This week we go the healthy route, re-examining our leafy green friend spinach and comparing it to a surprising sugar source. And when their powers combine? You'd better watch out.

• Discover the History of Beets - PBS
• Betaine - Wikipedia

It's snack time (at least for high school-era Shawn), so we're bringing out two foods that no one is going to confuse for nutritious to see if one might, miiiight be a little bit better for us.

• The International Day of the Nacho Would Not Be Possible Without This Man - Time
• Nachos Anyone? - Oxford English Dictionary
• The History of Baseball Stadium Nachos - Smithsonian Magazine
• Jeno's Pizza Rolls Ad
• Jeno Paulucci, a Pioneer of Ready-Made Ethnic Foods, Dies at 93 - New York Times

Who doesn't love meat (aside from the vegans)? We dig deep on two of the most "American" meat dishes out there and explore the history of how they became popular while staying vigilant in our quest to find all of the best ways that they can kill you. 

• Barbecue: A Brief History - Time
• The Evolution of American Barbecue - Smithsonian Magazine
• A History of Meatloaf, Long May It Reign - Bon Appetit
• All About Meatloaf: The Quintessential American Meal - The Spruce Eats

These tree-based fruits both originated in different parts of Asia, but that's about where the similarities end. We delve into the explosive mysteries of durian and grant pears an honorary title on the way to determining which is better to include in your diet. 

• Durian - Singapore Infopedia
• Why Does the Durian Fruit Smell So Terrible? - Smithsonian Magazine
• Origin, Domestication, and Dispersing of Pear
• Durian Tree

It's delicious dessert time as we dig into these European delights. We'll discuss the finer points of blowtorches in museums, the correct dessert to have at your wedding, and, of course, try to find out how these foods could kill us. 

• The Mysterious Origins of Tiramisu - Eater
• The Restaurant the Invented Tiramisu Has Shut Down - Smithsonian Magazine
• Thomas Jefferson: President, Scholar, First Foodie - National Geographic

We've talked about the power of leafy green vegetables before, so it's time to dig in and really understand how good these are, whether any stand out from the crowd, and if there are any drawbacks to eating bushels of romaine, arugula, spinach, or kale.

• The Etymology of the Word Arugula - Bon Appetit
• Romaine's Long Leafy History - Washington Post
• Iron and Popeye

Things get nutty (or was it seedy?) when we try to see if one of these two nutritional titans can rise above the other. 

• Remember Red Pistachios? Here's What Happened to Them - Huffington Post
• How the Russians Saved America's Sunflower - NPR
• When Did Baseball Players Start Chewing Sunflower Seeds - Mental Floss
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25809855

How many ways are there to ferment cabbage? We tackle the two most popular methods, putting claims of cancer fighting under the microscope along the way.

• Discussion on the origin of kimchi, representative of Korean unique fermented vegetables
• Sauerkraut, the Quintessential European Vegetable - Spruce Eats
• Sauerkraut: It All Began in China - New York Times
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22076217
• https://books.google.com/books?id=xteiARU46SQC&pg=PA803#v=onepage&q&f=false

If you're looking for an in-depth discussion of the relative benefits of two classic types of cheese...well you're in the right place. We start out in the dark depths of cheese caves and never really leave, enjoying these two delightful varieties and trying to uncover a winner in this close contest. 

• The Original Chevre: Goat Cheeses of France
• Gorgonzola

Looking for a light lunch? These two salad options may be the right choice for you! We'll dive into the histories of these two foods, talk about the science behind their cheesier ingredients, and find out whether one stands out from the other when you're looking for a nutritious lunch. 

Cobb Salad Recipe - NY Times