Synopsis

Michael Mosley and James Wong reveal the delicious science hidden inside our food. Michael begins by trying the first meal most of us enjoyed - human breast milk.

Further Information

More clips from The Secrets of Your Food

Amino acids and sweetcorn | The Secrets of Your Food

BBC Two | 2017 | 4'42''

James explains what our amino acids are and how a certain type of sweetcorn can be a good source for them.

Breast Milk | The Secrets of Your Food

BBC Two | 2017 | 2'14''

Michael examines the chemical makeup of breast milk to see what nutrition babies are being provided with.

Calcium, lactose and yogurt | The Secrets of Your Food

BBC Two | 2017 | 5'38''

James explains why calcium is good for our bones and how yogurt can even be a source of it for those with lactose into...

Carbohydrates and energy | The Secrets of Your Food

BBC Two | 2017 | 2'04''

James defines what carbohydrates are and why they are essential for our everyday.

Eggs and protein | The Secrets of Your Food

BBC Two | 2017 | 2'33''

Michael explains the chemical makeup of a standard chicken egg and why they are a great source of protein.

Eggs, muscles and wrestling | The Secrets of Your Food

BBC Two | 2017 | 2'46''

Michael describes how beneficial a cooked egg is for the body especially when exercise is a constant.

Fats, Omega 3 and Scotland | The Secrets of Your Food

BBC Two | 2017 | 6'41''

Essential fatty acids like Omega 3 can be hard to source however Scottish beef has an abundance due to the high levels ...

Rocket fuel | The Secrets of Your Food

BBC Two | 2017 | 4'50''

Carbohydrates such as rice are such an important part of our diets due to the amount of energy they provide once broken down.

The Science of Sourdough | The Secrets of Your Food

BBC Two | 2017 | 7'34''

Michael describes exactly what is chemically happening when sourdough is being made.

Vitamins and mushrooms | The Secrets of Your Food

BBC Two | 2017 | 5'05''

When you can't get enough sunlight to top up your vitamin D levels, mushrooms can act as a good alternative source.

More from Michael Mosley

1: Into the Brain | Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery

BBC Four | 2008 | 58'56''

Documentary series looking at the brutal, bloody and dangerous history of surgery begins with the area of the body w...

Impact of nature on physical and mental health | Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley

BBC Radio 4 | 2021 | 6'08''

Michael Mosley discusses the importance of spending time in nature and how this can imp...

The complexity of brain surgery | Inside the Human Body

BBC Two | 2021 | 5'31''

A little girl, Angelina, requires complex brain surgery in order to alleviate the systoms she is suffering as a resul...

Treating diabetes with an artificial pancreas | Trust Me, I'm a Doctor

BBC Two | 2018 | 5'05''

In this clip we discover what diabetes is and a new way of treating the condition compared to the trad...

The rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria | Michael Mosley vs The Superbugs

BBC Four | 2017 | 1'12''

Michael Mosley introduces the problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and Superbugs.

Fat and the brain | The Secrets of Your Food

BBC Two | 2017 | 1'20''

Fats have a "rewarding" effect on the brain, the more fat we eat the more we stimulate the "reward pathway".

Sleep | The Truth About...

BBC One | 2017 | 58'00

We are one of the most sleep-deprived countries in the world. In The Truth About Sleep, insomniac Michael Mosley finds out what happens if we don'...

Chemical weapons | Inside Porton Down: Britain's Secret Weapons Research Facility

BBC Four | 2016 | 1'53''

Introducing the idea of chemical and biological weapons, leading onto pathogens.

The Wonderful World Of Blood - With Michael Mosley

BBC Four | 2016 | 58'46''

Michael Mosley gives up a fifth of his own blood to perform six bold experiments. From starving it of oxygen to injecting ...

The 1860s | The Victorian Slum

BBC Two | 2016 | 58'55''

A group of 21st-century people move into a recreated Victorian slum. In this episode, the slum dwellers move into the 1860s, when London was t...

1: The First 8 Weeks | Countdown to Life: The Extraordinary Making of You

BBC Two | 2015 | 58'30''

Michael Mosley presents the story of how you were made, in a series produced in partnership with Th...

Testosterone, serotonin and violence | The Mystery of Murder: A Horizon Guide

BBC Four | 2015 | 5'33''

Professor Dabbs and Dr Higley provide evidence of the role of testosterone and serotonin in vio...

Infested! Living with Parasites

BBC Four | 2014 | 59'04''

Dr Michael Mosley explores the bizarre and fascinating world of parasites by turning his body into a living laboratory and deliberately infes...

Is Your Brain Male or Female? | Horizon

BBC Two | 2014 | 59'00''

Dr Michael Mosley and Professor Alice Roberts investigate whether male and female brains really are wired differently.

Fast Tales

BBC One | 2014 | 28'57''

During the most demanding Ramadan for over 30 years, Dr Saleyha Ahsan meets prominent British Muslims undertaking 16 hour fasting days throughout July and talks t...