The (Weirdly Crooked) History of the Food Pyramid

The (Weirdly Crooked) History of the Food Pyr...

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CLASSIC: How Big Bill Speakman Fought Off North Korea With Beer Bottles

In this week's Classic episode: Bill Speakman, better known as the “Beer Bottle VC”, single-handedly took on a brigade of Chinese People’s Army Infantry in four hours of close-quarters combat. As he ran out of actual weapons, he began throwing beer bottles -- and, somehow, surviv ...  Show more

A Ridiculous History of Potatoes, Part One: the Origin Story

Potatoes are amazing. While these sturdy little tubers may not seem immediately impressive, they're one of agricultural's biggest success stories. So, how did they grow from a domestic crop in South America to an absolute global phenomenon? In the first part of this special two-p ...  Show more

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The Food Pyramid
Maintenance Phase

In the 1990s, the Food Pyramid was one of the most recognizable symbols in nutrition education. But where did it come from? Why was it created by the agriculture department? And why did it tell us to eat a whole loaf of bread every day?

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A Brief History of Foreign Food in the U.S.
Stuff You Missed in History Class

One of the most diverse things about the U.S. is its food industry. Foodies obsessively seek out the “authentic” flavors of any given culture. But many of the foods brought to the U.S. via immigration were initially viewed with suspicion and disdain.

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Calories: How to fuel a human
The Forum

Calories are fundamental to the way many of us view food and our own bodies - you’ll find them on supermarket shelves, restaurant menus, and in cookbooks. But they didn’t start out that way. Originally coined during the study of steam engines and industrial energy, the term ‘calo ...  Show more

The Wide World of Food Conspiracies, Part II
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

Food is one of the few things that unites the human species -- so it's no surprise the world of food is chock-full of conspiracies. In today's episode, the guys return to the world of conspiracy and cuisine, fielding some of the strangest, most disturbing urban legends and rum ...

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