The show, episode by episode

Gastropod

Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley

Food with a side of science and history. Every other week, co-hosts Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley serve up a brand new episode exploring the hidden history and surprising science behind a different food- or farming-related topic, from aquaculture to ancient feasts, from cutlery to chile peppers, and from microbes…

299 episodes tracked

Gastropod

Free Food: The Rise, Fall, and Return of Foraging

The Big Apple Episode

Fibermaxxing FTW: Meet the Neglected Nutrient That's the Key to Health

Eat Bison to Save Bison

Plant Milk Proliferation: Oat, Soy, Almond, and More, But Which Is Best?

So Hot Right Now: Why We Love the Chile Pepper

Salad Days: A Story of Science, Sexism, and Jell-O

Where There's Smoke, There's...Whiskey, Fish, and Barbecue!

America's Forbidden Fruit and Forgotten First Soda: Ask Gastropod

Bringing Home the Bacon: From Shakespeare to the Baconator

What the Shell? Cracking the Lobster's Mysteries

A Dog's Dinner: What Should We Really Be Feeding Our Pets?

Feel the Beet: The Most Fascinating Woman You've Never Heard Of

White vs. Wheat: The Food Fight of the Centuries

Protein, Pyramids, and Politics: The Forgotten Stories and Controversial Science Behind Government Dietary Advice

Sushi's Extraordinary Evolution: From Pickle to Primetime

SNAP To It! Why Food Stamps Matter To All of Us—And Why They're Under Threat

When is a Pancake Not a Pancake?

OXO, Cuisinart, and Julia Child: The Secret (Accessible) History Behind Your Kitchen

Ripe for Global Domination: The Story of the Avocado

Canned Tomatoes and the Myth of the San Marzano

Is Your Cinnamon Fake? Where Does Kefir Come From? Plus: Why Is Citric Acid In Everything? Ask Gastropod!

Forget Plain Vanilla: You'll Never See The World's Favorite Flavor the Same Way Again

From Fountain of Youth to Fruit on the Bottom: How Yoghurt Finally Made it Big in America

Yes, You Really Can Make Food From Thin Air—And We Tried It

Pizza Pizza!

Everything You Know About Metabolism Is Wrong

Durian Delight and Feijoa Fun: Adventures in Banned, Forgotten, and Unusual Fruit

Talking Taco

Tomatoes: A Love Story

The Most Dangerous Fruit in America

The Colorful Tale of Mexico's A-maize-ing Grain

Should You Be Eating Poison Oak?

Ask Gastropod: Bubblegum, Meal Kits, and the Real Truth About Rooibos

Feasting With Montezuma: Food and Farming in a Floating City

Bananageddon! Say Goodbye to *the* Banana, and Hello to the Weird and Wonderful World of Bananas, Plural

Going Bananas: How a Tropical Treat Became the World's Favorite Fruit

Do We Really Have Beer to Thank for the First Writing and Cities?

Seed Oil Scare: The Curious Case of Canola

Nutrition Advice Decoded: What Foods Are Actually Good For Us, What Should We Avoid, and Why Is It All SO Confusing?

The Rise and Fall of Quinoa: From Incan "Superfood" to Buddha Bowl Basic

The Shocking True Story of the World's First Seed Bank—And The Scientists Who Sacrificed Their Lives to Save It

No Buzz Booze: The History and Science of Going Low- or No-Alcohol

Moon Rocks Wanted (guest episode)

Is My Dentist Scamming Me? (guest episode)

Why Are Kids Dipping Cookies in Ranch, Are Food Comas Real, and What's Inside the Mummy's Stomach?

Hacking Taste (encore)

The Curiously Strong Story of Mint

Dishwashing Debates: The Soapy Science Behind Everyone's Favorite Chore

V is for Vitamin (encore)

Bringing Salmon Home: The Story of the World's Largest Dam Removal Project

Potatoes in Space! (encore)

Absinthe: The World's Most Dangerous Drink?

From Trash to Treasure: Why's It So Hard to Save Restaurant Leftovers From the Dumpster?

Smashing Pumpkin Myths: What's Big, Orange, and Having an Identity Crisis?

Meet the Queen of Kiwi: The 96-Year-Old Woman Who Transformed America's Produce Aisle (ENCORE)

Deli is Short For Delicious—But Are Your Pastrami and Bologna Sandwiches Giving You Cancer?

What's the Buzz on Eating Bugs? Can Insects Really Save the World?

The Billion Dollar War Behind U.S. Rum (Planet Money)

The Interstitium (Radiolab)

Are Hush Puppies Racist? Is A2 Milk Really Healthier? And What's Up With Wedding Cake? Ask Gastropod!

Why Does Everyone Have Food Allergies These Days?

The Bagelization of America (encore)

The Birth of Cool: How Refrigeration Changed Everything

Omega 1-2-3 (encore)

Sugar's Dark Shadow

(Guest) Are Fast Food Jingles Pop Music?

Why Are Restaurants So Loud? Plus the Science Behind the Perfect Playlist

The Food Explorer (encore)

Meet the Most Famous American You’ve Never Heard Of: His Legacy is Excellent French Fries and Monsanto

All You Can Eat: The True Story Behind America's Most Popular Seafood

The World Is Your Oyster: How Our Favorite Shellfish Could Save Coastlines Worldwide

Eat This, Not That: The Surprising Science of Personalized Nutrition (encore)

Bam! How Did Cajun Flavor Take Over the World?

Anything's Pastable (Guest Episode)

Can You Patent a Pizza?

Super Fry: The Fight for the Golden Frite (encore)

Dining at the (Other) Top of the World: Hunger, Fruitcake, and the Race to Reach the South Pole

Dining at the Top of the World: Arctic Adaptation, Abundance, and...Ice Cream

Bananageddon! Say Goodbye to the Banana, and Hello to the Weird and Wonderful World of Bananas, Plural

The Keto Paradox: Fad Diet and Life-Saving Medical Treatment

Always Coca-Cola: Coca, Kola, and the Real Secret Formula

Balls and Brains: The Science and History of Offal