Tag Archives: diet

Diet-friendly electric spoon enhances saltiness in food without actual salt

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It’s almost too easy to take salt for granted these days given how common it is, but there was a time long ago when it was as valuable as gold. The role that salt and salty flavors play in our lives becomes all too apparent the moment we taste bland food, resulting in requesting for seasoning or, well, salt. Too much salt, however, put people’s health at risk, especially in cultures that lean towards very salty dishes. Replacing salt with healthier alternatives might just be a stopgap solution, so this innovative electric spoon simply tries to trick our tongues into tasting saltiness where there is barely any salt, allowing people to consume less salt without actual giving up their favorite flavor.

Designer: Kirin

Simple as it may look, our tongues are really complex systems of taste buds that may react different depending on their location and sensitivity to certain flavors. We’ve all been through science experiments related to the different areas of the tongue as well as how weak electrical currents, like those from a lemon, can affect our sense of taste. The latter is the principle behind this simple-looking electric salt spoon that aims to promote a healthier diet by reducing the amount of salt you need to use or consume just to get that salty flavor you love.

In a nutshell, the plastic and metal spoon passes a very weak electrical current on your tongue that tries to draw sodium ions that are normally dispersed and wasted, enhancing the salty flavor that would have otherwise been lost normally. This does mean that the salty flavor doesn’t just magically appear and there needs to still be some amount of salt in the dish for the magic to work. That said, the technology promises 1.5 times more saltiness, which mean you can use 1.5 times less salt to taste the same flavor. For a food culture like Japan that consumes 10g of salt daily, much higher than what the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends, that’s still a significant reduction.

The design of the spoon itself is pretty basic, and its large handle almost makes it look and feel like a child’s spoon. Operating the electric spoon is a simple matter of pressing a single button to turn it on and cycling through different electrical intensities. Amusingly, they recommend a proper way of holding the spoon and positioning your arm in order to maximize the effect of the weak current provided by a rechargeable lithium battery.

It might be a weird idea to be giving your tongue a tiny electrical shock to make food taste saltier, and the company behind the innovation promises it’s all within safe ranges. While it’s not going to make food magically taste better, the electric salt spoon offers a simpler, and somewhat more affordable way to enjoy low-salt diets without resorting to expensive salt alternatives.

The post Diet-friendly electric spoon enhances saltiness in food without actual salt first appeared on Yanko Design.

Electrolux GRO kitchen concept offers a fresh take on sustainable eating

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It’s no longer enough to just eat healthy. One also needs to make sure our healthy eating is also healthy for the planet.

There has been a great deal of interest and attention given to diets in the past years, especially as people were forced to fend for themselves at home. Diet fads come and go, but the ingredients we use have mostly remained the same, and the demand for meat-based products has only gone higher, not lower. Our food system isn’t just broken, but so is our mindset and expectations of an unlimited supply of materials to feed the planet at the expense of the planet itself. That definitely has to change, and a holistic kitchen system imagines how tomorrow’s diets won’t only be plant-forward but also planet-friendly.

Designer: Electrolux

Eating healthier has almost become an obsession of many people these days, evidenced by the number of new diet styles and trends that pop up every year. But while people have become generally conscious of the food they eat, they often turn a blind eye to the long-term effects of our food supply systems on the Earth’s ecosystem. Feeding the planet doesn’t have to come at the expense of the planet itself, nor do plant-forward diets have to be the same old stuff you see on the Internet and YouTube.

GRO, from the Swedish word for “to sprout,” reimagines and reinvents a kitchen designed for sustainable eating. While that largely revolves around transitioning to a more plant-forward diet, it also acknowledges the fact that meat will still be a part of people’s lives. Instead, GRO provides solutions to nudge people to become smarter about their food choices, like a “jewelry box” storage that encourages eating less but better quality meat.

GRO includes a modular compartment system that you can combine like LEGO bricks, depending on your dietary needs and kitchen space. Each compartment is designed not only to preserve ingredients but also to showcase their diversity and beauty. A Plant Gallery, for example, provides optimal conditions for storing fruits and vegetables while also letting you enjoy their fresh appearance behind textured glass.

The system also defies stereotypes of plant-forward diets as bland or unexciting, especially to taste buds. In fact, GRO encourages exploration and experimentation, like the Grain and Pulse Library, which lets you try out alternative sources of protein from grains and pulses. Included in the collection is the Nordic Smoker, which lets homeowners smoke their food indoors and infuse new flavors into their recipes. And if all those starts to sound a bit overwhelming, the GRO Coach digital food companion will help you make the right sustainable choices based on your habits and needs.

GRO is part of Electrolux’s Better Living Initiative to promote better eating and better living inside more sustainable homes. The company sent out a survey last year aimed at young people between 15 and 20 to share their thoughts on the future of sustainable living. They are, after all, the biggest stakeholders in the planet’s future, and Electrolux’s kitchen concept wants to make sure that there will still be such a future that will be able to sustain life on the planet for generations to come.

The post Electrolux GRO kitchen concept offers a fresh take on sustainable eating first appeared on Yanko Design.

LESHAN smart rice cooker concept also tries to keep watch over your blood pressure

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For some cultures, rice is more than just a side dish, and this beautiful rice cooker idea makes it possible to cook this staple food wherever you go, for better health, of course.

Like with many things in life, it took a disaster of epic proportions to give people a rude awakening when it comes to their health. The COVID-19 pandemic has made some more acutely aware of their bodies’ state, as well as the things they do to keep it healthy, from exercise to food. While heart rates and blood oxygen levels take the highest priorities these days, abnormal blood pressure that leads to hypertension has always been a problem that sneaks up on people unawares. There are a few ways to lead a healthy lifestyle to keep blood pressure levels normal, and eating rice in proper amounts is what this smart rice cooker concept is trying to promote.

Designer: Fu Lèlè (付 楽楽)

It almost sounds counterintuitive that rice, especially white rice, would be recommended for people suffering from high blood pressure, considering how the many diets and health coaches push people away from carbohydrates and whole grains. There are, however, some studies on the positive effects of such food on blood pressure. Plus, rice is pretty much a necessity for some people and cultures.

This smart rice cooker concept tries to take the middle road by encouraging the consumption of rice in the proper amounts. This regulation mostly happens through a mobile app, which is able to not only check particular stats but also control the operation of the rice cooker itself. That feature definitely doesn’t sound that special in light of the number of smart cookware today, but it’s the design of LESHAN that really captures the eyes and the imagination.

The rice cooker embraces a minimalist design that eschews smooth curves for faceted surfaces that give the canister a more interesting look. As with most rice cookers, there’s a single physical control to activate its primary function, though there are a few light indicators for the different ways you can use the device, from cooking rice to even making tea. The designer chose colors that make no qualms about its purpose and inspiration, from traditional white grains to yellowish sorghum.

LESHAN deviates from typical rice cooker designs by adopting a tall, cylindrical form that immediately limits how much rice you can cook in it. Although it does have a plug underneath, it seems that the device was designed for easy portability, giving people fewer excuses not to enjoy a healthy rice meal no matter where they are.

The post LESHAN smart rice cooker concept also tries to keep watch over your blood pressure first appeared on Yanko Design.

This smart refrigerator designed with a built-in food preparation space promotes mindful eating

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The Fresh Fridge is a type of smart refrigerator system with an integrated digital interface that teaches users about mindful eating habits and new cooking recipes.

Diets and eating habits do not come in one size that fits all. We each have our own unique and intuitive approach to eating food in the kitchen. Considering the ways our individual bodies take in and absorb nutrients is the most important step towards a healthful and mindful lifestyle.

While new trendy diets make their way across social media platforms and health food stores, no single diet will fit everyone’s needs. Ditching trendy diets for mindful eating, the Fresh Fridge designed by Tati Feruccio is paired with an array of technical features that encourage a health-conscious lifestyle.

The Fresh Fridge is a sort of smart refrigerator that analyzes each user’s distinct eating and health habits to portion out nutritious meals throughout the day. The main technical detail that stands out is the Fresh Fridge’s digital interface that’s located just above the small refrigerator.

Broadcasting mindful facts and cooking recipes from its screen, the digital interface is like your own personal cooking show for various meals throughout the day. Just below the interface, allocated space for meal preparation feels intuitive and makes following along with recipes while chopping up produce items easier than ever before.

Modular glass food containers can be swapped in and out of different shelves inside the refrigerator so that when you finish meal prepping for the week ahead, you can store each container in its designated spot and easily bring the plexiglass box with you to work or school. Bringing sustainability into the realm of kitchen appliances, Feruccio constructed the Fresh Fridge, each of its interior shelves, and containers from recycled plastic and wooden elements.

Each Fresh Fridge comes with three storage basins, the topmost refrigerated area stores food in low temperatures for produce like leafy greens and berries to remain crisp and cool. Then, just below that shelf, fruits and snacks are stored at slightly higher temperatures, while a flexible zone at the bottom of the refrigerator stores bulkier items like watermelons and spaghetti squash.

Designer: Tati Feruccio

The Fresh Fridge comes with an array of technical features that promote mindful eating habits. 

A glass door shows users exactly what’s inside their refrigerator. 

The key to a healthier diet starts by redesigning the refrigerator.

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“Displaying vegetables and fruits makes me remember to eat them”, said one of the target users in an interview with designer Tati Ferrucio while she was developing The Fresh Fridge.

The Fresh Fridge relooks the very brief of the refrigerator. Most fridges are designed to perform one prime function – keeping your food fresh for long. The Fresh Fridge, however, also considers other aspects like the contents of the fridge and the behaviors of the user, and promotes a lifestyle that gets you to eat healthier, more nutritious food like fruits and vegetables. With a transparent door, the Fresh Fridge feels like the produce section of the supermarket. The fruits are kept on display, reminding you to eat them when you’re hungry, and the transparent window actually discourages you from wanting to keep unhealthy food in the fridge, in case other people see it and judge your eating habits.

The Fresh Fridge is an ecosystem featuring the fridge itself, and a smart display above it. Designed by IDSA Student Merit Award-winner Tati Ferrucio, the Fresh Fridge focuses on the complex system of a healthier lifestyle, rather than just on individual food items. The smart display above the fridge comes with a touch-sensitive surface and a built-in camera. It acts as a sort of hub for all information, allowing you to manage inventory, order fresh food online, watch recipe tutorials, and bond with friends or family members while you prepare food or while eating (you also get the added bonus of being able to show your mum you’re eating healthy!)

Underneath the smart display sits the main fridge, designed to be a slightly more compact companion to your regular fridge (where you’d store all your day-to-day meals, groceries, drinks, leftovers, etc.) The Fresh Fridge comes with compartments designed specifically for different kinds of healthy foods – leafy greens go on top, where it’s cooler, while fruits and veggies occupy the lower spaces. The trays even account for prepared/cooked items like salads, burrito bowls, smoothie bowls, or cut fruits, with slide-in areas for airtight containers.

The top of the Fresh Fridge becomes the perfect area to prep your food. The ingredients remain easily accessible below, while the smart display on top lets you tick off items from your inventory and even prepare meals by watching recipe videos or chatting with your nonna who guides you with their tips. Plug-points built into the top of the Fresh Fridge let you hook up appliances like blenders, induction stoves, or rice-cookers, while a slide-out tray makes mise en place easy, allowing you to chop, dice, peel, mash, season, or garnish your food.

As you take food from the Fresh Fridge, the smart display on the top lets you tick it off, helping the fridge track inventory for a more planned grocery shopping experience. It’s not entirely clear if the Fresh Fridge also reminds you when food’s spoiling, although that would be an extremely handy feature in making sure you don’t waste anything!

The Fresh Fridge approaches the appliance’s design rather uniquely. The clear (slightly textured) glass on the front really helps inform the interiors, which Ferrucio designed keeping organization in mind. Each of the trays (made from recycled plastic) come with horizontal shelves that help you neatly organize and present your food. The trays feature a modular section on the right too, letting you add containers with dividers, airtight storage boxes, microwave-friendly lunchboxes, etc. Lastly, a mild light on the inside helps illuminate the Fresh Fridge like the refrigerated aisle at supermarkets. The light activates the minute the camera on the smart display notices someone approaching the fridge or walking by, and the fact that the healthy food’s put on display for you really helps condition the mind into eating healthier, more nutritious meals!

Designer: Tati Ferrucio

Americans consume an alarming amount of microplastics

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Americans consume tens of thousands of microplastic particles every year -- and that's just from the food we eat. Microplastics are also found in the air we breathe and the water we drink. Thanks to a study published in the journal Environmental Scie...

5 Digital Diet Solutions for New Year Slimdown Success

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With the 2019 CES show having debuted multiple diet-focused consumer technologies, including devices that analyze the gases in people's breath to uncover what diet improvements would be helpful for...

5 Digital Diet Solutions for New Year Slimdown Success

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With the 2019 CES show having debuted multiple diet-focused consumer technologies, including devices that analyze the gases in people's breath to uncover what diet improvements would be helpful for...

Keyto breath analyzer promises to keep your keto diet on track

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The low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet has become increasingly popular in recent years. Keyto is looking to capitalize on the dietary trend by launching a smart breath analyzer and accompanying mobile app that the company claims can determine how effi...