2026-07-20
Re: Cyclospora
On Sat, Jul 18, 2026 at 5:12 PM Grant wrote:
Here in Utah, Taco Bell is highly suspect because they get their lettuce from Mexico.
For a long time I liked to eat salads. But lettuce doesn't keep very long and now I am highly suspicious of things like that.
I eat Roma tomatoes for the higher lycopene content.
I have concluded that a moderate amount of chips with salsa is healthy, and a good substitute for salads. The high fiber is filling and helps with appetite.
Tortilla chips are high in resistant starch, which is linked to some health benefits.
Google AI says...
Yes, lycopene is highly beneficial. It is a potent antioxidant found in red foods like tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit. It protects your cells from oxidative stress and is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, prostate cancer, and strokes. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
For maximum benefit, consider these key details:
- Better with fat: Lycopene is fat-soluble. Eating lycopene-rich foods with healthy fats (like cooking tomatoes in olive oil or eating them with avocado) boosts your body's absorption by up to 4.4 times. [1, 2, 3]
- Better when cooked: Heating and processing tomatoes (e.g., in tomato paste, sauce, or salsa) actually makes lycopene more bioavailable than eating them raw. [1]
Yes, salsa contains lycopene. Because tomatoes are the primary ingredient in traditional red salsa, the condiment is packed with this powerful antioxidant. Lycopene is linked to reduced inflammation, better heart health, and a lower risk of certain cancers. [1, 2, 3, 4]
The bioavailability of lycopene actually improves when tomatoes are cooked, processed, or mixed with a little fat (like avocado), making this flavorful condiment an excellent way to boost your daily nutrient intake. [1, 2, 3]
Yes, resistant starch is highly beneficial. It bypasses small intestine digestion, reaching the colon intact to feed beneficial gut bacteria. This produces short-chain fatty acids (like butyrate) that improve gut health, stabilize blood sugar, increase satiety, and support heart health. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Key benefits of resistant starch include:
- Blood Sugar Control: Because it resists digestion, it does not cause blood sugar spikes. Some research indicates it can also increase insulin sensitivity. [1, 2]
- Gut Health & Digestion: It acts as a prebiotic, nourishing your microbiome and protecting the lining of the colon, which may lower the risk of colorectal cancer. [1, 2]
- Weight Management: By fueling the production of satiety hormones like GLP-1, it helps you feel full longer. [1]
You can naturally incorporate resistant starch into your diet by eating legumes, seeds, unripe (green) bananas, and whole grains. Additionally, cooking and subsequently cooling starchy carbohydrates (like rice, pasta, and potatoes) turns them into resistant starches. [1, 2]
Yes, corn tortillas contain resistant starch. The traditional process of making them—called nixtamalization, where corn is soaked in an alkaline lime solution—alters the starch and naturally increases resistant starch. [1, 2, 3]
You can boost the resistant starch content even further by cooking and cooling them (e.g., storing them in the fridge), which causes the starches to crystallize and become more resistant to digestion. For example, fresh corn tortillas might contain roughly 2.6 g of resistant starch, but this can increase to over 3.5 g after being chilled in the refrigerator. [1, 2, 3]
Watergate | 5 Minute Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgOGDAfSUZc
This reframes the Watergate Scandal as a political struggle between President Nixon and leftists. This is partially correct, but Nixon illegally tried to cover up the scandal, and this was worse than the original crime.
This reframes the Watergate Scandal as a political struggle between President Nixon and leftists. This is partially correct, but Nixon illegally tried to cover up the scandal, and this was worse than the original crime.
2026-07-19
2026-07-18
What People Consider Important
You can tell what people consider important by visiting a Kroger store. Half of one aisle is devoted to just coffee and tea. A full aisle, both sides, is devoted to ice cream and frozen treats. However, four full aisles are devoted to alcohol.
Cyclospora
“You can and should continue to eat fruits and vegetables, but you might want to take additional precautions depending on where you live,” says James E. Rogers, PhD, director of food safety at Consumer Reports, who notes that so far, the majority of infections have been reported in Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, and Kentucky. “If you’re in one of those states, I recommend avoiding eating lettuce and salad greens until we know more, but currently, there is no data to support avoiding fruits and vegetables generally.”
2026-07-14
2026-07-12
Witnessing the Unstoppable: 31 Moments of Awe and Wonder
I think that my philosophy in life is to not put myself in harm's way.
2026-07-11
Reducing the Risk From Arsenic in Rice - Consumer Reports
Our team tested three cooking methods ...
...adding rice to boiling water, cooking 5 minutes, and then draining the rice and cooking it in fresh water—known as the parboiling and absorption method..
...the parboiling and absorption method reduced the inorganic arsenic content in short- and long-grain brown and white rice by 50 and 58 percent, respectively. This could be a very effective strategy for families looking to reduce arsenic exposure while still eating rice. “In some cultures, people already prepare rice this way, and it appears to have a protective effect,”
Akinleye says. There is also data from other studies indicating that cooking rice like pasta and discarding the excess water can remove between 40 and 60 percent of the arsenic in rice, according to the FDA.
https://www.consumerreports.org/health/food-contaminants/arsenic-in-rice-reducing-risk-a8972350937/
Based on this, I think that the boil-in-the-bag method might be the easiest and still helpful.
I haven't cooked rice for years. However, I order Chinese food 2 to 4 times per month.
I own a small rice cooker that I haven't used.
2026-07-10
Moana (2026)
I see that the live action version of Moana scores only 37% on Rotten Tomatoes. Why take a pretty good animated movie and remake it into a dull live action one?
The Lion King is a perfect animated movie, but in 2019 they gave us a new version that is longer and more boring.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/moana_2026
2026-07-09
2026-07-07
2026-07-06
LIVE: Trump speech and July 4th fireworks in Washington
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyEPha0Oafs
I thought that Trump gave a good speech.
I wondered why in the video some of the music was silenced during the fireworks show. It was mostly likely for copyright reasons.
2026-07-05
2026-07-04
2026-07-03
Movies: 2036 Origin Unknown
The interesting twist is that an AI is largely in charge. The central theme is that AI is becoming our master and that artificial intelligence is not like human intelligence but more like an alien intelligence.
2026-07-01
What the Iran MOU Says Matters
Trump maintains that the MOU is an interim step that either leads to an outstanding final agreement or a resumption of bombing that would finish the job. The former would mean that much of the MOU is pointless, and the latter is unlikely, particularly before the midterm elections.
2026-06-30
2026-06-28
2026-06-27
2026-06-26
Sugar Alcohols Ruined My Health
2 years ago
I didn't notice sugar-alcohols in very many products. I have occasionally bought no-sugar-added mini-pies that contain sugar-alcohols. They give me gas, but as long as I eat them in moderation, I am fine. Too much can have a laxative effect.
2026-06-25
Primary upset: Organizer Darializa Avila Chevalier defeats Rep. Adriano Espaillat
Darializa Avila Chevalier has reportedly said that she is for the total eradication of Western Civilization....
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