Sawbones: Cinnamon
Summary
Hosts Justin and Sydney McElroy discuss recent concerns about lead contamination in cinnamon, distinguishing between natural soil uptake and fraudulent adulteration with lead chromate for color enhancement. They review Consumer Reports data to identify safer brands and explain the health risks of chronic lead exposure. The episode also addresses a recent death of a lab technician in Russia, analyzing the likelihood of pneumonic plague while reassuring listeners that modern antibiotics make the disease far less dangerous than historical outbreaks.
Topics discussed
Intro and disclaimer
Host banter about ruining cinnamon
Origin of the lead in cinnamon concern
Preview of the Russia plague topic
History and etymology of cinnamon
Cinnamon's value in ancient history
Parenting tangent about lemon pepper
Cinnamon health benefits and necessity
Natural lead accumulation in cinnamon
Transition to sponsor segment
Sponsor: Smalls cat food
Sponsor: Eurovangelists podcast
Sponsor: Secretly Incredibly Fascinating
Justin's theory on lead as Earth's defense
North Carolina lead poisoning outbreak
Economically motivated adulteration (EMA)
Distinction between sticks and powder
Lack of federal lead limits in spices
Symptoms of lead poisoning
Consumer Reports cinnamon lead test results
Safe consumption limits and regulations
Plague case in Russia and global health
Outro and pumpkin carving fundraiser
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