Nitrates /oss/taxonomy/term/932/all en The Right Chemistry: On beetroot juice and the "nitrate advantage" /oss/article/health-videos/right-chemistry-beetroot-juice-and-nitrate-advantage <p></p><div class="media-youtube-video media-element file-default media-youtube-1"></div> Mon, 29 Apr 2019 14:36:16 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7730 at /oss The Right Chemistry: If You Can't Pronounce It, Should You Eat It? /oss/article/videos/right-chemistry-if-you-cant-pronounce-it-should-you-eat-it <p></p><div class="media-youtube-video media-element file-default media-youtube-2"></div> Fri, 09 Nov 2018 19:29:07 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7444 at /oss Can "Dog Rocks" stop dogs from staining my lawn? /oss/article/technology-quackery-you-asked/can-dog-rocks-help-stop-my-dog-staining-my-lawn <p>“Dog Rocks” are supposed to solve the problem of grass dying from dog pee. <a href="/oss/article/you-asked/why-does-dog-urine-stain-grass">Urine contains a variety of nitrogen compounds</a>, mostly metabolites of protein in food. These are effective fertilizers, but in the case of urine, they supply too much nitrogen relative to other nutrients and grass suffers the consequences. Drinking water also contains naturally occurring nitrates that can eventually show up in the urine.</p> Thu, 07 Jun 2018 14:07:05 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7128 at /oss Hot Diggety Dog /oss/article/controversial-science-food-health/hot-diggety-dog <p>I have a confession to make. I like hot dogs. I couldn't eat 62, like Matt Stonie the winner of the Nathan's hot dog eating contest on July 4, 2015. But I could pack away one. Maybe two. In these days of nutritional correctness, that makes me feel as if I’m admitting to some criminal activity. At the risk of riling people devoted to subsisting on alfalfa sprouts, algae, tofu and diverse supplements, let me assure you that it is possible to occasionally indulge in hot dogs and still have a healthy diet.</p> Tue, 07 Jul 2015 12:35:25 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2274 at /oss Is celery juice a viable alternative to nitrites in cured meats? /oss/article/food/celery-juice-viable-alternative-nitrites-cured-meats <p>Nitrates and nitrites are used to "cure" meat.  Their role was likely discovered by accident and can be traced to the use of salt that happened to be contaminated with potassium or sodium nitrate, commonly known as “saltpeter.”  Meat treated with these chemicals retains a red colour, acquires a characteristic taste and most importantly, is less amenable to contamination with disease-causing bacteria, particularly the very dangerous Botulinum clostridium.</p> Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:08:43 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1904 at /oss