Health and Nutrition

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

Apple Cider Vinegar…Again

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 21:14:24 +0000

Apple cider vinegar has been on my radar since the 1970s when I was first asked about its purported miraculous properties on my radio show. The queries were triggered by the publication of a booklet with the enticing title “Apple Cider Vinegar, Miracle Healthy System,” by Drs. Paul C. Bragg and Patricia Bragg,” both with degrees from unaccredited naturopathic institutions. These food faddists promised weight loss, improved digestion, and enhanced energy levels by consuming apple cider vinegar.

The Sour Side of Our Love of Sweets

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 17:36:46 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

For the Love of Fibre

Sophie Tseng Pellar BSc — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Recently, while browsing the candy aisle (my natural habitat as a gummy connoisseur), I was confronted by a monstrosity: protein candy. Listen, I get it. This gummy abomination is merely a reflection of the cultural moment we are in right now.

It surprises exactly no one when I say that the wellness world is obsessed with protein. From Khloe Kardashian’s protein popcorn to TikTok-famous “David bars,” protein has infiltrated every snack imaginable. But amidst this protein craze, something essential has quietly slipped off the plate: fibre.

The What, Why and What to do about Hiccups

Ada McVean M.Sc. — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

We’re all familiar with the sensation- an uncontrollable jerk of our diaphragm and an involuntary noise, stifled or not, that gives the condition its name. Hiccups are ubiquitous amongst mammals of all ages, but it may surprise you to learn that even in 2024, our understanding of them is somewhat lacking.

Fill Your Stomach and Lose Weight? Not so fast.

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

There have been many weapons used over the years in the “battle of the bulge.” There have been diets galore, medications to curb the appetite, and attempts to reduce hunger by filling the stomach with indigestible substances. Remember the cotton ball diet? It is best forgotten. It was a brief social media phenomenon in 2013 when model Bria Murphy, daughter of comedian Eddie Murphy, mentioned that she “heard” that other models were swallowing cotton balls soaked in juice and were losing weight. Not a smart thing to do.

From Oliver Twist’s Gruel to my Grandson’s Overnight Oats

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 19:29:12 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

Oatmeal was not part of my upbringing. My childhood breakfast in Hungary consisted of hot cocoa with a slice of buttered bread and, when the season permitted, green pepper.

All About the Tylenol-Autism Brouhaha

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

At an unhinged press conference last Monday, Donald Trump and his medical acolytes revealed an actionable cause of autism at long last: Tylenol. In what felt like a social media post come to life, Trump fumbled his way through the word “acetaminophen” and declared it “NOT GOOD.”

Health Canada and Natural Health Products

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Thu, 18 Sep 2025 19:56:36 +0000

“Bach Rescue Remedy” features a Natural Product Number (NPN) issued by Health Canada so one would naturally assume that it will relieve stress and nervousness as the label claims. If you have an earache, you might go for “Ear oil” that claims to relieve pain with extracts of mullein, garlic, calendula and St. John’s Wort. It too has an NPN. So does “Wild Rose Herbal Detox” that claims to detoxify the colon and kidneys with its 24 ingredients extracted from the likes of dandelion, burdock, licorice, buckthorn, raspberry and radish.

Is There Really Room for Beer in Your Wellness Routine?

Eva Kellner B.A.Sc. — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

“Beer Spa” –– two words that you wouldn’t think to put together. Well, go to the center of Prague, and there is seemingly no end to the signs for these curious retreats.

When I think of a spa day, I imagine walking in the door and instantly being embraced by the calming aroma of eucalyptus. So, I must admit, that the concept of soaking in and sipping unlimited beer for hours doesn’t really seem like my ideal spa experience.

But maybe that’s just me.

PragerU Targets Kids and Parents with Shockingly Bad Science

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 10:00:00 +0000

If we’re trying to understand our era, we need to recognize the following: mainstream institutions and their various consensuses are being replaced by fringe alternatives. In the United States right now, mainstream science and education are being levelled to make way for replacements, and because ideas are not contained by geopolitical borders, this institutionalization of bad ideas can affect us all.

Mozart, Mice and Microbes

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 21:51:19 +0000

I must admit that my interest in Mozart has mostly focused on the various theories of his demise in the prime of his youth. The composer had always been sickly, and it is well known that he had often been treated with antimony compounds by his physicians. He even dosed himself when he didn’t feel well. Antimony compounds can indeed be lethal if the dose is high enough. Recently, though, my curiosity about Mozart has taken a different turn. I’ve become interested in his music. Not because I’ve suddenly developed an appreciation for his sonatas.

The Quagmire of Nutritional Studies

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 16:32:53 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

There are roughly 9,000 research papers published annually in the 75 or so journals dedicated to nutrition. That translates to about two dozen a day. Why is this staggering amount of nutritional research carried out by scientists around the world? The simple answer is so that we can determine what to eat and what not to eat for a healthier, longer life.

The Sweet Embellishments of the Glucose Goddess

Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. — Tue, 02 Sep 2025 15:22:23 +0000

Move over, Food Babe. There’s a new food influencer in town and she is no mere “babe.” This one hangs out on Mount Olympus.