Editorial standards

Sourcing

Factual claims about health, nutrition, science, and history are backed by primary or authoritative sources: peer-reviewed research, government agencies such as the FDA, CDC, and USDA, museum and archival records, and reputable news reporting.

Every article that makes such claims lists its sources at the bottom of the page. We do not publish statistics we cannot trace to a source.

Fact-checking

Before publication, figures, dates, names, and quotes are checked against the original source. Health articles describe what the evidence shows, including where it is weak or mixed, and they are not medical advice.

Recipe testing

Recipes are cooked before they are published. Ingredients are listed with exact amounts, and substitutions include the ratio that works. Food safety details such as internal temperatures follow USDA guidance.

Rankings and opinions

Rankings are opinion, clearly labeled as such, and explain the criteria behind the order. Brands and restaurants do not pay for placement.

Use of AI tools

Editors may use AI tools for research assistance and drafting support. A human editor reviews, fact-checks, and takes responsibility for every published article. The recipe assistant on recipe pages is an AI tool and is labeled as one.

Independence and advertising

Advertising is sold and served separately from editorial decisions. Advertisers have no input on what we cover or what we say.

Corrections and updates

When we get something wrong, we fix it and show an updated date on the article. Time-sensitive stories, such as food recalls, are updated as new official information is released.