Cooking for Calories: Food Processing and the Shape of Human Energy Gain

All human cultures process food extensively by cooking and non-thermal means, a feature that makes us unique among species. Why is food processing so universal? When did it begin? And why might it threaten our health today? In this lecture, Rachel Carmody presents evidence from diverse fields, showing that food processing increases the calories we extract from the diet, leading to competitive advantages in the past and challenges for our present and future.

Speaker: Rachel Carmody