What if you could learn to like vegetables by having them with coffee? It's possible, according to a study by the University of Buffalo in New York state. Researchers randomly assigned 68 men and women aged 18 to 50 to receive a drink containing a placebo or caffeine, and then to consume a low- or high-energy yogurt. The yogurt flavours were unusual to avoid any taste preferences: almond, maple, peppermint, pumpkin pie, raspberry and lemon, strawberry and coconut, and cumin. After rating the yogurts over four days, yogurt liking increased over time, with the yogurts paired with the caffeine liked more than those paired with the placebo.
Here's a great reason for Hong Kong to value its green space: urbanites with more of it tend to report greater well-being than those who don't have parks, gardens or other green space nearby. By examining data from a British national survey, researchers from the University of Exeter Medical School found that individuals reported less mental distress and higher life satisfaction when they were living in greener areas. This held even after changes in income, employment, marital status, physical health and housing type. The data was collected annually from more than 10,000 people between 1991 and 2008.