/oss/taxonomy/term/2201/all en /oss/article/nutrition/spice-life <p>Very few of us would argue against the notion that spices (and to a lesser extent, their leafy cousins, herbs) play an important role in our culinary preferences. These days it would be almost unthinkable to make a dish that is completely devoid of our standard ‘go-tos’ from the aptly named spice cabinet in the kitchen, such as a spaghetti sauce without oregano and thyme or a cauliflower soup without some cumin… or just about any prepared dish for that matter, without the omnipresence of pepper, garlic and onion.</p> Tue, 23 Oct 2018 18:01:09 +0000 Adam Oliver Brown PhD 7404 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/why-does-ouzo-turn-cloudy-when-water-added <p><span>Ouzo is a beverage served around the Mediterranean. You’ll see people in Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Turkey sitting in cafes with a small glass of ouzo and a glass of water. When the water is poured into the ouzo, it goes cloudy. The more cloudy, the better the ouzo is said to be. The white stuff is a precipitate that comes out of solution when the water is added. Ouzo is made by taking neat alcohol and flavouring it with aniseed and other aromatic herbs. Many vineries in Greece make ouzo and each will be different because of the herbs added. Aniseeds and the other herbs contain numerous</span></p> Thu, 24 May 2018 16:09:33 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7106 at /oss /oss/article/quackery/food-babe-has-no-idea-how-physiology-works <p><span>Our good friend the Food Babe has published an interesting piece of pseudoscience writing entitled ‘</span><a href="https://foodbabe.com/natural-flavors-really-bad-must-watch/">Are Natural Flavors Really That Bad? (MUST WATCH)</a><span>’. If you’re looking for the quick answer to this superfluous, click-bait title, let me tell you that it’s no: natural flavours are perfectly safe and healthy. But if you’re looking for an explanation of how taste actually works (and why her claims about natural flavours are utter nonsense), then please read on!</span></p> Tue, 20 Feb 2018 16:42:03 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 6927 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/lip-balm-addictive <p><span>“My lowest point was having to stop at Walgreen’s because I was on my way to a wedding and discovered I did not have any in my purse.  We had to make a quick detour to buy some. I bought 10 of them, and had to carry them in my purse all day […] On my own, I decided “Enough is enough!” I went cold turkey and stopped using the lip balm completely.”</span></p> Thu, 14 Dec 2017 17:54:14 +0000 Cassandra Lee, OSS Intern 6846 at /oss /oss/article/health/licking-liquorice-habit <p>An astute physician immediately asked about the woman's dietary habits and discovered that she was virtually addicted to liquorice candies, eating up to half a pound a day! Right then and there the problem was solved. The most prevalent compound in liquorice, and the most studied, is glycyrrhizin, also known as glycyrrhizic acid. This has hormonal effects resembling those of aldosterone, an adrenal gland hormone that is responsible for maintaining mineral balance in the blood by helping the body retain sodium and excrete potassium. Too much aldosterone, or compounds that behave like it, wil</p> Tue, 25 Apr 2017 18:06:47 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2412 at /oss