YJ-17 wasa missile that combines the naval denomination of the YJ family with the technological inheritance of DF-17the first medium -range ballistic missile with a hypersonic planner (HGV) developed by China. If the DF-17 already demonstrated extreme precision in tests (capable of impacting a few meters from its target after performing evasive maneuvers), the YJ-17 supposes the adaptation of that system For vertical pitchers of warships. Although it is believed that it can carry conventional eyelets, its nuclear capacity cannot be ruled out, which reinforces its deterrent value. Non -manned wing aircraft of the Plaaf. Two different configurations were seen but no designation details have been provided The industrial muscle as an advantage. No doubt, the parade was also proof of the volume of production that China can sustain. According to analysts Like Malcolm Davisthe country demonstrates the ability to develop, manufacture and deploy faster and higher advanced systems than the West. In other words: it is a reminder that, while in World War II the American industry inclined the global balance, today is Beijing who You can manufacture in mass Military teams with efficiency that Washington can hardly match. The CSIS data They confirm this trend: Chinese military expenditure has multiplied by thirteen in 30 years and already exceeds its immediate neighbors, quintupllica that of Japan and septuming that of South Korea. Anti-Enlambre Training (MENGSHI Laser “OW5-A10”, “PLB-625” cannon of 6 x 25 mm, 30 mm cannon, “Mini dome CUAV FK-3000”, Laser HMV3 “OW5-A50”) The naval dimension. Already We count yesterday. The biggest difference with the United States is perceived in the sea: by 2030, the Chinese Navy could have a 48% more ships of war that the American, which revives the historical maxim that the largest fleet usually imposes itself. While in the West it is confident that technological superiority, such as drone swarms with artificial intelligence, maintain balance, the parade showed that China already has Advanced autonomous systems in active duty and in operational quantities. In addition, the introduction of laser defenses against drones and missiles reinforces Beijing’s narrative about an “intelligent war”, where autonomy and systems network dominate the battlefield. JY-17 The Arsenal per sea. The YJ-17 did not appear alone: ​​it was accompanied by anti-man- YJ-15, YJ-19 and YJ-20all conceived to be deployed from the largest surface fleet in the world, composed of destroyers and frigates with vertical pitchers. Here the strategic message seems clear: the American aircraft carriers, the cornerstone of Washington’s naval power in the Pacific, could be vulnerable at any point in the region before a coordinated rain Hypersonic missiles and cruise released from multiple platforms. With … Read more

Now the science ‘guilt’ to the origin of livestock

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For a long time it has been a suspicion, a logical hypothesis but difficult to prove: that our decision to Domesticate animals and live with them unleashed the great pests that have ravaged humanity. Now, the biggest study of ancient DNA of pathogens ever has confirmed it. An thorough analysis. Analyzing 1,313 human remains of up to 37,000 years old, a team from the University of Copenhagen has created a genetic map of diseases and has found the exact moment in which everything changed: about 6,500 years ago, with the arrival of livestock. A 37,000 years map. The study, published in the prestigious Nature MagazineIt is not a simple confirmation. It is a time trip at the molecular level that draws 37,000 years of the silent struggle between humans and pathogens in Eurasia. The results in this case demonstrates that the change to an agricultural and livestock lifestyle was the entrance door for the Zoonotic diseasesthose transmitted from animals to humans, which drastically increased the burden of morbidity and molded our history and our own genetics. How they did. To achieve this feat, the scientists analyzed sequencing data of 1,313 old individuals, covering from the upper Paleolithic to historical times. In their teeth and bones they found the genetic footprints of a true catalog of horrors of the past. What diseases they found. After performing this molecular analysis, they were able to determine the presence of several diseases that now heard them can enter normal, but the same did not happen at that time. To understand them better, they can be summarized as follows: Bubonic plague (andErsinia Pestis): They identified 42 cases, 35 of them completely new, greatly expanding the map of the plague in ancient times. Lepros (Mycobacterium leprae): It was detected in seven individuals in Scandinavia, appearing from the Iron Age, which supports the theory that the trade of squirrel skins could facilitate its transmission. Recurring fever (Borrelia recurrentis): A disease transmitted by lice with high mortality. The study points to 34 new cases, demonstrating that it was a much more common plague than was thought. Hepatitis B: 28 cases were found, confirming their presence for millennia. Malaria: nine infections located in three different species of Plasmodium, with the oldest case dated in the individual of the Bronze Age in Central Europe. The moment in which everything changed. The most resounding conclusion of the study is that although the human being has always lived with pathogens, those of Zoonotic origin They are not detected until about 6,500 years ago. Its appearance coincides with the generalized domestication of livestock and the beginning of large -scale agriculture. The peak of these new diseases was reached about 5,000 years ago, a period that coincides with the great migrations of the pastors of the Euroasy steppe, who, together with their herds, could have acted as transmission vectors throughout the continent. Why not before. “It is a beautiful idea that makes sense: livestock brought zoonotic diseases. But there really is very few overwhelming tests about it,” Martin Sikora saidauthor of the study. Until now, the evidence was scarce because most infections do not leave visible marks in the bones. But as they point out in the study, examining a large number of pathogens and looking for some temporal trend that will support that hypothesis has managed to find the necessary evidence. Older plague cases. The team has identified the presence of Y. Pestis In three individuals between 5,700 and 5,300 years ago, located in western Russia, Central Asia and Lake Baikal. This finding pulverizes the previous record (a woman in Sweden from 5,000 years ago, also discovered by them) and defies the idea that the first plague outbreaks were isolated events. An millenary coinfection. A hunter-gatherer who lived in Russia 11,300 years ago showed evidence of a double infection in his body: diphtheria (C. Diphtheriae) and Helicobacter pylori. This is a fairly unusual combination that demonstrates how complex the world of diseases is, even before agriculture. We are the children of the Neolithic (and its pests). For Carles Lalueza-Fox, geneticist of the Institute of Evolutionary Biology of Barcelona, ​​this work is a fundamental step to understand the pandemics not only as tragedies, but as “engines of social and political change” and factors that have modeled our genomes. In this way, the study provides the direct evidence that was missing for one of the most important transitions in human history. The Neolithic Revolution not only brought us agriculture, villages and eventually, cities; It also inaugurated a new era of diseases. Images | Stijn Te Strake National Institute of Allergy In Xataka | The ten most common (and deadly) diseases that we do not know, we cannot or do not want to cure

They also share mental illnesses, according to science

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“Two that sleep in a mattress, become the same condition,” is a quite heard Spanish saying with its many variations and the reality is that they are right. Or at least in the part of mental illnesses. This has been determined A great scientific study that has made it clear that couples share psychiatric disorders. A matter of probability. A team of researchers has discovered that people with a psychiatric disorder are more likely to marry someone who suffers from the same pathology as with someone who does not have it. A pattern, previously observed in Nordic countries, which has now been confirmed to a larger scale with data from Taiwan, Denmark or Sweden with different cultural contexts, which has been reflected in a study published in Nature Human Behaviour. What was analyzed. The study analyzed data of more than 14.8 million people in Taiwan, Denmark and Sweden, examining the prevalence of nine psychiatric disorders in pairs: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depressionanxiety, attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADHD), autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder (TOC), substance consumption disorder and nervous anorexia. Clear results. When one of the couple’s members was diagnosed with one of these conditions, the other had a significantly greater probability of being diagnosed with it or with another psychiatric condition. According to Chun Chieh Fan, co -author of the study and researcher of genetics and populations in the Laureate Institute for Brain Research in Tulsa, Oklahoma, “the main result is that the pattern is maintained through countries, cultures and of course, generations.” The trend is to share diagnosis. Another relevant point of this study is that the observation revealed that, for most disorders, the possibilities that couples share a diagnosis increased slightly with each decade from the 30s to 90, especially in disorders related to substance consumption. However, some cultural differences were found. For example, in Taiwan, married couples were more likely to share a diagnosis of TOC than couples in Nordic countries. What’s behind the trend. The first theory that arises in this case is the attraction for similarity. In this case, people could be attracted to those who look like them, surely because they are the ones who can better understand a suffering that is shared. But it also points to the possibility that a shared environment could make couples become more similar with time. Or even that the stigma associated with psychiatric disorders causes the options to be reduced by a person. The environment also contributes. Other experts, such as Jan Fullerton, a psychiatric geneticist at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, add that social and environmental stress factors could contribute to a new diagnosis in a previously not affected couple, especially if they already had milder and non -diagnosed symptoms. There are genetic implications. Since genetics plays a role in the development of psychiatric disorders, the tendency to choose a couple with similar psychiatric symptoms increases the risk that these disorders appear in future generations. In fact, the study found that the children of parents who share the same disorder have twice as probabilities to develop the same condition compared to children who only have an affected parent. Images | Brooke Cagle In Xataka | Today couples get less and later. Now we know that they also form much more resistant marriages

Science puts the beta blockers in certain cases

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In the late 50s, Sir James Black Cardiovascular therapy revolutionized With your new treatment: beta blockers. A medication that has been the immovable pillar in current medicine for patients with an acute myocardial infarction in their history. But now, A series of studies They have arrived to change the idea we had about the administration of this treatment. A group of patients more affection. Studies published in the most prestigious medical magazines, such as The New EnglandThey arrive to draw a much more complex and personalized panorama of treatment administration. And he has reached such an extent that he suggests that for some people with a very specific clinical profile, and especially in women, their administration may not be necessary. Why are the beta blockers. To understand the magnitude of this change, you have to travel in time. The studies that cemented the use of beta blockers were carried out in the 80s, a very different era for cardiology. At that time, a heart attack was much less aggressive. There were no urgent angioplasties with stents to open obstructed arteries, nor the general use of High power statins either antiplatelet therapies dual In that context, the beta blockers demonstrated reduce mortality by an impressive 23%. A question in the air. Today, the standard treatment of a heart attack is radically different and much more effective. The question that floated in the air for years was: in this new era, are they still the universally necessary beta blockers, especially for those patients whose heart has not been seriously damaged? A concept that is key. To understand the great advance that has been made, you have to know what the left ventricular ejection fraction (FEVI). You can think like the “power percentage” that the heart has to expel the blood from the left ventricle to the aorta and by entity towards the coronary vessels of the heart. In this way, there are two scenarios right now on the table: Patient with a reduced fevi (≤40%): the heart has been weakened. In this group, no one doubts the benefit of the beta blockers since the evidence is solid. Patient with a non -reduced FEVI (> 40%): The heart maintains a good pumping force after infarction. It is here that the great debate has emerged around whether it is necessary to apply or not beta blockers so that they have a beneficial effect. THE REBOOT TEST. The first great protagonist of this new story is the reboot essaya massive study conducted in Spain and Italy with more than 8,500 patients. All participants had suffered an acute myocardial infarction, but had a FEVI greater than 40%. Half of these received beta blockers and the other half not. After a follow -up of 3.7 years, the results were overwhelming: there was no statistically significant difference between the two study groups. The Beta blocker group had an event rate of 22.5 per 1000 patients-year, compared to 21.7 in the group without them. Statistically, a technical draw. Beta blocker effect on women. Reboot analysis by sexwhich included 1,627 women, revealed a significant interaction. In men, the beta blockers showed neither benefit or harm. The event rate was practically identical, with or without treatment. In women, the result was radically different. Those who took beta blockers had a relative risk of 45% greater to suffer the main combined event with which they did not take them. Concentrated in two groups. This excess risk in women was mainly driven by an increase in mortality due to any cause. The study also discovered that this potential damage was concentrated in two subgroups: women with FIVI preserved (≥50%) and women who received higher doses of beta blockers. The researchers suggest that there could be pharmacokinetic reasons behind this. At equivalent doses, women tend to reach higher concentrations of the drug in blood due to physiological differences such as lower body weight and different metabolism. This could lead to adverse effects not seen in men with the same doses. Although it is something that will have to continue deepening. Studies that are opposite. The grace of science is that opposite results can be found on the same topic. And just when the reboot result seemed to sentence the debate, the results of the twin trials were published Betami and Danblock made in Norway and Denmark with almost 5,600 participants. With a similar design (patients with IAM and FEVI ≥40%) their conclusions were different. In this case, the treatment with beta blockers did demonstrate a benefit, reducing the risk of the primary objective (a death combined, major cardiovascular events, unplanned revascularization, stroke …). The incidence was 14.2% in the group with beta blockers compared to 16.3% in the control group. When the data broken down, the main engine of this benefit was a significant reduction in the incidence of a new myocardial infarction: 5% vs. 6.7%. Interestingly, and in direct contrast with reboot’s findings, its subgroup analysis showed that the benefit seemed more pronounced in women. A meta -analysis to find the midpoint. We have two mass studies, well designed and with opposite results. How do we solve this apparent contradiction? For this we use the most powerful tool of scientific evidence: a meta -analysis of individual patient data. An international team, led by the researchers of the previous essays, decided to combine strength. They combined the data of reboot patients, Betami, Danblock and a fourth smallest study (capital-RCT) to focus on a very specific group: those with slightly reduced FEVI (between 40% and 49%). This is the “gray area”, patients who do not have seriously damaged heart, but not completely normal. A surprising result. When analyzing the 1,885 patients who fit in this profile, the conclusion was clear: in this subgroup, the beta blockers are beneficial. A 25% reduction was seen in the risk of having a heart attack, heart failure or dying. In addition, the Hazard Ratio (a risk measure) was 0.75, indicating a clear and statistically significant protective effect. Beta … Read more

Science explains why coriander knows you soap (and the fault belongs to your genes)

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For many it is a touch of indispensable citrus freshness in tacos, guacamoles and curris. For others, it is a culinary abomination that It ruins any dish with a disgusting soap flavormetal or even insects. The coriander is undoubtedly one of the most polarizing herbs in the world, an ingredient that does not admit average terms and has generated much frustration. It is not a matter of taste. For years, science has investigated this phenomenon and the answer is clear: if the coriander knows you soap, it is not being a fussy: The fault, in large part, has your DNA. The “soap gene” exposed. The key piece of this genetic puzzle found it An association study at a genomic scale (GWAS) published in the magazine Flavour. Researchers analyzed the DNA of almost 30,000 people and found a direct connection between the perception of coriander soap and a specific genetic variant. The main suspect is a unique nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) known as RS72921001. This small change in the genetic code is found on chromosome 11, just in the middle of a group of olfactory receptor genes. And one of them, called OR6A2, is the perfect candidate to explain the mystery. Because? The OR6A2 gene encodes a receiver in our nose that is especially sensitive to aldehydeschemical compounds that are key components in the aroma of coriander. Interestingly, these same aldehydes are also a byproduct of the soap manufacturing process and are secreted by certain insects as a defense mechanism. In essence, people with this genetic variant have a kind of “antenna” superpotent for the aldehydes of the coriander. While a person without this variant perceives a fresh and herbal aroma, someone with the variable of the O6A2 gene receives an overwhelming sign that his brain interprets with the taste of soap. A more complex genetic cocktail. Although the O6A2 gene is the protagonist, the story does not end there. Another study conducted with twins by the Monell Chemical Sensa Center, and published in Chemical Sensaadd more nuances to the equation. This investigation not only confirmed that coriander aversion has a strong hereditary component – stating the inheritability of taste for coriander in 52% – but also identified other genes involved. Specifically, there have been three genes that have identified in this genetic combo. The first one is TRPA1 which is known for detecting spicy substances, the second is GNAT3 which is crucial for the transduction of signs of taste in the language. The last is the TAS2R50 That is a receptor of bitter taste. This suggests that, for some people, the rejection of coriander is not only due to a soap smell, but to a complete sensory experience that may include bitter notes and a sense of unpleasant itching or flavor. The geography of flavor. Genetics is closely linked to offspring, and coriander aversion is no exception. Statistics demonstrate a fascinating global division, as revealed by a study by the University of Toronto. The prevalence of coriander aversion change dramatically between different ethnocultural groupsaccording to these proportions: Oriental Asians: 21% Caucasics: 17% Afro -descendants: 14% South Asians: 7% Hispanics: 4% Middle East: 3% These percentages make a lot of sense. These data are not casual. Populations with less aversion are those in whose kitchensh It has been a pillar for centuries, such as Mexican, India, Thai or the Middle East. This raises an interesting evolutionary question: was the kitchen of these regions adapted to a population that genetically enjoyed coriander, or constant exposure for generations helped overcome an initial aversion? The answer is probably a mixture of both. How to learn to love coriander. While your DNA predisposes you to hate the coriander, it is not necessarily a judgment of life. Inheritability, although significant, is not 100%, which means that environmental factors and exposure play an important role. Experts suggest that it is possible to “train” the brain to accept, and even enjoy the coriander. Some of the tricks they give is to crust the coriander in the form of pesto or sauce so that the soapy aldehydes are diluted. But you can also bet on introducing it little by little and mixing it with other powerful flavors so that the palate can get used to it. Images | Lindsay Moe In Xataka | We have finally discovered the sixth flavor. The only problem is that if you are not a fly you will not be able to enjoy it

Your grandmother was right with Kiwi, and now science has given her marketing a powerful weapon

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It is a milestone for European regulation: for the first time, a fresh fruit, the green kiwi, has made the European Commission authorize you A “specific health declaration”. What your grandmother told you now comes with an official stamp and scientific support. But this also gives rise to a Great marketing network. A victory for brands. This news, which at first glance seems a victory for science and consumers, is actually a fascinating case study on how food industry, marketing and European regulation that has more recesses than it seems. The application, driven by the neozygous giant Zespri, has taken seven years to see the light and, although it celebrates a real benefit, reopens the debate on what we consider “healthy” how we sell us. A cooked health statement for years. So that A food can carry a slogan related to healththe inventiveness of a marketing team is not enough. As the Food Technologist explainsMiguel Lurueña in the country, for almost two decades the European Union demands a rigorous process to avoid misleading advertising. The first request for the Kiwi to have its recognition started in 2018 when Zespri, the world’s largest kiwis marketer, submitted a request to the European Commission claiming that the Kiwi contributes to the maintenance of normal defecation. To support him, he contributed 19 scientific studies. It is not something two days. The scientific verdict did not reach 2021, when the European Food Security Authority (EFSA) comes into play. His work is to review scientific evidence and determine if it is solid enough to give your approval. Something that arrived three years after the initial application. The next step was the politician, where the Member States of the European Union had to agree on a statement on this food and its properties. Because obviously it is something that will directly affect their citizens. A text with a small print. The official text approved is: “The consumption of green Kiwi contributes to the normal functioning of the intestine by increasing the frequency of the strokes. “The law allows simplifying it, so get ready to see ads with a clear and direct:” Help to go to the bathroom. “ But the statement will only be able to use for fresh green kiwis of the variety Hayward And the consumer should be informed that the effect is achieved with a daily intake of 200 grams of pulp, which is equivalent to about two kiwis of good size. The kiwi’s “superpower” is not so exclusive. This is where history becomes very interesting. Zespri argued that the kiwi effect was due to a unique combination of factors: its fiber, an enzyme called Actinidinephenolic compounds and other substances that They altered intestinal motility and the Microbiota. It seemed that the Kiwi had a secret formula. However, EFSA itself in its scientific opinion reaches a much less exclusive conclusion: evidence does not demonstrate that the effect of green Kiwi on defecation is higher than the one that could be expected because of its dietary fiber content. Figures can be put. Keep in mind that 200 grams of Kiwi provide approximately six grams of fiber. This is the amount that, according to studies, produces the beneficial effect. But that amount is not, much less, exclusive to Kiwi. We can get a similar fiber contribution in other foods that are often much cheaper. For example: A cup of cooked lentils (about 180 g) contains more than 15 grams of fiber. A ration of raspberries (125 g) provides about 8 grams of fiber. A comprehensive pasta dish (80 g dry) is around 7 grams of fiber. Two medium pears also add up to 6 grams of fiber. In this way we see that the Kiwi can work and is very healthy. But the approved benefit is not a ‘magical’ property, but the result of its fiber content, which is a nutrient present in many other foods. In your skin is where its benefits lies. Although a priori it may seem necessary to peel the entire fruit, including kiwis, Science tells us something different. In past studies it was made clear that Kiwi on your skin contains a fiber rich fountain and vitamin E, although it is recommended to wash it well before consumption. The same occurs in other types of fruits, where much of the fiber is also found in the shell that is in essence is viscous fiber. A guy that helps reduce appetite when gastric emptying and stimulating hormones that They promote satiety. The door open to advertising picaresque. The Kiwi case feels a precedent, but also reminds us of the strategies that the industry has been using for years. Regularization allows a product to contain a significant amount of a nutrient with an already approved health statement such as vitamin D, can use a slogan to promote it. He Most famous example is Actimel’s. Danone did not get the EFSA to approve specific statements for bacteria L. Casei. The solution? Enrich the product with vitamins D and B6, for which the declaration “contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system” is authorized. From there, to the famous slogan “help your defenses” there is a very short step and, above all, legal. Valuing food by a nutrient. This strategy that we have seen in the food industry leads us directly to the tendency to value food by a single function. In the case of Actimel only for its function for the immune system and now the Kiwi to go to the bathroom. In this way, a food is not valued in conjunction with all its nutrients. Eating two kiwis a day can help with constipation, but it will not serve as “antidote” if the rest of our diet is based on poor ultraprocesses in fiber. The great forgotten: the nutritional profiles. To prevent an industrial bun and saturated fats from being advertised as an iron source that helps diminish, simply because it is enriched, European legislation foresaw in 2006 The creation of … Read more

If your intuition tells you that “more intense color are richer,” science has good news for you

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Cardiovascular diseases follow being the main cause of death in the worldbut this scourge can begin to control thanks to the most colorful foods of the supermarket. A new and thorough review study systematic published in Nutrients has put the focus on carotenoidsthe Natural pigments that give their vibrant color to fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots or spinach. What are exactly carotenoids. Carotenoids are a group of more than 600 compounds that plants, algae and some bacteria produce naturally. They are responsible for the red, orange and yellow tones of many foods. Among the best known we can highlight the lycopene that is very present the tomatoes, the beta-carotene that is in carrots (and can get to give us an orange color on the skin) and the Lutein o Zeaxantine that are in green foods. Components of great importance for humans. Humans cannot produce these carotenoids, as with some vitaminsso we depend on the diet to obtain them. But his fame is not free: they act as Powerful antioxidantsneutralizing the free radicals they produce Oxidative stress and ends up damaging the cells and the genetic material itself. In addition, the study highlights its anti -inflammatory properties or its ability to improve the cholesterol profile by reducing oxidation of ‘bad’ or LDL cholesterol. This is something very relevant, then The oxidation of LDL is the trigger to form the atheroma plates In blood vessels, which is a key risk factor for Atherosclerosis. That is, the hardening and obstruction of the main arteries of the organism that can finally cause a heart attack. Evidence on the table: real food vs. supplements. The researchers, led by a team from the European University of the Atlantic in Santander, analyzed 38 of the most relevant studies published in the last decade to answer a key question: does the carotenoid intake prevents cardiovascular diseases? But beyond this, they also wondered if The supplements that can be found work or a varied diet is better. Having them in blood is associated with a healthier heart. The observational studies of cohorts that followed large groups of people for years, are quite consistent: those who had higher concentrations of serum carotenoids presented, in general, a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Specifically, there was an inverse correlation with hypertension, the rigidity of the arteries and several inflammation markers. This suggests that a usual consumption of rich foods in these compounds is a good cardiovascular health indicator. Do carotene supplements work? This is where the thing is complicated. The studies that gave the participants carotenoid capsules showed results that were often contradictory. On the one hand, when the lycopene was given in supplement, he recorded an improvement in the endothelial function of patients who already had cardiovascular disease, but not in healthy volunteers. In the case of lutein, a triglyceridesand with beta -carotene the significant effect was null. This is something that surprised the researchers, but even more they were amazed to see that by providing several carotenoids together the effect was more effective than with the use of an isolated carotene. This already gives us an important clue. Real food wins the game. The clearest verdict came from dietary intervention studies. When participants were provided with foods such as tomato or carrot juices, or they were indicated to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables in the diet, the benefits were more notable and consistent than with the pills. Interventions with tomato juice in lycopene managed to reduce key inflammatory molecules in atherosclerosis, while increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables improved antioxidant capacity of “good” or HDL cholesterol. In this way, scientific evidence suggests that carotenoids have to be consumed in ‘groups’ to have a greater effect. The conclusion is clear: we must not replace the vegetable. On many occasions we try to supplement what we do not like with herbalist treatments. This is not ideal in this case, since the cardioprotective effect of the carotenoid seems to be amplified with other compounds that the original food such as fiber or vitamins presents. But it also adds to the need to complement it with other fruits and vegetables. And you don’t have to become obsessed with tomato and carrot in this regard. There are a lot of fruits and vegetables that can be included in the diet in a varied way so as not to end ‘hating it: peppers, pumpkin, broccoli or kale are some of the examples we find. Time is vital for your protection. As in medicine, the effects are not usually immediate when a change in the habits of a patient is made. In this case, long -term observational studies show the strongest results, that is, It is the sustained habit of consuming these foods What really protects the heart. A good diet is fundamental. This conclusion is no secret to us, since there are many studies that point to important benefits of following a good diet. For example, the Mediterranean diet It can help us stop the aging of the brain. Although it is also a reality that there are many diets such as potato diet either Miracle diets In general, they are a pathology to face it in the absence of nutrients or a subsequent rebound effect. Images | Claudio Schwarz Kenny Eliason In Xataka | We have just discovered one of the best kept secrets of the Mediterranean diet: its compounds

Science has divided us into two types of brewers

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He beer taste It is certainly quite peculiar. We are many people who agree that the first time we tried this drink, the taste Not that we would like muchbut that in the long run ended up. But tastes go further: there are people who He likes a beer guy and others prefer to opt for another type. Science wanted to give light on this. Confirming what was suspected. A recent study Made by a team of scientists from Ohio State University, it has shed light to what many thought, not everyone perceived the taste of beer in the same way. The investigation, presented at the meeting of the American Chemical Society in Washingtonreveals that whoever consumes beer is divided into two different fields, and everything is reduced to chemistry. An investigation as objective as possible. To get to this conclusion, the researchers recruited 135 beer enthusiasts and gave him 18 different types of beer Lager In three tasting sessions. These beers are characterized by using yeasts to Ferment at low temperature and that need a longer time to give the final result. The result is the characteristic transparent gold color. To guarantee objectivity, all beers had a similar percentage of alcohol and a similar level of bitterness. The participants evaluated in this characteristic case as the sweetness and intensity of the aroma, while the researchers used mass spectrometry to identify the chemical compounds that predominated in each of the beers. From here it was only crossing the data collected. Two divided factions. The results were surprising, since the tasters were divided into two very clear groups according to their preferences. A group preferred beers with more intense and complex flavors, while the other opted for the softest and most subtle. Interestingly, the beers that one group described as their favorites, the other placed them in the last positions of their ranking. A great disparity, which in the end makes sense in chemistry. What differentiates these two groups of ‘brewers’? The answer is in your sensitivity to certain chemical compounds. Intense flavors lovers showed a preference for the Furaneolwhich is a compound associated with the aroma of strawberries and jam. On the other hand, those who preferred the softest flavors bowed to the ETYL-3-methyltiopropionato that provides pineapple notes. This second group, in addition, showed an aversion at high doses of α-terpineol, a compound with pine aroma. Good news for the beer industry. These findings are not just a curiosity for beer fans, but also open a world of possibilities for the beer industry. According to Devin Peterson, researcher at Ohio State University and study director, “this research allows us to better adapt the products to the different consumer cohorts.” In this way, brewers could develop beers specifically designed to satisfy the palates of each of these two groups. The rise of craft beer in Spain. In a market like Spanish, where Artisanal beer is increasingly present in our day to daythis type of studies takes on a special relevance. Artisanal beer producers, which are characterized by their innovation and their search for unique flavors, could use this information to create new variables that fit consumer preferences. Although, the artisanal beer sector in Spain still represents a small portion of the total market, Its constant growth It shows that there is an increasingly interested audience in trying new things and getting out of traditional industrial beers. The key to success for these small brewers lies, to a large extent, in their ability to connect with consumers’ tastes and science can be a great ally in this regard. There is science behind what we know. The perception of flavor is a much more complex phenomenon than might seem to the naked eye. The neurogastronomya discipline that studies how our brain creates the perception of flavor, teaches us that this is a multisensory experience. Not only does taste influence, but also smell, sight, touch and even the ear. Our past expectations and experiences also play a crucial role. For example, the same wine can know different if we drink it in a plastic glass or in a glass, or if we know its price in advance. In the same way, the way we perceive a beer can be influenced by its label, the shape of the vessel or even the music we are listening to at that time. Images | Elevate In Xataka | The last extreme idea in beer fermentation has nothing to do with alcohol. It has to do with murderous bees

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