Imagine rising with the sun and tending to your crops, all to the beat of morning traffic.
While growing plants in a busy city might seem like an impossible task, there are plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables that can thrive in your urban space — no backyard required.
SEE ALSO: Everything You Need to Make Your Own Urban Garden
City dwellers are used to improvising, so they can make the most of their living situation. Even when you live in a big city, you can still live on a farm.
1. Avocados
Surprisingly, all you need for a brand new avocado is another avocado.
Once you have removed the pit and rinsed it well, push three or four toothpicks into the base and suspend it in a glass of water with the pointed side up. Then, place it on a warm window sill and make sure it has plenty of water. In a few weeks, you should have a brand new tree that is ready for planting. Place the rooted seed in a pot and leave it in a sunny place, watering frequently, but lightly. Then guac at the fruits of your labor.
More detailed directions can be found here.
IMAGE: CORBIS SANDRA ROESCH/WESTEND61
2. Herbs
Herbs are the easiest edible plants for apartment dwellers to harvest. Basil, rosemary, mint, ginger, cilantro and parsley are all viable options for foodies who don't want to pay top dollar for spices at the store. Most require little effort, just a sunny spot on your window sill or fire escape and regular watering.
Different herbs have different care requirements, so research what you need before you plant.
IMAGE: CORBIS RICH/SPLASH NEWS
3. Microgreens
Microgreens are packed with healthy vitamins and can be used on a variety of dishes. They also happen to be incredibly easy to care for as well.
Keep them in a shallow container and stash by a sunny spot, and you'll be sprinkling microgreens on your salad in no time.
Garlic greens, similar to spring onions, thrive where garlic bulbs tend to fall short. A small, 4-inch pot and a discarded garlic clove is all you need to start growing at home.
5. Tomatoes
Tomatoes can thrive in the garden or in pots -- wherever you can care for thembest. Choose a 6-inch (or larger) pot that you can keep in a warm area that gets about 12 hours of light per day.
IMAGE: CORBIS WINFRIED ROTHERMEL/DPA
6. Lemons
Small lemon trees, specifically Meyer lemon trees, can be beautiful and fragrant additions to your home -- as long your place gets tons of sunlight. Citrus can be temperamental, but rewarding if you know how to properly care for them. Most trees will need 8 to 12 hours of sunlight and moist air to thrive.
7. Salad Greens
Never waste money on big, expensive bunches of romaine and spinach that will rot in the fridge a day later again. Now you can easily grow exactly what you need by getting a few, tiny starter plants and keep them in warm, moist soil that gets plenty of light.
IMAGE: CORBIS LAURA STOLFI/WESTEND61
8. Mushrooms
Normally, apartment dwellers would cringe at the thought of finding fungi in their home. However, there are some delicious, flavorful varieties that can be easy to grow if you have a place to care for them.
You can even purchase a mushroom kit that allows you to grow them in a laundry basket.
9. Bell Peppers
Bell peppers like consistency, and nothing is more consistent than an indoor garden.
They may not be the best option for studio apartment renters or people with roommates though, as peppers require up to two gallons of soil to grow. If you have a spacious two-bedroom, however, taco night is on.
IMAGE: CORBIS ED YOUNG
10. Carrots
Carrots, like most root vegetables, make great additions to window boxes if you have a little room.
In order to grow, carrots need a box about eight inches deep and wide, with holes for drainage. Once harvest rolls around, however, they'll be great in that fall stew.
IMAGE: CORBIS INDEAVANMERLLIN/ROOM THE AGENCY
11. Radishes
Radishes are healthy, perfect in salads and a quick harvest for busy apartment dwellers.
Like many other root vegetables, they are relatively low maintenance as long as you give them a one gallon pot and the right amount of moisture to thrive in.
IMAGE: CORBIS FRANK MAY/DPA
12. Oranges
For that daily dose of vitamin C that won't take over your apartment, you can get a dwarf mandarin orange tree. Just like lemon trees, mandarin oranges need tons of sun and a spacious pot, but their soil should be allowed to dry between waterings.
You should also harvest their fruit as soon as they turn vibrant orange for the best flavor.
IMAGE: CORBIS OWEN FRANKEN
13. Green Beans
As long as you keep your beans stable and supported, they can be great plants to grow. Use at least an eight inch container and place in a spot that gets about eight hours of sunlights per day.
14 . Kale
Juicers, rejoice! You actually can grow your own kale at home, saving your tons of money at the grocery store and the juice bar.
Make sure you give them a little space, by planting your kale in six square inch pots.
IMAGE: CORBIS RICHARD T. NOWITZ
15. Scallions
Scallions are one of those special plants that you can buy once and never again. Chop off the green top for your dish, save the rest by placing the white bottoms in a small cup of water and place in a sunny window sill. You should have new, edible greens in a couple days.
In honor of the 20th anniversary of the illustrious Frappuccino, Starbucks has release six new flavors: Cotton Candy, Caramel Cocoa Cluster, Lemon Bar, Cinnamon Roll, Red Velvet Cake and Cupcake.
SEE ALSO: Starbucks now has mini Frappuccinos because less is more
The Cotton Candy and Lemon Bar flavors are coffee-free, for patrons out there who are cutting back on caffeine (while also amping up their sugar intake). The sweet additions will be sold nationwide starting on June 8th.
From June 19 through June 30, fans of the new flavors are encouraged to vote on their favorite new creation online. It's not entirely clear how Caramel Cocoa Cluster is different from a regular Caramel Mocha Frapp, so our money is on the Cinnamon Roll.
The winner of the "Flav-off" will be announced on social media July 3rd. Customers will be able to purchase the winning flavor for a special price over July 4th weekend.
Until then, enjoy sipping on your sweet, liquid candy.
Caramel Cocoa Cluster
A blend of toffee nut syrup, coffee, milk and ice and topped with a layer of dark caramel sauce, finished with whipped cream and a drizzle of mocha sauce.
IMAGE: STARBUCKS
Cinnamon Roll
A blend of cinnamon dolce syrup, white chocolate mocha sauce, vanilla bean, coffee, milk and ice, finished with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon dolce topping.
IMAGE: STARBUCKS
Cotton Candy
A blend of vanilla bean, raspberry syrup, milk and ice, finished with whipped cream.
IMAGE: STARBUCKS
Cupcake
A blend of vanilla bean, hazelnut syrup, milk and ice, finished with whipped cream.
IMAGE: STARBUCKS
Lemon Bar
A blend of lemonade, vanilla syrup,
milk and ice, finished with whipped cream and a sprinkle of caramel sugar.
IMAGE: STARBUCKS
Red Velvet
A blend of mocha sauce, raspberry syrup, vanilla syrup and frappuccino chips with milk and ice, finished with whipped cream.
IMAGE: STARBUCKS
Show As Gallery
BONUS: Are you for or against the Pumpkin Spice Latte?
Most artificial trans fats have already been removed from the food supply.
IMAGE: CARLOS OSORIO/ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is cracking down on artificial trans fats, calling them a threat to public health.
The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that it will require food companies to phase out the use of artificial trans fats almost entirely. Consumers aren't likely to notice much of a difference in their favorite foods, but the administration says the move will to reduce coronary heart disease and prevent thousands of fatal heart attacks every year.
SEE ALSO: Taco Bell throws out artificial flavors and ingredients in new health kick
Scientists say there are no health benefits to trans fats, which are used in processing food and in restaurants, usually to improve texture, shelf life or flavor. They can raise levels of "bad" cholesterol and lower "good" cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. The fats are created when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil to make it more solid, which is why they are often called partially hydrogenated oils.
Once a staple of the American diet — think shortening and microwave popcorn — most artificial trans fats are already gone.
Once a staple of the American diet — think shortening and microwave popcorn — most artificial trans fats are already gone.The FDA says that between 2003 and 2012, consumer trans fat consumption decreased an estimated 78 percent as food companies have used other kinds of oils to replace them.
Still, the FDA says that those trans fats remaining in the food supply are a public health concern. To phase the fats out, the FDA made a preliminary determination in 2013 that trans fats no longer fall in the agency's "generally recognized as safe" category, which covers thousands of additives that manufacturers can add to foods without FDA review. The agency made that decision final Tuesday, giving food companies three years to phase them out.
Now that trans fats will be off the list of safe additives, any company that wants to use them will have to petition the agency to allow it. That would phase them out almost completely, since not many uses are likely to be allowed.
Still, food companies are hoping for some exceptions. The Grocery Manufacturers Association, the main trade group for the food industry, is working with companies on a petition that would formally ask the FDA if it can say there is a "reasonable certainty of no harm" from some specific uses of the fats. A spokesman for the group would not specify what the industry plans to ask for, but said the FDA encouraged food companies to submit a petition.
Trans fats are widely considered the worst kind for your heart, even worse than saturated fats, which also can contribute to heart disease. Over the years, they have been used in foods like frostings, which need solid fat for texture, or in those that need a longer shelf life or flavor enhancement. Popular foods that have historically contained trans fats are
pie crusts, biscuits, microwave popcorn, coffee creamers, frozen pizza, refrigerated dough, vegetable shortenings and stick margarines
pie crusts, biscuits, microwave popcorn, coffee creamers, frozen pizza, refrigerated dough, vegetable shortenings and stick margarines.
Trans fats also have been used by restaurants for frying. Many larger chains have stopped using them, but smaller restaurants may still get food containing trans fats from suppliers.
The industry's reduction in trans fats was helped along by FDA's decision to force labeling of trans fats on food packages in 2006. There have also been local laws, like one in New York City that restricts the fats in restaurants. Retailers like Wal-Mart have reduced the amount they sell.
The FDA has not targeted small amounts of trans fats that occur naturally in some meat and dairy products, because they would be too difficult to remove and aren't considered a major public health threat on their own.
Fruit Processing-Capacity 60-2000t/d for Tomato,Pear Orange,Apple,Mango,Carrot,Grape etc
triowinpropack.com
IMAGE: MASHABLE/LILI SAMS
BY KATHLEEN WONG & LILI SAMS
Sometimes, eating your full servings of fruits and veggies is easier said than done.
Actually, make that most of the time. The USDA recommends around one to three cups of fruits and veggies, depending on your age and gender. But not everything is as easy as peeling an orange — like mangoes, what are those about?
SEE ALSO: 26 Foods You've Been Eating All Wrong
Luckily for you, we've discovered how to easily cut and chop your favorite fruits and veggies.
1. Bell pepper
IMAGE: LILI SAMS
Don't let the pesky seeds and weird interior stop you from enjoying colorful bell peppers. Cut off the top and the bottom. Turn the pepper on its side and slice it open. Use your knife to cut and scrape out the funky inside, then julienne the rest.
2. Kiwi
IMAGE: LILI SAMS
Avoid the thin, fuzzy skin by cutting off the top and the bottom of the kiwi. Grab a spoon and use it to separate the flesh from the skin. Go around the fruit until detached from each other.
3. Mango
IMAGE: LILI SAMS
Ah, the mango, with its strange and long pit. Cut off the fatty cheeks and carefully cut the flesh into the grid so that it pushes out cubes of mango. Then use a paring knife to cut the remaining flesh off the thin pit.
4. Grape tomatoes or normal grapes
IMAGE: LILI SAMS
Hold a bunch of grape tomatoes or even normal grapes in-between two plates. Slide a big knife between the two to slice those suckers right in half — talk about a timesaver.
5. Onion
IMAGE: LILI SAMS
This will be so fast, you won't even have time to cry. Cut the onion in half lengthwise. Then cut the top and bottom off both halves and peel off the skin. Now you can easily and evenly dice it.
LONDON — British scientists warned Thursday that there's a growing craze of adults buying human breast milk online to drink, saying that it's not only hazardous to consume, but it doesn't have any of the nutritional benefits that some claim it has.
SEE ALSO: 10% of breast milk bought online contains cow's milk
In a new study from Queen Mary University of London, which is published in The Royal Society of Medicine journal, researchers say that raw or unpasteurised breast milk puts people who are drinking it at risk of bacterial borne illnesses as well as infectious diseases.
Scientists say there's a lucrative market and point to forums that describe human breast milk as a natural, free-from or clean superfood that is easily digestible and has immune building properties.
The study says that the adult breast milk craze is being led by bodybuilders, paleo dieters, chronic disease sufferers, fetishists and even foodies, with adult drinkers paying a premium to get it.
"Online forums are replete with posts boasting about the immune, recovery, nutritional and muscle building benefits of human milk ... Such purported benefits do not stand up clinically, however," researchers write in the study.
"Nutritionally, there is less protein in breast milk than other milks like cow’s milk.
"Nutritionally, there is less protein in breast milk than other milks like cow’s milk.Chemical and environmental contaminants are known to make their way into breast milk, just like the food chain more broadly."
It highlights the risks people who consume human breast milk are taking.
Breast milk not better than cow's milk, study says.
"The lack of pasteurisation and testing not only indicates a bacterial risk but breast milk also exposes consumers to a host of infectious diseases, including cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B and C, HIV-1/2, HTLV I&II and syphilis," researchers say.
"While many online mums claim they have been tested for viruses during pregnancy, many do not realise that serological screening needs to be undertaken regularly."
Researchers conclude that it's ill-advised to to drink the milk as an adult and call for regulators to issue public guidance on the purchasing of it.
The UK's Food Safety Authority toldMashablethat it advises against anyone buying breast milk over the Internet,
The UK's Food Safety Authority toldMashable that it advises against anyone buying breast milk over the Internet,saying: "it would be very difficult to confirm the safety of the product.”
“Sales of breast milk in a food product could be permitted but the business would be required to prove the milk has been collected and handled hygienically and the product is free from harmful viruses and bacteria," it adds.
There are breast milk banks in the UK, but they are located in hospitals and the purpose of them is to supply milk to babies who are premature or unwell. However websites such as Only The Breast, set up in 2009, and described as the "Craigslist of breast milk" enables mothers to sell their breast milk not only to other mothers who are unable to breastfeed but also to adults.
