February 06, 2018

Why We Eat What We Eat

35 minutes

Humans eat just like every other living creature. Have you ever wondered what drives us to binge eat, or spend too much time at the grocery store? And how does the food we eat impact us emotionally? We talk to Dr. Rachel Herz, author of "Why You Eat What You Eat: The Science Behind Our Relationship with Food," about the surprising science of food in our daily lives.

Dr. Herz is a leading world expert on the psychological science of smell, and has been conducting research on olfaction, sensory perception, emotion, motivated behavior and cognition since 1990. She holds an adjunct appointment in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior and sometimes teaches in the Department of Cognitive, Linguistic and Psychological Sciences at Brown University.

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Additional resources discussed:

"Why You Eat What You Eat: The Science Behind Our Relationship with Food"

Dr. Rachel Herz website (RachelHerz.com)

Dr. Rachel Herz faculty bio (Brown University)

Diet beverage drinkers compensate by eating unhealthy food, study finds (Science Daily)

U.S. News Best Diets: How We Rated 40 Eating Plans (U.S. News & World Report)

Think organic food is better for you, animals, and the planet? Think again (The Telegraph)

Does organic farming reduce environmental impacts? – A meta-analysis of European research (ScienceDirect)

Are Organic Foods Safer or Healthier Than Conventional Alternatives?: A Systematic Review (American College of Physicians)