Eating Junk Food During Pregnancy May Up Risk Of Autism In Kids

Processed food has been blamed for a number of lifestyle ailments including increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and even poor mental health. Processed foods include microwave-ready meals, packaged cheeses and breads, frozen pizzas, as well as cakes, cookies and sugar-sweetened beverages. All these foods have been pegged by health experts as the root cause of a variety of different ailments. A new study has now linked processed foods to autism as well. The study has indicated that consuming processed foods may increase risks of autism, which is a development disorder that affects a person's ability to clearly communicate and interact.

The study titled, "Propionic Acid Induces Gliosis and Neuro-inflammation through Modulation of PTEN/AKT Pathway in Autism Spectrum Disorder" was published in the journal Scientific Reports and it indicated that a rise in autistic children may have been resulting from consumption of junk or processed food by pregnant women or expectant mothers. The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Central California. The researchers have claimed to have identified the molecular changes that take place in neuro stem cells when they are exposed to an acid that is present in processed foods. The acid is called Propionic Acid (PPA) and it is used abundantly in packaged or processed foods to increase their shelf-life.

This acid, the researchers have now found, may affect and reduce development of neurons in the fetal brain. The scientists have said that earlier studies have showed higher levels of this acid in stool samples collected from autistic children, whose gut microbiome were also found to be different. Excessive amounts of the acid were shown to shorten and damage neural pathways as well. This combination of reduced neruons and impaired neural pathways, impede the brain's ability to communicate, resulting in behaviors that are often found in children with autism. The study concluded by saying, "This study is the first to link PPA and ASD-microbiome by-product to gliosis, disturbed neural architecture, and increase in inflammatory response, all of which may translate into dramatic neuro-complications including ASD."

How To Perfectly Brew Flavourful Cup Of Kadak Masala Chai

It would be an understatement to say that Indians love their cup of milky kadak chai. Tea lovers in India like their tea prepared in a certain specific way. Some enjoy it with full-fat milk while some like it with skimmed milk, some others may like it cloyingly sweet while another group of people may like with just one sugar cube. There's a section of people who don't like their tea flavoured with any spice barring fresh ginger, while some others may want a whole range of spices to be cooked along with the milk and the tea, lending their cup an aromatic quality. Some may even demand special maska chai with a generous helping of fresh cream or malai, while some others can't even stand the sight of malai in their mugs of chai!

Whichever camp you may belong to, you will probably agree on one thing- there is perhaps no 'best way' to prepare masala chai. The characteristic feature of Indian chai is the presence of one or more spices in it, giving it a unique soothing and perhaps nutritious quality. Some of the most popular spices that are used to prepare masala chai include ginger, cinnamon, green cardamom (elaichi) and cloves (laung). You may mix and match and use these spices in combination, or put all of these in, while preparing your tea. While it may be a task to individually store and use all these spices for preparing chai daily, some people prefer the sight of whole spices brewing in their tea pots to conveniently skipping them out.

Tips To Get Kadak Masala Chai Every Single Time

For those who want to go all the way and use all the spice ammunition in their kitchen arsenal, there is a way of ensuring that their cup of chai is perfectly aromatic and strong or kadak to boot! Follow these tips to get a strong cup of masala chai every single time:

1. Spice Mix: Although a lot of people nowadays go for store-bought chai masalas, it's always better to make your chai masala at home from fresh and whole spices. You can simply grind all the whole spices of your choices together in a grinder until they form a fine or medium-coarse powder. Make sure you grind equal quantities of all spices together and store it in an air-tight jar for daily use.

2. For Milky Tea: If you like your chai kadak, but still creamy and milky, then make sure you boil the milk and the water together until it comes to a boil, before putting the tea leaves in.

3. For Chai With Less Milk: For those who like their chai with just a smidgen of milk, boiling the tea leaves and spice mix in water before putting the milk in, is ideal. Let the spice mix and the tea leaves brew in plain water for just a few minutes, until it starts bubbling. Then add little bit of milk, as per your requirement and then boil again for a few minutes.

You can also adjust the quantity of tea leaves, depending on how mellow or strong you want your tea to be. Also, make sure you don't put too much masala in your tea, otherwise it may end up overpowering the taste and flavour of the leaves.

Adding This Spice To Your Milkshake May Trick Your Brain Into Thinking It's Sweet

A tall glass of cold, sweet milkshake is perfect for lifting our spirits on a sweltering summer day. From chocolate shake to strawberry shake; a creamy and flavourful concoction with the right mix of flavours makes for an ideal summer beverage. These milkshakes are healthy for their high content of calcium and other nutrients coming from milk. However, the only point of contention that may put a milkshake in the spot is its high content of sugar. Milkshakes are purposely sweetened with sugar for that delectable sweetness that finds favour with everyone's sweet tooth. But, we all know that too-much sugar is bad for us. To help us keep enjoying a hearty glass of milkshake without any guilt, a study has come up with a solution.

The study that was published in the journal Food Quality and Preference, suggests that in order to limit the consumption of sugar, add vanilla to milkshakes. The study discovered that the flavour of vanilla makes the drink seems sweeter and the human brain buys it. In fact, by adding vanilla, the level of sugar in milk beverages can be cut down by 20 to 50 per cent, as suggested by lead researcher Gloria Wang who conducted the research at Pennsylvania State University in the US. It is believed that congruent or harmonious odour of vanilla essence enhances the taste of milkshakes.

Helene Hopfer, Assistant Professor of Food Science at Pennsylvania State University in the US said, "Reducing added sugar in products, just like reducing fat and salt, is the holy grail of food science."

For the study, a blind taste test was carried out that analysed taste enhancement by an aroma. It was found that participants who did not know that vanilla had been added to the milk kept on rating samples with vanilla significantly sweeter than their added sugar concentrations.

"We maintain the sweetness perception by having this congruent odour -- this learned, associated odour -- basically trick the brain into thinking that there is still enough sweetness there," said Wang, now an associate scientist in product development with Leprino Foods Co. in Colorado, US.

The researchers have termed the findings as a great way to reduce the intake of sugar in the consumers' diet and help them live a healthier life.