Salt is a magical substance. It reduces bitterness, enhances sweetness, boosts flavor, and preserves perishable foods. Without it, we would die: the human body can’t make sodium, but our nerves and muscles don’t work without it. It was considered rare until quite recently, so it’s hardly surprising that, throughout history, salt has been the engine behind em ... Show More
Nov 18
From Fountain of Youth to Fruit on the Bottom: How Yoghurt Finally Made it Big in America
Yoghurt is the most diverse section of the dairy case: from Icelandic skyr to creamy Australian, and fruity French Yoplait to full-fat Greek. With something to suit every palate, plus a dose of microbes to support healthy digestion, yoghurt is a staple food in the US, hero of a m ... Show More
50m 45s
Nov 4
Yes, You Really Can Make Food From Thin Air—And We Tried It
Every second of every day, plants on earth do something miraculous: they take the carbon dioxide from air and turn it into food. With very few exceptions, everything we eat starts out that way. But what if we wanted to cut out the middlemen, re-wild all those fields full of wheat ... Show More
48m 19s
Oct 21
Pizza Pizza!
At last, an episode on pizza! But that raises a tricky question: what exactly is pizza? As it turns out, the original pizzas from eighteenth-century Naples looked nothing like a standard slice—they were more like a focaccia, topped with oil, herbs, anchovies, or whatever else was ... Show More
46m 10s
Sep 2023
Should you be reducing salt in your diet?
Salt is a common ingredient in many foods, and it’s essential for our health. Salt is made up of sodium and chloride, two minerals that help regulate fluid balance, blood pressure, nerve and muscle function.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adults should consu ... Show More
4m 15s
Jan 2022
Are Different Types of Salt Really That Different?
Table salt, Kosher salt, sea salt, pink salt -- it may all be sodium chloride, but you can't always directly substitute one kind of salt for another in recipes. Learn why in this episode of BrainStuff, based on these articles: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-facts/differen ... Show More
6m 13s
Jan 2024
Should We Be Worried About Salt?
How many times have you heard that we need to cut down on salt? But... do we actually? What does the science say about salt, our health, and who needs to worry about it? Is pink salt healthier than white salt? Is there such a thing as too low-sodium? In this episode, we chat with ... Show More
32m 49s
Jun 2024
Salt Mysteries: Unraveling Why the Sea Is Salty
Dive into a salty adventure with "English for Kids"! In this exciting episode, we're joined by Dr. Marina, a marine biologist, to explore the intriguing question: Why is the sea salty? From the journey of minerals from rocks to our vast oceans, to the crucial role salt plays in m ... Show More
5m 34s