While we often think of potatoes as a harmless pantry staple, they are actually members of the infamous deadly nightshade family. Because of this biological lineage, potatoes produce natural defense chemicals called glycoalkaloids—specifically solanine and chaconine. When a potato develops a green tinge, it’s a forensic signal that these toxins are increasing. This mega-FAQ is … Read more
It is true that there are GMO vegetables and fruits used in the food we buy at the grocery store. It’s possible that up to 80% of processed foods sold in the U.S. contain some type of GMO or “bio-engineered” (BE) plant. The most frequent source is corn, especially corn starch, high fructose corn syrup, … Read more
Since uncooked oats show up in granola and folks even blend them into smoothies, it’s natural to ask, are oats safe to eat raw? Could doing so make you sick? The answer is that it raw oats are technically edible when raw. Some people may find them a bit harder to digest than cooked oats … Read more
The elderberry is a dark purple berry of the European or “black elder” tree (Sambucus nigra), the North American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis), as well as the red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa). These shrubs or woody plants are found in Europe, North America, Western Asia, and North Africa. The berries are very nutritious but are often quite acidic. … Read more
The science of taste is confusing. We think of certain foods as having certain tastes. By extension, we think those foods represent those tastes. But our taste buds do not react to foods, they react to food compounds. To explain further, here is my informal answer to a related Quora question: “How do artificial sweeteners … Read more
The “fridge test for olive oil” is when you put a bottle of olive oil in the refrigerator to see if it turns solid or “freezes.” This widely touted method is supposed to tell you whether the olive oil is a high-quality pure olive oil. If the olive oil turns solid in the bottle when … Read more