Personally, I like sugar, and I imagine you do, too. However, these days it's regularly accused of being public enemy #1. The news media repeatedly recommend that parents cut fruit juice from their kids' diets and offer them a piece of fruit instead.  If they won't accept that, parents are advised to dilute the juice with 50% water.  Now carbonated beverages are also being vilified.  The latest general in the war against sugar is New York City's Mayor Michael Bloomberg.  If you haven't heard his proposal about soft drinks and seen the widespread warnings about fruit juice, read on.

Initially, you're probably wondering, "How do they get the fresh herbs and spices into a tube?"  According to a company representative, the products are washed, chopped, and mixed with other ingredients to form a paste.  Then the tube gets filled with the mixture from the top, and it's crimped closed. 

Perhaps your next question is "Why package herbs in a tube?" Here are a few answers to this one: getting herbs from a tube is, in the long run, a money-saver.  It's also less time-consuming and more convenient than purchasing fresh ones.  Furthermore, many users say, herbs from a tube are tastier than dried ones.  Gourmet Garden is marketing these innovative products. Recently, the Chicago Tribune was inspired to run a piece about the company's entire line after one of the newspaper's "Good Eating" writers listed what she called lemon grass purée as an ingredient in a recipe.

This is an excellent time to report even more good news about chocolate since you're likely either to give or receive a box of the scrumptious stuff for Mother's Day.  We've discussed before the many benefits to your circulatory system from eating moderate amounts of dark chocolate regularly.  But the scientific studies are ongoing and, in at least one case, astonishing.  We'll begin with the study that says eating chocolate can help to keep you thin.  From there, we’ll bring you up to date on other interesting chocolate facts recently found in the news.