Quotes of the Day

Acrylamide is one of hundreds of chemicals known as Maillard reaction products (MRPs) formed when foods are heated at high temperature with dry heat. Acrylamide has been classified as a Group 2A carcinogen (probably carcinogenic to humans) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). To reduce your exposure to acrylamide, cook starchy foods like turnips and sweet potatoes mostly in stews or soups because cooking in water prevents acrylamide formation. When you bake or roast vegetables, do not allow them to brown. Increasing the water content helps--soaking starchy foods in water before roasting reduces acrylamide formation. [2020] - Joel Fuhrman

One important caution about brown rice: some fields where it is harvested have high levels of arsenic. Brown rice has more of the exposed shell of the rice, so it can contain 80 percent more arsenic than white rice. According to a study by Consumer Reports, the safest sources of brown rice are California, India, and Pakistan, which has about a third less arsenic than brown rice from other sources. [2019] - William W Li

When it comes to credit inquiries, there are two types: soft hits and hard hits. Soft hits, such as asking for a copy of your credit report, won't impact your credit score. Hard hits are inquiries that count toward your credit score. Whenever you apply for a credit, whether it's a credit card or mortgage, lenders ask for a copy of your credit report. When this happens, a credit inquiry is recorded--a hard hit. To protect your credit score, limit the number of hard hits. When shopping for a mortgage, apply only at lenders you're serious about. And try to apply for mortgages within a two-week period (these inquiries usually will be lumped together and treated as one). [2017] - Sean Cooper

Change the titles of the salespeople to sound less salesy--for example, "director of corporate communications." [2007] - Chet Holmes

Avoid loans with prepayment penalties. You pay this charge, usually 2-3 percent of the loan amount, when you pay off your loan before you're supposed to. The only way to know whether a loan has a prepayment penalty is to ask. If the answer is yes, find yourself another mortgage. [2019] - Eric Tyson