Month: November 2016

Posted on

Beware of Buying ‘Aloe Vera’ That Contains No Aloe Vera

Shaunacy Ferro
filed under: health, plants
Image credit: 

Xtalk via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Aloe vera can be the harbinger of relief for sunburn, but the latest news about the gel you buy at the drug store should make you burn even more. In lab tests, several generic store-brand aloe vera gels don’t appear to contain any aloe at all, Bloomberg reports.

Even though store-brand aloe vera from Wal-Mart, Target, and CVS lists the leaf juice of the aloe barbadensis plant—as the No. 1 or No. 2 ingredient, no less—lab tests commissioned by Bloomberg News showed no traces of such an ingredient. The nuclear magnetic resonance tests showed the presence of additives used to imitate aloe, like maltodextrin, but did not detect any of the three chemical markers contained in true aloe, such as acemannan, malic acid, and glucose.

Naturally, the companies that make the aloe vera sold by Wal-Mart, Target, and Walgreens as their store brands denied the accuracy of the findings. However, several law firms have already filed class-action lawsuits against companies like CVS and Fruit of the Earth, the makers of the “100 percent Aloe Vera Gel” sold by major retailers.

When shopping for aloe vera gel, don’t go for the cheap stuff, since that low price may reflect that the company hasn’t spent the money on aloe vera powder, substituting cheap ingredients like maltodextrin. Better yet, buy the plant itself, giving you the peace of mind of always knowing it’s truly aloe.

[h/t Bloomberg]


November 23, 2016 – 1:30pm

Posted on

Newsletter Item for (89146): The Abandoned ‘Dark Crystal’ Sequel Is Being Turned Into a Comic Book

Headline: 

The Abandoned Dark Crystal Sequel Is Being Turned Into a Comic Book 

mfna_dek: 

Fans of Jim Hensen’s The Dark Crystal have been waiting 35 years for a sequel. They’re about to finally get their wish—in the form on a 12-issue comic series.

Image: 
mfna_eyebrow: 
Comics
mfna_real_node: 
The Abandoned 'Dark Crystal' Sequel Is Being Turned Into a Comic Book
Posted on

Newsletter Item for (58895): The 16th-Century Dance Plague

Headline: 

The 16th-Century Dance Plague

mfna_dek: 

When an entire town started putting on its dance shoes, the medieval community realized something was out of step. This is the story of the dance plague that hit Strasbourg, France, in 1518.

Image: 
mfna_eyebrow: 
History
mfna_real_node: 
The 16th-Century Dance Plague
Posted on

Over 1 Million More People Than Last Year Will Travel for Thanksgiving

Abbey Stone
filed under: holidays, traffic, travel
Image credit: 

Michael Gil via Flickr // CC BY 2.0

Taking off for Thanksgiving weekend? According to AAA, you’ll be joined by 48.7 million Americans—over 1 million more people than traveled for the holiday last year. And the vast majority—more than 89 percent—will be hitting the road.

“Most will travel on the tried and true holiday road trip, thanks to gas prices that are holding at close to $2 per gallon,” AAA president and CEO Marshall Doney said in a statement. Thanksgiving gas prices are the second-cheapest they’ve been in a decade, and Americans have saved an estimated $28 billion on gas this year compared to 2015.

Perhaps because they’re saving money at the pump, Thanksgiving travelers are willing to shell out more for luxe accommodations during the holiday weekend. According to hotel chain STR, luxury hotels saw the highest occupancy rates (62.8 percent) over Thanksgiving, while economy hotels were less than half full. Tis the season to treat yourself.

For more statistics about Thanksgiving travel, check out the infographic created by Hotel News Now below.


November 23, 2016 – 1:00pm