Summer Food Mysteries Solved

Can eating garlic ward off mosquitoes?

If it's true, I'll start pounding garlic shakes right now. After enough evening barbecues with Terminator-strength DEET, I'll happily try any non-toxic solution.

But before I jam cloves into a juicer, I thought I'd ask EatingWell, an expert source for good health and good food, for the answers on garlic and a few other food-related quandries.
EatingWell's some Summer Food Mysteries Solved :
True or False? :

Eating garlic wards off mosquitoes.
False. Researchers at the University of Connecticut tested the theory. It didn't work, but maybe because the participants didn't eat enough, say the scientists. Tip: Conduct your own experiment
True or False? :

Watermelon isn't very nutritious; it's all water !
False. Watermelon is mostly water: 92 percent. But it also has its share of nutrients. One cup of watermelon provides good amounts of vitamin C and red watermelon contains lycopene, an antioxidant that's associated with reduced risk for certain types of cancer.
True or False? :

Licking ice cream is more satisfying than eating it with a spoon.
True, according to Kay McMath, a food technologist for New Zealand's Massey University. "Flavor in ice cream is released when the fat-which carries the flavor-is warmed to at least body temperature," says McMath. When you lick ice cream it coats the tongue and fully warms the frozen treat. A spoon, on the other hand, insulates the ice cream. And then there's the psychological aspect of savoring the treat more slowly: you just cannot lick ice cream as fast as you can spoon it.

True or False? :

The antioxidants in raspberries help keep your heart healthy.

True. Two antioxidants found in raspberries -- anthocyanins (where raspberries get their red) and ellagic acid -- are associated with increased levels of "good" HDL cholesterol and lowered blood pressure, two positives when it comes to heart health. The yummy berries are also loaded with vitamin C and are high in fiber.

by Sarah Fuss