/oss/taxonomy/term/2527/all en /oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/sea-moss-chili-peppers-and-broccoli-soup <p>Some of the nutritional advice that flashes across my computer screen every day is outright nonsense, much of it is speckled with smidgens of science that have no practical relevance, and in a few rare instances, there may be some points of interest that merit a further look. Let me illustrate with a few examples that cropped up on a single morning.</p> Wed, 24 Jul 2024 18:19:35 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 10007 at /oss /oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/one-chip-challenge-deserves-heated-discussion <p>The fact that the sauce was packaged in a box shaped like a coffin should have been a clue. On a trip to New Orleans I walked into one of the many shops that sell an array of hot sauces and are set up for sampling. You dip a tortilla chip and go for it. I went for the wrong one! The burning sensation in the mouth was indescribable. Water was no remedy since capsaicin, the active ingredient isn’t water soluble. It is soluble in fat or alcohol. The store was out of milk that they normally stocked for the “wimps” who couldn’t handle the heat and they had no license to sell alcohol.</p> Wed, 13 Sep 2023 20:35:10 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9643 at /oss /oss/article/history-general-science/time-i-thought-i-would-meet-my-maker <p>Being of Hungarian origin, I have had some experience with hot paprika. That’s why I was not averse to trying some of the hot sauces offered up for tasting at one of the many spice shops in New Orleans. I was cruising along, dipping crackers into various samples until I came to one called “Meet Your Maker.” I should have been deterred by the name and the fact that it came in a coffin-shaped box. What a memorable experience that turned out to be. And not in a good way! Never had I experienced such pain in the mouth.</p> Wed, 12 Jan 2022 23:00:57 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8978 at /oss /oss/article/health-general-science/science-taste-why-are-people-picky-eaters <p><span>Everyone has come into contact with a picky eater. And almost everyone has tried to coax these picky eaters into getting them to try something new. “How do you know you won’t like it if you’ve never tried it?” or “trust me, you’re going to love it.” And yet, often times, these picky eaters won’t budge. (And for some reason, we may even get offended that we were unsuccessful in converting their taste buds). So why is it that some people are picky eaters while others will quite gladly eat anything?</span></p> Tue, 25 Jul 2017 17:50:21 +0000 Cassandra Lee, OSS Intern 2583 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/why-do-some-people-spicy-foods-not-others <p><span>Spicy foods contain a chemical called capsaicin, which activates a receptor found in your mouth and on your tongue called a TRPV1 receptor. There is some variation in the sensitivity of these receptors, and even the amount of them, from person to person. This variance may be one reason some of us can’t handle the spice, and others love it. Studies have shown that repeated exposure to capsaicin raises the amount needed for a similar effect, so it may also be that the more spicy food you eat, the more you can handle.</span></p> Mon, 12 Jun 2017 15:44:28 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 2542 at /oss