Entries Tagged 'Food Science' ↓

In some Asian countries, notably China, rates of alcoholism are drastically lower than they are in other parts of the world. This phenomenon may be the result of a genetic mutation that causes Asian flush, a reddening of the face in some found in some drinkers.

Because of its unpleasant effects, those who develop Asian flush are much less likely to ingest or abuse alcohol. If non-drinkers are better able to promote their survival and propagation, might natural selection have favored this trait? Continue reading →

By Marissa Beck

This health food imposter gained nutritional status on the sly. Nostalgia has Granola clinging to her salubrious roots; but her bark-scent is no longer earthy, and her skin has lost its chewy core. Today, Granola wears a different costume. Today, she is the Quaker man, cross-dressed as Toucan Sam in your breakfast bowl. Continue reading →

Asking the right questions

Anyone will tell you consuming sugar in large quantities is unhealthy; eating more calories than you burn will cause weight gain. The real question remains, is high fructose corn syrup any worse than its leading competitor, table sugar? Continue reading →

With easy access to food and ever-increasing portion sizes, one might suspect that we’ve acquired the skills needed to determine when we’re full. These five studies prove otherwise. Continue reading →

Understanding Our Attraction to the Chili Pepper

Accidentally burning one’s mouth on fresh-from-the-oven pizza and taking a bite out of a spicy chicken wing - though seemingly distinct sensations - activate the same pain receptors found on the tongue.

Capsaicin, the source of the heat in chili peppers, is the chemical irritant responsible for the bite. The most common of all spicy seasonings, one-quarter of adults worldwide feel its burn every day.

Capsaicin acts directly on the same pain receptors that detect potentially harmful heat. How did we, as a species, develop our perverse desire to suffer - and enjoy - chili’s painful burn? Are we masochistic gastronomes? Continue reading →

Imagine living in a world devoid of flavor.

Dr. Karl L. Wuensch spent years eating rotten foods, burning his cookware and forgoing the full appreciation of taste before finally seeking medical advice to treat his anosmia - the loss of one’s capacity to smell.

Those born with anosmia often insist that they have the same ability to taste as normal individuals. While we have a natural inclination to refer to the mouth as the sole source of taste and flavor, our understanding of odor is inexorably linked to our experience with food. Continue reading →