life & style // 17 issue 09 / volume 41 Health benefits of green tea » How can swapping out your morning coffee help you? Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor Wie a new year comes new resolutions, and for a lot of students with those less coffee is probably one of them. But let’s be honest, quitting coffee cold turkey is a pretty amazing feat. Even if you were able to get used to waking up at the crack of dawn for that lengthy bus or SkyTrain commute, you'd have caffeine withdrawal. I’ve discovered a solution—or at least a Band-Aid until the semester break. Many nutritionists and health websites such as WebMD.com praise green tea for its various health benefits and lowering cholesterol. But : as students, many of us aren't : health buffs. We just want : something that will give us that : kick in the morning, and help us get through the day. So many times when I’ve : the solution for you. Why make the switch in the first place then? As I said before, green tea : not. It improves circulation : and lowers cholesterol— : which sounds nice but you : might be wondering what : the practical application is : for a 20-something student. : suggested to my coffee addicted : Basically this means that green early morning classes, drinking : friends and classmates to try green tea I’ve heard the same : excuse: “Oh no, I can’t. I need : caffeine.” So let’s just nip this : right in the bud. Green tea : is not herbal tea; it is what is : knownas a “true tea,’ like black : : tea and oolong tea. These teas . v7 : contain caffeine, unlike herbal to deal with the migraines from teas which do not. True teas in : general usually contain more Not to fret though, because caffeine than brewed coffee, so : if your goal was to cut back on : the caffeine, this might not be : tea can help stabilize blood : sugars, which will be beneficial : to anyone with diabetes or : who finds they're succumbing : toa high-fat diet. This better : blood-flow also means good : things for your skin, heart, : and brain, which should be important to any student. Green tea has been linked to weight-loss as well. Studies : show that green tea can : improve metabolism which : results in some weight-loss, but : it’s certainly not a solution for : anyone looking for a dramatic : change. Studies also show : that the results of this may : does have some pretty amazing : Y*'Y depending on your own including improving circulation : : benefits that coffee does : personal body chemistry. Bacon alternatives » A taste-test on a carnivore Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor have been pork-free for around 13 years, and one of the most common questions I receive is “How did you give up bacon?” For myself, I’ve pretty bacon, so I find this question highly perplexing. But for the carnivores I love, such as my father, I wanted to challenge them to trying some of the various bacon alternatives out there, to find out which is the most satisfying. Turkey Bacon: This is probably the most common bacon substitute I find on restaurant menus. For vegans or vegetarians it’s not very helpful—it’s purely for the health conscious or religious. My dad didn’t seem particularly thrilled by this alternative either. “It’s the texture. It’s very like I’m eating a belt.” Turkey bacon is very lean, which gives it that unique texture. When cooking turkey oil or butter because it doesn’t produce its own fat to fry in. Health wise it’s a good choice, but according to dad it’s just not the same. Chicken Bacon: Out of the three alternatives : that I looked at, this was the : hardest one to find. Many : grocery stores just don’t sell : it, and I have never seen it in : arestaurant. Chicken bacon : isn’t as lean as turkey bacon, : and while cooking it I noticed much forgotten the taste of real : jt fries up very similarly to : real bacon. My dad seemed : strangely satisfied by this option. “T like it. It’s not as salty, but it’s crispy like real bacon. I'd eat this.” Chicken bacon has the : same downfalls as turkey : bacon, in that it’s no help to : vegans or vegetarians, but : it’s also no help to the health : conscious because it is fatty : just like pork bacon. The : benefit of chicken bacon is : that there is significantly less: : sodium, and it’s easier to digest : : for people with Crohn’s disease : : and other digestive issues. Out : of our three options my dad chewy and not pleasant. It feels : said that this was his favourite. : Vegan Bacon (or Fakon): : Out of the three options, : this was the one that my : father dreaded the most, and bacon, you have to use cooking : the one that I eat the most : regularly. It’s widely available : at grocery stores and even : some vegetarian- or vegan- : friendly restaurants. Vegan : bacon comes in many varieties, : : : produce as much fat as pork : including some organic or : all-natural options, but I : choose MorningStar Farms : Veggie Bacon Strips because : | like the taste and they’re : affordable. Vegan bacon is like : turkey bacon in that it doesn’t : or chicken bacon, so butter : or cooking oil is necessary to : fry it. Usually I use butter for : flavour and to add in animal : fats from the heavy cream that : can be helpful. My dad was a bit mixed on this one. “Tt tastes a lot like real : bacon. It’s salty and smokey. : The texture isn’t the same, but : it’s not bad. I would eat it ina sandwich, not sure if I’d eat it by itself.”