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Why does bad food taste so good? Science sleuths Drs Rutherford and Fry investigate. From December 2018.

“Why does bad food taste so good?” asks Alan Fouracre from Tauranga, New Zealand. "And by ‘bad’ food, I mean the things we are told to hold back on like sausage, chips and chocolate."

From sugar to salt and fat, we investigate why our body derives pleasure from the very foods we're often told to avoid.

Adam discovers why retronasal smelling makes bacon taste delicious on a trip to the BBC canteen with materials scientist, Mark Miodownik.

Hannah consults food scientist Linda Bartoshuk on her fizzy pop habit. Plus The Angry Chef, Anthony Warner, discusses the dangers of labeling certain foods as 'bad'.

Presenters: Hannah Fry, Adam Rutherford
Producer: Michelle Martin

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2018.

Available now

26 minutes

Last on

Thu 23 Dec 2021 21:45
BBC Radio 4 Extra

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See all episodes from The Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry

Broadcasts

  • Wed 19 Dec 2018 09:30
    BBC Radio 4
  • Wed 19 Dec 2018 20:45
    BBC Radio 4
  • Sun 19 Dec 2021 10:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Sun 19 Dec 2021 21:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 23 Dec 2021 11:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 23 Dec 2021 21:45
    BBC Radio 4 Extra

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