For decades, being a tea lover in the United States was to exist in a wasteland. Even as coffee shops sprang up across the country, with Americans discovering fine coffee, tea largely remained adult choice given the few options available to consumers. "When I was growing up, tea was drunk by old people and sick people, "said Andrew Weil, director of a medical center in Arizona. "It was Lipton and it was terrible. "

Online tea suppliers and tea salons, however, are now offering a wide range of loose-leaf teas from around the world. They also sponsor tea preparation classes and sell quality teaware. Various brands and styles of tea can be found on supermarket shelves. The Tea Association of the United States reported that sales of tea grew from just under $2 billion in 1990 to nearly $11 billion in 2016.

In New York City, most stylish restaurants have extensive tea lists. Tea lovers value the complexity of flavors, the calming nature of tea drinking itself, and the slight differences that exist between one tea and another regarding how it is cultivated and processed. Many of these tea lovers can distinctly remember the moment they realized drinking tea could go beyond black tea bags.

Sebastian Beckwith, a tea importer, fell in love with tea when he was working as a travel guide in Southern Asia. One recent morning, Beckwith set out the elements of a Chinese-style tea service known as gong fu cha in his tea salon. As he carefully made the tea, he provided a guided tour of tea for his customers, describing how tea is typically grown, picked, processed and tasted. Richard Betts, a friend of Beckwith's, said there are actually similarities between fine tea and wine. Just as wine varies depending on where, how and when the grapes are grown and processed, tea varies with leaf size, soil quality, origin and age. And as with wine, it is easy to spend hours tasting and talking about it.

In New York City, there are as many places to enjoy great tea as there are different tea varieties. Beckwith's is only one of them. Pierra Cheung, the founder of a famous tea salon, said regular customers are drawn to tea's effective but slower-acting caffeine. "The millennial generation is really looking for an alternative to a cup of coffee or energy drinks. Tea has become their new morning fuel. "

Biotech foods are produced from animals and plants that have been genetically altered.

Q1: Can biotech foods harm the environment?

Most scientists agree that the main safety issues of genetically engineered crops involve not people but the environment. Allison Snow, a plant ecologist at Ohio State University, worries that genetically engineered crops are being developed too quickly and released before they've been adequately tested. On the other hand, advocates of genetically engineered crops argue that some genetically modified plants may actually be good for the land, by offering an environmentally friendly alternative to pesticide, which tends to pollute water and harm animals.

Q2: Can biotech foods help feed the world?

"Eight hundred million people on this planet are not well nourished, "says Channapatna Prakash, a scientist at Tuskegee University, "and the number continues to grow." Prakash and many other scientists argue that genetic engineering can help address the urgent problems of food shortage and hunger by increasing crop quantities and nutritional value, offering crop varieties that resist pests and disease, and providing ways to grow crops on land that would otherwise not support farming.

According to the World Health Organization, for example, between 100 million and 140 million children in the word suffer from vitamin A insufficiency. Some 500, 000 go blind every year because of that insufficiency, and half of those children die within a year of losing their sight. "Golden rice," a biotech variety named for its yellow color, is thought by some to be a potential solution to the suffering and illness caused by vitamin A insufficiency.

However, Professor Marion Nestle of New York University claims that golden rice alone won't greatly reduce vitamin A insufficiency. He says, "Beta-carotene, which is already widely available in fruit and vegetables, isn't changed to vitamin A when people are malnourished. Golden rice does not contain much beta-carotene, and whether it will improve vitamin A levels remains to be seen. "

Q3: What's next?

Whether biotech foods will deliver on their promise of eliminating world hunger and bettering the lives of all remains to be seen. Their potential is enormous, yet they carry risks. If science proceeds with caution, testing new products thoroughly and using sound judgment, the world may avoid the dangers of genetic modification while enjoying its benefits.

Obesity-Unhealthily Fat

Many factors contribute to childhood obesity. In the United States，the percentage of children and adolescents （affect）by obesity has more than tripled（三倍）since the 1970s. Data show that nearly 1 in 5 school-age children and young people （age）6 to 19 years in the United States has obesity.

Genetic factors cannot be changed. However，people and places can play a role in helping children achieve and （maintain）a healthy weight. Changes in the environments young people spend their time-like homes，schools，and community settings-can make easier for youths to access nutritious foods and be physically active. School scan adopt policies and practices help young people eat more fruits and vegetables，eat fewer foods and drinks that are high in （add）sugars or solid fats，and increase daily minutes of physical activity. These kinds of school-based and after-school programs and policies can be cost-effective and even cost-saving.

A comprehensive approach is most effective at addressing childhood obesity in schools，especially for elementary and middle school students. Scientists know less about what school-based obesity prevention approaches are effective for teenagers. A comprehensive approach means addressing nutrition and physical activity in schools and （involve）parents，caregivers，and other community members. This kind of approach aims （support）the health and well-being of all students. It does not single out students according to their weight status or body size. To avoid embarrassing or shaming students，schools should not emphasize physical appearances or highlight negative opinions obesity.

A Creative Solution for Food Service

The MealtimeXpress Cart is ideal for hospitals, senior citizen centers and food service such as stadiums or college dining. Our goal is to a quick and effortless distribution of meals. Our lasting constructed systems are a mixture of form and efficient function. Each of our systems are designed to function in food preparation environments to satisfy all of your mealtime needs.

A Fast Food Empire Based on a Single Recipe

One of China's most popular and fastest-growing restaurant chains has expanded into the United States. Last month, Yang's Braised Chicken Rice opened the doors of its first U. S. location in Tustin, California.

Unlike most other restaurants that offer plentiful menu options, Yang's specializes in just one item and does it right: braised chicken rice. The only customization you can make to the dish is the level of spiciness. You might then wonder: In an era when consumer tastes are growing ever more diverse, how has a chain become a successful fast-food empire with only one dish?

The answer is actually quite simple. The core ingredient, braised chicken, is common in many types of Chinese cooking and is very easy to cook. Having only one menu item allows the chain to shift toward an assembly line-style model, making rapid market expansion possible, which means the restaurant is well-suited to the fast pace of modern society.

In fact, the recipe has barely changed since Yang's grandmother acquired it in the 1930s. Now, he aims to help more families and children experience these special flavors together, so that they may create their own cherished moments enjoying the rich traditions of this home-style meal.