Category: Food Drink

MOORE COUNTY, NC (WTVD) — The power outage in Moore County will lead to residents throwing hundreds of dollars’ worth of food away after days without electricity.

“I just bought a gallon of milk, and I know that won’t be no good after three days,” said Moore County resident Tiffany Gonzales.

Before the power went out Saturday night, her refrigerator and freezer were full of food. “The ice cream I know is gone, everything in here is melted, probably about $200-$300 thrown away as we couldn’t cook it all.”

ABC11 ask Moore County leaders if there will be any reimbursement for these losses?

A representative with Moore County said, “There are no reimbursement available from FEMA or the State for Individual Assistance since there is not a state or federal declaration.

However, the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) confirmed they are in the process of requesting timely reporting and auto/mass replacement Food and Nutrition Services waivers from the USDA.”

When it comes to whether residents can file a claim with Duke Energy, Jeff Brooks says, “When we have situations that are beyond our control that occur those are typically not covered by the claims process, but with that said, Duke Energy is working with local programs in the community to try and provide assistance and support to the community. We will be looking for an opportunity that we can help customers in this area, recognizing that this has been a difficult challenge.” On Tuesday, Duke Energy committed $100,000 to support the needs of the Moore County community.

If you have homeowners or renters insurance, you’ll need to take a look at your policy or call your agent to see if food loss is covered. A representative with Allstate Insurance says, “It’s important to keep in mind that coverage limits typically apply. So, for example, even if you have $700 worth of spoiled food, your homeowner’s insurance policy may only cover up to $500. In addition, you ‘ll usually have to pay a deductible before receiving reimbursement. Limits and deductibles can vary, so be sure to read your insurance policy or ask your agent to learn about the specifics of your coverage.”

If you do decide to file a claim, make sure you document the loss before you throw the food away. Also, take pictures or videos of the food that is spoiled. If you have receipts provide those as part of your claim.

If you don’t have receipts estimate the cost of the food loss.

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey has asked licensed insurance companies to be economically flexible with consumers who have been affected by the Sandhills power outages. “This criminal act has had a significant impact on nearly 45,000 residents,” said Commissioner Causey. “Many folks cannot access their online insurance accounts due to power loss. We are requesting that insurance companies be flexible with customers during this time until power is fully restored.”

In addition, Commissioner Causey has asked the licensed insurance industry to consider the following actions:

• Relax due dates for premium payments
• Extend grace periods
• Waive late fees and penalties
• Consider cancellation or non-renewal of policies only after exhausting other efforts to work with policyholders to continue coverage

In addition, Commissioner Causey is requesting that all insurance agents, brokers and other licensees who accept premium payments on behalf of insurers take steps to ensure that customers can make premium payments in a user-friendly manner. This request applies solely to individuals who have been directly affected by this incident, rather than a blanket insurance payment holiday for everyone.

People could be at a higher risk for dementia if more than 20% of their daily caloric intake is ultra-processed foods, a new study has found.

The part of the brain involved in processing information and making decisions, or executive functioning, is particularly impacted by the risk of cognitive decline, according to the study published Monday in JAMA Neurology.

In the study, people who consumed the most ultra-processed foods recorded a 28% faster rate of global cognitive decline and a 25% faster rate of executive function decline compared to those who ate the least amount of overly processed foods.

Ultra-processed foods were defined in the study as “industrial formulations of food substances (oils, fats, sugars, starch, and protein isolates) that contain little or no whole foods and typically include flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers, and other cosmetic additives. “

EATING HIGH-PROCESSED FOODS COULD LEAD TO A FASTER RATE OF COGNITIVE DECLINE: STUDY

Bacon cheeseburger with french fries on a plate.
(iStock)

Examples of ultra-processed foods include hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, french fries, sodas, cookies, cakes, candy, donuts and ice cream.

The study followed more than 10,000 Brazilians for up to 10 years, with the average age of participants being 51.

Cognitive testing includes immediate and delayed word recall, word recognition, and verbal fluency. This testing was performed at the beginning and end of the study, with participants answering questions regarding their diet.

The study was presented Monday at the 2022 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in San Diego, California.

“In Brazil, ultra-processed foods make up 25% to 30% of total calorie intake. We have McDonald’s, Burger King, and we eat a lot of chocolate and white bread. It’s not very different, unfortunately, from many other Western countries ,” said co-author Dr. Claudia Suemoto, an assistant professor in the division of geriatrics at the University of São Paulo Medical School.

“Fifty-eight percent of the calories consumed by United States citizens, 56.8% of the calories consumed by British citizens, and 48% of the calories consumed by Canadians come from ultra-processed foods,” he continued.

Examples of ultra-processed foods include hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, french fries, sodas, cookies, cakes, candy, donuts and ice cream.
(Kerry J. Byrne/Fox News Digital)

THESE ARE THE WORST FOODS FOR YOUR HEALTH, EXPERTS SAY

And co-author Natalia Gonçalves, a researcher in the department of pathology at the University of São Paulo Medical School, said people who “consumed more than 20% of daily calories from processed foods had a 28% faster decline in global cognition and a 25% faster decline in executive functioning compared to people who ate less than 20%.”

It is already known that ultra-processed foods increase the risk of obesity, heart and circulation problems, diabetes, cancer, and a shorter life span.

To avoid these increased health risks, experts encourage people whose diets consist of ultra-processed foods to also consume high-quality foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

According to Suemoto, one way to ensure a high-quality diet is to prepare meals from scratch.

It is already known that ultra-processed foods increase the risk of obesity, heart and circulation problems, diabetes, cancer and a shorter life span.
(Photo illustration by Joe Raedle/Getty Images))

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“People need to know they should cook more and prepare their own food from scratch. I know. We say we don’t have time, but it really doesn’t take that much time,” Suemoto said.

“And it’s worth it because you’re going to protect your heart and guard your brain from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease,” she continued. “That’s the take-home message: Stop buying things that are super-processed.”