Unbiased Science

Burnt Toast: When Food Fears Go Up in Smoke with Dr. Joe

Nov 19, 2025
Dr. Joe Schwarcz, a PhD chemist and director of McGill University's Office for Science and Society, dives into intriguing scientific discussions. He clarifies the FDA's recent changes regarding estrogen products and critiques blanket claims about ultra-processed foods, emphasizing the importance of nutritional quality. Joe debunks the myth of 'superfoods,' advocating for balanced diets instead. He shares insights on the challenges of science communication in the age of misinformation, highlighting the need for clearer public education on health and safety.
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INSIGHT

Targeted Warnings Matter

  • The FDA removed the black box warning from some estrogen products after updated evidence showed localized forms have minimal systemic risk.
  • Joe Schwarcz warns the original warning lumped all estrogen products together and scared many women away from helpful therapies.
INSIGHT

Process vs. Product Composition

  • Ultra-processed is a fuzzy category; processing method alone doesn't determine healthiness.
  • Joe Schwarcz evaluates foods by final composition like sugar, fat, salt, and fiber, not processing labels.
INSIGHT

Limits Of Nutrition Studies

  • Nutrition research often relies on unreliable food frequency questionnaires and yields correlations, not causation.
  • Interpret nutrition findings cautiously because recall and reporting biases skew results, says Joe Schwarcz.
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