Foodie Pharmacology

Today, nearly 2 billion people suffer from vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Labeled as the ‘hidden hunger’, this puts them at greater risk of infection, lower cognitive function, and leads to 1 million  premature deaths. A new study published in the journal Nature Plants reports that there are 1,044 edible plant species that show promise as key sources of B vitamins. I speak with the lead author of the study, PhD student Aoife Cantwell-Jones, about their findings. She also shares some fun stories from her current work on expedition in the Arctic circle, where she studies bumblebees and plants in the wild! Learn more about her research on Twitter at @aoifecj  #PlantDiversity #ClimateChange #bumblebees #Vitamins #Nutrients #Podcast

Fermentation harnesses the power of microbes to transform ingredients into value-added foods, and there are so  many different techniques to this culinary craft! I speak with Dr. Julia Skinner—author of Our Fermented Lives and fermentation enthusiast, educator, writer, food historian, and founder of Root Kitchens. Learn more about Julia and her work by subscribing to her newsletter and get a free 60-day trial at this link: https://rootkitchens.substack.com/subscribe?coupon=18d1c171  #fermentation #fermented #soda #naturalsoda #recipes #podcast

This week on the show, we go wild for bush tomatoes! I speak with an incredible crew of botanists and an anthropologist who share their work in studying a sweet relative of the tomato that grows in the Western Desert of Australia in lands managed by the Martu People with controlled burns. We cover topics of flavor, population genetics, and tales from the field! You can learn more about this project in a new film featured on the “Plants are cool, too!” YouTube Channel.  #tomato #solanum #Australia #explore #WildFoods

If you’re a fan of science fiction like me, you’ve gone gaga over HBO’s new hit show, The Last of Us! This week on the podcast, I speak with two experts in chemistry and mushrooms to dissect fact and fiction in the show! Join me as I chat with Dr. Nick Oberlies (a natural products chemist) and Dr. Huzefa Raja (a mycologist) from University of Carolina Greensboro. We dive into questions like: Which fungi can kill humans? Can fungi survive in the snow? Can fungi really turn creatures into mind-controlled zombies? How do fungi communicate? SPOILER ALERT if you haven’t seen the show yet! You can follow our guests research work on Twitter at: @OberliesGroup  @huzefaraj @uncg_chem @UNCGresearch #TheLastOfUs #HBO #Fungi #Zombie #PopularCulture #NaturalProducts

As a follow-up to my research expedition in Egypt this winter, I speak with Helmy Abouleish. He is the Chief Executive Officer of SEKEM Holding, the Initiative for Sustainable Development in the Egyptian desert, which works holistically in the four pillars of sustainable development: Ecology (biodynamic agriculture and its promotion), Economy of Love (production of phytopharmaceuticals, organic textiles and food), Social Life (sustainable community development) and Cultural Life (individual potential unfolding in Schools, University, Medical center). I’ve learned so much about biodynamic farming and sustainable agriculture in the face of climate change from Helmy and his team and I know you will too with this episode! Plus, he shares an exciting capacity building program underway in Egypt that helps small farms (2 acres or less) to farm using biodynamic practices and gain financial support through carbon certification. You can learn more about Helmy and the work at SEKEM at their website (www.sekem.com) and l

Fermentation is where microbes, vegetables, and community meet! This week on the show, I chat with Sandor Katz, James Beard award-winning fermentation revivalist. Sandor shares secrets on how to make the most delicious lactic acid fermented vegetables and shares some of his favorite recipes from his new book. “Fermentation Journeys”. Learn more about Sandor’s work at his website: https://www.wildfermentation.com/ #fermentation #pickles #probiotics #kombucha #kefir #sourdough 

How do we become better connected with our food? This week I speak with Linda Black Elk, an ethnobotanist and food sovereignty activist specializing in teaching about culturally important plants and their uses as food and medicine. Linda is the Food Sovereignty Coordinator at United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota, where she passes ethnobotanical and food systems knowledge on to her amazing students. When she isn’t teaching, Linda spends her time foraging, hiking, hunting, and fishing on the prairies and waters of the northern Great Plains with her husband and three sons, who are all members of the Ohceti Shakowin, the Seven Council Fires of the Lakota. Follow her work on Facebook @lindablackelk and on TikTok and Instagram at @Linda.Black.Elk #WildFood #Ethnobotany #Lakota #Podcast #Fermentation #Plants 

This week on the show, we’re going to explore a popular topic emerging in mental healthcare: the potential utility of psychedelic medicines for depression. I speak with expert in this field, Dr. Charles Raison. Dr. Raison is a medical doctor whose research focuses on examination of novel mechanisms involved in the development and treatment of major depression and other stress-related emotional and physical conditions. He is the Distinguished Chair for Healthy Minds, Children and Families and Professor of Psychiatry at University of Wisconsin-Madison as well as the Director of Clinical and Translational Research for the Usona Institute. He shares insights into the current state of psilocybin research and development, including how it is being tested in the clinic to treat depression. Follow his work on Twitter at @DrCharlesRaison  #depression #psilocybin #psychedelics #MentalHealth #microdosing #CharlesRaison #mushrooms

Have you ever noticed that your mood is connected with the food you eat? This week, Ispeak with journalist Mary Beth Albright about her new book "Eat and Flourish: How Food Supports Emotional Wel-Being." We discuss four pillars of food and health explored ni the book: pleasure, microbiome, inflammation, and nutrients. From eating socially to eating a variety of vegetables, we discuss the myriad ways to boost mood through our foods! Follow Mary Beth's work at http://www.marybethalbright.com/ #food #mood #flourish #mentalhealth #diet #podcast

Echinacea is one of the most beloved of medicinal plants in North America, long used in folk medicine for its immune-boosting effects. But did you know that echinacea also has a microbiome—a community of microbes living in and on it—that influences its chemistry and medicinal properties? I speak with plant chemistry expert, Dr. Nadja Cech, about plant microbiomes, chemical signatures of plants, and how the thousands of  molecules found in a single plant work together in synergy. You can follow Dr. Cech’s work on Twitter at @nadjacech. Join us this June at the Joint Conference of the Society for Economic Botany and Society of Ethnobiology meeting. Lock in the best rates with early registration by April 15th! #echinacea #medicinalplants #plantchemistry #synergy #podcast #microbiome #nadjicech #CassandraQuave

Imagine a world in which you knew how to find food all around you in nature… what would that look like? How might your food experiences expand? This week on the show I speak with the extraordinary Alexis Nikole Nelson – aka the “Black Forager”! Alexis is a cook, forager, and science communication star who has introduced the incredible world of foraging to millions of people via her channels on TikTok (@alexisnikole) and Instagram (@blackforager). I had so much fun chatting with Alexis about the plants she loves and how she takes her passion for wild foods to the masses. Listen and learn with me! #forage #podcast #wildfood #BlackForager

Seeds are nothing short of magical. They are the reservoirs of genetic information and yet so much more. They also hold the stories of farmers, seeds savers, and cultures of long ago. This week, I speak with Adam Alexander, whose book The Seed Detective – Uncovering the Secret Histories of Remarkable vegetables was published in September 2022. We chat about Adam’s passion in collecting seed of rare, endangered but above all, delicious vegetables from around the world. #Seeds #Farming #HomeGarden #SeedSaver #SeedDetective #Foodie

Who’s ready to start your spring garden? If you love plants and gardening, you’re going to love this episode! I speak with my former plant taxonomy Professor, Dr. Scott Zona, about his fun new book: “A Gardener’s Guide to Botany: The biology behind the plants you love, how they grow, and what they need.” We also touch on topics ranging from plant defense compounds to some of the emerging challenges in agriculture.  #garden #botany #houseplants #GardenersGuideToBotany #ScottZona #FoodiePharmacology #CassandraQuave 

Who’s ready to sit down for a meal in the eternal city? This week on the show, I speak with Norwegian food writer, restauranteur and activist Andreas Viestad about his latest book, Dinner in Rome: A History of the World in One Meal. We explore the archeology of taste and how some simple ingredients provide insight into the past and future of our food. Plus, Andreas shares a recipe for his favorite meal, Pasta Carbonara! You’ll work up an appetite listening to this episode! Check out his website to learn more: https://andreasviestad.com/  #ItalianCooking #FoodHistory #Pasta #WhenInRome #PastaCarbonara #FoodiePharmacology

You are what you eat, and your skin will certainly reflect that! This week on the show, I speak with clinical nutritionist, Jennifer Fugo, about how to support healthy skin with our diets. Health is a journey, and Jennifer has experience in working on a range of chronic inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, rosacea, dandruff, and hives with clientele ranging from regular folks to celebrities and professional athletes. You can learn more about Jennifer’s work at her website https://www.skinterrupt.com, on Instagram @ jenniferfugo or on her podcast, “The Healthy Skin Show.”  #SkinHealth #HealthySkinShow #youarewhatyoueat #foodiepharmacology 

I’m back from an adventure along the western coast of Connemara, Ireland! A beautiful region full of scenic bogland and pristine coastlines, Connemara reflects a part of Ireland where tradition of language and foodways is celebrated and maintained. While there, I had the opportunity to learn more about wild foraged seaweeds and land-based aquaculture of abalone and I just had to share it with you all! Meet Cindy and Sinead O’Brien: a mother-daughter team who are paving the path forward in sustainable aquaculture in the country. Learn more about their work at https://www.mungomurphyseaweed.com/ or follow them on Instagram @mungomurphyseaweed #aquaculture #Ireland #shellfish #seaweed #abalone

Mushrooms can be magical, medicinal, and delicious! This week on the show, I speak with two experts on the cultivation of medicinal mushrooms for the nutritional supplement industry. We examine the qualities of mushrooms and discuss the differences between fruiting bodies (mushrooms) grown on logs and vegetative bodies (mycelia) grown on grains. The way your supplement ingredients are grown and processed is key to the final quality and health value of the product! We break down the scientific nuance into some simple steps for listeners to use when searching for real mushroom extracts on the marketplace. #Nammex #mushroom #healthfood #supplement 

This episode is for all the coffee lovers out there who are looking for a naturally decaffeinated alternative to their cup of Joe! I speak with the co-founders of Figbrew, Andy and Marianne Whitehead, about their innovative new product, Figgee. Prepared from dried figs which are roasted and ground for brewing, this dark, yet non-acidic, brew offers a light caramel note to the palette. Learn more about Figgee on Instagram @FigBrew #figs #coffee #podcast #decaf #Figbrew #foodiepharmacology #planthunter  

What if we could discover new medical treatments based on how animals use nature as medicine? The practice of animal medication is called “zoopharmacognosy”, and you may be surprised by just how many animals use plants and other natural resources to medicate themselves and their kin! Here’s a clue, it’s not just limited to primates, but also includes other mammals and even insects! This week, I chat with Dr. Jaap de Roode, Professor of Biology at Emory University, about the amazing ways animals cure themselves with natural remedies. Follow Dr. de Roode on Twitter @Jaap_de_Roode   #MedicinalPlants #Zoopharmacognosy #AnimalMedication #NaturalMedicine

When it comes to botanicals, quality matters… A LOT! The identification and authentication of botanical ingredients is undertaken through macroscopic, microscopic and chemical analyses.  Our guest this week is Élan Sudberg, CEO of Alkemist Labs, a passionately committed contract testing laboratory specializing in plant authentication, botanical ingredient identification and quantitative analytical services to the Food & Beverage, Nutraceutical and Cosmeceutical Industries. Élan shares some of the latest advances in the dietary supplement industry and offers some advice on what consumers should look for when picking your next botanical product. Learn more about the work at Alkemist at their website: https://www.alkemist.com/   #herbalsupplements #cannabis #botanicals #qualitycontrol #foodiepharmacology #elansudberg #alkemist