What Is Glycation and Why Is It Being Called “The Skin Sugar Disease”?

Giving Indian Roti All the Attention it Has Always Deserved

Crunchy Wafers, Clunky Cluttered Coffee Mugs, Tearing Package Tapes - How are Food Noises & Visuals Stimulating Unwarranted Hunger Pangs?

Hunger was once the body’s private signal, an instinctive whisper between the stomach and the mind. Today, it is a performance staged and directed by an orchestra of sounds and visuals designed to provoke appetite before biology even speaks. The snap of a wafer, the crinkle of foil, the hiss of soda, the sight of caramel melting in slow motion — each has been engineered to bypass willpower and activate hunger where none existed. What we call “cravings” are often not cravings at all. They are responses to manufactured stimuli. In a culture where silence is rare, we eat not when we are hungry, but when the world reminds us that we could be.

7 Reasons Why a Protein Shake-Only Breakfast Is Not Good Enough

There’s something seductive about the hum of a blender at 7:00 a.m. — the smooth promise of efficiency. You scoop, shake, sip, and tell yourself you’ve hacked breakfast. It’s fast, clean, disciplined — the kind of meal Silicon Valley and Instagram approve of. But beneath that illusion of control, the protein-shake-only breakfast has quietly become a modern dietary crutch: more chemical than culinary, more symbolic than satisfying. It represents the dream of optimization — a body that behaves like software. The problem? Bodies don’t code. They metabolize. And metabolism, unlike productivity, cannot be gamified. Here’s why your morning shake isn’t cutting it — and what you’re losing when breakfast becomes a formula.

1. It Trains Your Body to Expect Nothing Real

Liquid breakfasts reduce eating to function — calories in, task out. But food is also mechanical education: chewing stimulates saliva, primes digestion, and activates hormones like ghrelin and leptin that regulate hunger cues. When you skip texture, your gut-brain axis never gets the signal that a real meal occurred. Over time, this can dull your hunger awareness — what psychologists call interoceptive sensitivity. Studies from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2023) found that participants consuming liquid-only breakfasts reported delayed satiety and increased afternoon snacking by 23%. Translation: your “efficient” start is metabolically expensive later.

The Delhi Choley Bhature Scene is Changing but not for the Good!

The bloggers are rampant and uncontrollable when creating videos about it, supported by the inexplicable appetite of social media content consumers, and it seems that no matter what season of the year it is, there is one equally popular food option during the breakfast, lunch, and dinner timings - Choley Bhature. While every hood in the city has its own favorite, Instagram and YouTube continue to preach the top 5, 7, or 10 places to reach the holy grail of Choley Bhature, and surprisingly, people in Delhi, people from Delhi, those who grew up within the city are as curious and sometimes naive, following every bit of social content to explore a new 'Choley Bhature' destination. While this transformation set in over the last 5 - 7 years, with the post-COVID [WFH] lifestyles also contributing to the cause, the overall Choley Bhature scene in Delhi has changed and not everything about it needs to be romanced with words and not every change should have been welcomed.

Ovenstory Cheese Stuffed Garlic Bread Reviewed

Just a bit crispier and this would have been the clear winner! That is how close Ovenstory Cheese Stuffed Garlic Bread comes to taking the honors when it is compared to contemporary favorites in this niche, like Dominos. The latter impresses with a more buttery taste and an outer crust that is done a lot better. Ovenstory Cheese Stuffed Garlic Bread has less garlic and instead uses cheese to deliver more gooey goodness in each bite. However, it lags behind in the texture, inside and out. The outer surface is a bit undercooked. The lesser-baked approach just might not work with folks like me who like to bite into the bread rather than gently chewing the bread. Ovenstory Garlic Bread also does away with the tendency to overpower the bread with the garlic flavor, making it a better choice for folks who cannot handle the garlic-heavy flavor.

However, the biggest difference is the insides. Ovenstory Cheese Garlic Bread does not hold back when stuffing the insides with real, not flowy cheese. There is sufficient dairy flavor in every bite. If you press the bread a bit harder, some of the cheese might actually squeeze out - you cannot expect this in Domino's Garlic Bread which seems to use more butter, and even when you order the cheese-stuffed variety, it uses cheese as if the stuff is borrowed from the World Bank on the highest interest rates modern-day nations have seen. But you can expect this from Domino's - putting all the cheese in the TV ads and not actually putting it in what is served to us has been the standard approach for almost 4 years now. In comparison, Ovenstory Cheese Stuffed Garlic Bread generously layers it up with good-quality cheese that has an actual taste - again, unlike the neutral, bland cheese that Domino's seems to have sourced - I am thinking there must be an industry of seconds in cheese from which Domino's inventory management team regularly buys. One more piece of advice to the Ovenstory team - garlic bread is not supposed to be so soft inside. You have to find a way of making it stand up a bit more, and not being precariously close to getting spongy soft.

ALSO GATHERED A BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE GARLIC BREAD: [USING AI TOOLS LIKE CHATGPT]

The Mediterranean, known for its vibrant culinary traditions, has a long history of using garlic in various dishes. Bread, being a staple food in the region, provided an excellent canvas for experimenting with flavors. The addition of garlic to bread not only added a delightful aromatic element but also enhanced the overall taste. Garlic bread, in its simplest form, typically consists of sliced or crushed garlic combined with butter or olive oil, spread onto bread, and then toasted or baked until golden brown. This simple yet flavorful combination has become a favorite accompaniment to many meals, particularly Italian and Italian-American cuisine. While the exact moment of garlic bread's invention cannot be determined, it gained widespread popularity in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s. Italian-American immigrants brought their culinary traditions to America, including garlic bread. It quickly became a beloved side dish or appetizer served in Italian-American restaurants, pizzerias, and households across the country.

Over time, garlic bread has evolved to include variations such as the addition of cheese, herbs, or even toppings like tomatoes or bacon. These adaptations have further expanded the range of flavors and textures associated with garlic bread, making it even more appealing to different palates. Today, garlic bread is enjoyed worldwide and has become a staple in many cuisines. It can be found in pizzerias, restaurants, and even in frozen food sections of grocery stores, allowing people to enjoy its delightful taste and aroma in the comfort of their homes. In conclusion, while the exact origins of garlic bread remain somewhat elusive, it is safe to say that variations of bread seasoned with garlic have been enjoyed by various cultures throughout history. The modern concept of garlic bread gained popularity in the Mediterranean region and eventually spread to other parts of the world, becoming a beloved accompaniment to meals and a culinary delight appreciated by many.

Why eating a heavy lunch at your workplace can backfire?

Most healthcare experts seem to agree that eating a heavy lunch is not a good idea because it can cause a variety of negative effects on your body and mind. For starters, consuming a big meal at one time takes away the chance of snacking healthy and responsibly throughout the working day - critical when snacking is a part of your arsenal to keep away workplace laziness and fight off the sluggishness associated with being seated in a demarcated area every day. But there is a lot more...

First off, when you consume a massive meal, your digestive system can go haywire. Think discomfort, bloating, indigestion, and heartburn. It's like a carnival inside your tummy, and not in a fun way. Plus, your poor digestive system has to work overtime to handle all that food, making it harder for your body to absorb the nutrients it needs. Bummer, right? Next, heavy meals can be a one-way ticket to Weight Gain City. Especially if you're chowing down on calorie-loaded, fatty goodies. That extra weight can lead to some serious health issues, like diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. But wait, there's more! When you feast on a hefty meal, your blood sugar can shoot up like a rocket, only to crash and burn later on. That rollercoaster ride messes with your energy levels, leaving you feeling tired, sluggish, and pretty darn grumpy. Say goodbye to being a productivity superstar.

And let's not forget about poor nutrient absorption. When you shovel too much food into your face at once, your body can struggle to get all the good stuff it needs. That means you might end up lacking important nutrients, which can mess with your overall health. Last but not least, heavy meals can be like a VIP ticket to Chronic Diseaseville. If you're constantly indulging in meals packed with saturated fats, trans fats, and added sugars, you're increasing your risk of things like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. So, let's bring it home to your workplace. Eating a heavy lunch there can backfire in more ways than one. First off, it's a one-way ticket to Snoozeville. You'll be fighting off the Zzz monster instead of tackling your tasks like a boss. Blame it on all that blood rushing to your stomach, trying to digest that massive meal. Talk about a buzzkill.

Then there's the discomfort and bloating. Picture yourself trying to focus in a meeting while feeling like you swallowed a watermelon. Yeah, not exactly a recipe for success. That stuffed feeling can make it hard to sit at your desk, too. It's like your stomach is staging a revolt, complete with gas and all. And let's not forget the weight gain. Stuffing your face with a ton of food can lead to extra pounds creeping up on you. And trust me, those pounds don't play nice. They bring along their friends, like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. You definitely don't want to party with that crowd.

Oh, and did I mention the afternoon energy crash? That heavy lunch can mess with your glucose levels, leaving you feeling like a deflated balloon. Good luck making smart decisions, staying focused, or keeping your cool. It's like your brain checked out early for a vacation, and it's leaving you to deal with the consequences. To avoid this lunchtime disaster, here's the deal: opt for a balanced meal with plenty of fruits, veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains. And hey, watch those portion sizes! Don't go overboard. It's also a good idea to have smaller meals throughout the day instead of one mega meal. That way, you'll keep your energy levels steady and avoid the chaos of a heavy lunch.

Why Fries? Are we ruining the entire burger experience?

This question has always been there in my mind. I'm already having a bun stuffed with fried patty, and the stuff is dripping juices, sauces, and dressings. I am getting a mouthful of bites with plenty to chew. What is eating is not light and seldom needs a follow-up or sides to reach satiety levels. Why do I need the fries? Why would people even ask for fries, let alone pay for them, rather than requesting a better-filled, more saturated burger experience? Usually, these fries feel sloppy and an unwanted add-on. I don’t mind a bit more veggies in the burger as they add more crunch to the bite. Fries don’t make sense because I don’t want to pause during the burger-eating expedition and deviate from what the taste glands are experiencing. For that matter, Coca-Cola remains a big spoiler for me if someone really wants to discover the real flavor of the meat patty or find out how under-prepared the bread is. For the calorie trackers, do you really want this addition when you are out to enjoy a wholesome burger? For the burger(paths), do the fries really enhance or uplift the eating experience? For those who have burgers just to fill their belly, is it necessary to gluttonize on the fries rather than perhaps follow up with a single serving of chocolate ice cream?

BEYOND PERSONAL OPINIONS: SHARING SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SUBJECT GATHERED FROM THE WEB

What started the culture of serving fries with burgers?

The origins of serving fries with burgers can be traced back to the early 20th century in the United States. French fries were already a popular side dish at the time, and it is believed that they began to be served with burgers as a way to make the meal more filling and satisfying. The practice of serving fries with burgers became more widespread in the mid-20th century, as fast food restaurants like McDonald's and Burger King popularized the combo as a standard menu item.

Do restaurants charge a lot for the fries that accompany burgers?

The cost of fries that come with a burger can vary depending on the restaurant. In fast food restaurants, fries are often included in the price of a combo meal, which includes a burger and fries. In sit-down restaurants, fries may be offered as a side dish and priced separately from the burger. In these cases, the cost of fries can vary depending on the restaurant and location. Some restaurants may charge a premium for their fries, while others may offer them at a lower cost.

Is there a science of serving fries with burgers?

There is no specific science of serving fries with burgers, but there are several factors that can affect the overall experience of eating the combination. One factor is the timing of when the fries are served. They are typically fried twice, once at a lower temperature to cook the inside, and a second time at a higher temperature to crisp the outside. If the fries are not served immediately after the second frying, they can become soggy and lose their texture. Therefore, it's important for the fries to be served hot and crispy. Another factor is the seasoning of the fries. Different restaurants use different seasonings, such as salt, pepper, garlic powder, or even truffle oil, to give the fries a unique flavor. The seasoning should complement the flavor of the burger without overpowering it. Finally, the size and shape of the fries can also affect the overall experience. Thin and long fries are generally considered to be crispy, while thicker and shorter fries are considered to be more substantial. All in all, serving fries with burgers is a combination of culinary art, timing, and knowing the customers' preferences.

Is it the American way to serve fries along with burgers?

It is common in the United States to serve fries along with burgers, and it is considered a classic American fast food combo. The practice of serving fries with burgers became widespread in the mid-20th century, as fast food restaurants like McDonald's and Burger King popularized the combo as a standard menu item. However, it's worth noting that this combination is not exclusive to the United States and can also be found in other countries, particularly in countries that have been influenced by American culture. Nowadays, many restaurants around the world serve fries as a side dish to burgers and other sandwiches, and it has become a global phenomenon.

Do Europeans also serve a burger with fries?

Yes, it is also common in Europe to serve fries, also known as "chips," along with burgers. The combination of a burger and fries is popular in many European countries and is considered a classic fast food combo, similar to that in the United States. The tradition of serving fries with burgers in Europe can be traced back to the post-World War II period, when American soldiers were stationed in many European countries and brought their fast food culture with them. Many European fast-food chains and independent restaurants now serve burgers with fries as a standard menu item. In some countries, such as Belgium, fries are even considered a traditional dish and can be served with a variety of toppings and sauces.

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Big sandwiches are good but when they turn meal-sized, are we still eating them like a sandwich?

The other day I was at Burger Place, Rajouri and I ordered the double-egg burger. Here, the burger patty was really big. It had been filled with poached eggs and lots of green veggies. The result was a true gastronomic delight. The eggs were slightly mushy and when pressed slightly almost hung tightly to either side of the burger buns like some industrial adhesive and the flowy sauces and cheese things were equally warm and orgasmic. However, I had a small issue. I just couldn’t eat the burger like a burger.

It was too big. It was oozing too much of the good stuff. I could not afford to press and kill my vulnerable patty. And I hate when the cheese starts to drip. So, the solution was finding refuge in a plastic fork and slowly eating away the hand-sized burger. Did this ruin the taste? Not really. I should say not at all. In fact, having a burger like a plateful of the meal was a refreshing experience. Now, when I compare this with some of the sandwiches I come across in Delhi’s cheese-based eat-out locations, it seems that eating these sandwiched, held-up like the traditional way of eating your bread is not really practical.

Noodle Bowl: Crunchy or Soupy? Divided, We Stay Confused

The house is always going to be divided between noodles that are too moist to be picked with a fork and those that are perfect for giving you a mouthful of crunchier textures and that fuller feeling that comes with eating anything that is a bit crusty and layered. I have had issues with slurping noodles or slurping in any other way. The noise can be very irritating. The fact that many people continue to make, serve, and eat noodles in a way that requires a constant pucker-like mouth and sipping big chunks of noodles and meat never fails to make me think.

Don't Preach about Micro-scoping Everything We Eat

There is a hell lot of online wisdom out there about how to choose, about how to be very careful about what we eat; however, some of these seem too preachy and at times, irritating! There is something very simple and unsaid about food that is good - you have to close your eyes to the obvious things that will not agree with a nutritionist's advice. Soulful food is invariably high in calories. Perhaps this is why it is so happy and big, and yes, it contains a lot of fat too, which you cannot enjoy if your conscience keeps asking you questions about the calorie count. However, what irritates me is that the people who have infused this habit of counting and measuring everything we are about to eat seem to have comfortably forgotten that we don't have that many choices. So many kitchen and grocery essentials are no longer in the safety zone. The simplest of herbs and spices, too, are now adulterated. We are trying to make the most educated decisions, buying what has been packaged better and procured more sensibly, at a premium rate.

Now, whatever little is left is, whatever scanty food options have managed to survive the commercialization holocaust, don’t need to be put under the lens in such a magnified way

There is a limit to how much we need to read into each food label. Why is this not the state government’s responsibility to handle? There are blogs about how some of the most common sweeteners are now cancerous or irritate the gastrointestinal lining. We shouldn’t need to check out the details across so many ingredients, many of which are highly industrial in nature and are not even in public ambit. As a consumer, you want to be aware and make educated choices, but when you are biting into a juicy-looking stea,k you shouldn’t be thinking about whether the marbling pattern indicates plasticized meats – yes, this is actually happening, now at a neighborhood food chain, near you!

Pizza in the City: Paneer Tikka Pizza? that is Blasphemy, not gastronomic artistry you fool!

Tomato puree has been replaced with over-sweetened ketchup. Stringy, real cheese has been substituted with dry and less flavorful cottage cheese or paneer, and now, we have pizzas that look like a bouquet of vegetables you were supposed to eat as a child!

If pizza were styled as a place to linger, it wouldn't score big, i.e., if the place were located in Delhi.

The cookie-cutter lifestyle has somewhat narrowed the options we have for eating out. Saying that it has helped expand our gastronomic horizon would be lying blatantly. Urbanity is closely related to easy foods, and pizza is the king of all things easy to assemble and deliver at short notice. However, something very wrong is happening in the world of pizza-making in the city. The non-European vibe has been replaced with utter stupidity. Even the most culturally well-endowed urban centers are now guilty of molesting the cultural fabric that constitutes a pizza. Today, the slice has lost its appeal.

Stopping a contagion means identifying the infection first

The triangular wonder has given way to cheap replacements, and even Stephen Hawking won't be able to explain what the paneer is doing to the global favorite. Just like corporate immunity, pizza creators in the city feel like they can easily find a cover-up for their crimes. The result is a pizza that is highly uncivilized. There is nothing great or Italian about it. Leave the global aura; there is nothing edible about it when it is overloaded with those grumpy pieces of paneer. This is not creativity, but the people doing it don't seem to understand the difference between getting artistic or resource-savvy when remolding a classic.

Any discussion about the pizza being too desi is speculative or vague or both!

Pizza community advocates talk about the type of crust, the amount of cheese, and the generosity of the toppings. But what about the toppings that were never meant to be taken to pizza-land? It is as if the pizza people in the city have hit some sort of ideation barrier. I am a big believer in making gastronomic journeys, each exploration more likely to take you closer to something that has not been defined or uncovered yet. Still, people find the time and the audacity to absolutely kill the entire idea. Pizza making is an innocent enterprise. It's just lots of toppings and a simple sauce on a base of dough. Where is the room to screw it up this bad?

Another kicker to the story: not all types of cheeses are meant for a Pizza

My opinion does suffer from the patchiness of data. After all, I have not tasted pizzas from every eatery of repute that is redoing this otherwise fantastic food. In culturally parched parts of Delhi, the pizza is suffering from localization to the extent of losing its identity. Real sauces and gravies are being replaced by stupid replacements that have nothing to add in terms of real flavors but do the job of filling your mouth rather well. Cottage cheese or paneer is nothing like the many types of cheese that are found overseas. Paneer is too granular and bland. The milkiness is replaced by a totally offsetting type of dairy-ness. I say this without a haze of grumpiness that a food blogger might own.

Pizza should be like whiskey, sharp in the first bite & then induce warmth as it moves further 

Pizzas in the city have been constantly sparring for their share of fair treatment. During the tail-end 2000s first decade, the real assembly line of pizza was realized. It was now here to stay, and you must agree that it has survived the onslaught of many other imported snacking and food items that competed fiercely. Ultimately, the cheesy warrior won. However, just like a new dynasty that tends to border between two extremes of being either too suppressive or all-inclusive, the pizza dynasty made the horrible mistake of allowing itself to be too malleable. It did not need to change so drastically.

Localization might be a Need, but the Stupidity of it was NOT!

Localization experts got the opportunity to trample it, and they have done a great job out of it. The good-old pizza had a fantastic groove, smartly blending excesses of some ingredients with the restraint of others. The result was a wonderful creation that was crunchy, soggy, saucy, bite-ful, tongue-coating, and fatty without any aspect being blown out of proportion. Well-thought-out plans about using more local produce is how other countries are making the pizza more native-friendly. Indians seem to have lost the plot. They are making it either too desi or borderline hipster without realizing the bready goodness cannot afford too much innovation. Its essence has to be captured and preserved at all costs.

Waiting for city pizzas to finally mature? That is how hope works!

Bungled efforts at making the pizza more community-friendly includes serving it with dollops of some chutney besides it. The result? An absolute disaster. Downgrading the value of fresh ingredients in a Pizza, more of refrigerated stock is now becoming the common way in this trade. The pizza walks a tough line between being somewhat health-friendly and utterly indulgent. The latter is where the maximum happiness lies, and this has been substituted without any success. A culturally well-endowed pizza should borrow the local ingredients rather than making them the taste-defining elements.

Is relative affordability killing the pizza essentials?

The city pizza is being made with increasing impunity towards being judged. There are not many food bloggers who are raising a noise where we need a blast to be heard. The impassioned pizza is overloaded with poor selection, and the base is still too thick, too chewy, and too flipped on being more bready rather than a humble base that bites well. The inducement for a better pizza has to be criticism right before something gets viral and starts setting the wrong examples!

From Visually.

Reasons for My Cup of Tea vs Normal Folks | Everyday Babbling Thoughts Blended with Handy Lifestyle Management

Anyone who has been at my blog, even twice, would know there is a definite difference between how I perceive thoughts and situations and react and how the more normal world behaves. This includes the pattern in which a cup of tea makes appreciable contributions to my everyday life.

Usual:         To Awaken Yourself
My Take:    To Calm Overactive Senses

Most people I know talk about having tea to awaken their senses, earlier in the day to wake-up from the slumber and during the day to regain their mental acuity. However, with me things are rather different. Think of me as an overworked, almost always engaged mind. I have this habit of digging so deep into the work that often I start blinking too infrequently and, as a result, my eyes get dry and irritated. This is why, for me, taking a few sips of tea is about interrupting my self-righteous habits that tend to exhaust me. This is not therapeutic for me. This is more of lifestyle management. Simple thing like ordering the tea or pouring it in my cup and sitting back to catch a break really helps to disengage the slightly over-stimulated sense, helping me regain that sense of calmness.

Still stuck on green tea? These guys are doing Tea Spirits!

Tea Infographic from www.divinitea.com

I have been dedicatedly exploring green tea and herbal tea combinations that can be very handy in hydrating and boosting immunity. However, this genre seems to be rather big. While I have been rambunctious about my first impressions and emerging trends in this domain, every now & then I find something that seems beyond my horizon of green tea literacy. Now, I was just browsing through when I chanced upon this link on liquor.com that talks about a young distillery that is trying to do spirits in a different way. The approach seems intent on moving away from the hangover of hangover perception associated with consuming liquor. Rather than sticking to the traditional base ingredients, these guys are using fermented tea. The result of some wine-making and liquor-maturing experience, blended with the finest collection of teas from Asia, has gone into creating this unique blend. My first impression says that the idea is unique, rather adorable. For starters, this is not a heavy liquor choice. This is more consumable as an everyday beverage, of course, in moderation. For green tea aficionados who are equally upbeat about hitting the bar, this could be a welcome change. They would be getting the herbal concoction that many tea blends are trying to be these days, along with all the goodness of spirits.

Food Journeys: More Green Tea Explorations

The alcohol percentage, if controlled acutely, could be the key here – the difference in making this a mainstream option or just another tea fad. If you read the column, it talks about borrowing the manufacturing wisdom from non-alcoholic wines. This innovation puts emphasis on safe removal of ethanol to ensure a greater degree of de-alcoholization—this, I believe, will be the big difference!!...read about some of my other Tea Discussions

[Original Discussion: Click Here]
[Loving Cranberry Tea: Click Here]

Read about some of the other Tea & Tea-inspired discussions here:

Tea Snob Checklist

Cranberry Tea Tales

Tea for Irritated Throat Management