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What would happen if you tried to survive on just one type of food? The short answer: you would die. Of course, how you died (organ failure, muscle-wasting, rapidly spreading pustular wounds... some combination thereof) would depend entirely on which type of food you decided to ride out your last weeks/months/years of life consuming. More »
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When we imagine great predators like bears, lions, sharks, and the T. rex, they're generally just chowing down on whatever hapless animal wanders in front of them. But if beetles are anything to go by, predators have a surprisingly nutritious diet. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5875282&view=rss&microfeed=true Low carbohydrate diets go in and out of fashion for weight loss, but a new piece of research suggests that an occasional low carb day is better than traditional diets for helping to prevent breast cancer. The findings are set to be presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, where the researchers describe a diet that may lower insulin and prevent cancer better than a traditional diet. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5865482&view=rss&microfeed=true Food that's heated over a fire is easier to digest and less likely to make you painfully ill — which is why cooking our meals has been considered healthier for millennia. But the growing raw food movement purports to offer healthier alternatives with food that's untouched by heat. Now it turns out that raw food may have unexpected drawbacks. New research suggests that cooking affects how much energy we get out of our food. More »
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Lab tests on rats indicate that commonly used fake fats, which don't get absorbed into the body, may be even less desirable than their side effect of 'anal leakage' makes them sound. More »
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Looking to shed some pounds and take part in a massive act of self-deception? You can't fool your stomach into feeling full. However, you can fool your brain into enjoying healthy fruits and vegetables as much as high-fat indulgences. More »
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Although the ancient hominid Paranthropus boisei has earned the nickname "Nutcracker Man", his actual diet was quite a bit softer. Unlike any other known human ancestor, this ancient hominid's powerful jaw and huge molars were actually used to eat grass. More »
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Find out about the foul-tasting compound that prevents people from drinking antifreeze, rat poison, and shampoo. No, common sense isn't enough. More »
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One explanation for the extinction of our hominid cousins is that Neanderthals weren't as smart about what foods they ate as our ancestors. But newly discovered Neanderthal teeth reveal a complex diet, mixing in fruits and vegetables with their meat. More »
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Pledging to lose weight as your New Year’s Resolution? We list some of science fiction’s quick fixes for weight loss, but be warned: these shortcuts often come with a terrible price. More »
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When you ingest a stomach hormone called ghrelin it causes your brain to respond to food the way junkies respond to drugs. You are filled with an intense desire for it, and eating it becomes far more memorable. Researchers at Montreal's McGill University studied people's reactions to food after they had ingested ghrelin, and discovered that it made them crave whatever food they were shown in pictures — even if they had just eaten. Drugs that tamper with ghrelin are just around the corner. More »
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