Free Republic

In a nutshell Vegan diets support muscle protein synthesis at the same rate as omnivorous diets when protein intake is matched (1.1-1.2g per kg of body weight). How you distribute protein throughout the day (evenly across meals vs. mostly at dinner) doesn’t significantly impact muscle growth. Vegan dieters reported higher energy levels and less fatigue, while omnivorous dieters reported greater meal satisfaction. ******************************************************************* CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Forget what you’ve heard at the gym about needing chicken breasts and steaks to build muscle. Science just delivered a win for plant-based eaters everywhere. Researchers found that vegan diets support muscle growth just...

Founded in 2023 by National Day Calendar® and the North American Renderers Association (NARA). Average Amy Monette, CEO & Partner NATIONAL RENDERING DAY National Rendering Day is on April 21 and we are celebrating by bringing awareness to reducing and eliminating food waste through a process known as rendering. #NationalRenderingDay North Americans consider roughly 50% of an animal inedible. This leaves a lot of leftover material that ends up as food waste. On National Rendering Day, we learn about how we can eliminate this waste, what rendering means, and why using the rendering process is the smart choice. What is...

Every spring, I’d eagerly await my special package — a box that arrived peeping. Inside were just-hatched chicks, still egg-shaped and covered in down. I would raise the chicks in my home office. During our first month together, there was always a chick or two in my sweater, on my shoulder or perching atop my head. They considered me their mother. Later, when they moved outside to a coop, they ranged freely over the eight acres my husband and I own in rural New Hampshire. Whenever they caught sight of me, they would greet me as if I were a...

The humble egg is one of those foods that pops up just about everywhere. An egg can be cooked in dozens, if not hundreds, of different preparations, and just like any other commodity, the price has really fluctuated over the years. Tracking down the retail price of a dozen Grade A eggs over the decades wasn't an easy task, as prices have varied from store to store over the years, and supermarkets haven't kept track of prices for decades on end. So in order to get an annual retail price that we could stand behind, we worked with the U.S....

In a nutshell Young children have better survival rates when animal protein makes up a larger portion of their diet due to essential amino acids and easily absorbed nutrients like iron and zinc. Adults over 60 benefit more from plant-based proteins, with higher life expectancy in countries where plant proteins are more prevalent in the food supply. The research suggests dietary guidelines should consider age-specific recommendations, especially as countries transition to more sustainable food systems. ******************************************************************** SYDNEY — New research challenges the one-size-fits-all approach to diet, at least when it comes to protein sources. Scientists have discovered that eating meat...

NATIONAL CHEESEBALL DAY April 17th kicks off National Cheeseball Day and recognizes a party food that can sometimes be the centerpiece of a spread. You can choose from two ways to celebrate, too! Or plan your party and serve both! #NationalCheeseballDay A cheese spread comes in the shape of a ball served with crackers, most often around Christmas in the U.S. This cheeseball is commonly made with softened cream cheese and other ingredients. Cheese puffs are a puffed corn snack coated with a mixture of cheese or cheese-flavored powders. Cheese puffs are manufactured by extruding heated corn dough through a...

Achieving Net Zero in 25 years would need a “complete transformation” of the UK’s agricultural and food system that would in effect mean a diet devoid of beef, lamb and all dairy products, according to the latest work from the Government-funded UK FIRES. Look at the research that governing elites commission and read, not what they say. UK FIRES takes an absolute view of Net Zero and bases its work on existing technologies, not the pie in the sky inventions still to come and the whacky schemes that cannot reach economic scale. UK FIRES is an influential body since it...

A new UC Davis study shows that having fermented food like sauerkraut could be good for gut health. Credit: Hector Amezcua / UC Davis **************************************************************** Sauerkraut might be doing more than just adding zing to your hot dog — it could be actively defending your gut. New research from UC Davis reveals that fermented cabbage helps protect intestinal cells from inflammation-related damage, unlike raw cabbage or brine alone. The researchers found no difference between homemade and store-bought sauerkraut, suggesting it’s an accessible option for better gut health. By identifying hundreds of fermentation-related metabolites, they’ve opened the door to understanding how...

We can all only hope we'll be this prepared when disaster — any kind of disaster! — eventually strikes: A Tennessee family managed to save their home from biblical floods by building their own levee around the property. The Humphrey family home in Ridgely - about three hours outside of Nashville - was seen untouched by brown, murky flood water on April 8 after severe rainfall trapped more than 100 people in the area. Miraculously, the large home was still standing, as incredible aerial images posted to Facebook showed it sitting alone in the middle of a disaster zone while...

Starch-based biodegradable plastics, once considered safer, may cause liver damage, metabolic issues, and gut microbiome imbalances when ingested, as shown in animal studies. Researchers found that mice exposed to these microplastics had disrupted organ function and altered biological rhythms. ***************************************************************** Starch-based biodegradable plastics may cause organ damage and metabolic issues, raising concerns about their safety despite being considered eco-friendly. Plastic products gradually break down through wear and tear, releasing tiny, often microscopic, plastic particles that may pose health risks if inhaled or ingested. To address this, researchers have developed biodegradable plastics made from plant starch rather than petroleum. However, a...

NATIONAL GLAZED SPIRAL HAM DAY National Glazed Spiral Ham Day on April 15th each year celebrates an innovative and delicious food. This gourmet-looking dish often found at a holiday feast, originated in the basement of Harry J. Hoenselaar. #GlazedSpiralHamDay In 1952, the Detroit, Michigan entrepreneur patented not only his spiral slicer but the ham glaze as well. His innovative device made it possible for the entire bone-in ham to be sliced in one continuous and even spiral. The result was not only perfect for baking but for serving, too. The resulting slices presented a beautiful main course meal. Then in...

So there was a delay in the Rice v. South Florida baseball game yesterday due to this beehive in the visitor dugout. But never fear, this random hillbilly came in to save the day, and he did it with his bare hands. VIDEO: This guy just bare handed a beehive to end the bee delay in the South Florida-Rice game pic.twitter.com/pisDOiWUkA— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) April 13, 2025No protective gear, no gloves, no nothing - and not even a flinch from that man! Grabbed the hive, tossed it in a container, and he's gone. Bro's just adding to that 2025 honey...

NATIONAL GARDENING DAY National Gardening Day on April 14th encourages gardeners and would-be gardeners to pick up a shovel, plant some seeds, and kick off a beautiful year of homegrown bounty. #NationalGardeningDay Whether you want to grow vegetables, fruit, flowers, houseplants, or anything in between, National Gardening Day celebrates a satisfying pastime that you will enjoy for decades. Growing your own food also provides fresh and natural nourishment for your family and saves you time and money at the grocery store. As many gardeners know, the benefits of gardening come from more than the produce. Spending time in the garden...

TJ Semanchin is the co-owner of Wonderstate Coffee, a Wisconsin-based coffee roaster. Donald Trump's 10% blanket tariffs mean Semanchin's company will have to make some hard decisions. Wonderstate typically imports 40,000 pounds of coffee in one transaction. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with 51-year-old TJ Semanchin, the co-owner of Wonderstate Coffee. Business Insider has confirmed Semanchin's identity and role at the company. The piece has been edited for length and clarity. I've been in the coffee business for the last 25 years. Before that, I was living in Latin America studying issues around sustainable development in coffee...

days each year — giving plants more time to grow and release allergy-inducing pollen.The freeze-free growing season lengthened in 87% (172) of 198 U.S. cities analyzed since 1970. These 172 cities saw their freeze-free season lengthen by 20 days on average. Cities across the Northwest (+24 days) and Southwest (+20 days) have experienced the largest average change. The first spring leaves and flowers are unfolding early in parts of the south including in Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, North Carolina. Climate Central assessed temperature trends in 198 U.S. cities to see how the length of the freeze-free growing season has changed...

NATIONAL CHEESE FONDUE DAY Observed annually on April 11th, National Cheese Fondue Day recognizes a food holiday many enjoy. Fondue is a dish of melted cheese or other ingredients, served in a communal pot (caquelon) over a small portable stove (réchaud). Participants then dip the bread into the cheese using long-stemmed forks. Cheese fondue consists of a blend of cheeses, wine, and seasoning. #NationalCheeseFondueDay A 1966 book published in Zurich, under the name "Kass mit Wein zu kochen" is known for having the earliest known cheese fondue recipe. It calls for grated or cut up cheese melted with wine and...

Understanding why China has a chokehold on the US and many multinational companies has a lot to do with the government’s creation of special economic zones (SEZs)... For example, the city of Shenzhen was once a small fishing village of 30,000 before it was designated as one of the first SEZ in 1980. Now, Shenzhen,..a top ten global finance center in 2024...home to multinational tech companies like Huawei and Tencent (maker of Wechat)...The Shenzhen experiment illustrates what happens when you bring together dense clusters of suppliers, logistical infrastructure (including highways, railroads, and ports), skilled workers, economic investment and tax incentives....

Coming out of the Second World War, the US was the king of production,” says William B Bonvillian, a lecturer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an expert in US innovation policy.... by 1945, more steel was produced in the state of Pennsylvania alone than in Germany and Japan combined.... By the turn of the millennium, the US’s global domination in mass-scale industrial production, technology and efficiency was lost. Long-standing issues culminated between 2000 and 2010, when the US lost one-third of its manufacturing jobs.... Between 2000 and 2010, nearly six million jobs in US manufacturing were lost, with...

Researchers found that certain herbs and plants commonly used in Mediterranean diets can help protect against cardiovascular diseases. (alicja neumiler/Shutterstock) ******************************************************************** In a nutshell * Six Mediterranean plants—garlic, hawthorn, saffron, olive, rosemary, and grape—contain powerful compounds that work together to lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, improve cholesterol, and protect blood vessels. Their multitargeted effects mimic some drug mechanisms but with fewer side effects when consumed as part of a healthy diet. * The real strength of the Mediterranean diet may lie in how these foods interact. Pairings like olive oil with leafy greens or garlic with fatty fish could boost...

Jasmine Crockett does not want illegal immigrants to be deported from this country. And do you know why? Watch: Jasmine Crockett: “So I had to go around the country and educate people about what immigrants do for this country… The fact is ain't none of y'all trying to go and farm right now... We done picking cotton.”Oof. pic.twitter.com/NSNgU2ZI8f— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) April 8, 2025She made this comment at a Baptist church in Connecticut. Essentially what she means is we must keep illegals in this country so they can work slave wages and pick cotton for us. Jasmine, we knew you...