On The Gist, Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker presses her knife down on a clove of wisdom and minces apart the research. Should we believe the hype about garlic, the miracle food? For the Spiel, a story of slobs vs. snobs as told through the Karate Kid.

Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus.