What type of cheese has the least amount of lactose?
This, and other questions & answers for your curious inner child.
If you’re new to this newsletter, this is my just-for-fun segment each month that is essentially: “What I Googled This Month”. The intention is to bring some levity to your inbox and who knows- maybe you can parade some new fun facts at your next gathering.
You can read a brief blurb about my insatiable thirst for random facts here.
Please note: I am not an expert and this is truly just for fun. I don’t personally stand behind any of the sources. If you’d like to learn more or fact check, feel free to do some googling on your own as well and let me know what you find!
What I learned: The word “moose” and “goose” came into the English language at different times, and from different sources. “Goose” has germanic origins and follows the Old English rules for creating plural forms of words. “Moose”, on the other hand, was adopted from Algonquian which doesn’t have a plural version and wasn’t given one. (Source)
Why I Googled: I used the word “akimbo” in a sentence this month and it sounded like it could **maybe** have racist origin?? You can never be too sure sooo I just wanted to double check before throwing it around.
What I learned: Not racist! It comes from the Middle English word “kenebowe” which means “(bent) at a sharp angle” and was originally used to describe a particular position of: hands on hip, arms bent. (Source). BUT its meaning has shifted/ expanded slightly in recent-ish history. (Source)
What I learned: That would be a no! (Source) Details below:
The greenish tint is actually a sign that the potatoes have been exposed to too much light—the green is our good friend chlorophyll, which is nontoxic and potentially beneficial for human health. But that friendly greenness signals the arrival of solanine and chaconine, which tend to develop in conjunction with chlorophyll if the potato is exposed to environmental stress, including improper storage conditions or injury….
Chaconine is more toxic than solanine, but researchers believe that it works synergistically with solanine to produce what is often referred to as solanine poisoning: Symptoms include hypothermia, headache, slow pulse, abdominal pain, vomiting, blurred vision, shock, and, in extreme cases, even death.
And in terms of what to do with green potatoes:
The USDA says that you don’t need to discard green potatoes, but you should prepare them properly: “Peel the skins, shoots, and any green color; that is where the solanines concentrate.” Be a little aggressive if the flesh is still green beneath the peel and remove all traces of it.
Keep in mind that, unlike bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella, solanine and chaconine are not destroyed by baking, frying, or boiling.
What I learned: The fresher the cheese, the worst it will be for your belly/ digestive system if your’e lactose intolerant! You want something that is hard and aged and preferably with a higher fat content. Think: Parmesan and Cheddar. Other cheeses that are low in lactose include: Camembert and Brie (which surprised me), Gouda, Blue, Provolone and Swiss. Ones to avoid include: Feta and Ricotta (Source).