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Should I Be Worried About Vitamin B12 Deficiency?

11 May 2018

Without B12 the brain and nervous system cannot function properly, cells cannot produce adequate energy or synthesize DNA. We also need B12 to make red blood cells. Without adequate numbers of...

Potatoes and Space Have a Long History

3 May 2018

Intergalactic potatoes may seem like a side dish from the Mos Eisley Cantina, but potatoes and space have a common history.  

The Food Babe has No Idea how Physiology Works

22 Feb 2018

Our good friend the Food Babe has published an interesting piece of pseudoscience writing entitled ‘Are Natural Flavors Really That Bad? (MUST WATCH)’. If you’re looking for the quick answer to...

Sugar-Free Goodies Are Missing an Important (and Tasty) Chemical Process

26 Dec 2017

You might think sugar only sweetens your favourite cupcakes, but it actually plays a couple of other roles as well. The Maillard reaction for example, which is responsible for many of the...

Jamie Oliver Cooks Up an Anal Argument

7 Dec 2017

British chef Jamie Oliver opened up quite a can of worms with his plan to improve the food served in Los Angeles schools.  Actually, worms would probably be an improvement over some of the fatty...

“The Cure for All Cancers”? Maybe Not.

30 Nov 2017

The freedom of speech.  One of our most sacred rights.  Men and women are willing to die for it.  Unfortunately, they also die because of it.  Let me elaborate....

Cream of Tartar

6 Nov 2017

Cream of tartar is close to the heart of any organic chemist because the study of this compound by Louis Pasteur in 1848 was pivotal in leading to the understanding of the three dimensional...

Can baking soda really absorb odors in the fridge?

30 Oct 2017

Smells of course are caused by volatile compounds which stimulate receptors in our nose. There is a large variety of such compounds with a great diversity of molecular structures. But many of the...

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