Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature's Toxins—From Spices to Vices

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A professor of evolutionary biology, Noah Whiteman here examines how humans turn the poisons plants produce to protect themselves into food and drink, medicine and recreation. Quot ing Paracelsus’s note that “the dose makes the poison,” Whiteman nimbly weaves through an astonishing garden of chemicals which plants produce for evolutionary advantages like making themselves unpalatable or killing off predators. In doing so, he relies on examples from all kinds of human and animal activities, revealing why some insects feed only on certain plants, why he only makes coffee using an automatic drip machine or pour-over, and why vegetarians may be less sensitive to bitterness in their foods. Though food and drink are only a portion of this book, anyone who is curious about the effects food has on their body will find this stimulating. Paperback. Line drawings. Show more