Health and Nutrition

Shedding Light on Light Therapies

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 17:35:34 +0000

Without light there is no life. Literally. It was Dutch scientist Jan Ingenhousz who through a series of experiments in 1779 showed that light is required for photosynthesis, the process that makes life on earth possible by allowing plants to capture carbon dioxide from the air while simultaneously releasing the oxygen we need to breathe. Plants either directly or indirectly produce all the food we require to live.

No, Drinking Milk Will Not Increase Your Chances of Winning a Nobel Prize

Eva Kellner B.A.Sc. — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

“The countries that drink MILK WIN more NOBEL PRIZES.”

Imagine my surprise when I opened the fridge for some milk to add to my coffee and was greeted by this statement. Puzzled, I couldn’t help but scoff as I poured the milk into my cup. Before returning it to the fridge, I of course snapped a picture to send to my friends.

Ayurveda Can Harm Your Liver

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

“I know where you live. I know your address. I know who you are. Trust me, they won’t even find your dead body.”

The ancient Greek poet Homer characterized it as “liquid gold.” We are talking about olive oil.

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Homer was the supposed author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, two classics of Greek literature. “Supposed” because there is no real historical record of when he lived, or indeed, if he ever did live. Some historians believe that the Iliad and Odyssey were really compilations of stories passed down by many people over the years. In any case, if Homer did live, he certainly could have referred to olive oil as “liquid gold,” since this was the oil used to flavor food in antiquity.

There Are No Cows in Louis Pasteur's Crypt

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 16:44:44 +0000

Ask the question: “Who introduced the pasteurization of milk?” and I can pretty well guarantee that the answer will be: “Louis Pasteur.” I know because I have carried out that little experiment numerous times. Surprisingly, that answer is wrong.

My story starts decades ago, with a visit to the Pasteur Museum in Paris that houses the apartment where Pasteur and his wife lived during the last seven years of his life, a collection of his scientific equipment, and the ornate crypt where his remains lie.

Who Is the Low-Histamine Diet Really For?

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

Do you have difficulty falling asleep? A bit of anxiety? Headaches? Any sort of digestive issue? A low-histamine diet may be for you!

Why Dr. Joe Likes His Cup of Joe

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 18:37:49 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

Obviously, the expression “a cup of joe” has some interest for me.

Organic Doesn’t Mean Clean: Here’s Why Washing Fruits and Vegetables Matters More Than You Think

Eva Kellner B.A.Sc. — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Growing up, the arrival of apple season was always enough to get me through the back-to-school blues. The sweet aroma of apple cider doughnuts and the numerous haystacks provided necessary relief from the pungent smell that lingered in the city. While my siblings would fight over who got to use the long stick to reach the highest apple on the tree, I spent my time traversing the orchards searching for low-hanging fruit. There was something about picking an apple from the tree and taking a big ol' bite that just hit the spot.

The Killer Protein Bar That I’m Not Afraid of Trying

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 17:06:52 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

When it comes to scientific controversies, I’m not accustomed to sitting on the fence, but I find myself in that uncomfortable position about Joe Wicks’s “Killer Protein Bar.”

Oh, Those Micro and Nanoplastics!

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 20:17:02 +0000

I sometimes have a Babybel cheese as a snack and I used to feel that the little cheese did not want to be eaten. It seemed to defy attempts to open the plastic in which it had sought refuge. But no more! The latest batch I got was wrapped in paper not plastic and yielded its contents without the slightest struggle. I assume the novel packaging is in deference to the exploding publicity about our overuse of plastics and its consequences on the environment and possibly on our health.

AGZ Is More Shaky Science from the Makers of AG1

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” This famous line from Michael Corleone is apt here: our Office and others have been over the AG1 story, denouncing its flimsy scientific evidence.

Faster, Higher, Stronger… Enhanced?

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

For most people, track and field exists as a fleeting summer spectacle: ten days every four years when the fastest, strongest, and most gravity-defying humans wage war on a 400-metre oval. For me, this sport is much more. During my time as a varsity athlete, I was consumed by the oval: on it, I trained and competed; beyond it, I devoured every development in the professional track world.

Claims About Blue Spirulina Raise a Red Flag

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 16:24:31 +0000

In the science communication business, we call them “weasel words.” Why? Because weasels have a reputation for being sneaky and tricky. We are talking about words like “may,” “suggest,” “possible” and “potential” that can trick the reader into forming a positive impression without making a specific commitment. What prompts this discussion about dodgy words? I just finished reading a short article, 850 or so words, about the health benefits of “blue spirulina” on “Healthline,” a reasonably reputable newsletter. I counted the number of times the word “may” appears. An astounding 21 times!

The Deadly Differences Between Poisons, Toxins and Venoms

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:18:21 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

The puffer fish is poisonous, but not venomous, while a rattlesnake is venomous but not poisonous. Both can kill you with their toxins. Sound confusing? Let’s try to clear it up.

Extracting Drugs from Nature Is Hard

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

A video on Facebook with