After hearing a vicious rumor on the internet that vegetables aren't real, Maddie goes looking for answers. Turns out, vegetables are a mere culinary construct. Still healthful and delicious, but a kinda mythic category of food. With the help of Harvard botanist Molly Edwards, Maddie and Emily break down our favorite foods from broccoli to zucchini.

Take our survey! Tell us what you love and what you would love to see more of — on our show, and also other NPR podcasts.

Email the show at shortwave@npr.org.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

Ever wish you could have been part of the Lewis and Clark expedition? Us too. The Corps of Discovery came across scores of plants and animals that were new to Western science: Grizzly bears, ponderosa pines, a “barking squirrel” that William Clark would later call the prairie dog ... Show More

You've heard of black holes. You've heard of stars. But have you heard of the newly discovered black hole stars that may explain multiple mysteries of the universe? We just did and we're honestly freaking out about it. Learn everything you need to know about it in this episode. P ... Show More

If you’re a guy – or even just friends with a guy – and on the Internet, you may have noticed that testosterone discourse is everywhere. There’s Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announcing testosterone screenings for soldiers, Joe Rogan discussing hormone therapy, and influencers d ... Show More

From snack-sized carrots to miniature artichokes, we love li'l veggies -- and have a number of ways to produce them. Learn more in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://recipes.howstuffworks.com/where-do-baby-veggies-come-from.htm Learn more ab ... Show More

Stolen from an Easy German Podcast episode, Mitch and Isi talk vegetables. They decide what is an A-lister vegetable and an SAS vegetable. They ponder if can you do anything with sprouts and why celery taste between horseradish and toothpaste. They talk about the infamous seasona ... Show More

While the so-called “golden apple” has at times been viewed with suspicion, it has become a staple of summertime cuisine and may one day follow us to farms on other worlds. In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe consider the tomato. Learn more about your ad-ch ... Show More

Nightshade vegetables — even the name is ominous. Some people believe they exacerbate arthritis and can cause inflammation. So, should we avoid them? In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Will ask: What are nightshade vegetables, and how can they benef ... Show More

Join Chuck and Josh as they learn that one of the great childhood truths – that carrots help you see better in the dark was totally made up! Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>< ... Show More

In this episode, we separate fact from fiction, explain who might truly be sensitive to nightshades, and why most of us shouldn’t avoid these nutritious foods.Find a full transcript here.New to Nutrition Diva? Check out our special Spotify playlist for a collection of the best ep ... Show More

Doctors are starting to prescribe vegetables or entire meals to ward off disease. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special bonus episode, Monica responds to a listener who wrote her about a claim from Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy suggesting eating Brussels sprouts more than once a week could raise pancreatic cancer risk. She break down the research behind this surprising advice and shar ... Show More

Researchers have found genes that help determine the shapes of fruits and vegetables. Learn how this could (and couldn't) change what you see at the grocery store in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnyst ... Show More

Yep, We Made Up Vegetables