Fresh fruit linked to lowered diabetes risk. Love snacking on fruit? You may have another reason to bite into that Granny Smith. For diabetics, eating too much sugar can pose a slew of health issues, which is why fruit often came under scrutiny for those with this condition. But in a recent study that tracked the diets of 512,891 Chinese people, they found that those who eat fresh fruit daily had a 12 percent lowered risk of developing diabetes compared to the group that didn’t add any fruit to their diet. For those participants who had diabetes, they had a 17 percent lowered risk of mortality and disease-related complications. While the explanation for this effect is not yet uncovered, it seems to indicate that fructose is treated differently in the body than regular white sugar and that the other nutrients in these items may have related benefits as well. As it turns out, certain fruits may actually support weight loss too. 

Flying associated with higher consumption of calories. Ever noticed how much likelier you are to snack on junk food when flying? Turns out you’re not alone. Professor and author Charles Spence studied British flying habits and determined that people tend to eat around 3,400 calories from the time they set off to the time they arrive. He speculates that this phenomenon could be the product of stress-eating, since flyers tend to be anxious and are more likely to snack as a means of comfort or avoidance. Another reason could be linked to the noisy plane engines since loud sounds can block our sweet and salty sensors. As a result, 15-20 percent more sugar and salt is added to these foods to restore their flavors, which leads to extra calories consumed.