FoodBozo.com

Following the “five-second rule” isn’t the only way you’re doing yourself a disservice.

You’ve probably heard the “5-second rule,” the notion that if you pick up dropped food quickly, it remains germ-free. Actually, a high school student busted this myth in 2003, with a simple study involving gummy bears and cookies.

When Jillian Clarke put these foods on floor tiles infected with E. coli bacteria for five seconds, then analyzed the food for bacteria, she found that in all cases, the food was contaminated, putting anyone who ate it at risk for a nasty case of food poisoning. The teen’s research was honored by the Annals of Improbable Research with the 2004 Ig Nobel Prize in public health, the New York Times reports.

Read more: 5 Food Myths, Busted

These unusual fruits and veggies are packed with more hard-to-get nutrients than your standby choices.

Even though low-carb diets are no longer the rage, potatoes still have a bad reputation for wrecking diets. Brand new research from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania comes to a different conclusion, at least about the purple variety. A study followed 18 overweight and obese people who also had high blood pressure. Participants were asked to either eat six to eight golf ball-sized purple potatoes for lunch and dinner, or stick to a potato-free diet. After a month, participants switched diet routines. Participants who ate potatoes saw a significant drop in their high blood pressure—diastolic pressure fell an average 4.3 percent while systolic blood pressure dropped an average 3.5 percent.

Read more: 5 Surprisingly Healthy Fruits and Veggies You Aren’t Eating

It’s been featured on Dr. Oz’s TV show, but does the latest fruit fad to promote weight-loss really work?

Goodbye, grapefruit diet. Hello, African mango?

Everyone’s looking for the magical weight-loss solution. Some claim they’ve found it in the African mango, the latest fruit fad to invade the weight-loss world. Its supplements have even been endorsed on The Dr. Oz show.

Dr. Tanya Edwards wrote on DoctorOz.com:

“Sounds like a magic bullet to me! I tried it myself, and lo and behold, in the first month of taking it (only once per day, mind you, instead of the recommended twice daily), I lost seven pounds without making any changes in my usual healthy diet and exercise routine!”

Read more: Is African mango a weight-loss wonder fruit?

An artist spends years collecting a wide array of odd fruits and vegetables.

German artist Uli Westphal has been collecting and photographing strange fruits and vegetables for the past 5 years. The Mutato-Project showcases a broad spectrum of produce that would rarely make it into standard supermarket shelves.

See more here.

I mentioned this last week, but recently I’ve noticed a small-but-incredibly-annoying barrage (or at least, something like 2-3 flies per day buzzing around my kitchen) of fruit flies at home.

They’re minuscule, and appear pretty benign, but seeing them leaves me with the unpleasant feeling that my kitchen is dirty and unsanitary—despite the fact that I’m cleaning up constantly and, especially in light of this mini-infestation, am particularly careful to wipe away crumbs and not leave food out.

Read more: Getting rid of fruit flies—the cheap, fast, and non-toxic way

When picking fruits, look for plumpness, tenderness, and bright color.

Here’s to your health.Fruits should be heavy for their size and free from mold, mildew, bruises, cuts, or other blemishes. Some fruits are picked and shipped while still firm, so they may need additional ripening.

Read more here: selecting fresh fruit

Whether you’re a business exec, carpooling mom, up-and-coming entrepreneur or someone in-between, busy lives tend to cut into healthy eating. But eating well doesn’t have to be hard work. Try these healthy fruit smoothie recipes for your next last-minute breakfast, afternoon snack or even dessert.

Read more: 6 healthy fruit smoothie recipes

We’re all familiar with the ‘apple-a-day’ philosophy. It’s no secret that fresh fruit, especially locally sourced fruit is great for our health and better for the environment.

But what happens when we get overly ambitious and suddenly the kitchen is filled with over-ripened fruit that nobody wants to eat?

As the saying goes, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade, in the same way, when your kitchen has over-ripened fruit – make a fresh fruit salsa!

Read more here: What to do with over-ripened fruit?

There’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than biting into a juicy, sweet, ripe piece of fruit. But how do you know if a peach or strawberry is going to taste as good as it looks?

While it’s true that choosing delicious fruits is more of an art than a science, there are some guidelines that can help you make smart choices.

Read more here: How to choose the ripest fruits

There’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than biting into a juicy, sweet, ripe piece of fruit. But how do you know if a peach or strawberry is going to taste as good as it looks?

While it’s true that choosing delicious fruits is more of an art than a science, there are some guidelines that can help you make smart choices.

Read more here: How to choose the ripest fruits