logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2023
46 m

The (Weirdly Crooked) History of the Foo...

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Nutrition is a big deal -- across the United States, tons of kids learned the basics of nutrition through a handy infographic called the 'Food Pyramid,' which laid out how much of a given food group the average person should consume. But there's much, much more to the story than what you'd see in the average textbook. Join Ben, Noel and Max as they dive into the story of the food pyramid -- and how big business successfully, time and time again, went up against science to make sure consumers kept, well, consuming.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
The Chicago Tylenol Murders
<p>For most people, Tylenol is nothing more than an ol' stand-by, over-the-counter pain reliever. Yet, as Ben, Noel and Max learn in today's episode -- this wasn't always the case. Today's episode takes the boys to 1980s Chicago, when a ghoulish series of still-unsolved murders r ... Show More
39m 23s
Nov 22
CLASSIC: Benjamin Franklin's Advice On "Finding A Mistress"
<p>Founding Father Benjamin Franklin was a man of many interests, but his endeavors were by no means limited to technical innovation, philosophy and politics. In fact, throughout his life he had a reputation as an irredeemable lech -- literally, in later years, a dirty old man -- ... Show More
31m 43s
Nov 20
Wait! Can a tree really own itself?
<p>Do you have a favorite tree? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max head over to the famous college town of Athens, Georgia where -- legend has it -- one guy was so enamored with his childhood oak that he ultimately deeded it to itself. How much of the story is true? Can a tree ... Show More
42m 22s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2022
The Food Pyramid
<p>In the 1990s, the Food Pyramid was one of the most recognizable symbols in nutrition education. But where did it come from? Why was it created by the agriculture department? And why did it tell us to eat a whole loaf of bread every day?<br/><br/></p><p><b>Support us:</b></p><u ... Show More
51m 52s
Apr 2017
A Brief History of Foreign Food in the U.S.
<p>One of the most diverse things about the U.S. is its food industry. Foodies obsessively seek out the “authentic” flavors of any given culture. But many of the foods brought to the U.S. via immigration were initially viewed with suspicion and disdain.</p><p> </p> Learn more abo ... Show More
37m 10s
Dec 2022
Calories: How to fuel a human
Calories are fundamental to the way many of us view food and our own bodies - you’ll find them on supermarket shelves, restaurant menus, and in cookbooks. But they didn’t start out that way. Originally coined during the study of steam engines and industrial energy, the term ‘calo ... Show More
43m 54s
Dec 2020
The Wide World of Food Conspiracies, Part II
<p>Food is one of the few things that unites the human species -- so it's no surprise the world of food is chock-full of conspiracies. In today's episode, the guys return to the world of conspiracy and cuisine, fielding some of the strangest, most disturbing urban legends and rum ... Show More
1h 4m
Aug 2023
Savor Classics: Tamales
amales are an ancient food imbued with limitless possibilities, tastiness, and... chemistry-based nutritional benefits? In this classic episode, Anney and Lauren get wrapped up in the long history and hot science of this Mesoamerican staple/comfort food.See omnystudio.com/listene ... Show More
28m 52s
May 2021
147 | Rachel Laudan on Cuisine, Culture, and Empire
<p>For as much as people talk about food, a good case can be made that we don’t give it the attention or respect it actually deserves. Food is central to human life, and how we go about the process of creating and consuming it — from agriculture to distribution to cooking to dini ... Show More
1h 16m
May 2022
Food in the Ancient World
<p>When we think of the modern Mediterranean, delicious and vibrant food is one of the first things that come to mind. But how much has the regional food changed over the last two millennia? In this episode, Tristan is joined by the host of&nbsp;<em>'The Delicious Legacy'</em>&nb ... Show More
36m 24s
Jul 2018
Michael Pollan: Conscious Eating
<p>New York Times best-selling author and food expert Michael Pollan discusses our evolving relationship with food, what it means to eat with a fuller consciousness and how having a heightened awareness of the food that goes into our bodies can improve our physical and spiritual ... Show More
34m 16s
Jun 2016
Outside the Box: The Story of Food Packaging
The invention of food packaging is one of humanity’s greatest achievements. It may seem hard to imagine today, but the first clay pots made the great civilizations of the ancient world possible, while paper’s first use, long before it became a surface for writing, was to wrap foo ... Show More
43m 9s
Mar 2022
155 - How to Develop a Healthy Mindset About Food with "The Fitness Chef" Graeme Tomlinson
Graeme Tomlinson is a nutrition coach and a personal trainer. His Instagram account has attracted over 1 million followers, making it one of the most popular nutrition/fitness social media accounts in the world. He’s made it his mission to educate people on the facts about health ... Show More
38m 4s