UNSAVORY

Episodes

March 20, 2023

Pepsi Number Fever

Pepsi Number Fever was one of the biggest corporate blunders of the 20th century. This popular marketing stunt had the Philippines buzzing with excitement until a simple error by Pepsi crushed hundreds of thousands of hopes …
March 6, 2023

Brittany Dawn

Brittany Dawn used her status as a social media influencer to market her customized nutrition and fitness plans to thousands of consumers. The catch: they weren’t customized. And her clients suffered the consequences. She is…
Feb. 20, 2023

Biosphere 2

The story of Biosphere 2 is real-life sci-fi. In the early 90s, eight people lived inside an air-tight, giant glass structure filled with replicas of the earth’s ecosystems with the goal of living in a completely self-suffic…
Feb. 6, 2023

Dr. Oz

On paper, he seems like a stand up guy - he is highly educated, charismatic, a prolific surgeon, author and TV personality. He also has a tendency to spew misinformation, practice out of his scope, and promote products in un…
Jan. 23, 2023

The Spanish Cooking Oil Disaster

The Spanish cooking oil disaster is one of the most devastating instances of mass food poisoning in history. 42 years later, innocent people still suffer from the long-term life-altering effects of Toxic Oil Syndrome. You ca…
Jan. 9, 2023

Wendy's Chili Finger Scandal

In 2005, Anna Aayala was enjoying a bowl of Wendy’s famous chili when she bit down on a human finger. The legal battle that followed exposed food tampering, fraud and attempted extortion. In this episode, we cover the Wendy’…
Dec. 26, 2022

The Ozempic Shortage Fuelled By Weight Loss Goals

There’s a new weight loss medication in town and its name is Ozempic. The catch? It’s not actually approved for weight loss. This episode discusses supply chain shortages fueled by Hollywood popularity and TikTok fame, the n…
Dec. 12, 2022

When Cuba Canceled Christmas

In this episode, we cover the story of the real life Grinch who stole Christmas. For almost 30 years, Cuba’s former president, Fidel Castro, banned all Christmas celebrations in the country. His reasoning had everything to d…
Nov. 28, 2022

The Dangerous World of Competitive Eating

This week’s episode is all about the fascinating, mildly grotesque, and sometimes deadly world of eating competitions. You can find our sources listed on our website unsavorypod.com This is an independently produced podcast …
Nov. 14, 2022

The Tapeworm Diet

In this episode, we cover the scandalous history of one of the oldest and more questionable weight loss methods: the tapeworm diet. We discuss the Victorian beauty standards that pushed dieters to willingly contract a parasi…
Oct. 31, 2022

Cannibalism and The Donner Party

This Halloween, we’re bringing you the ultimate food crime! Cannibalism and the Donner Party. In the spring of 1846, a group of pioneers left Missouri with hearts full of hope and ventured west along the Oregon Trail to star…
Oct. 17, 2022

The Infant Formula Scandal

In this episode, we cover the infant formula scandal that rocked the world in the 1970’s & that is often referred to as the darkest chapter in corporate history. We discuss the evolution of infant feeding - from wet nurses t…
Oct. 3, 2022

The Bush Boys of Vernon

Season 3 is officially here!!! Starting off strong with the incredible true story of two boys that crawled out of the rugged British Columbia wilderness and turned a sleepy town on its head with their tales of being raised i…
June 6, 2022

Season 2 Finale & Thank You

Season 2 is coming to an end. It's time to enjoy our summer and start preparing for an amazing third season! This is an independently produced podcast and your support means a lot to us. Please rate, review, and follow where…
May 2, 2022

Herbalife, Part 2

Part two is served. In the second half of this series, we discuss the Herbalife Nutrition Clubs, including the tactics used to recruit distributors and the class action lawsuit that followed. The story then takes an unusual …
April 18, 2022

Herbalife, Part 1

In part one of this series, we cover the origin story of Herbalife, including the man behind the brand: Mark R. Hughes. We discuss the tragic inspiration for his “health” products, the predatory tactics used for recruitment,…
March 28, 2022

Bad Vegan: The Downfall of Pure Food & Wine

A vegan business icon, an immortal (?) dog named Leon, cult-like abuse, mass amounts of unpaid wages and debts, and the hero of our story… a domino’s pizza with a side of wings. This is the story of Pure Food & Wine and its …
March 7, 2022

War Sanctions, Holodomor & The Invasion of Ukraine

How do you starve a nation that can feed the world? In this episode, Sarah discusses the effectiveness of sanctions during war and the disastrous impacts they can have on food systems. Becca then covers one of the darkest pa…
Feb. 21, 2022

The Discovery of Vitamins & the History of Scurvy

Take everything you think you know about Scurvy and be prepared to have your mind blown! This episode starts with Becca sharing all about the discovery of vitamins, specifically, Vitamin C and some of its unique properties. …
Jan. 24, 2022

Prison Food & the Alabama Inmate Food Fund Scandal

Are inmate food conditions criminal? You be the judge. In this episode, we discuss the history of prison food - from lobster to Nutraloaf. We then cover the disturbing story of the Alabamian law that allowed sheriffs to keep…
Jan. 3, 2022

New Year's Resolutions and the F-Factor Diet Scandal

Welcome to our first episode of 2022! Becca starts by sharing all about how diet culture and new year's resolutions are the opposite of a match made in heaven. Then Sarah tells the *alleged* story of a wellness war that rock…
Dec. 20, 2021

Christmas Food Traditions & The Carcinogenic Cranberry Scare

This episode is the epitome of bittersweet… We discuss the origins of everyone’s favourite holiday food traditions, including Christmas cookies, advent calendars, and the one and only - cranberry sauce! We then cover the his…
Dec. 6, 2021

pH Balance and Robert O. Young's pH "Miracle"

This episode is anything but basic! Learn about how our amazing bodies are constantly working to maintain a tight pH balance (no alkaline diet required). Then hear the story of a convicted medical fraudster who made tons of …
Nov. 22, 2021

Weight Stigma & The Weigh Down Diet

In this episode, Sarah discusses the complexities of weight stigma and the impact weight bias has on our healthcare system. Becca then tells the story of a registered dietitian (!!!) who becomes the leader of a religious wei…