Serving Up Science

Why are we drawn to fatty, sugary, and salty snacks and drinks? We’re putting junk food under the microscope to explore the science behind our affinity for processed foods that pack a lot of calories and have little nutritional value. When we eat foods that contain lots of fat and sugar, it's the natural chemical dopamine that gives us a rush of elation and desire for more.

Think your truffle popcorn has real truffle? Think again. Many products bearing a truffle label typically get their taste and aroma from a truffle flavored oil -- not the real thing! As Sheril makes a truffle gouda omelette, she is joined in the kitchen by mycologist Greg Bonito, who shares some of the science behind the rare and desirable fungi that is the truffle.

Not all cooking oils are created equal. With so many options available -- from coconut, to vegetable, to olive oil, and more -- what’s a home chef to do? Sheril explores characterists of cooking oils and offers solutions to this cooking conundrum. When it comes to what we do in the kitchen, selecting the right oil is about temperature, taste, and impact on health.

An estimated 2.25 billion cups of coffee are enjoyed worldwide per day. What does caffeine do to our bodies that makes us perk up and give us a mood boost? More than you might realize! Discover the chemistry of caffeine and why it’s the world’s most consumed psychoactive substance. Sheril is joined in the kitchen by David Lowry, evolutionary plant biologist and self-proclaimed coffee addict.

Would you eat steak grown in a test tube? A chicken from a petri dish? It's not science fiction. It’s the next generation of meat, grown in a lab from the cells of animals. Scientists are concerned that climate conditions will make food production uncertain. Cultivated meat may offer an alternative to traditionally raised meat, while being more sustainable than current agricultural practices.