Weekend Reading: The Reasons Behind the Halloween Candy Binge, and More

Going to Michael Moss’ latest New York Times charticle , variety is at the heart of the Halloween binge. Assorted loot, conveniently sold in candy “variety packs” around the holiday, can actually provoke overeating.

It’s the successive consumption of different foods (as in, four Starbursts followed by a Heath bar, a Twix, a Snickers. A handful of Skittles), and the novelty of their distinctive flavors and textures, that delays the brain in signaling fullness. Cognitive scientists are calling it the smorgasbord effect.

New York Times — Marissa Wolkenberg, copy chief Lately, it’s hard to get through any sort of dinner conversation without someone bringing up gluten—either to talk about its various evils, or to dismiss gluten-free diets as nothing more than a trend. This week, Michael Specter took a more nuanced approach in The New Yorker , delving into the reasons behind the apparent rise of gluten intolerance and the medical community’s theories on what’s behind it all. [ The New Yorker ] — Laura Sant, assistant digital editor, @mizsant As a budding lover (obsessive consumer?) of Rioja wines, I was excited to see New York Times Eric Asimov delve into their recent evolution .