/oss/taxonomy/term/1813/all en /oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/are-lactation-cookies-just-cookies <p>Wishful thinking can sometimes trump science. With “breast is best” echoing in their heads, and too few hours of sleep, new mothers may latch onto some seductive propositions about boosting their breast milk supply.</p> Fri, 28 Apr 2023 13:46:06 +0000 Cat Wang, B.Sc. 9495 at /oss /oss/article/controversial-science-diets-environment-food-health-history-news-supplements-toxicity/fenugreek-and-sotalone <p>If you have eaten curry, you have probably tasted fenugreek. The seeds of this plant as well as its fresh leaves are commonly used as ingredients in curries. They are added for taste but they also impart a smell that is due to sotalone, a compound that at low concentrations has a distinct maple syrup-like odour. Since sotalone passes through the body unchanged, it can impart a scent both to the urine and sweat. The compound is actually used as one of the flavor components in artificial maple syrup and can be isolated from fenugreek seeds.</p> Wed, 13 Aug 2014 11:36:21 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2182 at /oss