Join Dr. Quave in conversation with MacArthur Fellow and James Beard award-winning author of “Agave Spirits”, Dr. Gary Paul Nabhan as they discuss the incredible adaptations of desert plants, innovative water management techniques, and the sacred role of plants across various cultures. Dr. Nabhan is globally known for building cross-cultural teams for the collaborative conservation of biocultural landscapes and rare foods, medicines and sacred plants. An author or editor of over thirty books...

Our bodies change as we age, and the condition of overactive bladder can interfere with sleep patterns and quality of life. This week on the show, Dr. Quave speaks with Dr. Ted Johnson, who works in geriatric medicine, which is a medical specialty dedicated exclusively to providing high-quality, patient-centered care for older adults. Ted has over 25 years of clinical practice and is Chief of Emory General Internal Medicine, Chair of Emory Family and Preventive Medicine, and a Clinical...

Have you ever wondered what and how astronauts eat in outer space? A lot of thought and scientific planning is required to design a space menu! This week on the show, Dr. Quave speaks with Vickie Kloeris, author of “Space Bites” and retired NASA food scientist with over 34 years of experience. Vickie shares her journey from food microbiology to managing NASA’s food systems for space missions and the International Space Station. They cover topics like how to create shelf-stable, crumb-free...

In a world facing the looming crisis of climate change, it's essential to address not only the environmental impacts but also the mental health challenges that arise from eco-anxiety, grief, and despair. This week on Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Quave speaks with Dr. Britt Wray, Director of CIRCLE at Stanford Psychiatry, a research and action initiative focused on Community-minded Interventions for Resilience, Climate Leadership and Emotional wellbeing in the Stanford School of Medicine. Britt is...

Food EDU is an exciting new educational initiative under development from the American Heart Association. This platform aims to unite various disciplines, geographies, and professions to advance our understanding of food, agriculture, and nutrition. It was inspired by the Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) to enable scientists to utilize new food composition data more effectively. Food EDU seeks to inspire and educate a new generation about the intersection of food science,...

The numbers are startling – 45% of all flowering plants are at risk of extinction. Did you know that replacing part of your lawn with native plants can create a sanctuary for local wildlife and support our planet's biodiversity? This week on the podcast, Dr. Quave speaks with Dr. Doug Tallamy,  New York Times bestselling author of “Nature’s Best Hope” and founder of The Homegrown National Park. They delve into why native plants are essential for a healthy environment, how insects play a...

It’s time to turn up the heat! This week on the show, host Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Troy Primeaux of Primo’s Peppers! Troy developed the “7 Pot Primo” pepper, which arguably (and controversially) may just be the hottest pepper in the world. At an average face-melting 1.79 million Scoville heat units, one “7 Pot Primo” pepper is 360 times hotter than a Jalapeño! Troy shares his journey from the garden to creating an award-winning hot pepper sauce company and starring in the Hulu...

Food is not just something we eat to fill our stomachs; there is diversity, culture, and nutrition in every bite! This week on the show, host Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Dr. Anna Herforth, senior research associate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. They discuss the importance of understanding the diversity of diets worldwide from a nutritional perspective and how different cultures' eating habits impact health. Dr. Herforth shares insights into the Global Diet Quality...

This week on Foodie Pharmacology, host Dr. Cassandra Quave explores the importance of herbaria, focusing on their critical role in research, biodiversity conservation, and education. Dr. Quave, who became the curator of the Emory University Herbarium in 2012, discusses the challenges herbaria face, including funding and space, as illustrated by the recent closure of Duke University's herbarium. Through her experience and excerpts from relevant publications, Quave emphasizes the indispensable...

Fermentation is a transformative process that uses microbes to enhance food's flavor and health benefits. In this episode of the Foodie Pharmacology podcast, bestselling authors Kirsten and Christopher Shockey discuss the revised 10th anniversary edition of their book, 'Fermented Vegetables.' The first edition has been translated into 6 languages, a copy is on display in the Kimchi Museum in Seoul, Korea, it has sold over 250K copies. They delve into fermentation's evolution over the past...

The American food system is under the control of a few elite power players. The economic dynamics of the food system not only shape our food culture, but also affect our health. Our guest this week is Austin Frerick, an expert on agricultural and antitrust policy. He worked at the Open Markets Institute, the U.S. Department of Treasury, and the Congressional Research Service before becoming a Fellow at Yale University. Austin is the author of “Barons: Money, power, and the corruption of...

Did you know a single locust swarm can feed thousands? This week on the show, our guest Dr. Victor Benno Meyer-Rochow explores the world of edible insects and how they could revolutionize our food system. Dr. Meyer-Rochow is an expert in neurobiology and ethnobiological studies; he has been studying the nutritional and ecological benefits of insect consumption, and the cultural shifts affecting entomophagy (the practice of eating insects since the 1970s. Despite early skepticism, Meyer-Rochow...

In this episode of the Foodie Pharmacology podcast, hosted by Dr. Cassandra Quave in collaboration with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, we meet Sierra Leonean Chef Fatmata Binta. From her nomadic restaurant, Dine on Mats, she advocates for plant diversity, highlighting the importance of overlooked ingredients in food and culture. She emphasizes the importance of collaboration with farmers growing ancient grains, particularly as a sustainable and...

Crop wild relatives are the wild plants that are genetically related to our cultivated crops. They act as a treasure trove of genetic diversity that breeders rely on to improve crops and make them more resilient to climate change, pests, and diseases. This week on the show, Dr. Quave speaks with Nan McCarry, ethnobotanist and crop wild relative enthusiast! They discuss the subtle relationship between food security and biodiversity, underscoring the need to conserve these wild relatives. Nan...

In this episode, Dr. Cassandra Quave hosts the special series 'Treaty Talks,' created in collaboration with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The interview guest is Dr. Colin Khoury, a crop diversity researcher, who discusses an ambitious global study aiming to gather comprehensive data about crops, their uses, production, trade, conservation, and genetic diversity. The purpose of this study is to inform international negotiations, contribute to...

Food has always been a means of nourishment and pleasure, but it is also deeply connected to culture and health. In the Pacific Islands, a region rich in unique biodiversity and vibrant food traditions, this connection between food, culture, and health is particularly evident. This week, Dr. Quave speaks with Dr. Vincent Lal, manager of analytical services at the University of the South Pacific Institute of Applied Sciences, about the diverse dietary consumption patterns and unique foods of...

This week on the show, Dr. Quave speaks with Dr. Aaron Dossey about a radical idea in the food industry: the inclusion of insects in the diet! Entomophagy, or the practice of eating insects, is a customary dietary habit in many parts of the world like South and Central America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Notwithstanding cultural norms, the main appeal of entomophagy on a global scale is the high efficiency of insects in food production. Insect proteins are not only efficient; they are also...

In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology presented by Dr. Cassandra Quave, a collaboration with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture facilitates illuminating discussions with different experts focused on plants crucial to our agricultural systems, diets, and health. The onus of this special series is exploring how we can continue feeding our growing global population amidst the looming threat of climate change. This episode features Dr. Geoff Hawtin, a...

Our world is full of fascinating plants, many with deep-rooted historical and cultural significance. In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave discusses the significance of ethnobotany with guest, Dr. Sarah Edwards, an ethnobotanist and biodiversity informaticist at the University of Oxford. Edwards is author of a new book, “The Ethnobotanical” (Kew Publishing/ Quercus Book). She shares her journey to becoming an ethnobotanist, from a lucid dream about Australia to working...

In the world of agriculture, the concept of regenerative farming is gaining significant attention. This innovative approach focuses on improving soil health and biodiversity to create a more sustainable and resilient food system. Join Dr. Quave this week as she and Dr. Jonathan Lundgren, the Executive Director of Ecdysis Foundation and CEO of Blue Dasher Farm, discuss the concept of agroecology, particularly regenerative agriculture. As a researcher and educator, Dr. Lundgren describes his...

Did you know that some everyday foods contain natural toxins that have been developing for millions of years? This week, Dr. Quave talks with Dr. Noah Whiteman, an Evolutionary Biology professor from UC Berkeley and the author of the book “The Most Delicious Poison.” They explore how certain poisons in nature work, how they affect us, and their role in the bigger picture of evolution. They cover a wide range of fascinating subjects, like why your coffee has caffeine, how certain caterpillars...

In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave in collaboration with the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture presents a series in which she interviews experts on agriculture trends. She talks with Jasmine Wibisono, a graduate from the Bard's College Graduate Programs in Sustainability, about her research on plant-based proteins, particularly pea protein. They discuss its sudden rise in popularity, its use in various products in the market and...

Can food culture help combat non-communicable lifestyle diseases? We explore this question and more in the first episode of Season 6 of the Foodie Pharmacology podcast with Dr. Cassandra Quave. This week's guest is Chef Robert Oliver, an award-winning author, TV host, food ambassador, and renowned New Zealand chef with restaurants in cities like New York, Miami, Las Vegas, and Sydney. Chef Oliver discusses his passion and in-depth knowledge of Pacific cuisine, the significance of local foods,...

Seeds are essential to the rhythm of life. This week on the show, we discuss seeds and how gardening can open up deeper connections to nature, our foods, and sense of place. Our guest is Jennifer Jewell, gardener, creator, and host of the public radio program and podcast “Cultivating Place: Conversations on Natural History and the Human Impulse to Garden”. Jennifer is the author of three books: The Earth in Her Hands, 75 Extraordinary Women Working in the World of Plants (Timber Press, 2020);...