FoodBusters

I love the Food Network show "FoodDetectives." It's kind of a Mythbusters for food. It takes common (mis)conceptions of foods and puts them to the test. Today's episode cracked the following cases.

Which beverage can help you fall asleep?

• brandy
• chamomile tea
• warm milk
• sugary drink
• water
  

What is your guess?

Is it safe to eat an egg that has a spot of blood in it?
My guess was "YES" and I was correct.
But if it grosses you out, simply remove the bloodspot before cooking. Ummm...if you master the "simply" part let me know.

What foods contain hidden sugar? (btw: no surprises here for this sugar counter)

• ketchup: ounce for ounce more sugar than ice cream
• dried fruit: 3 dried mango slices have as much sugar as one can of soda
• diet fat free salad dressing: 2 T sugar per serving
• energy drinks: their citric acids cut down on the sweetness so you don't even realize how sweet they really are
  

Are raw vegetables more nutritious than cooked ones?
My guess was "YES" and I was right AND wrong!
Some veggies lose vitamins when cooked and others gain them. And in the case of carrots, they gain Vit A and lose Vit C (I may have gotten those backwards). Crazy! Who knew! Okay...maybe you did.

So back to the sleepy beverage.
Warm milk can be effective but it is purely psychological. There is no scientific proof. The only beverage that passed the lab tests and proved to be effective in improving sleep was chamomile tea.

So there are your Science lessons for the day. Gotta go. My stomach is growling.