0:00:03 > 0:00:08'There are some things we British just can't get enough of.'
0:00:08 > 0:00:14We eat a staggering 14 million bananas every day.
0:00:14 > 0:00:1810,000 packets of crisps every minute.
0:00:18 > 0:00:23And 14 tins of beans per second.
0:00:24 > 0:00:29'When it comes to supermarket foods, we have our clear favourites.'
0:00:29 > 0:00:35All this is the top hundred things we buy and eat as a nation.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39'We're used to hearing the bad news about all this stuff.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43'What's the good news? I'm Cherry Healey.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46'I've got a passion for knowing more about the food we eat.
0:00:46 > 0:00:51'I'm keen to see if science can help us fall in love again with our food.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54'To do that, I need some help.'
0:00:54 > 0:00:58And who better to ask than the great British public?
0:00:58 > 0:01:02Across the nation, our teams are raring to go.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06These Glasgow Girls help us find out
0:01:06 > 0:01:08whether we really can be addicted to chocolate.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11Life without chocolate is a life not worth living!
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Out on the streets of Manchester,
0:01:14 > 0:01:19the WI is on hand to help us tease out the health benefits of tea.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21What's better than a good cuppa?
0:01:21 > 0:01:26This Cornish rugby team puts its weight behind milk
0:01:26 > 0:01:29to find out if the white stuff is the ultimate sports drink.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34'And I'm going to go on a very eggy diet
0:01:34 > 0:01:38'to see if eating too many eggs really is bad for us.'
0:01:38 > 0:01:41I'm not going to have another egg for a really long time.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45We're on a mission to find food's secret powers
0:01:45 > 0:01:49and prove there are still surprises lurking in our shopping baskets.
0:01:49 > 0:01:54It's time to test Britain's favourite supermarket foods.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02We're going to look at all the different ways food
0:02:02 > 0:02:05can make it to the top of our supermarket shopping lists.
0:02:05 > 0:02:06We tracked down things we buy most,
0:02:06 > 0:02:10the things we actually eat and drink most.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12And not forgetting our favourite snacks.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17Some of which, we reckon, we just can't live without.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19And for every food we want to test,
0:02:19 > 0:02:21we've found the ideal place to do it.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27First off - the foodstuff we consume more often that anything else.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30It's our absolute favourite.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34It couldn't be anything else but tea!
0:02:36 > 0:02:38And what better way to discover the full power of tea
0:02:38 > 0:02:41than by throwing our very own tea party?
0:02:42 > 0:02:45And the best place to have it is here in Manchester -
0:02:45 > 0:02:47home to Britain's biggest tea factory.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53On hand to help me are some of Manchester's biggest tea lovers' -
0:02:53 > 0:02:55The Women's Institute.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Nothing we eat or drink in Britain
0:02:57 > 0:03:01comes even close to tea in popularity.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06We get through a whopping 165 million cups of tea every day -
0:03:06 > 0:03:08double the amount of coffee we drink.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13That works out at about 14 billion litres of the stuff every year.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21So why do we love our tea so much? Ladies, what do you think?
0:03:21 > 0:03:23- It refreshes us.- It refreshes us.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25- Do you think it's healthy? - Definitely healthy.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28What's better than a good cuppa?
0:03:28 > 0:03:29Cheers to that!
0:03:32 > 0:03:34Not only is tea refreshing
0:03:34 > 0:03:37but the ladies seem to think it's also healthy.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39Are they right?
0:03:39 > 0:03:43Dr Tim Bond is a chemist and tea expert.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Just the man I need!
0:03:46 > 0:03:49- Would you like a cup of tea? - I'd love a cup of tea.
0:03:49 > 0:03:53- Ladies?- There you are.- Thank you very much.- Wonderful. Thank you.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Tim reveals there are many more things
0:03:55 > 0:03:58in tea leaves than just the caffeine we all know about.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Over 700 natural chemicals in fact -
0:04:01 > 0:04:04including ones like theanine, that helps us relax,
0:04:04 > 0:04:08and fluoride, that helps prevent tooth decay.
0:04:08 > 0:04:09And that's not all.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13The real trick in tea, the magic of tea in some cases,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16is tea contains substances which science has shown us
0:04:16 > 0:04:19reduce our chances of getting chronic illnesses
0:04:19 > 0:04:23such as heart disease, strokes and even cancer.
0:04:23 > 0:04:24Wow, that's amazing!
0:04:24 > 0:04:29I love that an innocent cup of tea can pack such a powerful punch.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33Tim's talking about antioxidants - something we hear a lot about
0:04:33 > 0:04:36in foods like fruit and veg.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40Surprisingly, there's loads of them in tea.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43The trouble is - they're hard to get out.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47Those antioxidants are locked up in the leaves and only released
0:04:47 > 0:04:49when they're brewed.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52But Tim's come armed with the latest research
0:04:52 > 0:04:56that could help us get the best out of the tea we love.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00Tea is an amazing substance but what science is showing us,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03is that to get the most health benefits, how we brew our tea
0:05:03 > 0:05:04is actually very important.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11And how we brew our tea is something we ALL have an opinion on.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16I just swish it about till it looks about right.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19I leave it in for 15-20 seconds, just so it gets a nice flavour.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21Five minutes.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24- Five minutes? That's long. - Yeah.- Why is that?
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Because my husband loves strong tea.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28- What do you like?- I like weak tea.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30Ah! That's love.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32- Two minutes.- Two minutes.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34It depends if I am going for the David Dickinson,
0:05:34 > 0:05:36or the sort of pale and interesting look.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38About 20 seconds probably.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41'Ooh, that's a bit weak! But you're not alone.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43'As a nation, we're an impatient bunch.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47'40 seconds is the average time we leave the bag in for.
0:05:47 > 0:05:52'According to the taste experts, that's way too short.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55'They say three minutes is about the right time
0:05:55 > 0:05:57'to give a decent flavour.'
0:06:01 > 0:06:04But what about those things that Tim said
0:06:04 > 0:06:08made tea such an amazing drink - those antioxidants.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10How does brewing time affect them?
0:06:10 > 0:06:12Which of us is getting the best from our cuppa?
0:06:16 > 0:06:21To find out, Tim and the WI are going to carry out an experiment.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25They've made five different batches of tea -
0:06:25 > 0:06:30brewed from 30 seconds, all the way up to seven minutes.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32We're going to find out which one
0:06:32 > 0:06:35contains the highest level of antioxidants.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38Before we test them, can the people of Manchester
0:06:38 > 0:06:40tell which cuppa is best for them?
0:06:40 > 0:06:42I'd go for the five minutes.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45Why do you think that's healthier than the others?
0:06:45 > 0:06:48I think you are getting the best out of the bag for that time.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51- What about seven minutes?- Too much.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53It's starting to get a bit ropey.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56Which do you think is the healthiest cup of tea?
0:06:56 > 0:06:57I'd say the three minutes.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59- Quite a mixed bunch. - Interesting.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02No-one is certain whether a quick dunk
0:07:02 > 0:07:06or a leisurely soak produces the healthiest brew.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Time to put our tea samples to the test.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13What we are going to do now is add these two special liquids,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16which will reveal which is the healthiest brew.
0:07:16 > 0:07:21Tim's looking for a special kind of antioxidant known as flavonoids.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23Oh! Something's happening!
0:07:23 > 0:07:27It is. we are getting the beginning...
0:07:27 > 0:07:29of a reaction.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31So flavonoids are the antioxidants
0:07:31 > 0:07:37found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, red onions, apples and black tea.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40Importantly, tea is the number-one source of flavonoid antioxidants
0:07:40 > 0:07:41in the British diet.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46Scientists believe it's flavonoids, like those found in tea,
0:07:46 > 0:07:51that may help cut our chances of having heart attacks, strokes,
0:07:51 > 0:07:53or even developing cancer.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57They work by finding and neutralising chemicals in the blood
0:07:57 > 0:08:00that can damage our body's cells.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03So they are really, really important?
0:08:03 > 0:08:07Absolutely. it is important, therefore, to get brewing time right.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11In our experiment, the stronger the blue colour,
0:08:11 > 0:08:16the higher antioxidant levels and, it follows, the healthier the brew.
0:08:16 > 0:08:17And the results?
0:08:17 > 0:08:20What we're finding here is, as you'll see,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24the colour intensifies as we go from thirty seconds to the one minute,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27to three minutes, to the five and seven minutes.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30When I look at the thirty seconds brewing time,
0:08:30 > 0:08:34versus the seven minutes, there's a huge difference.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37It's massive and this is showing us how the antioxidants
0:08:37 > 0:08:40are being released from the tea and going out into the brew.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43In fact, the seven-minute brew has three times the antioxidants
0:08:43 > 0:08:45as the thirty-seconds brew time.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Three times the benefit!
0:08:50 > 0:08:53But only if we're prepared to leave the bag in for seven minutes.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Who's going to wait that long?!
0:08:55 > 0:08:57Especially for a cuppa that tastes stewed?
0:08:57 > 0:09:01Surely there's a better way to get a healthy cup of tea
0:09:01 > 0:09:03that doesn't smell like old socks.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Tim has some refreshing news.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08If we take the brewing time up to three minutes
0:09:08 > 0:09:11from the forty-second average consumer brew,
0:09:11 > 0:09:14- you're actually doubling your antioxidants.- OK.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16So seven minutes doesn't have to be a rule.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18You get a really healthy cuppa at three minutes.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Absolutely. And at the end of it,
0:09:21 > 0:09:22give your bag a little squeeze
0:09:22 > 0:09:25to get the last few antioxidants into the cup.
0:09:25 > 0:09:30OK, ladies! So, three minutes for brewing time, what do you think?
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Three minutes, perhaps a bit longer now.
0:09:33 > 0:09:34What about you, ladies?
0:09:34 > 0:09:38- Yes.- Yes. You've changed? Good compromise?- I think so.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41A three-minute cuppa not only tastes good
0:09:41 > 0:09:45but does us good. And any longer is even better.
0:09:47 > 0:09:48And the best news is
0:09:48 > 0:09:50that adding milk and sugar doesn't do anything
0:09:50 > 0:09:56to alter the benefits of those clever chemicals called flavonoids.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59There's more to the humble cuppa than I realised!
0:09:59 > 0:10:03It's amazing to think that such a small change
0:10:03 > 0:10:07can make such a significant impact on our health.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09So next time we make a cup of tea,
0:10:09 > 0:10:13all we need to do is leave that bag in a little bit longer.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17And it could reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and strokes.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19All in a cup of tea!
0:10:22 > 0:10:25From the food we consume most often,
0:10:25 > 0:10:29to the store-cupboard staples we all rely on.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33Which are the tins most likely to be found in the nation's kitchens?
0:10:33 > 0:10:36In the number-two spot is something we reach for
0:10:36 > 0:10:37when there's home cooking to be done.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39The thing we love to cook most...
0:10:39 > 0:10:42is shepherd's pie, followed closely by spaghetti bolognese,
0:10:42 > 0:10:45chilli con carne and lasagne. Big enough?
0:10:50 > 0:10:53None of which would taste the same without this.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56It's the tinned tomato -
0:10:56 > 0:10:58the foundation of a good spaghetti bolognese.
0:10:58 > 0:11:03We manage to get through more than 400 million tins of them a year.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07And tinned tomatoes contain something called lycopene
0:11:07 > 0:11:12that could play an important role in reducing the risks of cancer.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15All this we get from the tomato.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17But it's not our favourite tinned food.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24The tin we turn to most often is full of beans.
0:11:27 > 0:11:32We eat 451 million tins of Baked Beans a year.
0:11:32 > 0:11:38That's the same as 14 tins being opened every second,
0:11:38 > 0:11:43which all adds up to a whopping 187,000 tonnes
0:11:43 > 0:11:46of those little orange beauties.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50I love beans on toast, especially with a little bit of cheese.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52It's cheap and it's easy.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56But is that really the best we can say for the humble bean?
0:11:58 > 0:12:01When you think of baked beans what comes to mind?
0:12:01 > 0:12:03Ah, yes, students!
0:12:03 > 0:12:06A recent survey found that students in Nottingham
0:12:06 > 0:12:10spend more money on beans than anyone else in the UK.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15- What do you think when you look at that?- I just want to eat it.
0:12:15 > 0:12:16Perfect hangover food.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18I like them on toast with a bit of marmite.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20A bean sandwich is quite nice.
0:12:20 > 0:12:21Very inventive!
0:12:21 > 0:12:23Grated cheese on top.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Ooh, a special occasion when there's cheese!
0:12:25 > 0:12:28- Are we able to eat these?- No, hands off! These have work to do.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30These are busy beans! I'll see you later.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Let's face it - beans are a bit boring.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40They're the food we turn to when we can't be bothered to cook.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42But could the nation's favourite tin
0:12:42 > 0:12:45be packing more of a punch than we realise?
0:12:46 > 0:12:50Dietician Sian Porter is something of a baked-bean boffin.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54She's going to put the bean through its paces.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58Helping us are chemistry students Tom and Emma.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Instead of wolfing down the beans, we're going to hunt down
0:13:01 > 0:13:03the source of their powers.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Are you a fan of beans?
0:13:05 > 0:13:07I am a great fan of beans.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Low in fat, high in fibre, packed with protein.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11They are totally underestimated.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20We're going to strip the baked bean down to its vital components -
0:13:20 > 0:13:23poor little thing -
0:13:23 > 0:13:26starting with the fibre, contained in its tough little shell.
0:13:27 > 0:13:28Looks very weird.
0:13:28 > 0:13:33Yes, and it's this outside shell that has insoluble fibre
0:13:33 > 0:13:35and that's the fibre which passes through us
0:13:35 > 0:13:39and helps keep us regular, keeps our digestive system healthy.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41And we have a bean that has been cut in half,
0:13:41 > 0:13:45- so we can actually see what is going on inside.- Oh, wow!
0:13:45 > 0:13:48It's here that you get the other kind of fibre, the soluble fibre,
0:13:48 > 0:13:53and that's the fibre which helps control your blood sugar levels.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57So which part of the bean makes you fart?
0:13:57 > 0:14:00Right, well, some of the fibre in the bean
0:14:00 > 0:14:03will pass through your body undigested
0:14:03 > 0:14:05until it gets to your large bowel, your colon,
0:14:05 > 0:14:09and then bacteria digest that part of the fibre
0:14:09 > 0:14:12and as a result of that it produces gas.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14It's something that we all laugh about.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16- It's being a human being.- Indeed.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18- Human BEAN!- Oh, don't start!
0:14:18 > 0:14:20I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'll stop that now.
0:14:23 > 0:14:28The secret to the bean's power has nothing to do with its ability to embarrass us.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33To show me this, Emma first has to turn them a lovely shade of blue.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36Thank you, Emma. Wow, blue beans. Mmm. Yum(!)
0:14:37 > 0:14:41Why have we got blue beans? What's going on?
0:14:41 > 0:14:44The area stained really blue, that's the protein in the bean.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46You can see it's really packed in there.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48Protein's the building blocks of our body.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50It's important for growth, development,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53maintaining and regulating our bodies.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55So it has loads of important functions.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59So beans pack a really powerful protein punch?
0:14:59 > 0:15:01Absolutely.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05But just how big a punch?
0:15:05 > 0:15:07Can beans give us the protein we need?
0:15:07 > 0:15:12To find out, we're going to pit the humble bean...
0:15:14 > 0:15:17..against some protein-stacked competition.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21A sirloin steak.
0:15:23 > 0:15:24Mmm. Thanks very much.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28This doesn't really look like a massively fair fight, Sian?
0:15:28 > 0:15:30No. I can see where you're coming from.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33If you look at the steak on the plate.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35That is a lump of protein
0:15:35 > 0:15:38and it's like the protein we're made up of, really.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44When it comes to protein,
0:15:44 > 0:15:46it's not just the amount that counts.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50What the body gets from protein is a range of vital amino acids,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53something we can't live without.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55Can beans supply these?
0:15:56 > 0:16:01Let me show you this. Here we've got the eight essential amino acids
0:16:01 > 0:16:05- that we need to have in our diet. - How does that compare to the beans?
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Again, along the bottom we've got the eight essential amino acids,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12but if you notice here methionine.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14It's pretty low in the beans.
0:16:16 > 0:16:21The beans are very low in one essential amino acid.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Methionine. So it looks like the steak is a better bet.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30So you can't get everything we need from baked beans?
0:16:30 > 0:16:31Well, there's a twist.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Tom and Emma, how do you usually have your beans?
0:16:34 > 0:16:36I like mine on toast.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39On toast usually, but sometimes out of the tin.
0:16:39 > 0:16:40Predictable students!
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Let's not tell his mother.
0:16:44 > 0:16:50The interesting thing about that is if you take half a large tin of beans
0:16:50 > 0:16:53with two slices of medium-sliced wholemeal toast.
0:16:53 > 0:16:58If you combine the two, the great news is
0:16:58 > 0:17:03they complement each other so you get the whole range.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06Is that just a coincidence that's how most of us eat it?
0:17:06 > 0:17:08That is, and as one of our meals a day,
0:17:08 > 0:17:11beans on toast is giving you a pretty good package.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18And it turns out it's not just students who love their beans on toast.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22Scientists from the British Nutrition Association
0:17:22 > 0:17:25say this dish is one of the easiest ways to get
0:17:25 > 0:17:26the protein we need from a meal.
0:17:26 > 0:17:31And for maximum benefit, choose the low salt and low sugar variety.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37I've bean eating beans on toast
0:17:37 > 0:17:39since I could hold a knife and a fork,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42so it's really nice to know that not only is it delicious,
0:17:42 > 0:17:47pretty budget-friendly, but that it's also packed full of protein.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52So none of us need feel ashamed at cracking open a tin for our supper.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54And whilst I really love steak,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57I'm going to keep it for special, I think.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01Still to come:
0:18:01 > 0:18:05I get to watch a bunch of rugby players work out.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07All in the name of science...
0:18:07 > 0:18:10as we put milk's unexpected powers to the test.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Come on, give it some. One more.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18Is there something lurking in chocolate that makes it addictive?
0:18:18 > 0:18:21So far as to say I have it every morning for breakfast.
0:18:21 > 0:18:22Every single morning?
0:18:22 > 0:18:26And is there anything surprising in a bag of crisps?
0:18:26 > 0:18:30Find out as we crunch one family's annual crisp consumption.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33- No way!- That's a lot, isn't it?
0:18:38 > 0:18:41There are some foods amongst our supermarket favourites
0:18:41 > 0:18:45that have a special place in the British diet.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Chicken is the meat we spend most money on.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50And these girls also supply us
0:18:50 > 0:18:56with the vital component of the great British breakfast - the egg!
0:18:56 > 0:18:59And I'm in the south of England, where they buy more eggs
0:18:59 > 0:19:02than anywhere else, to meet some real "egg-sperts".
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Some of us really love our eggs,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07but the people here are obsessed with them.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09They're incredibly passionate.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15Meet the poultry showers of Great Britain gathered here
0:19:15 > 0:19:19at the Royal County of Berkshire Agriculture Show.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23No-one knows their eggs quite like these guys.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25You want a nice-shaped egg.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26You don't want a little narrow egg.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30It's got to be nice and round and a good round top.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32It's got to have plenty of flavour,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35enough to satisfy you and be useful for everything.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42On average we each eat three to four eggs a week.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45That stacks up to 11 billion of them a year.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Which sounds colossal!
0:19:48 > 0:19:51But even though we clearly love our eggs,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54we actually have one of the lowest consumptions in the world.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00Why is that? What's holding us back from eating more eggs?
0:20:02 > 0:20:05- Do you like eating eggs? - Not every day, no.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07How many eggs do you eat a week?
0:20:07 > 0:20:11- I should think I eat about half a dozen.- Only four or five.
0:20:11 > 0:20:12When you get to my age,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15you have to think a little bit about your health.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17What are you worried about?
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Cholesterol levels and all that.
0:20:19 > 0:20:20I know there is a cholesterol issue.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28Our egg fanciers think we ought to limit the eggs we eat
0:20:28 > 0:20:31because of the cholesterol they contain.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35Are they right?
0:20:35 > 0:20:39We know that eggs contain protein, about 14 percent in total.
0:20:39 > 0:20:44They're also packed with vitamins A, D and B12.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48But it's true that eggs do have a lot of cholesterol.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Around 50 milligrams in every yolk.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53And a high level of cholesterol in our blood is bad news.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57It can lead to clogged arteries and heart disease.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02I have to say, I'm a bit confused about eggs.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Should we be limiting the amount we eat?
0:21:06 > 0:21:10So, to find out I am going to put them to the test.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14For the next two weeks, I'm going on a very eggy diet.
0:21:14 > 0:21:19I'll be eating our average weekly consumption of eggs every day.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22That's four eggs a day for two weeks.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25A giant 56 in total.
0:21:25 > 0:21:30And we're going to see what effect this has on my cholesterol levels.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36Dietician Sian is back to monitor my diet.
0:21:36 > 0:21:41If my cholesterol does go up, it can only be down to the eggs.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46So, Sian, what are we actually looking to measure?
0:21:46 > 0:21:48We know eggs do contain cholesterol
0:21:48 > 0:21:51and the reason most people give for not eating too many eggs
0:21:51 > 0:21:54is they are worried about cholesterol.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57We are going see if the cholesterol in the food you eat
0:21:57 > 0:21:59has an effect on the cholesterol in your body.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05It's time to get cracking.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10# How do you like your eggs in the morning?
0:22:10 > 0:22:13# I like mine with a kiss... #
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Day one of the egg challenge,
0:22:16 > 0:22:21and I'm starting with something quite simple, egg omelette.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23Little bit burnt.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28Got my eggs, got my coffee, what more does a girl need?
0:22:31 > 0:22:34I'm really starting to be quite sick of the eggs now.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36Wooh!
0:22:36 > 0:22:40Day nine of the egg diet and I woke up this morning
0:22:40 > 0:22:42and the first thing I did
0:22:42 > 0:22:46was make myself a bacon and asparagus flan-quiche thing.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48It's got all of my four eggs in it.
0:22:50 > 0:22:55I don't think souffles are supposed to be runny.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03- Do you want some? - No thanks!
0:23:03 > 0:23:07That is the last day of the egg challenge,
0:23:07 > 0:23:09so I'm going to go to bed now
0:23:09 > 0:23:14and I am not going to have another egg for a really long time.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Probably going to dream about eggs tonight,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18but I've done it.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20You say bye-bye.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22- Bye-Bye.- Bye-bye. Bye-bye.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32Today I find out the results of my cholesterol tests.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37Dietician Sian will tell me
0:23:37 > 0:23:39what effect a diet of four eggs a day
0:23:39 > 0:23:42for two weeks has had on my cholesterol levels.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47When we looked at your cholesterol what we were particularly looking at
0:23:47 > 0:23:50was two different types of cholesterol.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Good cholesterol, that's the stuff
0:23:52 > 0:23:54that takes excess cholesterol out of your body.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58That's why, like it's name, we say it's the good guy.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02Cholesterol is a really important chemical.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05Without it our bodies just wouldn't work.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07It helps make cells and hormones.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15We have good cholesterol called HDL and bad cholesterol called LDL.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20The good stuff scavenges around in our blood
0:24:20 > 0:24:23removing any build up of bad cholesterol.
0:24:24 > 0:24:28Before I began my egg diet, I took a blood test.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31My starting level of good cholesterol or HDL
0:24:31 > 0:24:34was 1.23 millimoles per litre.
0:24:36 > 0:24:41- And that is a healthy normal result. - Excellent.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45But it's when our levels of bad cholesterol or LDL go up
0:24:45 > 0:24:49that health problems can occur.
0:24:50 > 0:24:55My starting level for the bad stuff was 2.5 millimoles per litre.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59This is a normal, healthy level.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02The big question is did all of those eggs
0:25:02 > 0:25:05actually affect my bad cholesterol levels?
0:25:05 > 0:25:07You've had a small increase,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11but your result is still a normal, healthy result.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13- Woo-hoo. - SIAN LAUGHS
0:25:13 > 0:25:19Surprisingly, after eating seven times the average daily intake of eggs for two weeks,
0:25:19 > 0:25:24my bad LDL cholesterol levels have only risen by eight percent,
0:25:24 > 0:25:28well within a normal daily fluctuation.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34And my good HDL cholesterol levels,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37well, they've stayed exactly the same.
0:25:37 > 0:25:42So eating all of those eggs has not had a negative effect on my health.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44- On you. No. - That's amazing.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47What's going on?
0:25:47 > 0:25:50It turns out that the level of cholesterol in our blood
0:25:50 > 0:25:55is not solely down to the amount of cholesterol in our food.
0:25:55 > 0:25:56It's also about fat.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58The thing that we should be concerned about
0:25:58 > 0:26:01when it comes to cholesterol in diet is saturated fat.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Cholesterol on its own isn't the villain.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08The biggest influence on blood cholesterol levels
0:26:08 > 0:26:11is the mix of fats in our diet.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15The fat we want to avoid is the saturated stuff
0:26:15 > 0:26:19we find in fatty meat and full-fat dairy products.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25Saturated fats slow down the body's ability to process LDL
0:26:25 > 0:26:30leading to a rise in levels of bad cholesterol in the blood.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35So do eggs have a lot of saturated fat in them?
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Eggs don't have a lot of saturated fat in, they have a small amount,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42but most of the fat in eggs is unsaturated or good fat.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46So is there any limit to the amount of eggs we should eat?
0:26:46 > 0:26:48No, we can safely eat and enjoy eggs.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Our results reflect a wider study
0:26:54 > 0:26:57carried out by scientists at Surrey University.
0:26:57 > 0:26:58Thanks to those findings,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01the British Heart Foundation now agrees
0:27:01 > 0:27:05there's no need for a limit on the amount of eggs we eat
0:27:05 > 0:27:08provided we eat them as part of a balanced diet...
0:27:09 > 0:27:13..and cook them in a healthy way that's low in saturated fat.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28Next, I'm heading to the southwest to investigate the food
0:27:28 > 0:27:30that stands out for the sheer number of times
0:27:30 > 0:27:33it appears in our shopping lists.
0:27:33 > 0:27:40According to surveys, it's the favourite food we buy most frequently.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44It's in two out of three of our shopping baskets.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48It's that vital something we always need in the fridge.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51It's milk.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55We get through five billion litres of the stuff every year.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59That's 207 litres per household.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Enough to fill more than seven million milk floats.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11The southwest tops the league for milk fans.
0:28:11 > 0:28:15They get through more here than anywhere else in the country.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18So I've come to Newquay in Cornwall
0:28:18 > 0:28:21to find out what's so marvellous about milk.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23Can I interest you in a glass of milk?
0:28:23 > 0:28:25- Thank you. - Do you like milk?
0:28:25 > 0:28:28I used to go and pick up a carton of milk and walk around with it,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31but it's all about other drinks now.
0:28:31 > 0:28:33I think fruit juice tends to be more popular now.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37- Should more people drink milk? - Yes, they'll be healthier.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41Milk is an unsung hero, no-one really talks about it, but it's always there.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47It seems our love affair with milk could be on shaky ground.
0:28:47 > 0:28:52It feels like we are kind of taking it for granted a little bit.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55What I want to know is, are we underestimating milk?
0:29:00 > 0:29:02Most of us know milk contains calcium
0:29:02 > 0:29:05and that it also has protein.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09I'm keen to discover what else is in milk that might surprise us.
0:29:12 > 0:29:13How you doing?
0:29:13 > 0:29:14I'm very well you? Off we go.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20The South West doesn't just use the most milk,
0:29:20 > 0:29:22it produces a lot of it too.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25The warm wet climate creates the perfect grass
0:29:25 > 0:29:27for three quarters of a million cows.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31Where better to start my investigation
0:29:31 > 0:29:33than right in the middle of them?
0:29:33 > 0:29:40# You're going to find me Out in the country. #
0:29:40 > 0:29:43Sports Scientist Lewis James is here to reveal what's in
0:29:43 > 0:29:45a single glass of the white stuff.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48- What's going on here? Are we having a picnic?- We're not, Cherry.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51I want to show you the goodness that's contained in milk.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55How many bananas you need to eat to get the same amount of calcium
0:29:55 > 0:29:57as contained in a glass of milk?
0:29:57 > 0:30:01OK. I think that's quite easy. I'm going to go with two.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03- I reckon that's a good guess. - You're way off!
0:30:03 > 0:30:07You actually need 41 bananas to get the same amount of calcium
0:30:07 > 0:30:09that was contained in a glass of milk.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12- What?! That's insane! - It's a lot of bananas.
0:30:12 > 0:30:17To match all the individual vitamins and minerals in a single glass
0:30:17 > 0:30:24we'd need to eat around 89 tomatoes, 2 pineapples and 9 mushrooms.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28You can't have one, no, they're not for you.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32Milk is just crammed with vitamins A, B and C.
0:30:32 > 0:30:37It also contains Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium,
0:30:37 > 0:30:40fluoride and, of course, calcium.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43Then, there's the protein fat and carbohydrate.
0:30:43 > 0:30:48Milk doesn't shout about it but its got an impressive CV.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50It is a very efficient drink.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53I have a new found respect for milk I think.
0:30:55 > 0:30:56But Lewis is only warming up
0:30:56 > 0:31:00when it comes to revealing the marvels of milk.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02He's going to use a clever experiment
0:31:02 > 0:31:05to show how the combination of nutrients in milk
0:31:05 > 0:31:08has some unexpected benefits for our bodies.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12To do that he needs some muscle.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14ALL: Squeeze!
0:31:14 > 0:31:18We're going to see just how effective these benefits can be.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24Meet the Newquay Hornets. Rugby players and surfers one and all.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27They don't look like milk fans to me.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30- Would you ever have a glass of milk? - No.- Why not?
0:31:30 > 0:31:31It doesn't quench my thirst.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33There's so much choice out there.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36There's fizzy drinks, rehydration drinks.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38Milk just sort of gets left on the shelf.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40'Poor old milk.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43'It gets overlooked in favour of the new sports drinks.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46'They're popular with this team who use them
0:31:46 > 0:31:49'to rehydrate during and after training.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52'But Lewis is going to show why they should switch to milk.'
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Keeping a nice straight back, you are going to explode up
0:31:57 > 0:31:59and then just cushion your landing back down.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01That's one rep.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04Step one. We're going to get them completely exhausted.
0:32:05 > 0:32:06Jump!
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Our experiment tests whether milk can help
0:32:12 > 0:32:16our muscles recover from a serious bout of exercise.
0:32:16 > 0:32:21These jumps are intended to put a heavy load on the lad's upper legs.
0:32:21 > 0:32:25We're deliberately trying to give them sore muscles.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28That won't be sore after another nine times!
0:32:28 > 0:32:31Starting to look a bit ropey, lads. Come on. Give it some.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33Come in and join on the end if you want!
0:32:33 > 0:32:36- SHE LAUGHS - I'm probably a lot stronger than you to be fair.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38It's going to be embarrassing for you and not me.
0:32:38 > 0:32:43And after ten minutes the lads are completely worn out.
0:32:43 > 0:32:44I'm not feeling so great either.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46Jump!
0:32:46 > 0:32:48That's good work, lads.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51It's really, really sore, right at the top of the thighs
0:32:51 > 0:32:53and really deep in the muscle.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55Good work, boys!
0:32:58 > 0:33:02It's at this point that the boys normally reach for a sports drink
0:33:02 > 0:33:04to help their bodies recover.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07But Lewis has research from Northumbria University
0:33:07 > 0:33:10to show that milk might be able to do this faster.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13What can science tell us about milk?
0:33:13 > 0:33:15From some of the studies that are being done
0:33:15 > 0:33:18we're discovering that there are certain nutrients in milk
0:33:18 > 0:33:21that might help our muscles recover somewhat better
0:33:21 > 0:33:25after exercise than the nutrients that are in a sports drink.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29We want to put this evidence to the test.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32With their strenuous workout over,
0:33:32 > 0:33:35the players in the black T-shirts will drink the milk.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39The others will rely on their regular sports drink.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42Have you ever considered milk after exercise?
0:33:42 > 0:33:45A glass of milk isn't the first thing I'd go for.
0:33:45 > 0:33:46It would be a sports drink or water.
0:33:48 > 0:33:52The effect of exercise on our muscles carries on
0:33:52 > 0:33:53for up to 48 hours.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56So for the next two days,
0:33:56 > 0:34:00the lads will keep a record of how painful their muscles feel.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03And Lewis will use blood tests to measure how fast
0:34:03 > 0:34:05their muscles recover.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09We are looking at creatine kinase and myoglobin
0:34:09 > 0:34:14and under stress, those proteins are leaked out into the blood
0:34:14 > 0:34:17and we'd expect the guys that have the lower levels
0:34:17 > 0:34:19of those two proteins in their blood
0:34:19 > 0:34:21may have recovered better after exercise.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25When we exercise strenuously the various proteins
0:34:25 > 0:34:29in our muscles breakdown and we need to rebuild them.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34But which of the two drinks will do a better job?
0:34:35 > 0:34:38Old-fashioned milk or the new-fangled sports drink?
0:34:44 > 0:34:49A week later and the Newquay Hornets are back to find out the results.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52Whose muscles recovered best? The scores are in.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58Can I ask the guys who have paddles numbered one to six
0:34:58 > 0:35:01to take a step forwards please.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04Ooh, something's going on.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08OK, so all of the boys who have stepped forward have black T-shirts on.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10What does that signify, Cherry?
0:35:10 > 0:35:14- Are they the ones that drank the milk?- Yes, they are.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18The lads who drank milk after the exercise reported, on average,
0:35:18 > 0:35:21only half the level of muscle soreness of those who drank
0:35:21 > 0:35:23the sports drink for recovery.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29And Lewis's blood tests give an accurate picture of how fast
0:35:29 > 0:35:32the players' muscles have recovered.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35When we looked at the protein markers of muscle damage,
0:35:35 > 0:35:38we saw that levels of creatine kinase in the blood
0:35:38 > 0:35:41were 50% lower in the milk drinkers which indicates
0:35:41 > 0:35:44that the milk drinkers muscles have recovered better.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47I hoped milk would do better than a sports drink,
0:35:47 > 0:35:49but I didn't know it would do that much better.
0:35:49 > 0:35:53Nice one milk! But why has it beaten the sports drink
0:35:53 > 0:35:56in terms of recovery?
0:35:56 > 0:36:00Most sports drinks don't contain protein and whilst they do contain carbohydrate
0:36:00 > 0:36:03which helps some aspects of recovery, without the protein
0:36:03 > 0:36:05which is contained in milk,
0:36:05 > 0:36:09the repair and rebuilding of muscle tissue can't take place.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13That's the secret to milk's success.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17The carbohydrate helps reduce the breakdown of muscle tissue
0:36:17 > 0:36:18after exercising,
0:36:18 > 0:36:22while proteins repair the muscle damage that does takes place.
0:36:22 > 0:36:26It's this combination that makes milk such a powerful aid
0:36:26 > 0:36:28to recovery after exercise.
0:36:30 > 0:36:35Boys, what do you think of that result? Are you surprised that it's done so much better?
0:36:35 > 0:36:38I thought it would just be marginal but I am very surprised.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42I'd definitely use milk after I have been training now.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45So it looks like we've convinced our team.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49Better still, you don't just have to play rugby to get the benefit.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51Milk can decrease muscle soreness
0:36:51 > 0:36:56and improve muscle recovery after any sport or strenuous exercise.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02So if I worked a bit harder in the gym than I currently do,
0:37:02 > 0:37:04I could actually feel those effects, too?
0:37:04 > 0:37:07Potentially, Cherry. Even YOU could feel the effects!
0:37:07 > 0:37:10- Are you saying, "Stop being lazy"? - Maybe work a bit harder in the gym.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12OK, I will, yes, boss!
0:37:14 > 0:37:17And apparently, the milk we drink doesn't have to be full fat.
0:37:17 > 0:37:22Both semi-skimmed and skimmed contain just as much protein
0:37:22 > 0:37:23and carbohydrate.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26Those results are absolutely fantastic.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30I'm a massive milk fan and I love that the thing
0:37:30 > 0:37:35I just plonk in my fridge every week has such powerful properties.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39So the next time that we play footie with the kids
0:37:39 > 0:37:43or we do a workout or we just have a really exhausting day,
0:37:43 > 0:37:45milk can really help our bodies recover.
0:37:49 > 0:37:55We've looked at what we buy the most, and what we consume the most.
0:37:55 > 0:38:00But what about the supermarket foods we really look forward to?
0:38:00 > 0:38:01The treats in our lives.
0:38:04 > 0:38:09In fact, ten percent of what we spend on food goes on sweets.
0:38:09 > 0:38:14That's bonkers! That is seven billion pounds a year.
0:38:14 > 0:38:19And most of that money goes on just one type of sugary treat.
0:38:22 > 0:38:27It's the favourite food many of us believe we just can't live without.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32And it is this, I'm talking about... Chocolate.
0:38:34 > 0:38:40We spent around £3.7 billion pounds on chocolate last year.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Scotland and the north east of England are neck and neck
0:38:43 > 0:38:45for being top chocolate chompers.
0:38:45 > 0:38:50And I'm in Glasgow to see why chocolate seems to have us all in its grip.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53It makes me feel amazing, it makes my day.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56- It's my little treat, thank you so much.- Pleasure!
0:38:56 > 0:38:58You couldn't not have it.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00- You don't know what flavour it is.- I don't care.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04- I don't tend to eat a lot just when I do I binge.- You can't stop?- No.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08- Cheer you up?- Always does. Is there something in there?!
0:39:08 > 0:39:11A life without chocolate is a life not worth living.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18In a recent poll, chocolate rated as one of our top three
0:39:18 > 0:39:23modern addictions - along with coffee and Facebook.
0:39:25 > 0:39:30But can you really be addicted to chocolate?
0:39:32 > 0:39:37We know it contains cocoa, milk, caffeine, sugar and vegetable fat.
0:39:37 > 0:39:42Can any of these produce a physical addiction to chocolate
0:39:42 > 0:39:45or is there a mystery ingredient?
0:39:51 > 0:39:54First, I'm meeting three self confessed chocoholics,
0:39:54 > 0:39:58Christie, Lizi and Sarah,
0:39:58 > 0:40:01to find out how chocolate affects them.
0:40:01 > 0:40:03And what better way to get down to business than
0:40:03 > 0:40:06with a great big bowl of the stuff.
0:40:06 > 0:40:10How much do you love chocolate? How deep does your love go?
0:40:10 > 0:40:13So far as to say I have it every morning for breakfast.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16- Every single morning? - It's a good start to the day.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19You can put it in anything. I do it in chilli con carne.
0:40:19 > 0:40:22Chocolate and chilli con carne is the best meal you'll ever have.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26Christie, what about you? How far does your love for chocolate go?
0:40:26 > 0:40:30Yes, it's quite a supporting factor in my life.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33On a stressful day, you come home, before you go out,
0:40:33 > 0:40:38you have your dose of chocolate to send you on your way again.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42- So do you think you are actually addicted to chocolate? - I'm not ashamed to say it, yeah.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45In that exact moment, it's one thing that you can do
0:40:45 > 0:40:46to make you feel a bit better.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49Do you think there is something in chocolate
0:40:49 > 0:40:51that makes it really addictive?
0:40:51 > 0:40:53Definitely. There must be something in it.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56I am going to go and try and find out and come back
0:40:56 > 0:40:59- and tell you what I have found. - Please do.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01I'd be keen to know finally.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05The girls and I, and millions like us, are convinced
0:41:05 > 0:41:09there's some secret ingredient in chocolate that has us in its power.
0:41:09 > 0:41:15So are we right? To answer this, I've come to Oxford.
0:41:15 > 0:41:20I want to see what effect chocolate is having on our brains.
0:41:21 > 0:41:26Neuroscientist and fellow chocoholic Dr Ciara McCabe is going to help me.
0:41:32 > 0:41:33- Hello.- How are you? - Nice to meet you!
0:41:33 > 0:41:37- I am ready for my chocolate fest. - That's good, come on in.- Lets do it.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40Ciara will use the latest neuroscience
0:41:40 > 0:41:43to test if I really am addicted to chocolate.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50I'm going to be put into an FRMI scanner -
0:41:50 > 0:41:54a machine that measures changes in my brain.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56- Have you had a scan before? - No, never.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02This experiment will detect how my brain reacts to chocolate
0:42:02 > 0:42:05in two very different ways.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09First, Ciara shows me pictures of chocolate.
0:42:09 > 0:42:14And then, this is better still, she feeds me chocolate through a tube.
0:42:14 > 0:42:19- OK. Does that feel good? - Yeah, good, thanks.- Excellent.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21Ciara will compare my results with wider studies
0:42:21 > 0:42:25that have highlighted parts of the brain associated with addiction.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34After half an hour, my scan is complete.
0:42:34 > 0:42:38- Feel dizzy or are you OK? - No, it's good. It's good.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42The experiment is really weird as it's such a subtle experiment.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46The difference between seeing the chocolate and drinking the chocolate.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50I'd be interested to see how that compares to my brain activity,
0:42:50 > 0:42:51whether it is the same thing or not.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Ciara is going to analyse the data
0:42:55 > 0:42:57and come to Glasgow to unpack the results
0:42:57 > 0:43:02for me and my fellow chocoholics Christie, Lizi and Sarah.
0:43:05 > 0:43:09A week later and we're all reassembled.
0:43:13 > 0:43:16First of all, if you look at this picture...
0:43:16 > 0:43:19I DO have a brain! Brilliant!
0:43:19 > 0:43:22This is a picture of your brain being activated
0:43:22 > 0:43:24when you've had the taste of chocolate in your mouth.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27We know that this part of the brain is activated
0:43:27 > 0:43:31by very rewarding stimuli such as alcohol and nicotine,
0:43:31 > 0:43:32which are addictive.
0:43:32 > 0:43:36It seems chocolate does affect the same parts of my brain
0:43:36 > 0:43:40as those substances that can cause addiction,
0:43:40 > 0:43:42such as alcohol or nicotine.
0:43:42 > 0:43:46So, does that mean that I'm addicted to chocolate?
0:43:46 > 0:43:47Well, not exactly.
0:43:47 > 0:43:52Ciara has a surprise for me. Take a look at scan number two.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56This time, you've only just seen pictures of chocolate,
0:43:56 > 0:43:59so you haven't actually had anything in your mouth.
0:43:59 > 0:44:03- Yet, the same part of the brain's activated. - If I understand this right,
0:44:03 > 0:44:06the fact that my brain lights up
0:44:06 > 0:44:08when I'm only thinking about chocolate
0:44:08 > 0:44:11means that there isn't an ingredient in chocolate that's making me addicted?
0:44:11 > 0:44:14Yes, that's right. Research suggests
0:44:14 > 0:44:20that actually, although there are chemicals in chocolate,
0:44:20 > 0:44:22these aren't in enough of a quantity
0:44:22 > 0:44:25to actually affect your brain or your behaviour.
0:44:27 > 0:44:30Scientists know that chocolate contains mild stimulants
0:44:30 > 0:44:32such as caffeine and theobromine.
0:44:32 > 0:44:37It also contains compounds that could spark the pleasure centres in our brains.
0:44:37 > 0:44:43But there aren't enough of these substances to cause chemical addiction.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48It turns out chocolate contains lower levels of these substances
0:44:48 > 0:44:52than foods like walnuts and cheese.
0:44:52 > 0:44:56And few of us would claim to be addicted to them.
0:44:56 > 0:44:59Girls, what do you think? Are you surprised?
0:44:59 > 0:45:03I am surprised, but I suppose it is interesting to know that it is just in your head.
0:45:03 > 0:45:05I thought there had to be something.
0:45:05 > 0:45:08Like, my cravings every single day - I have to have a bit.
0:45:08 > 0:45:13So, I really thought there must be some sort of addictive substance.
0:45:13 > 0:45:18So, why do me and the girls think... Well, we're convinced that we are addicted to chocolate?
0:45:18 > 0:45:21I think maybe that could be the power of advertising,
0:45:21 > 0:45:22to be quite honest.
0:45:22 > 0:45:25You've started to associate pictures and sights,
0:45:25 > 0:45:26even smells of chocolate,
0:45:26 > 0:45:29with actually experiencing the chocolate itself.
0:45:31 > 0:45:34The sensation of eating chocolate feels so good
0:45:34 > 0:45:36for a scientific reason.
0:45:36 > 0:45:39The cocoa butter and vegetable fats it contains
0:45:39 > 0:45:41melt at close to body temperature,
0:45:41 > 0:45:44creating that lovely melt-in-the-mouth feeling.
0:45:44 > 0:45:46It also contains ingredients
0:45:46 > 0:45:50like sugar and fat that make us feel good.
0:45:50 > 0:45:54Research suggests that many of us have learned to associate these feelings
0:45:54 > 0:45:59with just the thought of chocolate - hence our cravings.
0:45:59 > 0:46:03But Ciara is looking at how we can overcome these.
0:46:03 > 0:46:07These parts of the brain that are activated by the sight of chocolate
0:46:07 > 0:46:11can be dampened down, if you engage another part of your brain -
0:46:11 > 0:46:14a part of the brain called the cognitive control network.
0:46:14 > 0:46:16This is the thinking part of your brain,
0:46:16 > 0:46:19talking to yourself and saying, "What's wrong with a banana?
0:46:19 > 0:46:23"I can try. If I'm hungry, I'll eat something else".
0:46:23 > 0:46:27So, in a way, it's like reprogramming my brain to transfer
0:46:27 > 0:46:30that focus onto something else, like a food that might be healthier.
0:46:30 > 0:46:33Absolutely. Just not taking for granted
0:46:33 > 0:46:37that just because you feel that you want it, that you have to have it.
0:46:39 > 0:46:43Chocolate, it seems, has some powerful properties.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46But being chemically addictive is not one of them.
0:46:50 > 0:46:53So, it turns out I'm not actually addicted to chocolate,
0:46:53 > 0:46:56I just really, really love it
0:46:56 > 0:46:59and it is quite nice to know that when I need to,
0:46:59 > 0:47:02I CAN overcome that intense craving.
0:47:04 > 0:47:09So, the next time we feel compelled to grab a bar of chocolate -
0:47:09 > 0:47:12remember, we do have the brain power to say no.
0:47:14 > 0:47:18It's just that most of the time, we don't want to.
0:47:22 > 0:47:27My final test has brought me all the way to the east of England.
0:47:27 > 0:47:29Because when it comes to treats,
0:47:29 > 0:47:32chocolate isn't our only craving.
0:47:32 > 0:47:36We also have a love affair with salty snacks.
0:47:36 > 0:47:3984 per cent of us eat them, according to surveys.
0:47:39 > 0:47:43And our number one choice is potato crisps.
0:47:45 > 0:47:47They're my favourite snack, I think.
0:47:47 > 0:47:49They're so crispy, obviously
0:47:49 > 0:47:54and they're tangy and incredibly more-ish.
0:47:54 > 0:47:56No wonder we can't get enough of them.
0:48:02 > 0:48:06In Britain, we munch over five billion packets of crisps a year.
0:48:06 > 0:48:10Between us, we eat around 10,000 bags,
0:48:10 > 0:48:13every minute of the day.
0:48:13 > 0:48:15And here in Norwich,
0:48:15 > 0:48:19they seem to love their crisps even more than most.
0:48:19 > 0:48:22The east of England tops the chart
0:48:22 > 0:48:26when it comes to their appreciation of their salty snack.
0:48:27 > 0:48:30So, it's the ideal place to find out the secrets of the snack
0:48:30 > 0:48:32we all love to eat.
0:48:35 > 0:48:38- Oh, yeah.- This one's a fuss pot.
0:48:40 > 0:48:43- How often do you eat crisps? - Every day.- Once a week.
0:48:43 > 0:48:47- Every day?- Probably.- Yeah, quite often.- Shouldn't admit to it.
0:48:47 > 0:48:51Do you ever feel guilty about eating crisps?
0:48:51 > 0:48:52No, should I?
0:48:52 > 0:48:55- Do you ever worry about what's in them?- No.
0:48:55 > 0:48:59- There's a lot of flavouring, obviously. - Some of them are really coloured.
0:48:59 > 0:49:02Full of fat and calories and you just don't want them.
0:49:02 > 0:49:04- But...- But they taste really good.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07You give that back! I'm very strong.
0:49:13 > 0:49:17Crisps, it seems, are one of those foods we eat loads of,
0:49:17 > 0:49:19even though many of us feel we shouldn't.
0:49:19 > 0:49:22What I'm interested to find out is,
0:49:22 > 0:49:25are there any surprises lurking in a packet of crisps?
0:49:29 > 0:49:33Meet the Smiths. Probably Norwich's biggest crisp fans.
0:49:34 > 0:49:37Nick is a barber,
0:49:37 > 0:49:39Lisa's a nurse
0:49:39 > 0:49:42and they have two children - Harry
0:49:42 > 0:49:44and Chloe.
0:49:45 > 0:49:48As a family, they're a pretty fit bunch.
0:49:48 > 0:49:51But they can't get enough of those crisps -
0:49:51 > 0:49:53over 18 packets a week.
0:49:54 > 0:49:58Can I offer you a crisp? I feel like I'm at a drinks party. Crisp? Crisp?
0:49:58 > 0:50:01Little crisp? Why do you think they're so delicious?
0:50:01 > 0:50:04They melt in your mouth.
0:50:04 > 0:50:08I'm plain crisp boy and they just fill a quick gap.
0:50:08 > 0:50:12The best bit's when they get stuck in your teeth - save a bit for later.
0:50:12 > 0:50:15- That is disgusting.- That's the best bit.- I know what you mean.
0:50:18 > 0:50:20The Smiths eat healthily enough.
0:50:20 > 0:50:24So, does it matter if they munch a lot of crisps?
0:50:24 > 0:50:29Dietician Sian is back to help us look at this devotion in detail.
0:50:35 > 0:50:39We've crunched the crisp numbers and we're going to show the Smiths
0:50:39 > 0:50:41just what they're getting through every year.
0:50:41 > 0:50:44And we're talking barrow loads.
0:50:44 > 0:50:46No, way!
0:50:47 > 0:50:50Oh, yes, I'm afraid so.
0:50:50 > 0:50:52It's eight wheelbarrows in total.
0:50:55 > 0:50:57- Please tell me that's it. - Oh, my goodness!
0:50:57 > 0:51:02- So, you're eating 950 bags of crisps per year.- That's a lot, isn't it?
0:51:02 > 0:51:07It's three times the national average, so yes, Chloe, it's a lot.
0:51:07 > 0:51:12- How do you guys feel about seeing it all there?- Sick.
0:51:12 > 0:51:14- Is it a lot more than you thought it would be?- Yeah.
0:51:14 > 0:51:16A hundred times.
0:51:21 > 0:51:25With Sian's help, we've worked out that with all these crisps, the Smith's are eating
0:51:25 > 0:51:30an incredible ten litres of oil and half a kilo of salt.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33And most of us know that fat and salt
0:51:33 > 0:51:36are two things we should be cutting back on.
0:51:36 > 0:51:39So, is there anything good to be said for crisps?
0:51:39 > 0:51:42Sian is going to help us put them to the test
0:51:42 > 0:51:44up against some other popular foods.
0:51:48 > 0:51:53Here, we've got a ready meal, some sushi, some soup and some bread.
0:51:53 > 0:51:56We want to see how the amount of salt in crisps
0:51:56 > 0:51:58measures up to the levels in other foods.
0:52:00 > 0:52:04Can the Smiths work out how many packets of crisps they'd have to eat
0:52:04 > 0:52:08to get the same amount of salt contained in each food?
0:52:10 > 0:52:15So, you think the most salty food here is the ready meal?
0:52:15 > 0:52:18Yes. I know there's an awful lot of salt in ready meals.
0:52:18 > 0:52:24- And sushi, the least salty? - Yeah. I don't think there's an awful lot of salt in fish.
0:52:26 > 0:52:29More than half of us eat too much salt.
0:52:29 > 0:52:32It can cause high blood pressure and heart disease.
0:52:32 > 0:52:35And you think the soup is the second highest?
0:52:35 > 0:52:38I do, yeah. I know that soup's got quite a bit of salt in it.
0:52:40 > 0:52:46The problem is there's still a lot of confusion about how much salt is in our food.
0:52:46 > 0:52:50I've never known bread to have much salt.
0:52:51 > 0:52:55The family all think the sushi and the bread contain the least salt...
0:52:57 > 0:53:00..while the ready meal is the saltiest offender.
0:53:03 > 0:53:05But Sian has a surprise for them.
0:53:06 > 0:53:10Each of these foods contains exactly the same amount of salt
0:53:10 > 0:53:12as five bags of crisps.
0:53:12 > 0:53:14Oh, wow!
0:53:14 > 0:53:17- What are you most shocked by?- Sushi.
0:53:17 > 0:53:21Because everyone always says sushi is one of the better things to go for.
0:53:21 > 0:53:26How come it's got five packets of crisps worth of salt in it?
0:53:26 > 0:53:29- The main reason for it is this - soy sauce.- Right.
0:53:29 > 0:53:32- Soy sauce is really high in salt. - And the bread -
0:53:32 > 0:53:37- are you guys surprised about the bread? - I'm really surprised at the bread.
0:53:37 > 0:53:39Just six slices of bread,
0:53:39 > 0:53:42something many of us would eat without a second thought,
0:53:42 > 0:53:46contain as much salt as five bags of crisps.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49So, although crisps may contain a lot of salt,
0:53:49 > 0:53:52they're not the worst offenders in our diets.
0:53:52 > 0:53:56The massive 950 packets the Smiths eat a year
0:53:56 > 0:53:59is still only equivalent to six per cent
0:53:59 > 0:54:02of their recommended daily salt intake.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08Perhaps there IS some upside for crisps?
0:54:08 > 0:54:12I think, when you eat crisps, they taste salty
0:54:12 > 0:54:15and that's because the salt is on the outside of the crisp.
0:54:15 > 0:54:18So, you eat it, it hits your taste buds.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20You have taste buds for salt.
0:54:20 > 0:54:24Whereas, if it's mixed in with food, you're not going to taste it all.
0:54:24 > 0:54:25You'll taste some in your mouth,
0:54:25 > 0:54:29but the rest will just skip over your taste buds and go into your digestive system.
0:54:29 > 0:54:33- So, watch out for the sneaky salt. - Yeah, for the hidden salt.
0:54:35 > 0:54:39So, our favourite salty snack is honest about being, well, salty.
0:54:41 > 0:54:45But Sian has one more surprise to reveal about crisps.
0:54:45 > 0:54:48She's been rummaging around the family's kitchen
0:54:48 > 0:54:51and it turns out that the Smiths aren't all about crisps.
0:54:54 > 0:54:57Sian, this is quite a random group of foods.
0:54:57 > 0:55:01But they all contain something that has the opposite effect of salt
0:55:01 > 0:55:03and that something is potassium.
0:55:03 > 0:55:05Potassium helps with fluid balance in our bodies
0:55:05 > 0:55:08and it helps keep our blood pressure healthy.
0:55:08 > 0:55:12Research suggests that a diet rich in potassium
0:55:12 > 0:55:15can have the opposite effect of salt, by helping
0:55:15 > 0:55:19to reduce our blood pressure, enhance the health of our arteries
0:55:19 > 0:55:22and hearts and improve kidney function.
0:55:22 > 0:55:26Bananas and broccoli are a particularly good source.
0:55:26 > 0:55:31But there's one other unexpected place where potassium can be found.
0:55:32 > 0:55:35I do have to say in defence of crisps
0:55:35 > 0:55:38because of the potatoes, they also contain potassium.
0:55:38 > 0:55:42Crisps contain a surprising amount of potassium.
0:55:42 > 0:55:47Weight for weight, more than double what you'd find in bananas.
0:55:47 > 0:55:51In fact, an average packet of crisps contains 10 per cent
0:55:51 > 0:55:54of our recommended daily intake of potassium.
0:55:54 > 0:55:56Who knew?
0:55:56 > 0:56:00With all that fat and salt, crisps will never be good for us.
0:56:00 > 0:56:03But perhaps they're not all bad.
0:56:04 > 0:56:08So, is there something to be said for the crisp?
0:56:08 > 0:56:11They do contain potassium and as long as you're not having too many,
0:56:11 > 0:56:16- they can be part of a healthy, balanced diet. - Oh, that must be music to your ears.
0:56:16 > 0:56:22Are you still going to be eating the 950 packets of crisps a year?
0:56:22 > 0:56:24Or a bit more potassium in your diet?
0:56:24 > 0:56:27A bit more potassium in our diet, I think.
0:56:29 > 0:56:33So, it's a little bit of positive news for the potato crisp.
0:56:33 > 0:56:36It does contain at least one thing that's good for us.
0:56:36 > 0:56:39But for me, the shock was the amount of salt in our diet.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46That was such an eye-opener.
0:56:46 > 0:56:50I had no idea there was quite so much salt hidden in our food.
0:56:50 > 0:56:52In a way, crisps are quite an honest snack -
0:56:52 > 0:56:54you really know what you're getting.
0:56:54 > 0:56:57And as for all those crisps -
0:56:57 > 0:57:01it's OK to have the occasional packet, but perhaps not this much.
0:57:01 > 0:57:05Don't worry, we didn't leave them behind.
0:57:13 > 0:57:18I set out to find the secret powers hidden in our favourite foods.
0:57:18 > 0:57:23And with your help, I've discovered that our supermarket staples
0:57:23 > 0:57:25can do things for us we'd never imagine!
0:57:26 > 0:57:28I love that a plain old glass of milk
0:57:28 > 0:57:31can help our tired muscles recover.
0:57:31 > 0:57:33And boring old beans on toast
0:57:33 > 0:57:37actually rivals a sirloin steak for protein.
0:57:37 > 0:57:42It's good to learn that brewing our tea for a little bit longer can really benefit our health.
0:57:42 > 0:57:46And I'm particularly surprised to find out
0:57:46 > 0:57:50that it's not possible to be chemically addicted to chocolate.
0:57:50 > 0:57:53This is the stuff we take for granted.
0:57:53 > 0:57:56So, it's great to know that our favourite foods
0:57:56 > 0:57:58can still surprise us.
0:58:22 > 0:58:25Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd