WNYC-FM: Please Explain from WNYC New York Public Radio Podcast

Grains have been a cornerstone of the human diet since the dawn of civilization. We'll find out about the wide variety of grains and the difference between whole, refined, and enriched grains.Abdullah A. Jaradat, USDA Department of Soil Management Research, and Maria Speck, author of Ancient Grains for...

If you look at many packaged food, you're likely to find the words "natural flavors" and "artificial flavors" on the ingredients list. These terms seem ambiguous, but they explain why much of the foods Americans eat tastes the way it does. For today's Please Explain, explain Dr. Gary Reineccius, professor and head of the Flavor Research and Education Center in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota, and Barb Stuckey...

Baking can?seem?like magic, but it's not--it's chemistry! And understanding even a?little?about what is going on when you combine ingredients and add heat can make you a much more successful and satisfied baker.Shirley Corriher, author of BakeWise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking, and Chef

This week's Please Explain is all about so-called superfoods--natural, whole foods that are superior sources of anti-oxidants and essential nutrients. Dr. Drew Ramsey, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University, and co-author of The Happiness Diet and the forthcoming

There's growing concern that endocrine disrupting chemicals have been linked to health problems in humans, and this month a report issued by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme called these chemicals a "global threat" that should be addressed. Heather Patisaul, Associate Professor, Department of Biology, North Carolina State University, and Urvashi Rangan, director of the Consumer Safety and Sustainability Group ...