Food news antipasto

To go along with the Cadbury creme egg article from earlier this week, we have a rundown of 9 surprising facts about this famous confection. In addition to a brief history of the creme egg, the article reveals the original name of the treat and the weight of the world’s largest Cadbury creme egg (nearly 100 pounds).

With food prices high (and likely to climb here in the US due to tariffs), people are adjusting their food spending by cutting back on certain items. One thing that they are not pulling back on is condiments – things like jams, jellies, chutneys, and pickles. The Guardian reports on how social media (like #CondimentTok) is driving sales of everything from Meghan Markle’s raspberry spread to Marks & Spencer’s truffle mayo. There are good reasons these sales are taking off, as condiments are relatively inexpensive (a nice ‘little luxury’) and they provide an easy way to add pizzazz to your cooking.

Just over a week ago I wrote about food recalls and how the cuts at FDA and USDA will make it more difficult for the agencies to conduct their food safety duties. Just a few days ago, insiders at the FDA reported that the agency is drawing up plans to end routine food inspection altogether, leaving this important task to individual states. The sources noted that the plans were not final and might required Congressional approval, but it is still alarming to learn about this potential change. Because of the way food travels across the US, it would be confusing, difficult, and expensive to leave testing up to the states. Let’s hope this plan gets scuttled before it sees the light of day.

Who do you trust for nutritional advice? That’s one of the questions pondered in an article about how consumers choose which foods to eat and which to avoid. Eighty percent of people actively avoid one or more foods or ingredients, and which ones they choose not to eat can say a lot about who they turn to for nutritional guidance. Those who avoid seed oils, for instance, are much more likely to say that “Only I can determine what foods are best for me and my family” than people who do not eschew seed oils.

Speaking of who you trust to provide health and nutrition information, a recent study has found that ginger can help improve your cardiovascular health. According to the study, “ginger contains numerous bioactive compounds that decrease inflammation, lower blood pressure, enhance vascular health, and improve lipid profiles,” making it an effective tool to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It’s always nice to hear about the positive effects of something so delicious.