You might not know it, but there’s a cottage industry in Los Angeles that supports women interested in eating their placentas in the early days of motherhood for the reputed health benefits.
The impacts of colonialism and unseemly research reverberate to this day. But, outside of the social sciences and some genomics, efforts to involve and protect Indigenous peoples remain nebulous.
The science behind the idea of restoring the intestinal microbiome to an ancestral state is shaky, skeptics say, and in some cases unethical.
Honey is made by bees, and because we typically associate its image with peaceful, pastoral beekeeping, the question of whether or not honey is vegan is often one that will get you different answers, depending on who you ask. So, what’s the buzz, is honey vegan?
A group of social scientists who conduct cross-cultural research are casting a critical lens on their own practices.
A life without bees is no life at all. Literally. Not only are they essential for pollination of plants but they are intricately entwined with the evolution of our species. University of Nevada paleoanthropologist Alyssa Crittenden argues that honey and bee larvae consumption are what “made it possible for early Homo to nutritionally out-compete other species of hominid and may have provided critical energy to fuel their enlarging and evolving brains”.
According to BBC Travel, a species of ant called the Hormigas culonas—or “big-butt ant”—fetches prices as high as 300,000 Colombian pesos per kilogram, or approximately $83 USD. Part of the reason ants are in such high demand is due to their nutritional value, a recently studied and similar species shows.
The diminishing sugar demand took a worldwide pandemic to occur, according to Bloomberg. “The global closure of restaurants, sports arenas, and cinemas means sugar demand will drop this season for the first time in four decades,” the article said. “Drink and confectionery sales at giants including Coca-Cola Co. and Nestle SA have fallen, and while economies start to reopen, it’s unclear how quickly demand will recover as incomes and employment fall.”
Dan Saladino looks at the legal and illegal trade in wild meat. Links made between Covid-19 and wild animals has led to calls for a total ban. This could be a mistake Dan explains.
Humans are one of the most successful species on the planet: We live on frozen continents and arid deserts, create tools that help us survive and even push the boundaries of our biology. Our ingenuity and adaptability serve as our species' superpowers, but the origins of that power may be found in unexpected places — like the armpit sweat of our closest living relatives.
If you live in the United States, you might be surprised to see a Stroopwafel McFlurry in McDonald’s, but in the Netherlands it’s a staple dessert item on the fast food chain’s menu. It might also seem strange to order a Baja Blast with Ketel One in it. But if the test market is successful, the cocktail may be coming to a Taco Bell near you. Despite the spread of most foods to all four corners of the Earth, humans still have wildly different diets owing to our diverse cultures.
Honey — it’s a popular “better-for-you” sweetener for tea and baked goods alike, but because it’s made by bees, the question of its vegan status is an on-going discussion in communities.