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New York Times
28-05-2025
- Health
- New York Times
How Italian Home Cooks Make Their Pasta Taste So Good
TL;DR: It's not necessarily the pasta water. It's the marriage of starch, cheese and water, Eric Kim writes. This spoonable pasta is a dance of sorts between two pots: one with fresh green beans and orecchiette, the other with sausage ragù. David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Published May 28, 2025 Updated May 28, 2025 When the chef Carla Lalli Music recently made pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe for dinner, it came out too salty. Her error? She used oversalted pasta water to finish her sauce. 'Sometimes it's better not to use it,' she said, claiming that a splash of 'regular old water' does the same trick. Many a recipe writer and Italian cook has espoused the virtues of saving some starchy water before draining pasta to then toss with the noodles and sauce. That starch is said to help thicken a sauce so it can better coat pasta. But does it really make that much of a difference? Even the renowned cookbook author Marcella Hazan, in 'Marcella Cucina,' writes that cooking with pasta water 'imparts the same tedious, faintly gelatinous texture to what otherwise have been fresh and lively sauces.' Use it 'occasionally,' she advises. Daniel M. Busiello, a physicist and researcher at the University of Padova, said over a teleconference call that the keys to a silky sauce are the relationships among starch, cheese and water. In April, Mr. Busiello, along with seven other Italian scientists, published the latest version of a paper on cacio e pepe, finding — after months of tests — that the concentration of starch relative to the amount of cheese and water is what directly affects the dish's creaminess. Here's why: Starch prevents what the scientists coined as the 'Mozzarella Phase,' or what happens when heat causes the proteins in cheese (casein and whey) to clump, creating a sauce that is wet and stringy like mozzarella, rather than smooth, creamy and emulsified. 'The starch screens the interaction between proteins by basically putting itself in the middle,' to prevent that sticking, he said. Stirring in plain water achieves the same saucy, glossy result as pasta water, so long as there is enough cheese and starch released from stirring the pasta. But you're boiling pasta and already have that water, so why not use it? In this recipe, pasta water is made more useful as fresh green beans boiled with the pasta season the water with their gentle vegetal umami, while the quick sausage ragù simmers in another. In a dance of sorts between the two pans, the cooked beans and pasta are drained and added to the ragù. As a final step, a spritz of lemon juice and a generous splash of that savory green bean broth are stirred vigorously into the sauced pasta, along with Parmesan, helping to draw out the pasta's starch while letting the cheese melt into the sauce without splitting. A short pasta shape, such as orecchiette, macaroni or wagon wheels, is the easiest to stir into a silky sauce here — and means that you can eat the dish with a spoon in front of the television. Just be sure not to oversalt your water — you're going to need it. Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram , Facebook , YouTube , TikTok and Pinterest . Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice .
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Sudden Death Among Professional Bodybuilders Raises Health Concerns
2021 was a tragic year for the bodybuilding world. Over two dozen professional athletes died suddenly in a 12-month period, making headlines the world over. The youngest was 27 years old. Today, a wealth of research suggests that elite athletes tend to live longer than the rest of us, but a spate of premature deaths among bodybuilders in recent years has raised questions about the safety of this particular sport. A recent study, led by researchers at the University of Padova in Italy, is the first to investigate the risk of sudden death among a large sample of male bodybuilders. The findings highlight an alarming phenomenon that the authors say can no longer be ignored by athletes, medical associations, or sports organizations. The analysis tracked more than 20,000 bodybuilders over an average of 8 years, during which time 73 sudden deaths were registered at a mean age of 42. Some of these deaths were due to steroids or performance-enhancing drugs. Others were due to vehicle accident, murder, or suicide. But by far the most common cause of death was sudden heart failure, including 46 cases. That is a low absolute risk for bodybuilders in general; however, that is not the case for the most elite professionals. Their risk of sudden heart failure was found to be more than 14 times higher than that of amateur athletes, which suggests that as the sport becomes more serious, it may also become exponentially more dangerous. When looking only at the bodybuilders who participated in the highest-ranked international bodybuilding competition in the world – the Mr. Olympia 'open' category – researchers found an "alarmingly high" death rate. Out of the 100 elite competitors that took part in the competition over the years, 7 died from sudden causes. What's more, five of those deaths were presumed or confirmed cases of sudden cardiac death at a mean age of just 36. "Current data are alarming," the international team of authors concludes, "and sufficient to call for the development of specific recommendations for the prevention of sudden death/sudden cardiac death among bodybuilders, including the systematic implementation of bystander automated external defibrillators." The analysis is limited by a lack of hard data, as autopsies were only available for about 10 percent of sudden cardiac deaths. This means there aren't specifics on how and why many of these individual athletes died. That said, the authors of the study, led by sports medicine researcher Marco Vecchiato from the University of Padova, suspect that extreme training, stringent dietary regimes, and frequent performance-enhancing drug abuse are risking the heart health of very high-level professional bodybuilders. "These approaches can place significant strain on the cardiovascular system, increase the risk of irregular heart rhythm, and may lead to structural heart changes over time," explains Vecchiato. Available autopsies included in the study consistently showed left ventricle thickening and enlarged hearts among bodybuilders. That aligns with a past autopsy study, which found that the mean heart mass of bodybuilders was nearly 74 percent heavier than normal reference values, and that on average, their left ventricles were 125 percent thicker than the average man's. Further research into the particular cardiovascular effects of bodybuilding is needed, including among female athletes, but Vecchiato says the message is clear. "While striving for physical excellence is admirable, the pursuit of extreme body transformation at any cost can carry significant health risks, particularly for the heart," he explains. "Based on this data, the medical associations cannot ignore this health problem anymore and should collaborate with the respective federations and policymakers to promote safer participation." The study was published in the European Heart Journal. Microbe From Man's Wound Able to Feed on Hospital Plastic Exposure to Daylight Boosts The Immune System, Study Suggests Surprise Link Between Menthol And Alzheimer's Found in Mice
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
All American Heroes: Rating Serie A's US Stars
There was a time when they were a rarity but United States players are starting to be much more common in Italy. Giancarlo Rinaldi casts an eye over how they performed for their respective clubs. When Alexi Lalas signed for Padova more than 30 years ago, it was something of a novelty. It has taken the best part of three decades for a real American revolution to happen in Serie A. This season there have been no fewer than five United States players in Italy's top division – and they have enjoyed very differing fortunes up and down the table. With many clubs in American ownership – and more in the pipeline – it is perhaps something we will be getting used to in the years to come. Advertisement Christian Pulisic (Milan) – 8/10 In a season which left Rossoneri fans venting their frustration in no uncertain fashion, the former Chelsea man was surely exempt from their wrath. A scorer in their Supercoppa triumph, he enjoyed what was arguably the best campaign of his career with more than 20 goal involvements in the league. It was all the more remarkable because other big names around him notably failed to shine. If anyone deserves to be part of the latest overhaul at the Milanese giants going forward it is surely him. Yunus Musah (Milan) – 5.5/10 It was a troublesome second season in red and black for the young midfielder as he flitted in and out of the side with alarming inconsistency. Some of that might have been down to the club's chopping and changing of coaches but just the same he failed to really kick on after a good first term in Italy. He provided energy and drive but overall there was the impression that neither he nor his club would be too unhappy if he moved on in the summer. epa11889200 Juventus' Weston McKennie (L) celebrates with his teammates after scoring the 1-0 goal during the UEFA Champions League play-offs first leg soccer match between Juventus FC and PSV Eindhoven, in Turin, Italy, 11 February 2025. EPA-EFE/ALESSANDRO DI MARCO Weston McKennie (Juventus) – 7/10 Considering that he looked surplus to requirements for the Thiago Motta era, his comeback to stalwart status was pretty remarkable. His adaptability and application were admirable and, in a Bianconeri side which underwhelmed again this season, he was a decent performer. Not the most spectacular, perhaps, but he chipped in a few goals – notably in the Champions League – which showed there was maybe more to his game than many had suspected. Advertisement Timothy Weah (Juventus) – 6/10 Sometimes, versatility can be a drawback for a player in terms of consistency, and that certainly felt like the case for the son of Serie A legend George Weah. He made most of his appearances at right back but played pretty much everywhere across the front line and midfield as he plugged gaps in a Juve side which struggled for a real identity. Nobody could fault his professionalism in playing wherever he was asked but it was probably counter-productive in terms of his impact across the campaign. Gianluca Busio (Venezia) 6.5/10 It felt like a bit of a setback season for the bustling midfielder who has been a star on the lagoons since he moved from Sporting Kansas City in 2021. Having been at the heart of their promotion push last term, it seemed like coach Eusebio Di Francesco lost a bit of faith in him as his team fought to avoid relegation. Nonetheless, he remained a decent performer for the Arancioneroverdi and there is more than a sneaking suspicion that he could have a future in the top division – even if his team does not.
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Bodybuilders face high risk of sudden cardiac death, especially those who compete professionally, study finds
Pumping iron could leave you at greater risk of suddenly falling to your death, a major study of 20,000 bodybuilders has revealed. Researchers found those who had built extreme levels of muscle over their lifetime were twice as likely to die from sudden cardiac death, compared to the general population. Meanwhile, those who took part in regular bodybuilding competitions such as 'Mr Olympia' titleholders like Arnold Schwarzenegger, saw the risk of shock death increase five-fold, compared to their amateur counterparts. Alarmingly, some 40 per cent of the deaths among all bodybuilders studied were sudden and heart-related. The authors suggested their figures could be an underestimation, as many deaths were listed as ' unknown'. Dr Marco Vecchiato, an expert in sports medicine from the University of Padova and author of the study, said analysis of autopsy reports suggested a combination of factors were to blame. 'Bodybuilding involves several practices that could have an impact on health, such as extreme strength training, rapid weight loss strategies including severe dietary restrictions and dehydration.' He also flagged the dangers of the 'widespread use of different performance-enhancing substances'. 'These approaches can place significant strain on the cardiovascular system, increase the risk of irregular heart rhythm, and may lead to structural heart changes over time.' Previous studies have suggested up to three in four bodybuilders have used performance enhancing drugs, such as steroids—known to place extra strain on the heart. 'While striving for physical excellence is admirable, the pursuit of extreme body transformation at any cost can carry significant health risks, particularly for the heart,' said Dr Vecchiato. 'Awareness of these risks should encourage safer training practices, improved medical supervision, and a different cultural approach that firmly rejects the use of performance enhancing substances.' He also encouraged stronger anti-doping rules for competitions, as well as campaigns among the sporting community about the hazards of using performance-enhancing substances. Dr Vecchiato added the research was a reminder that no matter how healthy someone looked, they could be engaging in behaviour that puts them at risk. 'The research challenges the idea that appearance alone is an indicator of health and highlights the hidden risks that can exist behind even the most sculpted physiques,' he said. However, he added the findings should not be taken as evidence that bodybuilding, or any other type of fitness, was inherently harmful. 'Regular physical activity and strength training can be extremely beneficial for health, quality of life and mortality risk.' A sudden cardiac death isn't a specific medical condition but rather a description of unexpected demise due to a hidden heart issue. This could be a sudden heart attack with no prior symptoms or a congenital heart defect that had gone undetected since someone was born. The impact of steroids on bodybuilders and gym goers was recently highlighted by the case of 32-year-old Zak Wilkinson. Mr Wilkinson, like a growing number of young men, turned to steroids, which mimic the role of the natural hormone testosterone, to boost his muscle growth. But this came at massive cost to his health, and he started having seizures, vomiting and sweating profusely and at one point needed to be put in an induced coma. Medics have told the father-of-one he likely suffer complications for the rest of his days. Anabolic-androgenic steroids are the most common type of image and performance enhancing drug. They are typically injected directly into the muscle, though can also be taken orally in tablet form or even as a cream. Common side effects include severe acne, kidney failure, high cholesterol and even stroke. Another finding of the new study was that a significant number of fatalities among bodybuilders were what researchers classified 'sudden traumatic deaths'. This included incidents like car crashes, suicides, murders and overdoses. Dr Vecchiato said this data suggested there was need for greater mental health awareness and support among the bodybuilding community. 'These findings underline the need to address the psychological impact of bodybuilding culture,' he said. 'These mental health challenges, sometimes worsen with substance abuse and can elevate the risk of impulsive or self-destructive behaviours.' In the study, published in the European Heart Journal, researchers examined the records of 20,286 bodybuilders who had been active in at least one official event between 2005 and 2020. After analysing the data, they found a total of 121 athletes had died, with an average age at death of 45. The team are now planning a similar study on female bodybuilders to examine if they also experience an increased risk of sudden cardiac death.
