A lot more people are anemic than one might think, but it's more likely to be vitamin B12 deficiency, even a mild one, rather than iron deficiency.

Do you have a cite?

taking fish oil

People have mentioned this before... what does it benefit?

I noticed vitamins a little, but I noticed an herbal supplement (targeting PMS symptoms) more.

Also, green beans are teh awesome. Craxy people.

[link]

Looks like salt can enhance rising in cakes, depending on how the ingredients are incorporated, but isn't a big deal. It's more of a taste thing.

Dear Anne and Sue,

What is the purpose of salt in cake recipes? Is it for taste only, or does it also aid in leavening? Is there a ratio formula for each cup of flour?

Thanks,
Diahn Green

Dear Diahn, The main function of salt in cake recipes is to enhance the flavor of the other ingredients. Its presence perks up the depth and complexity of other flavors as the ingredients meld. Salt also provides a balance to the sweetness of cake batters—but a salty flavor should not be discernible. Depending upon the method of combining ingredients, salt can also have a strengthening effect if it's combined with egg whites. If whipped egg whites to which salt has been added are "folded in," they're better able to hold their volume. Although salt is not considered to be an aid in leavening, it can contribute slightly to the volume of some recipes. An often-cited proportion is 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of salt per cup of flour, though other sources may cite different amounts. There is not a specific ratio formula for home baking. This means that the salt in a recipe may require adjusting—for example, if a high proportion of salted butter is included. You can reduce the salt according to your taste, but if you leave it out completely, you'll likely find your cakes taste a little "flat." Anne & Sue

Do you have a cite?

bon, I probably do, but I'll have to wait until I get home to my own computer to find it.

Ditto fish oil - I'll spew out everything I know about it, once I'm away from work and can think about it.

taking fish oil

People have mentioned this before... what does it benefit?

Yeah. And if you eat lots and lots of seafood (like I do) are you getting enough fish oil already?

I do eat broccoli, but not terribly often. I only eat spinach in lasagna format.

I know doctors tend to take a "if you've got one risk factor, we'll just pretend you've got them all" approach, especially for those who have pretty good health plans; in my case, since I have grandparents who lived into the bazilions (and one grandmother who broke a hip in her 70s), I tend to try to plan on living into MY bazilions, in which case having bones of adamantium would be nice to have.

not only is their spouse unable to stop the divorce

Because, when your spouse doesn't want to be married to you, the best course of action is to piss that person off more.

Fish oil is supposed to give you Omega 3 fatty acids, which are involved in the cholesterol dealio. If you're eating the right sorts of fish (i.e. fatty), you may very well be caught up on that front.

If you're eating the right sorts of fish (i.e. fatty)

Um... which are those?

Thanks for all the salt info, guys! I made four fruitcakes and luckily only two were saltless, although I think those two might have been overcooked as well. The saltless ones did have a low rise in comparison, but since I age them, I can't taste them. This recipe turned out to be a pain because I made the fruit mixture on Sunday and couldn't bake it until last night.

Um... which are those?

The ones that keep checking out their tail fin in the mirror?