Search Results for: goiter

What’s the Difference Between Soda and Tonic Water?

Great question, reader Jay. A little something called quinine, an alkaloidal substance found in the bark of the South America cinchona tree. It’s been one of the most popular additions to carbonated water since about the mid-1800’s. How did a bitter-tasting tree extract come to be one of the world’s most sought-after beverage components? In a word: malaria. Quinine was for hundreds of years the most effective anti-malarial drug known to man. It’s been used by Europeans since the early 1600’s, when it was first brought back from the New World, and by native South Americans for goodness-knows-how-many millennia before that.

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Why is Iodine Important?

Reader Zoe writes:

I’ve been interested to read some of the comments on the subject of iodine and salt. I’ve always noticed that salt is “iodized” but have wondered why that’s important. Can you go into the subject a little? I’d be interested to read more.

Zoe, you never have to prod me too much to delve into a topic like this. Since we’ve been flirting with various subjects related to diet and health this past week, it only makes sense. Commercially made table salt is iodized by law in the US. It’s natural to wonder why.

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