/oss/taxonomy/term/814/all en /oss/article/nutrition/why-do-people-get-hungry-hour-after-eating-chinese-food <p>As far as I know, this is all anecdotal and nobody has ever done a study to determine if this is actually true. To start with, not all Chinese meals are alike. “American” Chinese food with its bevy of egg rolls, chow mein and spare ribs is very different from what is consumed in China. Even in China there are large geographic differences with a wide range of meat consumption and rice being popular in some regions and noodles in others. The lack of satiety accusation is usually aimed at American Chinese food with monosodium glutamate (MSG) often targeted as a culprit.</p> Fri, 04 Oct 2019 17:21:29 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7950 at /oss /oss/article/controversial-science-food-health-news/chinese-restaurant-syndrome <p>Sometimes beliefs are converted into fact just by repetition. We constantly hear of people who want to avoid monosodium glutamate because of a fear of being struck by “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” Restaurants have taken to posting signs declaring “No MSG added” to pacify their customers. This in spite of the fact that numerous controlled double blind studies have failed to show the existence of the so-called Chinese Restaurant Sydrome. Let me give you a typical example.</p> Tue, 21 Jan 2014 14:54:02 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2072 at /oss /oss/article/health-nutrition-general-science-you-asked/what-meat-glue <p>So what exactly is this “meat glue?” Rest assured that no horses were condemned to the glue factory to produce it. What we’re talking about is an enzyme called transglutaminase that allows a mouthful of shrimp to be served in the form of noodles that look, but certainly do not taste, like regular pasta. How does it do this? By facilitating a chemical reaction that forges links between structural protein molecules. Proteins of course are composed of chains of amino acids, and transglutaminase links the amino acid lysine in one chain to glutamine in an adjacent chain.</p> Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:13:42 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1686 at /oss /oss/article/health-supplements-you-asked/can-branched-chain-amino-acids-bcaa-andor-glutamine-improve-strength-and-lead-muscle-formation-and <p style="text-align:justify"><a href="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/?attachment_id=3790" rel="attachment wp-att-3790"><img alt="sprint" height="150" src="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/files/2012/12/athletic-performance-150x150.jpg" width="150" /></a>Amino acids are the body’s building blocks for proteins.  Leucine, isoleucine and valine are branched chain amino acids (BCAA’s), a term that refers to a particular nuance of their molecular structure. They are three of the nine “essential” amino acids that must be obtained via the diet because they cannot be synthesized by the body.</p> <p style="text-align:justify">So why are branched amino acids a common supplement among weight trainers? Branched amino acids have a reputation for enhancing exercise performance and muscle recovery. But are these claims true? Studies have shown mixed results when it comes to BCAA supplementation.</p> <p style="text-align:justify">In February 2011, the University of Sacred Heart in Fairfield, Connecticut released the findings of a new study on BCAA. The objective was to determine if BCAA supplementation compared to a non-caloric placebo would affect aerobic performance. In nine male volunteers with no history of training, plasma glucose and BCAA concentrations were measured before and after aerobic performance. No difference was found between the use of BCAA and placebo. More importantly, the study indicated that BCAA supplementation did not influence aerobic performance despite increased blood concentrations of BCAA and a perception of reduced exertion.</p> <p style="text-align:justify">On the other hand, a study conducted in Nagoya, Japan in June 2010, sought to determine if a relationship existed between BCAA supplementation and muscle recovery. The scientists decided to induce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) via squat exercises on 12 healthy, untrained females. During the trials, the participants ingested either BCAA supplements or dextrin (placebo) before squat exercises. Muscle pain and stiffness experienced after strenuous exercise, showed a peak on days 2 and 3 in both trials. However, the study revealed that BCAA supplementation greatly reduced the level of soreness when compared with the placebo. According to this study, BCAA may be beneficial in regard to reduced soreness when starting a new training program or returning from a period of rest or injury.</p> <p><a href="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/2012/12/23/can-branched-chain-amino-acids-bcaa-andor-glutamine-improve-strength-and-lead-to-muscle-formation-and-weight-gain/">Read more</a></p> Sun, 23 Dec 2012 20:31:25 +0000 Alexandra Pires-Ménard, OSS Intern 1841 at /oss