Free Republic

A proposal to designate the tortilla as New Mexico’s official state bread had unanimous support from lawmakers. On Friday, though, it ended up falling flat. It wasn’t because Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham isn’t a fan of the round wraps that have long been a staple of Mexican, Central American and Southwestern U.S. cooking. It was because she believes lawmakers missed opportunities to debate bills that deal with weightier matters as the state faces extraordinary challenges. “Of course, I enjoy celebrating our unique culture,” she wrote in her veto message, ticking off numerous official state symbols and songs that New Mexico...

The lines go down the sidewalk before the doors even open - families, backyard farmers, and people fighting high egg prices are here to get a first look. These early birds get the chicks. Kathy Swint called it “our regular chick order day” at Swint’s Feed and Garden Supply in Jonesboro. They started the day with hundreds of tiny 2-day old chicks, and they were all snapped up in 40 minutes. Phyllis Gardner told Channel 2’s Linda Stouffer that she found exactly what she was looking for. “We have Lavender Orpingtons, these are Buff Orpingtons. They grow up to be...

In a nutshell * Cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon supplements can potentially interact with medications by affecting drug-processing systems in your body, which may alter how effectively your medications work. * While sprinkling cinnamon on food is likely safe, concentrated supplements might pose risks, especially for people taking blood thinners, NSAIDs, antidepressants, or diabetes medications. * Always discuss any supplements with your healthcare provider before adding them to your regimen, particularly if you take prescription medications. ************************************************************************ OXFORD, Miss. — You might want to think twice before adding that cinnamon supplement to your daily routine. Researchers have found that while a dash...

President Trump dined with major donors at his Northern Virginia golf course Thursday – the same venue where he is expected to break bread with the top holders of his memecoin next month. The price of admission to attend the fundraiser for MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super PAC, reportedly started at $1 million, with multiple outlets reporting that “host” status would be given to donors contributing at least $5 million to the political group. Details of the goings-on at the dinner were not immediately available. It appears that White House pool reporters were not privy to the function. Trump previously...

Scientists could be on the verge of a medical breakthrough in understanding what's driving a rise in blood cancers among older adults. Research has long suggested that the colony of trillions of bacteria living in our digestive systems – known as the gut microbiome – could be the key to our overall health. The more diverse those microscopic colonies are, the better our immunity to a host of diseases from heart disease to dementia. But US researchers have now discovered that patients with leukemia — an aggressive form of blood cancer — have higher levels of one specific bacteria in...

NATIONAL PIGS-IN-A-BLANKET DAY On April 24, observe National Pigs-in-a-Blanket Day with just a few ingredients. #PigsInABlanketDay Celebrated across the world, the term often refers to a variety of different dishes. In the United States, Pigs-in-a-Blanket is often hot dogs or sausages wrapped in biscuit or croissant dough and baked. Pigs-in-a-Blanket are generally served as an appetizer or as breakfast. However, it can be served at any mealtime! Another popular version of pigs-in-a-blanket includes cabbage rolls stuffed with a beef filling. It's often covered with a tomato or cream sauce. Many recipes use the name "Pigs-in-a-Blanket" to describe just about any...

We'll never say no to more ginger in our life.Key Points -A new study published in medical journal Cureus reveals numerous health benefits ginger can provide, including its ability to lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. -The many health benefits of ginger led researchers to conclude that the ingredient is a viable tool for assisting in treatment of cardiovascular disease. -Ginger can also aid in digestion, boost immunity, and reduce inflammation. Ginger is a welcome addition to many recipes. It’s aromatic, spicy, and carries a hint of earthy, citrusy flavor. But aside from its zesty taste, recent research published...

Here's what you need to know about this hot button topic.Key Points: -Political controversy has stoked new conversations around the fluoridation of water and whether the mineral is safe to consume. -Water fluoridation, or the practice of adding fluoride to sources of drinking water, has been credited as one of the greatest public health innovations of the 20th century and helps protect tooth enamel and prevent cavities. -Dental experts and research say that water fluoridation provides vital dental support for communities, is proven to reduce rates of tooth decay, and is safe when kept at recommended concentrations. Although the addition...

Last December, escaping from the dank, dark English winter, I spent a week in Tenerife during which time I made a fairly sophisticated attempt to eat my body weight in guacamole made from fresh local avocados. This week I will explore the history of this delicious foodstuff, forever, it seems, the byword for spendthrift millennials. Let me start by dispelling a myth around the name. You may find online that the word guacamole means ‘ground testicles’. The rationale for this is that the word ‘avocado’ comes from the Nahuatl word meaning ‘testicle’ and in combination with the Spanish word moler...

Ancient rhinos in Nebraska lived in large local herds and died slowly from volcanic ashfall, not sudden disaster. Credit: John Haxby/The University of Nebraska State Museum ************************************************************************* Volcanic eruption from 12 million years ago preserves a snapshot of extinct animal life. Rhinos that once roamed much of North America 12 million years ago likely lived in large herds, according to a new study by the University of Cincinnati. Researchers examined isotopes in the teeth of rhinos found in what is now northeast Nebraska. At this site, more than 100 rhinos died at a single water hole and were buried in...

Froot Loops probably don't lead your list when it comes to major differences between Canada and the United States. You might opt for Canadians' love affair with hockey, or poutine. Still, a Redditor blew the minds of many on the r/mildlyinteresting subreddit with a photo of the countries' Froot Loops side by side. On one side was a notably flat collection of colors in the familiar ring shape. The other side was resplendent, like adjusting your phone from the battery saver mode. "I assume the American ones are brightly colored," a user guessed. Their hunch was correct, as the major...

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced a series of new measures to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the nation’s food supply—a significant milestone in the administration’s broader initiative to Make America Healthy Again. The FDA is taking the following actions: 1. Establishing a national standard and timeline for the food industry to transition from petrochemical-based dyes to natural alternatives. 2. Initiating the process to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings—Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B—within the coming months. 3. Working with industry to eliminate six...

Steak, mashed potatoes and desserts for astronauts could soon be grown from individual cells in space if an experiment launched into orbit today is successful. A European Space Agency (ESA) project is assessing the viability of growing so-called lab-grown food in the low gravity and higher radiation in orbit and on other worlds. ESA is funding the research to explore new ways of reducing the cost of feeding an astronaut, which can cost up to £20,000 per day. The team involved say the experiment is a first step to developing a small pilot food production plant on the International Space...

April 21 (UPI) -- A brewery in Belgium swapped painted eggs for frothy brews when it celebrated Easter with the "World's Biggest Beer Hunt." The fifth annual Easter event at the Aywiers Gardens in Lasne, Belgium, saw over 1,000 registered hunters searching the grounds for 12,000 hidden bottles of Lutgarde beer. Hidden among the beers was a special golden bottle, which earned its finder a prize of his weight in beer. The event began Sunday with a chocolate egg hunt for children at noon, and the beer hunt then commenced at 12:30 p.m. A barbecue at 1:30 p.m. allowed the...

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...

Hold the tofu. New research suggests that vegans may be more likely to suffer from nutritional deficiencies than their meat-eating Worse still, scientists found that even vegans who hit their daily protein goals with plant-based sources often fall short on two essential amino acids, putting their health at risk. In the US, an estimated 1% to 5% of the population follows a vegan diet, which eliminates all animal products, including meat, dairy and eggs. Over the years, researchers have found that following a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, as well...

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 inhabitants of Montchavin in the French Alps knew something was killing them. They just didn't know what. Some wondered whether lead from a disused mine in the village had leaked into the water supply. Others thought mobile phone masts were to blame. One woman believed the area was cursed. Between 1991 and 2019, 16 people – almost a tenth of the area's 200-strong population – were diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a fatal condition more commonly known as motor neurone disease (MND). In other words, if you lived in Montchavin, you were 20 times more likely to contract MND...

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....