Latest news with #UniversityofCaliforniaatDavis
Boston Globe
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Man sues over girlfriend's abortion in a first-of-its-kind lawsuit
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Orchestrating the effort is Jonathan Mitchell, a conservative attorney who helped construct Texas's 'heartbeat' law, the most restrictive abortion measure passed before Roe's fall. The lawsuit Mitchell set in motion alleges that the doctor violated the Comstock Act, a 19th century federal law that bans the mailing of 'obscene' materials, including abortion-related materials. Now in a post-Roe era, Democratic lawmakers and abortion advocates have worried that the government would invoke Comstock to ban medication abortion, which accounts for most abortions in the United States. Advertisement The case is a new approach alleging state and federal law violations - filed in federal, rather than state court - though it's too early to tell how viable that strategy will be. Advertisement 'This very much has the feeling of taking matters into your own hands,' said Mary Ziegler, a professor of law at the University of California at Davis. The plaintiff, Jerry Rodriguez, is suing California-based physician Remy Coeytaux for more than $75,000. Rodriguez, who stated that he is suing on behalf of 'all current and future fathers of unborn children,' is asking the court for an order blocking Coeytaux from mailing abortion pills. His complaint adds that he plans to sue the manufacturers and distributors of the abortion pills if they are identified during discovery. Coeytaux did not respond to a request for comment from The Washington Post, and it was unclear whether he had retained an attorney as of Thursday. In Texas, women who get an abortion cannot be prosecuted. But antiabortion activists in the state have publicly sought out men who are willing to bring cases against people who helped their partners have an abortion. Mitchell, who declined to comment Wednesday, has represented men in at least two similar cases out of Texas, both filed in state court. In a 2023 lawsuit, a man alleged that three women helped his ex-wife get abortion pills to end her pregnancy. That case was later dropped. In May 2024, Mitchell helped a man file a petition to investigate an ex-partner's out-of-state abortion, setting up for a wrongful-death lawsuit. In the new federal court complaint, filed Sunday, Rodriguez alleges that Coeytaux mailed abortion pills to his girlfriend's estranged husband in September 2024. The pair were not divorced when Rodriguez and the woman began dating but were already legally separated, according to the lawsuit. Rodriguez's girlfriend, whom The Post is not naming because she is not a plaintiff and to protect her privacy, took abortion pills on two occasions, once in September and another in January, to end two pregnancies after her estranged husband and mother 'pressured her,' according to the complaint. On Monday, Rodriguez filed a separate wrongful-death lawsuit in state court against the estranged husband and mother; Mitchell is also representing him in that case. Few details of the relationships between Rodriguez, his girlfriend, her mother and her estranged husband are included in the lawsuit. According to Rodriguez's complaints, his girlfriend is now pregnant again. Advertisement Since the Supreme Court in 2022 struck down the constitutional right to the procedure, the number of abortions has increased, bolstered by medication abortions enabled by telehealth, data shows. In an attempt to thwart that access, officials in red states are launching attacks on the shield laws in blue states that keep the pills flowing across the country. Texas and Louisiana are pursuing legal action against a New York doctor accused of prescribing abortion pills to patients in those states, which both ban nearly all abortions. To the frustration of prosecutors, New York officials have refused to comply, citing the state's shield law. As a result, the conservative strategy to punish providers had slowed in state courts, though experts say the cases could end up on the Supreme Court's docket and ultimately reshape medication abortion access. In the meantime, the federal lawsuit has emerged as a new method to potentially curb abortion access. Carmel Shachar, a law professor at Harvard Law School, said the case designed by Mitchell uses a different legal framework, but the end goal remains the same - to 'close that telehealth loophole.' Advertisement
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Turns Out Women Like Dating Younger, Too, A New 'Major' Study Shows
When it comes to dating, the prevailing belief is that men prefer to date a bit younger, while women go for men a few years older. Global marriage stats back that up, showing that men, on average, are 4.2 years older than their wives in mixed-gender marriages. When asked about their preferences, men and women tend to confirm these assumptions, too. The problem is, past studies have mostly looked at self-reported or online behavior and not considered what happens in the real world. Plus, a lot of studies tend to focus on college students' preferences, simply because of who's available to participate in research at a university. But a 'major' new study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that when people actually go on dates, men and women prefer to date younger. Up until now, 'there have been remarkably few studies that capture how adults who are ostensibly seeking a long-term partner feel about potential romantic partners they have met face-to-face,' said study author Paul W. Eastwick, a professor of psychology at the University of California at Davis and co-host of the 'Love Factually' podcast. Given that, when Eastwick heard that Tawkify ― a matchmaking site that sets up dates ― wanted to partner with him to analyze its data, he jumped at the chance. 'It was this amazing opportunity — given the diversity of ages in their sample — to see how a partner's age really impacts first impressions,' the professor told HuffPost. The data Eastwick and his co-authors got their hands on included 6,262 registered Tawkify users, most of whom were middle-aged and diverse in terms of race, income and relationship history. Prior to sending them off on dates, daters were asked about their preferred maximum age for a partner. Like standard good matchmakers, Tawkify took those preferences into account, but they also took some liberties, pairing daters up with people who were older than their stated age threshold if they seemed like a good match. On average, men were paired with women who were four years younger than they were. But there was a range, Eastwick said, from the man being seven years younger than the woman, to the man being 12 years older than the woman (98% of the dates fell within this range). 'This range was determined by the matchmakers' decisions and the nature of the pool they were working with,' he explained. After going on blind dates, each dater was asked to rate how much they enjoyed their date, how attracted they were to the other person and whether they wanted to pursue a second date. The idea was to compare the daters' stated preferences with their actual post-date feelings. What did Eastwick and his team discover? In all three categories ― enjoyment, attraction and interest in a second date ― youth was linked to higher ratings. 'Men say they are attracted to younger women, and that was true: They were slightly more eager to go on a second date with women who were younger than them,' he said. 'The women said they are attracted to older men, but they, too, were slightly attracted to younger men.' The 'true surprise,' Eastwick said, was that the magnitude of the preference for youth was about the same (r = .10 or so, if you're mathematically inclined) for men and women alike. 'This is very surprising given that women say they want an older partner in nearly every study that has ever been conducted,' he said. 'I am inclined to trust this current data, though, in part because only a single other study has ever captured how a partner's age actually affects women's attraction, and they found something similar to what we find.' So what gives? Why do women say they're into older men and then report that they are more interested in the younger men they met? Eastwick thinks women may be underestimating the appeal of younger men ― 'an appeal that comes to the fore when they meet face to face.' 'I think there may be an important difference in what people say they want in the abstract and what appeals to them in the moment when they go on in-person dates,' he explained. Did the researchers note anything different in queer pairings versus straight ones? In the large sample ― 6,262 registered Tawkify users ― there were 100 dates between two men and 100 dates between two women. Given that relatively small number, researchers could't glean anything conclusive about any differences in queer people's preferences. The study was also confined to first dates. Who knows if the appeal of youth lasts into a third date. 'We really don't know what happens from date two and beyond,' Eastwick said. 'It would also be interesting to randomly assign dates with respect to age. The matchmakers are not assigning dates randomly, of course.' Gen Z Is Particularly Weird About Relationship Age Gaps. Here's Why. Women Who Are Still 'Hot' In Their 40s Would Like A Word With You I'm 63. She's 22. Here's What Most People Get Wrong About Our Marriage.
Hindustan Times
08-05-2025
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Not just men, women are also more attracted to younger romantic partners: Study
A study's results suggest that age preferences in romantic partners might be more complex and nuanced than previously thought. Published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in December 2024, the study of 4,500 blind dates found that both men's and women's actual attraction to partners after a blind date didn't always match their previously stated preferences. Also read | Men vs women: Who uses dating apps the most? Study reveals motive behind the swipes The study examined whether people were attracted to older or younger partners. (Freepik) The researchers wanted to test a common assumption in mating research: that men are typically attracted to younger women, and women prefer older men. They found that men tend to prefer partners who are slightly younger than them. Contrary to some common assumptions, the study found that women also showed a preference for partners who are slightly younger than them, although the preference was not as pronounced as men's. 'A key takeaway is that women say they are attracted to older men, but they actually appear to be (slightly) attracted to younger men. This is very surprising given that women say they want an older partner in nearly every study that has ever been conducted. In fact, the daters' stated preferences for the partner's age didn't seem to affect how they felt about these partners one bit,' study author Paul W Eastwick, a professor of psychology at the University of California at Davis and co-host of The Love Factually Podcast told More about the study The researchers analysed data from 6,262 participants who signed up for Tawkify, a US-based matchmaking service designed to help people find long-term partners. Participants were mostly middle-aged and belonged to different races, incomes, and relationship histories. After each blind date, both individuals rated how much they enjoyed the date, how romantically attracted they were to their partner, and whether they wanted to go on a second date. Interestingly, participants had previously indicated their preferred maximum age for a partner. However, matchmakers sometimes paired them with people older than their stated limit if other traits seemed like a good match. The findings revealed a small but consistent trend: both men and women were slightly more romantically attracted to younger partners. Across three different measures — romantic attraction, overall impression, and willingness to go on a second date — youth was linked with higher ratings. Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
The Guardian
10-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
How much will Trump's tariffs cost US consumers?
Donald Trump backed down on some of his largest tariffs Wednesday afternoon, though the trade war is far from over and the US is still imposing major levies on Chinese goods and a 10% tariff on the vast majority of its other imports. All imports are subject to 10% tariffs, with higher tariffs still in place for certain industries like steel, aluminum and cars. As of Wednesday, the president put a 125% tariff on all Chinese imports. Trump paused his 'reciprocal tariffs' for the next 90 days but the baseline tariffs will impact the economy. Prices are likely to go up across the board, from blueberries to new cars, imported wine and chocolates. Exactly when and how is unclear, though economists who study trade policy and the supply chain have a broad idea of how things will go down. Here's what we know so far about how tariffs will impact prices. 'It's hard to know how these retailers are going to deal with this increase in cost,' said Kathryn Ross, an economics professor at University of California at Davis. 'Different businesses are going to have to decide at various points along the supply chain how much it costs to suck it up themselves in the form of a squeeze on their profit margins, or pass it on to their customers.' Over the last few months, as Trump threatened his tariffs, business leaders from companies like Best Buy, Levi Strauss & Co, AutoZone and Walmart have said they would have to pass increased costs on to consumers. Some companies may opt to adjust to higher costs in other ways. After the pandemic, many American consumers noticed that bags of chips or drink bottles were getting smaller, though the product itself wasn't getting any cheaper, a phenomenon known as 'shrinkflation'. Businesses could also decide to get rid of cheaper products that bring in lower profit margins, which would mean consumers would be left with a smaller slate of more expensive options. Some companies and retailers may also see their costs rise and decide to increase costs across the board at a smaller scale, rather than targeting specific products with large price hikes. 'Implicitly when goods start disappearing as options, that's a real price hike,' said Andrew Greenland, a professor of international economics at North Carolina State University. There are a few things that factor into when a business will decide to increase prices. Some businesses have been preparing for incoming tariffs by boosting their inventories, which could help them keep prices stable for a few weeks or months. This is why you see some businesses, like automakers Ford and Stellantis, offering deals to customers on their products, even though the tariffs are in place, to keep consumer confidence high. But the inventories can only last so long, and some things, like fresh produce, can't be stockpiled for long. Meanwhile, other industries, like consumer electronics, have supply chains that are closely linked to places that have high tariffs, like China and Taiwan. 'It wouldn't surprise me to see prices up tomorrow … based on these firms trying to anticipate what this is going to look like and passing those prices on pre-emptively,' Greenland said. 'But I think over the next few months, we're going to see the real bite of this.' The Yale Budget Lab estimated that textile imports will be hit particularly hard, making apparel prices rise 33% and non-apparel textiles rise 18%. Car prices are expected to rise 15.8%, which would be an increase of $7,600 to the average price of a car in 2024. Fresh produce could rise by 6.2%, with food prices overall going up 4.5%. For consumer electronics that are mostly made in China, price increases could also be high. Because iPhones are mostly manufactured in China, the price of a new iPhone could climb more than 30%. One estimate, calculated when tariffs against China were going to be 54% instead of 125%, said that iPhone 16 could go up from $800 now to $1,142. But ultimately, there is no industry that is truly untouched by tariffs. 'It's not obvious or straightforward, tracing these cost increases through the supply chain, even for tariffs on final goods,' Russ said. Tariffs are expected to have an impact on the labor market: unemployment could climb 0.5% by the end of 2025, which would be a loss of 600,000 jobs, according to the Yale Budget Lab. Amid the uncertainty that the tariffs have introduced to the US economy, many consumers have said they are simply holding back on spending as they assess the impacts of the tariffs. 'That's not a bad decision, to say 'I'm going to cut back on this and cut back on spending,'' Greenland said. Some consumers, like those who need a new car or computer, may find themselves in a place where they would want to make a big purchase before tariffs increase prices. 'There are two forces at play here where people are going to have to think carefully about what am I spending my dollar on, and am I spending it in a way that's going to be help, not just for me now, but given what I expect prices to do in the future,' Greenland said.
Washington Post
07-03-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
What's the healthiest oil? Here's how olive, avocado and seed oils compare.
Social media is rife with conflicting information about seed oils, olive oil and other popular cooking oils. So which cooking oil is actually best? To evaluate cooking oils, consider their overall health benefits, flavor and environmental impact, said Selina Wang, a leading expert on edible oils and an associate food science professor at the University of California at Davis. Budget, of course, also can play a role. Wang said avocado oil, fermented oil and high-oleic vegetable oils are all excellent choices for use at home in your kitchen. But her go-to is extra-virgin olive oil. 'I pretty much use extra-virgin olive oil for everything,' she added. 'It's really because of health and flavor, but also for the environment.' Here's why extra-virgin olive oil is the best choice, and how other cooking oils stack up. In general, extra-virgin olive oil has the most scientific evidence for its health benefits. In a large clinical trial, scientists found that assigning people to eat a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts lowered their risk of heart attacks and strokes. Other studies have found that diets rich in extra-virgin olive oil can lower your blood pressure, reduce inflammation and decrease your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes or dying from dementia. That's because olive oil is primarily composed of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that's known to protect cardiovascular health. Oils that are high in monounsaturated fat are less likely to raise your cholesterol levels and cardiovascular risk compared to ingredients that are high in saturated fat, such as coconut oil, butter, lard, ghee and palm oil. Some people are convinced that olive oil shouldn't be used for cooking or frying because it supposedly has a low smoke point. But Wang said that smoke point doesn't tell you much about how stable an oil is or how many harmful by-products are produced when it's heated. 'If people understood how smoke point tests are done, they wouldn't put that much weight on it,' she said. 'You literally just heat the oil up and then look to see when it starts to smoke. It's amazing how much weight we put on such a crude and unreliable method.' In one study, scientists heated extra-virgin olive oil and nine other popular cooking oils in a pan fryer and deep fryer to see how they performed under high temperatures. The researchers found that extra-virgin olive oil produced the lowest levels of potentially harmful by-products because the monounsaturated fats and antioxidants it contained 'allowed the oil to remain stable when heated.' The authors concluded that an oil's smoke point doesn't tell you the extent to which an oil will degrade or produce harmful by-products when heated. 'People should not believe that smoke point is an indicator of an oil's health benefits or what it's doing in your body,' said Wang, who was not involved in the study. Taste preferences are very subjective. But if you're baking or cooking, then you might want to use an oil that has a mild flavor. In that case, refined olive oil might be a good option because it is high in monounsaturated fats but has little flavor compared to its extra-virgin counterpart. Olive oil also has a relatively low carbon footprint compared to other oils, Wang said. In general, extra-virgin olive oil has the most scientific evidence for its health benefits. In a large clinical trial, scientists found that assigning people to eat a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts lowered their risk of heart attacks and strokes. Other studies have found that diets rich in extra-virgin olive oil can lower your blood pressure, reduce inflammation and decrease your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes or dying from dementia. That's because olive oil is primarily composed of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that's known to protect cardiovascular health. Oils that are high in monounsaturated fat are less likely to raise your cholesterol levels and cardiovascular risk compared to ingredients that are high in saturated fat, such as coconut oil, butter, lard, ghee and palm oil. Some people are convinced that olive oil shouldn't be used for cooking or frying because it supposedly has a low smoke point. But Wang said that smoke point doesn't tell you much about how stable an oil is or how many harmful by-products are produced when it's heated. 'If people understood how smoke point tests are done, they wouldn't put that much weight on it,' she said. 'You literally just heat the oil up and then look to see when it starts to smoke. It's amazing how much weight we put on such a crude and unreliable method.' In one study, scientists heated extra-virgin olive oil and nine other popular cooking oils in a pan fryer and deep fryer to see how they performed under high temperatures. The researchers found that extra-virgin olive oil produced the lowest levels of potentially harmful by-products because the monounsaturated fats and antioxidants it contained 'allowed the oil to remain stable when heated.' The authors concluded that an oil's smoke point doesn't tell you the extent to which an oil will degrade or produce harmful by-products when heated. 'People should not believe that smoke point is an indicator of an oil's health benefits or what it's doing in your body,' said Wang, who was not involved in the study. Taste preferences are very subjective. But if you're baking or cooking, then you might want to use an oil that has a mild flavor. In that case, refined olive oil might be a good option because it is high in monounsaturated fats but has little flavor compared to its extra-virgin counterpart. Olive oil also has a relatively low carbon footprint compared to other oils, Wang said. Another oil that is similarly high in oleic acid, the monounsaturated fat, is extra-virgin avocado oil — another healthy choice for cooking, though it's less studied than extra-virgin olive oil. 'The science is pretty clear that high-oleic oils are the way to go,' Wang said. 'A simple way to think about it is that oleic acid is the fatty acid that makes olive oil and avocado oils healthy and more resistant to heat. That's why they're good cooking oils.' Like extra-virgin olive oil, extra-virgin avocado oil is also naturally high in vitamin E and other antioxidants that slow the oxidation process, which makes the oils less likely to degrade under high temperatures, Wang said. Avocado oil is versatile and tastes great in salad dressings, marinades or drizzled over a variety of foods. But if the flavor is too strong, try refined avocado oil. Wang said refined avocado oil is an 'upcycled' product that's made from bruised and damaged avocados that would otherwise go to waste because they can't be sold in the fresh produce section in stores. So it gets points for sustainability, too. Keep in mind, though, that extra-virgin olive and avocado oils are less processed than refined versions of these oils and contain more vitamins and antioxidants. Another oil that is similarly high in oleic acid, the monounsaturated fat, is extra-virgin avocado oil — another healthy choice for cooking, though it's less studied than extra-virgin olive oil. 'The science is pretty clear that high-oleic oils are the way to go,' Wang said. 'A simple way to think about it is that oleic acid is the fatty acid that makes olive oil and avocado oils healthy and more resistant to heat. That's why they're good cooking oils.' Like extra-virgin olive oil, extra-virgin avocado oil is also naturally high in vitamin E and other antioxidants that slow the oxidation process, which makes the oils less likely to degrade under high temperatures, Wang said. Avocado oil is versatile and tastes great in salad dressings, marinades or drizzled over a variety of foods. But if the flavor is too strong, try refined avocado oil. Wang said refined avocado oil is an 'upcycled' product that's made from bruised and damaged avocados that would otherwise go to waste because they can't be sold in the fresh produce section in stores. So it gets points for sustainability, too. Keep in mind, though, that extra-virgin olive and avocado oils are less processed than refined versions of these oils and contain more vitamins and antioxidants. Vegetable oils extracted from the seeds of various plants include sunflower, safflower, soybean, canola and corn oil. These so-called seed oils tend to be high in polyunsaturated fats such as linoleic acid. Many studies have found that polyunsaturated fats are good for cardiovascular health. But polyunsaturated fats aren't as good for cooking at high heat compared to avocado and olive oils. In the study that looked at heated oils, canola oil and other oils with high levels of polyunsaturated fats fared the worst, degrading more readily. 'Monounsaturated fats compared to polyunsaturated fats are more heat stable,' Wang said. 'That's one of the arguments against seed oils. Some seed oils have a high ratio of polyunsaturated fats, which makes them less stable under heat.' Seed oils have been vilified on social media because they contain high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, which people claim are pro-inflammatory. Some wellness influencers even refer to corn, soybean, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed and other seed oils as the 'Hateful Eight,' claiming that they are toxic. The reality is that omega-6s are essential nutrients that our bodies need but can't produce, so it's important that we get them from our diets, said Frank M. Sacks, an emeritus professor of cardiovascular disease prevention and medicine at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Sacks, who has led several landmark clinical trials on diet and cardiovascular health, said omega-6 fats play an important role in preventing heart disease. 'Omega-6 polyunsaturated fats are very beneficial and should be encouraged for use in a healthful diet,' he added. 'I use corn oil all the time. That's generally what we use in my house. But we also love extra-virgin olive oil. It depends on your preference.' If cost is a concern, then seed oils can be an affordable alternative to avocado and olive oils. Wang at U.C. Davis recommends buying seed oils that say 'high-oleic' on the label, such as high-oleic sunflower, safflower and canola oils. These are higher in oleic acid — the primary monounsaturated fat in olive and avocado oils — than their regular counterparts. Vegetable oils extracted from the seeds of various plants include sunflower, safflower, soybean, canola and corn oil. These so-called seed oils tend to be high in polyunsaturated fats such as linoleic acid. Many studies have found that polyunsaturated fats are good for cardiovascular health. But polyunsaturated fats aren't as good for cooking at high heat compared to avocado and olive oils. In the study that looked at heated oils, canola oil and other oils with high levels of polyunsaturated fats fared the worst, degrading more readily. 'Monounsaturated fats compared to polyunsaturated fats are more heat stable,' Wang said. 'That's one of the arguments against seed oils. Some seed oils have a high ratio of polyunsaturated fats, which makes them less stable under heat.' Seed oils have been vilified on social media because they contain high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, which people claim are pro-inflammatory. Some wellness influencers even refer to corn, soybean, sunflower, safflower, cottonseed and other seed oils as the 'Hateful Eight,' claiming that they are toxic. The reality is that omega-6s are essential nutrients that our bodies need but can't produce, so it's important that we get them from our diets, said Frank M. Sacks, an emeritus professor of cardiovascular disease prevention and medicine at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Sacks, who has led several landmark clinical trials on diet and cardiovascular health, said omega-6 fats play an important role in preventing heart disease. 'Omega-6 polyunsaturated fats are very beneficial and should be encouraged for use in a healthful diet,' he added. 'I use corn oil all the time. That's generally what we use in my house. But we also love extra-virgin olive oil. It depends on your preference.' If cost is a concern, then seed oils can be an affordable alternative to avocado and olive oils. Wang at U.C. Davis recommends buying seed oils that say 'high-oleic' on the label, such as high-oleic sunflower, safflower and canola oils. These are higher in oleic acid — the primary monounsaturated fat in olive and avocado oils — than their regular counterparts. One oil that's better for the environment than a lot of other vegetable oils is something you've probably never heard of: fermented oil. It's made through the age-old culinary process of fermentation, which is how bread, wine, beer, cheese, yogurt, kombucha and sauerkraut are made. Essentially, a starter-culture of bacteria or yeast is added to food, and the microbes convert or 'ferment' the sugars in the food into alcohol, carbon dioxide and other by-products. Only in this case, the microbes convert the sugars into oil. One of the most popular fermented cooking oils is made by a brand called Zero Acre. It's produced from sugar cane plants that are harvested in South America and then fermented in tanks. The resulting oil is exceptionally high in monounsaturated fat and has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor. According to Zero Acre, the production of their fermented oil emits fewer greenhouse gases and uses significantly less land and water than the production of other popular vegetable oils. But Zero Acre oil can also be pricey, starting at $26.99 for a single 16-ounce bottle. Wang said fermented oil is particularly good for the environment in comparison to palm oil, which is widely used in baking, cooking and in packaged foods. The production of palm oil has been a major driver of deforestation, habitat loss and greenhouse gas emissions. 'With fermented oil production you're not killing trees,' Wang said. 'There's energy and water input but it's significantly less compared to palm oil.' One oil that's better for the environment than a lot of other vegetable oils is something you've probably never heard of: fermented oil. It's made through the age-old culinary process of fermentation, which is how bread, wine, beer, cheese, yogurt, kombucha and sauerkraut are made. Essentially, a starter-culture of bacteria or yeast is added to food, and the microbes convert or 'ferment' the sugars in the food into alcohol, carbon dioxide and other by-products. Only in this case, the microbes convert the sugars into oil. One of the most popular fermented cooking oils is made by a brand called Zero Acre. It's produced from sugar cane plants that are harvested in South America and then fermented in tanks. The resulting oil is exceptionally high in monounsaturated fat and has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor. According to Zero Acre, the production of their fermented oil emits fewer greenhouse gases and uses significantly less land and water than the production of other popular vegetable oils. But Zero Acre oil can also be pricey, starting at $26.99 for a single 16-ounce bottle. Wang said fermented oil is particularly good for the environment in comparison to palm oil, which is widely used in baking, cooking and in packaged foods. The production of palm oil has been a major driver of deforestation, habitat loss and greenhouse gas emissions. 'With fermented oil production you're not killing trees,' Wang said. 'There's energy and water input but it's significantly less compared to palm oil.' Butter, lard and coconut oil are often used for baking because they contain a lot of saturated fat, which is solid at room temperature and helps to provide structure and texture to baked goods. Health authorities recommend that you try to limit your intake of saturated fat to no more than about 13 grams a day — roughly the amount in two tablespoons of butter — because of its ability to increase cardiovascular risk. In a large new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine on Thursday, researchers followed over 200,000 adults for three decades and found that those who regularly consumed a lot of butter had a higher likelihood of dying early or dying from cancer. But higher intakes of plant oils such as olive oil and canola oil were associated with a lower risk of dying from cancer and heart disease. Two plant oils you should be cautious about, however, are coconut oil and palm oil. Both are high in saturated fat and have been shown in studies to sharply increase LDL cholesterol, the kind that is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Do you have a question about healthy eating? Email EatingLab@ and we may answer your question in a future column. Butter, lard and coconut oil are often used for baking because they contain a lot of saturated fat, which is solid at room temperature and helps to provide structure and texture to baked goods. Health authorities recommend that you try to limit your intake of saturated fat to no more than about 13 grams a day — roughly the amount in two tablespoons of butter — because of its ability to increase cardiovascular risk. In a large new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine on Thursday, researchers followed over 200,000 adults for three decades and found that those who regularly consumed a lot of butter had a higher likelihood of dying early or dying from cancer. But higher intakes of plant oils such as olive oil and canola oil were associated with a lower risk of dying from cancer and heart disease. Two plant oils you should be cautious about, however, are coconut oil and palm oil. Both are high in saturated fat and have been shown in studies to sharply increase LDL cholesterol, the kind that is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Do you have a question about healthy eating? Email EatingLab@ and we may answer your question in a future column.
