"women" news and stories

After a long, hard workout, women just want to settle down to a nice refreshing salad and a glass of vodka. That's the scene that one vodka manufacturer in Russia is trying to sell to the upwardly mobile ladies of the country. The vodka, which comes in lime, vanilla, almond and original flavors, is being heavily marketed to women, in an attempt to convince them that they deserve a vodka designed especially for them.

This is concerning Russian doctors, as alcoholism is rampant in Russian. There are 2.5 million registered alcoholics in the country, but experts estimate that the real number of alcoholics in that country is closer to 10 percent of the nation's population. So far, sales of the Ladies Vodka have been brisk, but what does that mean for the health of that country's women? I guess when it comes to sales and marketing, the bottom line is always more important than the health line.

[via The Morning News]

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Dieting may be worse for your waistline than you think, especially for women. A new study has shown that there is a greater association between guilt and chocolate in women who are dieting or have dieted in the past. This connection increases the likelihood of developing chocolate cravings, since negative emotions and comfort eating also have a strong connection in these women. The stronger the craving, the more likely the dieters were to give in to it.

The study was conducted at a university in England, where researchers showed women pictures of chocolate or nonfood items and asked them to report on the feelings that these images triggered. Their conclusion was that dieting "appears to have the opposite [of its intended] effect in that it can increase the desire for the actual foods [dieters] are trying to avoid." Hopefully, the next step in the study will look at how diets affect men's cravings, as well.

Having a positive body image and making healthy dining choices when possible, rather than opting for fad diets where long-term maintenance is unreasonable, is the best way to keep weight, cravings and guilt under control.

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In the US, Valentine's Day celebrations are generally geared towards couples, with a slight bias towards women when it comes to the marketing of chocolates, flowers and other gifts - a bias that is meant to have women encourage men to buy gifts for them. In Japan, things are a little different. The chocolates and other Valentine's Day items are marketed towards women, but they're marketed for them to buy and give to men, rather than the other way around. Barentain Dei calls for gifts to be given to boyfriends and husbands, as well as for giri-choco, or obligation chocolates, to be given to male bosses, coworkers, classmates and friends. About 80% of Japanese women participate in the tradition, spending an average of $20 on their most chocolate important purchase and $6 on each of their other chocolate gifts, averaging $56 per woman for a total of over $400 million countrywide on the holiday. This doesn't include additional gifts or fancy dinners.

If this all seems a bit unfair, as it is more one-sided than the US version of Valentine's, not to worry. On March 14th, the Japanese celebrate "White Day" as in reciprocation for Valentine's Day, where men buy gifts, from chocolates to expensive jewelry, as a sign of affection

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Pretty Mean Snacks were another great find that I made at the Fancy Foods Show this year. The company makes indulgent chocolates that are designed specifically for women. They're not fortified with every nutrient known to man and they're not intended to give you any super-human powers, as some woman-oriented products seem to claim. Instead, they're guaranteed to lift the spirits and make you sigh with pleasure at the exotic, well-balanced flavors in rich chocolate. They may be called PMS chocolates, but they're really supposed to be a cure for the crankiness sometimes associated with it and an outlet for stress.

Whether you like the little woman-centric gimmick or not, you can't deny that the chocolates are fantastic. The flavors include:

• "Sweet Sassy Sister" - Milk Chocolate with Sweet Basil and Heavenly Mango
• "Pure Passion Princess" - Pumpkin and Peanut Butter blended with Cinnamon in Milk Chocolate
• "Deep Decadent Diva" - Fragrant Rosemary with Tropical Roasted Pineapple in Dark Chocolate
• "Hot Mamma Madness" - Dark Chocolate with Tangy Ginger and Mild Wasabi

My favorite was the amazing Pumpkin and Peanut Butter blended with Tawny Cinnamon in Milk Chocolate, which struck the perfect balance of pumpkin and cinnamon, with a rich peanut butter background, that just melted into your mouth in a sea of milk chocolate.

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One thing that struck me when I was at the Fancy Food Show was that there were a number of products that were marketed at women. Some of them, like chocolates, seemed just to feature girly packaging and slogans, but others touted potential health benefits. In this latter category were two new products that were the result of a collaboration between The Republic of Tea and LUNA: Nutritional Iced Tea for Women and LUNA Tea Cakes. The collaboration was a natural one considering that the companies - both of which endorse healthy lifestyles - have similar values and goals.

Nutritional Iced Tea for Women is the first iced tea designed with women in mind. Brewed, lightly sweetened and packed in resealable plastic water bottles, the all-natural teas have just 50 calories per 12-ounce serving, are made with 70% organic ingredients. On top of that, the teas are fortified with folate, calcium and vitamins B and D. They come in five flavors: Ginger Currant Black Tea, Lemon Blueberry Decaf Black Tea, Kiwi Strawberry Green Tea, Mandarin Orange White Tea and (caffeine-free) Cherry Vanilla Red Tea. They are truly delicious and very refreshing. The fruity flavors really come through (my favorite was the Ginger Currant), with no sugary sweetness to dull them.