Our last episode of season 1 features what may be the two most evenly matched foods we've compared yet, and we also take a little time to look back on what we've done so far.    Historic Mucilage

Food vs. Food

#75: Okra vs. Green Beans

As we wind down "season 1" we decided to bring in our two silent co-hosts, Marc's wife Rachel and Shawn's fiancee Katie to weigh in on Thanksgiving, snacks, and the many, many things we get wrong. 

#74: Spousisode

Leafy green vs. leafy...other colors battle as we pick through the differences between these two similar and super-nutritious foods, at least one of which may be very good for your brain (but we won't be sure for a while).  Sulforaphane as a Potential Protective Phytochemical against Neurodegenerative Diseases https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3745957/#B94 Sulforaphane activates heat shock response and enhances proteasome activity through up-regulation of Hsp27  PubMed Protection against amyloid beta cytotoxicity by sulforaphane: role of the proteasome. PubMed Broccoli - New World Encyclopedia 

#73: Broccoli vs. Cauliflower

What exactly is a nut anyway? We tackle that age-old question, as well as exploring the magical world of allergists, in this chock full episode. Type 1 Hypersensitivity History of Peanuts - National Peanut Board History of Cashews - Spruce Eats 

#72: Peanuts vs. Cashews

All dressed up and nowhere to go! These dressings may be more famous for their non-salad applications, and rest assured: we'll talk about them all.  Ranch Nation - The New York Times Ranch Dressing is What’s Wrong with America - Washington Post Thousand Islands, Two Tales: Who Really Invented That Dressing? - NPR 

#71: Ranch vs. Thousand Island

Our sweetest episode yet is packed full of ambiguity over whether or not any alternatives to sugar will kill us! Stevia, Nature’s Zero-Calorie Sustainable Sweetener - Nutrition Today How did stevia get mainstream? - BBC Straight talk about high-fructose corn syrup: what it is and what it ain't - The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 

#70: Sweeteners Battle

Plants are good for us, right? Why yes, yes they are, and we find out exactly how good they can be, along with the usual exploration of whether they're actually worth getting past our tongues and some dubious claims about their effects. 

#69: Peaches vs. Eggplant

These two popular breakfast foods turn out to be surprisingly similar, as we rehash one of our favorite radiation-related anecdotes and talk about everyone's favorite topic: fiber.

#68: Cheerios vs. Oatmeal

Let's try some flaky desserts as we dig into the backstories of these two pastries and make a ruling on how much a garnish can do to save a dish.  Danish Pastry: A Mistake That Conquered the World - L.A. Times The effect of tree nut, peanut, and soy nut consumption on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. 

#67: Cheese Danish vs. Baklava

We're digging in to some Italian (American) classics this week, including how these dishes came to be so tomato-filled and the man who documented it in Europe and used his position of power to crush his enemies.  Is Spaghetti and Meatballs Italian? - Smithsonian Magazine Lasagna Through the Ages - Food52 

#66: Spaghetti vs. Lasagna

Let's get spicy as we start off the new year with a comparison of two popular spices that hail from opposite ends of the earth.  Top 100 Exotic Food Plants Bidis and Kreteks - CDC  

#65: Allspice vs. Cloves

It's the time of year to arbitrarily overindulge in sweets, so we take this opportunity to dive into a big bucket of sugar and try to come out with a winner between these two seasonally appropriate snacks. Are one or two dangerous? Methyl salicylate exposure in toddlers. - PubMed Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Sugar Cookies - How Stuff Works We Don’t Know the Origins of the Candy Cane, But They Almost Certainly Were Not Christian - Smithsonian Magazine  

#64: Candy Canes vs. Sugar Cookies

Finally two foods with histories too boring even for us - which of course means it's time for grandmother stories, and of course along the way we try to find out how, exactly, these might kill you. 

#63: Carrot Cake vs. Banana Bread

Flour power is the name of the game in this episode as we compare the most common type of flour in the world with this niche competitor. The Dark Side of Almond Use - The Atlantic Almond Origin and History - New World Encyclopedia 

#62: Almond Flour vs. Wheat Flour

This episode we compare to savory main dishes that can have a wide range of different ingredients thrown in, ultimately coming to the realization that water ruins everything, but not before we delve into thickening controversies and the magical (?) properties of saffron.  The Real Story of Gumbo, Okra, and Filé - Serious Eats Gumbo: The Mysterious History - The Atlantic Paella - An Introduction to Spanish Paella - The Spruce 

#61: Gumbo vs. Paella

Comparing two foods on which is better tasting and which is better for you.