The hottest Food Science Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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What are ultra-processed foods, really?

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1591 implied HN points • 28 May 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Public Health Dietary Guidelines Food Science Health Research
  1. Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) can be convenient and affordable, but they are often linked to health issues like obesity and heart disease. It's important to know that not all processed foods are bad; some can actually be nutritious.
  2. Research shows that diets high in UPFs may lead to overeating and poorer health, but the exact reasons for this aren't fully understood yet. The type of UPF matters, with sugary drinks and processed meats being the most harmful.
  3. To eat healthier, you can look for foods with lower added sugars and sodium, while being mindful of marketing claims. Sometimes, it’s okay to include UPFs in your diet, especially when they meet your specific needs.

Waffles From Scratch

Life Since the Baby Boom • 922 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🍲 Food & Drink Cooking Recipes Breakfast Food Science Home Cooking
  1. Making waffles from scratch can be easy and fun! You don't need a fancy recipe; just follow a simple one and you'll impress your family.
  2. Using the right tools, like a good waffle maker, makes a huge difference in the final taste and texture of the waffles.
  3. It's all about experimenting! You can change ingredients and try new combinations to find what you like best.

What does your pee say about you?

Snaxshot • 659 implied HN points • 30 Aug 24
🍲 Food & Drink Health trends Food Science Business Strategies
  1. Your urine can give clues about your health. Smart toilets and devices are being developed to analyze your pee for hydration and gut health.
  2. Companies like Graza are successful by listening to customer preferences and adapting their products. Their packaging and pricing strategies are attractive to shoppers.
  3. The trend of snackable salmon is growing, as brands find innovative ways to make salmon more accessible and appealing, similar to how tuna was marketed.

Op-ed on the US Dietary Guidelines: the problems and how to fix them

Unsettled Science • 1158 implied HN points • 22 Nov 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Dietary Guidelines Public Health Wellness Trends Food Science
  1. The US Dietary Guidelines have some serious flaws that need addressing. Many people think these guidelines aren't based on solid science.
  2. Experts are suggesting changes to improve the guidelines. They believe the rules should be more flexible and better reflect current nutrition research.
  3. There's a call for a broader discussion on diet recommendations. It’s important for everyone to have a say in what healthy eating looks like.

ex150-11 review: weight stable for 30 days

Experimental Fat Loss • 134 implied HN points • 04 Nov 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Dieting Nutrition Weight Loss Food Science
  1. After a month on the ex150 diet, the person remained stable in weight with an average around 222-224 pounds. A little weight gain was noted, but it was mostly muscle and fat together.
  2. Eating felt more satisfying during a recent protein refeed. They experienced better fullness from their meals than they had in the past.
  3. The experiment with different foods shows that consuming more cream might help maintain weight. They are now trying out a new diet involving rice to see how it affects their results.
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Chapter 25: Science of Nutrition in Modern Health- Part 1

Spyderdoc Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 09 Nov 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Metabolism Hormones Diet Food Science
  1. Our bodies need food for survival, but it's important to choose the right foods to stay healthy. Understanding what we eat helps us make better choices for longevity.
  2. Hormones like ghrelin and leptin control our hunger and fullness. These hormones play a big role in how much we eat and can affect our weight.
  3. The way we process food has changed a lot over time. Today, many people eat more sugars and processed foods, leading to overeating and weight gain. We need to be mindful of our eating habits and try to eat healthier.

LiveBlogging a Pizza in the Cause of n=1 Science

The Heart Attack Diet • 39 implied HN points • 08 Aug 23
🍲 Food & Drink Cooking Food Science Experiment Personal Experience
  1. The author conducted an experiment by live-blogging the process of eating a pizza to observe its effects on their energy levels.
  2. Eating pizza seemed to cause temporary effects like eye strain and mental fatigue, but overall, the author felt energetic and productive after the meal.
  3. The author concluded that their experience with carbs causing drowsiness was likely a transient issue, noting that pizza served as good fuel for their writing.

What do people think about cultured meat?

The Counterfactual • 59 implied HN points • 17 Aug 22
🍲 Food & Drink Food Science Consumer behavior Agriculture Sustainability
  1. Consumer acceptance of cultured meat varies widely. Some people are very open to trying it, while others are quite resistant and refuse even to consider it.
  2. Concerns about the unnaturalness and safety of cultured meat are significant barriers to its acceptance. Many people are worried about how it is made, even if it tastes similar to traditional meat.
  3. Economic factors are key in determining whether people will choose cultured meat over conventional options. If the price of cultured meat becomes competitive, it could lead to more widespread adoption.

Issue #92 | Mystery Toxin Solved? | Food Scientists are 'Baddies'? (Join the Conversation) | Sanitising Harvest Equipment |

The Rotten Apple • 42 implied HN points • 12 Jun 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Science Food Industry Food Fraud
  1. Mystery toxin in tara flour was possibly identified by toxicologists after causing numerous illnesses.
  2. Food scientists may contribute to making highly processed foods addictive, but the blame lies with the profit-driven food industry.
  3. Cleaning and sanitizing harvest equipment, especially for raw vegetables, is crucial for preventing foodborne illness outbreaks.

Issue #85 | Risk Management Science vs Politics | Wasabi Fraud | Synbio and HFSS Foods Explained | Goats Eating Tomatoes |

The Rotten Apple • 42 implied HN points • 24 Apr 23
🍲 Food & Drink Food Safety Food Fraud Food Science Risk management Food Industry
  1. Risk management in food safety is more of a political process than a scientific one.
  2. Most wasabi paste we consume is fake, made with horseradish, but still has antibacterial properties.
  3. Synthetic biology in food production and the term HFSS (high in fat, salt, sugar) are emerging concepts in food science.

#28: Ambient uncertainty, Part 2

The Uncertainty Mindset (soon to become tbd) • 79 implied HN points • 13 May 20
🍲 Food & Drink Cooking Culinary Arts Baking Food Science Home Cooking
  1. Pizza making can help you understand and manage uncertainty in everyday life. When you try different flours or toppings, the results can be unpredictable, teaching you to adapt.
  2. Choosing the right flour affects the outcome of your pizza. Using high-quality, less processed flour can lead to unique and flavorful results, embracing unpredictability.
  3. Creating a habit of facing small uncertainties, like making your own pizza, can build your confidence in dealing with bigger uncertainties later on. It turns low-stake situations into learning opportunities.

#47: Industrial unpredictability

The Uncertainty Mindset (soon to become tbd) • 0 implied HN points • 23 Sep 20
🍲 Food & Drink Culinary Arts Food Science Agriculture Sustainability Innovation
  1. Industrial food is made in large amounts, which makes it uniform and predictable. This means you often get the same taste every time, like how fast food always tastes similar.
  2. However, creating food that surprises and delights is much harder and usually requires skill and experience. Artisanal food can do this because it doesn't need to be the same every time.
  3. The future of food might involve large-scale production that can still offer unexpected flavors. This could take advanced technology to achieve, like artificial intelligence that understands taste.