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First bottle of 'whisky' matured in casks submerged in Loch Ness sells for over $1,000

The first bottle of "whisky" matured in casks submerged in Scotland's Loch Ness has sold at auction for more than $1,000. Domhayn, named after the Gaelic word for "deep," was submerged 702 feet beneath the surface of the legendary Scottish freshwater on Valentine's Day, according to news agency SWNS. The inaugural "Loch Ness edition" bottle, which comes from a 2010 single malt barley spirit with 55.5% alcohol by volume (ABV), recently sold at auction for £850, or about $1,133. ''We're thrilled that someone out there is now going to have that incredible experience of tasting a spirit that has touched the bottom of Loch Ness," founder James Patterson told SWNS. Patterson said he hatched the idea while watching swimmers in Loch Ness. "This is about pushing the boundaries of how we understand spirit maturation," he said. "We know the environment a cask matures in has a huge impact, but no one has explored the application of pressure like this before." The results, Patterson said, were "astounding." "When we retrieved the cask, the difference was undeniable," he said. "The spirit had developed a distinctly different aroma and smoothness – something traditional maturation simply couldn't achieve in the same timeframe." With only six bottles existing, the spirit can't legally be called "whisky" (the Scottish spelling of whiskey) because its submersion in water alters its molecular profile, as SWNS reported. "Submersion causes the cask to compress and decompress, triggering a unique interaction between the wood and the spirit involving both extraction and absorption," Patterson said. "It's a one-off opportunity – each cask can only withstand one dive before the pressure permanently alters it." To ensure authenticity and quality, the spirit from each cask undergoes molecular-level analysis by the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oxford. "The technique measures differences in the compounds found in samples," Patterson said. "The results showed a different molecular composition in the processed samples, providing evidence that our process alters the molecular level profile of the spirits compared to control samples." Patterson said he expects "collectors and enthusiasts to be very curious about how this method compares to conventional maturation." He said the technique is also being applied to wine, rum and vodka.

Protein-packed American-grown rice alternative has twice the amount as quinoa

Sorghum is ready for its time in the spotlight. This made-in-America heritage grain has twice the amount of protein as quinoa, according to experts, and is seeing a sharp spike in interest as consumers seek homegrown products. From popcorn to biscuits to drought-resistant livestock feed and gluten-free pastries, the grain is a perfect substitute for more traditional grains. It's also jam-packed with antioxidants, fiber and other crucial elements, promoting a balanced, healthy food. The sorghum belt in America — stretching from South Dakota to Texas — is "a region that often faces drought and tough growing conditions," Lanier Dabruzzi, director of nutrition and food innovation at the United Sorghum Checkoff Program, told Fox News Digital. "Its ability to thrive with limited water makes it an ideal crop for farmers looking to manage risk and protect long-term productivity." While the ancient grain was domesticated in Africa around 8,000 years ago, it has become a staple crop in Kansas, according to the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission (KGSC). The grain is drought-tolerant, non-GMO (genetically modified organism) and requires less resources like water and fertilizer than other grain crops. "This U.S.-grown grain is already a quiet staple in items like whole-grain breads, cereals and granola bars." Different varieties of sorghum are grown for different uses. Grain sorghum can be used for gluten-free baking products, according to the KGSC. Whole-grain sorghum is a great source of fiber and protein that adds a "hearty, nutty flavor" to recipes and can be used in foods like salads, cooked dishes and snacks, according to Sorghum Checkoff. Forage sorghum is used for feeding livestock, and sweet sorghum is used for creating a syrup that resembles molasses, per the KGSC. How to incorporate it "While many Americans may not recognize it by name, this U.S.-grown grain is already a quiet staple in items like whole-grain breads, cereals, granola bars and baby puffs," Dabruzzi said. "And the innovation doesn't stop there. Sorghum is also making its way into gluten-free baking mixes, prebiotic snacks and even craft beers." Sorghum comes in a variety of forms, so its uses are only limited by a person's imagination, according to Sorghum Checkoff. Sorghum can be used like any other grain or flour, so it's really a matter of substitution. For any dish needing rice or quinoa or for any baking recipe that calls for traditional flour, try sorghum instead. "A growing body of evidence shows that eating sorghum can help improve overall health and well-being, when incorporated into a healthy lifestyle," Dabruzzi said. Why it's a good option Cooked whole-grain sorghum is a source of tryptophan, an amino acid that research has shown may be an effective approach to decreasing anxiety and increasing positive mood in healthy individuals, according to Dabruzzi. "A serving of cooked whole-grain sorghum is an excellent source of protein, zinc, selenium and copper, which may contribute to a healthy immune system," she said. Whole-grain sorghum is perfect for soups, pilafs or grain bowls, she said. "A serving of whole-grain sorghum provides about a whopping 10 grams of plant-based protein, twice the protein as quinoa. It's also higher in protein than an ounce of beef or chicken," notes the Cleveland Clinic. Sorghum flour is ideal for muffins, coating for fried chicken and for thickening gravies and sauces. Dabruzzi said it can even be popped like popcorn — and it won't get stuck in your teeth. Unlike rice and similar grains, according to the Cleveland Clinic, sorghum keeps its taste and texture when you freeze and reheat it. "More consumers are looking for foods that support their health and support American agriculture – and sorghum delivers on both fronts," Dabruzzi said.

Jimmy Dean, other Tyson Foods products doing away with synthetic dyes by end of May

The company behind Jimmy Dean and Hillshire Farm food products is making a key ingredient change amid a push from U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Tyson Foods will remove all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from its products by the end of this month. Donnie King, president and chief executive officer of the Arkansas-based company, announced the news during an earnings call on Monday. "As a recognized leader in protein, none of the products Tyson Foods offers through our school nutrition programs include petroleum-based synthetic dyes as ingredients," King said. Most of the company's retail-branded Tyson products, including its chicken nuggets, "do not contain any of these types of dyes, and we have been proactively reformulating those few products that do," he said. "We expect that our work to eliminate the use of petroleum-based synthetic dyes in production will be completed by the end of May." That's ahead of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) deadline for food manufacturers "to eliminate six remaining synthetic dyes – FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1 and FD&C Blue No. 2 – from the food supply by the end of next year," he said. The FDA previously called for the removal of red dye from foods, dietary supplements and ingested medicines in January, as Fox News Digital reported at the time. PepsiCo's chair and chief executive officer announced on April 24 that its popular snack foods like Lay's and Tostitos "will be out of artificial colors by the end of this year." Tyson Foods, along with its subsidiaries, operates several major brands, including Ball Park, Hillshire Farm, Jimmy Dean and Wright Brand.

'Dinosaur time' viral food trend pushes salad greens, but does it work?

Channeling your inner dinosaur while eating greens has become a trending social media hack to sneak more vegetables into your diet. "Dinosaur time" is the latest TikTok food trend. It involves grabbing handfuls of greens like lettuce, spinach or kale, stuffing them into your mouth and then chewing them quickly, mimicking how herbivores ate during the Mesozoic era. Social media user @sahmthingsup is believed to be behind the viral videos and said on her TikTok account that it's a way to boost your consumption of greens. "I just grab a large handful. I eat everything I grab," she said in part in a post. The TikTok food trend encourages chewing greens as quickly as possible to get that less palliative task of eating part of your recommended daily quota of vegetables out of the way. You can then move onto eating a more enjoyable meal. "Dinosaur time is more about the goal than the process," the TikTok user shared on her social media site. "That goal is simply to eat at least a full serving of green veggies before a meal, ideally quickly and whilst channeling a hungry dinosaur." She did note that it "is not a meal replacement." Many of the influencer's social media followers seemed excited to incorporate this lifestyle hack into their meal routines. Some said that even their children are asking to eat vegetables now in this dinosaur-style feeding frenzy fashion. Some registered dietitians told Fox News Digital that dinosaur time is a unique way to get nutrients. "If pretending to be a dinosaur or a bunny to scarf down washed leafy greens brings you joy and more green vegetables, there's likely no need to hold back on participating in this fun trend," said Julie Stefanski, a Pennsylvania-based registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, a trade group. Stefanski said plants are an important source of non-digestible material that helps with elimination in the digestive process. She also noted these greens provide nutrients like vitamin C and fiber needed for gut health. "Vegetables also provide a high source of B vitamins, such as folate, which help support our immune systems and decrease the risk of issues such as birth defects and the development of cancer," Stefanski told Fox News Digital. Another expert told Fox News Digital that while she preferred that people enjoy eating vegetables, the trend's focus on consuming green leafy vegetables can have a widespread positive effect. "Prioritizing veggies is great," Caroline Susie, a registered dietitian nutritionist based in Texas, told Fox News Digital. "Especially since less than 10% of American adults meet the recommended daily intake of vegetables." Susie warned that eating greens as quickly as shown in some TikTok videos could lead to discomfort from gas and bloating. She also said that green, leafy vegetables contain fat-soluble vitamins, "meaning you need to pair a fat with them [for your body] to absorb them." Dinosaur time involves eating raw vegetables, which may pose a problem for individuals who do not tolerate raw vegetables as easily as cooked ones, Stefanski noted. "For individuals with gastrointestinal issues [GI] or those recovering from a GI illness, cooked vegetables may cause less gas and digestive upset," she said. "Over time, people can adjust to eating larger amounts of fiber and vegetables, but it does take a period of adaptation." When it comes to social media food trends, Stefanski cautioned that just as with "any generic dietary advice that you see online, it's important to consider whether taking the steps to carry that practice out in your own life is best for your own health goals."

Snack food recalled amid undeclared presence of almonds and sesame

A snack food sold in stores in the northeast has been recalled because of two undeclared allergens. New England Village Foods is recalling all lots of 5-ounce and 10-ounce containers of its 19th Hole Snack Mix because the products may contain undeclared almonds and sesame. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the recall on Tuesday. The recalled 19th Hole Snack Mix containers were distributed to independent grocery markets and convenience stores throughout New England, New York and Pennsylvania. Although no illnesses have been reported, people with "allergies to almonds or sesame run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products," the FDA's announcement said. "The recall was initiated after a customer discovered that the almond-containing product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of almonds," according to the FDA. "Additional review by the FDA revealed that the 'Contains' statement did not include sesame, despite being listed in the ingredient statement." Further investigation by the FDA "indicates the issue was caused by a temporary breakdown" in the company's packaging process. The FDA said production of the snack mix has been suspended. Consumers who purchased the recalled snack mix "are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund." New England Village Foods is in Milford, New Hampshire.

Boy orders 70,000 lollipops to his home using mom's phone: 'About fainted'

A boy in Lexington, Kentucky, may have to pick up a few more chores for his allowance after a sugar craving led to a costly mix-up. Holly LaFavers said her son, Liam, ordered about 70,000 lollipops to their home with her phone, The Associated Press (AP) reported. The 8-year-old used his mother's Amazon account to send 22 cases of Dum-Dums to the home. "He told me that he wanted to have a carnival, and he was ordering the Dum-Dums as prizes for his carnival," LaFavers told the AP. She said her young son "was being friendly. He was being kind to his friends." LaFavers said her bank account showed she owed over $4,000 for the order. "When I saw what the number was, I just about fainted," LaFavers said. Of the 22 cases delivered, there were eight more cases unaccounted for, LaFavers added. She went to the post office and found out the cases were returned to the sender. Although LaFavers did receive a refund for the purchase, it did take a while to get her money back. "After a long day of working with the bank and talking to a few news stations, Amazon called and they are refunding my money," she said in a social media post, according to the AP. To prevent another surprise order, LaFavers said she has changed some settings on her phone. "We're glad we were able to work directly with this customer to turn a sticky situation into something sweet," an Amazon spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Greedy friend wants to hog kitchen for a week, sparking viral debate online

A Reddit user was irked when a friend of his girlfriend asked if she could come over to their place "just to use our kitchen." "I barely know her, and it's not like it's an emergency," user "Pikachu930" wrote recently on a Reddit forum. "But what made it even weirder is that my girlfriend told me we should feel honored that her friend asked us instead of someone else. That rubbed me the wrong way – it felt kind of entitled, like we're supposed to say yes out of flattery?" The friend also lives in a dorm and has a meal plan, said the Reddit writer. "It's not like she doesn't have options," he wrote. "She just suddenly wanted to cook something and decided her dorm kitchen was too gross." What also bothered the person on Reddit was that "this wasn't a social request at all." "It wasn't like, 'Hey, want to cook together sometime?' or 'Could we hang out and cook?'" Pikachu930 wrote. "It was literally, 'Can I use your kitchen to cook my own food?' That's it. No invitation to connect or spend time together – just a one-way request to use our space." The man shared that he uses the kitchen "99% of the time." "I do almost all the cooking and the dishes, so it feels like my personal space in the house," he continued. "It's not just a shared utility room to me. It's where I do something I actually enjoy and take care of both of us. So letting someone else use it, especially someone I don't know well, isn't something I'm automatically cool with." His girlfriend, however, told him he was "overreacting and being rude about her friend." He wondered if he was being overly sensitive about it, adding that he would have been OK with it if it were a one-time request. Yet the friend wanted to use the kitchen "for a whole week, including sharing our refrigerator space," to cook foods like chicken breast and avocado toast. "Makes no sense at all. Say no." Most users on the platform seemed to side with Pikachu930 — writing that he was "not the a--hole" for not wanting to share the kitchen with a stranger for a week. "The so-called friend needs to bite the bullet and clean her own kitchen," one user wrote. "Absolutely not," said another person. "She can batch-cook the chicken in an hour, she can make avocado freaking toast in her dorm kitchen — that's absurd. This is a ridiculous request that makes no sense at all. Say no." However, another user wrote that it seemed like "a pretty normal request." "You would not be [wrong] if you declined." "Dorm kitchens are terrible for people who actually enjoy cooking," said the commenter. "It does seem a little weird that your gf said you should be 'honored.' Is this girl a really excellent cook or is this a compliment paid to your kitchen?" The same commenter also pointed out that the choice is ultimately his. "This is probably just someone who enjoys cooking as an outlet and really misses it since moving into a dorm," the person stated. "Assuming she's respectful of the space and cleans up after herself, it would be kind to let her use your kitchen. But you would not be an a--hole if you declined to invite her into your space." Diane Gottsman, an etiquette expert and founder of the Protocol School of Texas in San Antonio, agreed with that last sentiment. "Offering a part of your house, whether it's the kitchen or a spare bedroom, is a courtesy and a kindness when it's temporary," she told Fox News Digital. "At the very least, this person should offer some sort of compensation." "Using someone's kitchen over and over again, without offering to compensate in any way, is simply rude. It's taking advantage of the friendship. At the very least, this person should offer some sort of compensation, either financially or by taking them out to eat occasionally." Gottsman recommended that the girlfriend "set some guidelines and boundaries." "You don't have to go into big detail about why you don't want this other person to inconvenience you. It's obvious," Gottsman said. She suggested that the ask is "stretching the friendship – and it's also straining her relationship with her boyfriend." "I would also add that it's a big ask for a friend to borrow another friend's kitchen over a period of time without offering some type of kindness in return," Gottsman said. "It would not be inappropriate to feel taken advantage of, and for the sake of the friendship, boundaries must be put into place."

Viral TikTok 'cookie challenge' tests family empathy, instinct, ethics

Parents throughout the country are putting their children's generosity, empathy and ethics to the test through the viral TikTok "cookie challenge." The challenge leaves one parent without a cookie to see how children will respond. Some toddlers happily share a cookie with their mom or dad — while others burst into tears, quickly scarf down their single treat or even suggest their parents buy more. "I saw many different versions of the cookie challenge going around and was curious what my daughter's reaction would be," Haylee Jandreau of Portland, Maine, told Fox News Digital. "She is sensitive, incredibly empathetic and very in tune with emotions. She regularly gets teary-eyed about dinosaurs being extinct, so I thought she would share with me right away." Jandreau and her husband, Jacob, decided to try the challenge on their 4-year-old daughter, Maven. When the child realized her mom was the only one who didn't get a cookie, the girl paused to consider the dilemma before taking a bite and suggesting that Jandreau get one "from Target." "We had no idea what his reaction would be." "She is wise beyond her four years and highly motivated by sugary treats," Jandreau said. "So, I should have known that she would have a well-thought-out plan to see me happy and enjoying a cookie, but not at her expense. Her mind is always going – and this was no exception." Hannah Cook, a mother from Nashville, Tennessee, caught her son Judah's emotional reaction when she didn't get a cookie. He bawled for about two seconds and then handed his mom a cookie. "A true empath," she captioned the video. "Love him so much." Her video received more than 90 million views. (See the video at the top of this article.) "We had no idea what his reaction would be," Cook told Fox News Digital. "We honestly weren't expecting what ended up happening. We had an inkling he'd share because that's what we prioritize in our house." But is the cookie challenge any sort of measure of a child's capacity for empathy? The short answer is no, according to Dallas-based licensed clinical social worker Mary Margaret Fair. "Empathy is a complex emotion that requires a level of cognitive capacity, as well as emotional intelligence that develops throughout childhood," Fair said. "There is no scientific backing to this challenge. Thus, we are unsure if this challenge can measure empathy or if it's measuring something else." Fair said basic empathy only starts to develop in children from 2 to 4 years old. Generosity or greediness aren't necessarily part of the equation either, she said. "I would consider these as a learned behavior rather than empathy, which is a feeling," she said. "That said, there may not be a specific age [at] which this develops, though this would likely be taught within a structured learning environment [by] either other children or adults." There are plenty of other factors that may be involved in a child's decision to share. "I work with a lot of families from different socioeconomic backgrounds," Fair said. "This cookie challenge is just a fun and lighthearted activity to do with your family." "With this experience in mind, there could be a lot of factors at play in determining whether a child will or will not share in these types of challenges. Some factors include food security, current mood, time of day, relationships with parents or even cognitive or developmental limitations." The only conclusion anyone can deduct from the cookie challenge is whether a child is willing to share a cookie in that moment, Fair said. "Nothing more, from my perspective at least," Fair said. "This cookie challenge is just a fun and lighthearted activity to do with your family." Cook agreed. "I think every kid is different and each age is different," she said. "[Judah's] only 2, and our expectations of him are not high for this age. But it does show us that what we're telling him and instilling in him is working."

Americans' high sugar consumption prompts urgent warning from health leaders

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr is not sugar-coating anything when it comes to tackling Americans' health. Last month, he announced a ban on petroleum-based synthetic dyes. "Sugar is poison. And Americans need to know that it is poisoning us," Kennedy said at the time. While he does not think HHS will be able to eliminate sugar, he said he hopes that Americans will have a better understanding of the risks. "I think what we need to do probably is give Americans knowledge about how much sugar is in their products, and also with the new nutrition guidelines, give them a very clear idea about how much sugar they should be using, which is zero," said RFK Jr. California-based certified nutritionist Courtney Swan of Realfoodology told Fox News Digital, "I don't think Americans truly understand how much sugar [they're] actually eating on a daily basis." "People think, 'If I'm not having candy and cookies or a soda, then I'm really not getting that much sugar.' They're not realizing that the sugar is in their salad dressing, soups and sauces that they're buying," said Swan. American adults consume around 60 pounds of sugar per year, according to the American Heart Association. It was also revealed that Americans consume more than two to three times the recommended daily allowance of sugar. "People are over-consuming and not even realizing how much they're having on a day-to-day basis," shared Swan. She brought up a recent example of high-fructose corn syrup as an ingredient listed on a pickle jar. High-fructose corn syrup is a processed sweetener derived from corn starch, which Swan classifies as an "ultraprocessed, refined sugar." The syrup is "so far removed from its original source that it's not even recognizable as something that would be considered food anymore," Swan told Fox News Digital. "What the whole [MAHA] movement is about — and everything that I have been talking about for the last 15 years — is that we're just not eating real food anymore," she said. Glucose and fructose are the two main sources of sugar, Swan revealed. "Glucose is what your body uses to create energy and fructose is something that completely bypasses that whole cycle and goes straight to the liver," she said. Americans should limit their consumption of fructose as much as possible. Instead, they should opt for glucose, which bodies are able to burn off and use for energy, Swan advised. She also recommends that Americans remain cognizant of what they're ingesting and pay attention to food labels. "If there's sugar in something that doesn't really need to be in there, that's a great way to cut it out," she said. She added that people should save sugar to indulge in as a treat instead of consuming it as a "hidden" ingredient in other foods. "I don't think Americans truly understand how much sugar [they're] actually eating on a daily basis." Jillian Lampert, Ph.D., of The Emily Program, a national eating disorder care provider, told Fox News Digital that the brain relies on glucose, or sugar, as its main fuel source. "The statement that 'sugar is poison' is overly reductive and misleading, since sugar is a simple carbohydrate found in vast numbers of foods consumed every day as part of a balanced diet, including those with naturally occurring sugars, such as fruits and vegetables," said Lampert, who is based in Minnesota. "Frightening the public about sugar" could lead to parents removing nutritious foods from their children's diets, she warned, potentially creating an unhealthy relationship with food.

Kids eat only 'junk food' so man with cancer will not travel with them

A personal situation described in a viral Reddit post has drawn thousands of reactions as a man shared that he will not travel with his brother's children for food-focused reasons. The man wondered if he was wrong "for refusing to travel with my brother's family because his kids only eat junk food." Describing himself as 39 years old, the man said he's "currently undergoing cancer treatment." Once he completes it, he said he's "planning to take a holiday with a friend or family member to travel to the other side of the world." He's based in the U.K., he told others, so he is "thinking Vietnam, South Korea, Japan or somewhere around there where I have never been." The man said he asked his brother, who is 43, to consider going with him on the trip. "He got very excited and said his daughter, age 12, and son, age 8, would also come along." "I know my brother and his wife have tried hard to introduce them to other foods, but they just won't eat it." The Reddit poster added, however, that "they are both incredibly picky eaters — and my niece only eats plain beige foods. She won't even have a burger at McDonald's, just chips and nuggets, and that's pretty much 80% of the kids' diet." Said the man, "I know my brother and his wife have tried hard to introduce them to other foods, but they just won't eat it." The man wrote that while he "loves the kids to bits," he also wants to travel to experience the food culture and that is a major part of it for me. I want to get off the beaten path and experience things in life I haven't been brave enough to experience before." He continued, "For me, selfishly, this trip is about the end of my cancer and celebrating that there is life after cancer. It's also not something I can easily afford." So the man informed his brother — given his desire for the children to travel with them — that he'd now "rather travel with someone else." The brother expressed anger and frustration at this, the man shared, and said he feels "I am being selfish as traveling with his children can also be fulfilling … To make things worse, we live in different countries, so we don't see each other a lot. They will be very disappointed when they learn I have pulled the plug on the plans. I feel conflicted," he added. For further context, the man said that he's "currently having cancer treatment. I only just started. I have grade 3, stage 3 thyroid cancer that has spread … I have chemo now, started first round, and then surgery, then more chemo and then radiation." He said that his planned travel "won't be until late 2026 at the earliest" — and emphasized that he's looking "to go off the beaten path." Some 8,000 people reacted to the drama on Reddit — with the majority firmly deciding the man is not wrong for his decision or for the way he feels. Wrote one of the top commenters, "Traveling with kids would make your trip everything but what you want it to be. Your brother should be more understanding." The same person added, "Trying new food is an adult experience. Not only [because] adults react differently when they don't like something, but also, certain foods are not good for kids … Kids could even be allergic to certain stuff without knowing." Said another person, "You invited your brother, and he assumed his kids were invited, and got them excited. That's on him." "Also, cancer is kind of a big deal," the same individual noted. "Wanting to have a one-of-a-kind experience tailored specifically for you after going through that hell might be selfish, but it's also one of the few times in life where being 100% selfish is the only right choice." Said yet another user on Reddit, "Vacationing with kids is a much different experience than vacation[ing] with adults, and it will make it a very different trip. I'm a mother with two young, picky kids that I love very much. I wouldn't dream of hijacking such an important trip." She added, "Your brother needs to take a step back and think about what this is really all about."