Appreciating Water on National Ag Day

Today is National Ag Day! The theme of Ag Day 2021 is “food brings everyone to the table.” These are words that many of us can relate to. While the global population has different ways in which we acquire and eat our food, everyone can understand how important farmers—people who produce our food—are to the rhythms of our daily lives. As we celebrate farmers this Ag Day, we are also reminded that World Water Day was just yesterday, on March 22. Thinking of these two recognition days together, you might consider how crucial both water and food are for our survival. Let’s take a closer look at how farmers are sustainably using water to produce our food and help bring us to the table. Agricultural water use in the U.S.: Then and now While there are technologies currently underway for farms to make use of salt and brackish waters for farming, the primary sources of water for farming are freshwater. The most recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data on freshwater (a combination of ground water and surface water) withdrawals for all uses shows that total withdrawals more than doubled from 1950 to 1980 before roughly leveling off for a few decades, then decreasing noticeably between 2005 and 2010. Additionally, the U.S. economy grew nearly seven-fold in this 60-year time span—which significantly outpaced the growth rate of water withdrawals. The most recent data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reports that water use in the United States in 2015 was estimated to be about 322 billion gallons per day (Bgal/d), which was nine percent less than in 2010. However, water used for agricultural irrigation increased two percent between 2010 and 2015. In 2019, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that agriculture remained a major user of fresh water […]

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What Are Emulsifiers, and What Do They Do in Our Food?

If you have seen any 1970s-themed movie, or better yet grew up in the ’70s, you’ve seen them before: colorful, mesmerizing, some might even say soothing. We’re talking about lava lamps. Within these luminaries, the combinations of water and heated wax simply would not mix no matter how many times the psychedelic bubbles of wax floated to the top of the lamp and back down again. The reason? Oil and water do not naturally mix on their own. But what if something could help mix these traditionally repelling agents? Luckily, when it comes to food, that something exists, and our taste buds are forever thankful. Enter emulsifiers! What are emulsifiers? Emulsifiers are Food and Drug Administration–approved food additives that help products containing immiscible food ingredients, like oil and water, to combine. You can find emulsifiers in plenty of prepackaged and processed foods, including mayonnaise, margarine, meats, ice cream, salad dressings, chocolate, peanut butter and other nut butters, shelf-stable frostings, cookies, crackers, creamy sauces, breads, baked products and ice cream. Emulsifiers can be man-made or naturally occurring. Many emulsifiers used today are of a naturally derived variety called hydrocolloids. Hydrocolloids serve as thickening agents and support the structure, texture, flavor, and shelf life of various food products, and they are often referred to simply as gums because of the food texture and consistency they create. Hydrocolloids include emulsifiers made from plants, animals and aquatic sources. Plant-based hydrocolloids include locust bean gum, carrageenan, pectin, and starch, while animal-sourced varieties including chitosan made from crustacean shells. (Talk about reducing waste!) Hydrocolloids, like xanthan gum, can also come from microbial sources, and even food products themselves—mustard, oil, salt, egg yolk and vinegar—can serve as emulsifiers. Without emulsifiers like hydrocolloids, you could look forward to scooping into a layer of fat before getting to the […]

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What is Organic?

If you buy groceries from any type of market — supermarket, farmers market, online grocery store or even a kiosk, you’ve seen an organic label on some foods before. The organic term can even be found in restaurants to describe menu items and has even been seen on cosmetics and cotton clothing. However, when you buy organic food and beverages, do you know what this means, and do you understand how this product compares to the non-organic option? What if I told you that organic foods are regulated by the same federal agency, are not healthier, nor are they safer to consume than non-organic foods? All of the above are true but let’s jump into what the organic label indicates and how certification for carrying the organic label comes about. Being Organic and Getting the Label The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is at the helm for providing certification for the organic label, and it all comes down to how the ingredients in foods and beverages are farmed and processed. USDA notes that “organic products must be produced using agricultural production practices that foster resource cycling, promote ecological balance, maintain and improve soil and water quality, minimize the use of synthetic materials, and conserve biodiversity.” According to the USDA, the USDA certified organic label, first offered in 2002, verifies that farms and businesses comply with the USDA regulations and allows businesses to sell and characterize their products as organic. Alongside the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), USDA also regulates the quality of organic and conventionally produced foods. Both agencies have regulations to ensure that all foods are reliably produced to ensure consumer safety and offer insights on how food is produced. Thus, the certified organic label gives people production awareness. The USDA organic regulations for farms and businesses are distinct […]

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Bread Science and Black History: The Innovations of Joseph Lee

Bread is the proverbial stuff of life—a staple food in many households throughout ancient and modern history. Today, we encounter bread when we make a sandwich, eat a salad with croutons, or enjoy it as an accent on a delicious charcuterie board (we love a good baguette!). With the variety of breads that are now widely available in supermarkets, farmers’ markets, and bakeries, we can enjoy a plethora of tastes and textures to suit our day-to-day preferences. But if you’ve ever considered the bread-baking techniques that yield your desired loaf, you likely haven’t connected them with Black history. Let’s shed some light on a segment of rich history of Black food production innovators in the U.S.—in particular, the story of Joseph Lee, a bread-production pioneer and recently inducted member into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. It all started with a recipe—and kneading There are hundreds of different types of bread today, but most recipes have evolved to require four basic ingredients: flour (of which there are many different types), water, yeast, and salt. Joseph Lee, born in 1849 in Charleston, South Carolina, knew these ingredients well due to the many years he spent cooking and baking in restaurants and the hospitality industry in the late 1800s—which culminated in the opening of his own catering company and restaurant (a major feat for the son of former slaves). Over his many years of bread-baking, Lee observed the importance of kneading the dough to deliver consistent loaves at a large scale. Today’s researchers have observed that kneading dough promotes the “homogeneous mixing of all the ingredients, the hydration of the flour constituents, the phase transitions that involve proteins and amorphous starch, the development of the gluten network, and the inclusion of air bubbles, giving a viscoelastic dough as a result.” That may […]

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Your Guide to Mindful Eating

Download the Mindful Eating Fact Sheet here Mindfulness is an ancient practice of being present with our internal and external environments. It can be defined as a “quality of consciousness that is characterized by continually attending to one’s moment-to-moment experiences, thoughts, and emotions with an open, non-judgmental approach.”1 Mindfulness has been used in a variety of therapeutic settings, as it can improve the way we process emotions and help us reduce stress. In recent years, the practice of mindfulness has been translated to the world of nutrition to help people increase awareness while eating and establish nourishing eating patterns. WHAT IS MINDFUL EATING? Mindful eating is about listening to our physical sensations—like hunger, fullness, and satisfaction cues—and taking time to notice our thoughts and emotions while eating so that we can have a more enjoyable and healthful eating experience.1 Mindful eating involves: While more studies are needed, research has demonstrated that mindful eating can decrease unhealthy eating behaviors such as binge eating, emotional eating, and external eating. RESEARCH Binge eating Two literature reviews on mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have found that these interventions decreased the incidence of binge-eating episodes (recurrent episodes of eating large quantities of food often very quickly and to the point of discomfort and feeling of a loss of control while doing so). 2,3 These results were seen when mindfulness-based interventions specifically addressed eating behaviors and were combined with one of the following mindfulness training implementations: cognitive-behavioral therapies (which involve learning how to change unhelpful thinking patterns and/or behaviors), mindful eating programs and/or acceptance-based interventions (which encourage acceptance of thoughts/feelings and commitment to change). It’s worth noting that results did not improve when the intervention employed a general mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program without including content related to eating behaviors. Emotional eating In a systematic review of MBIs, […]

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Tips for Mindful Snacking

Life is busy for all of us, and it can feel impossible to slow down and make intentional choices about the food we eat each day. Most of us know that by paying closer attention to our bodies, minds, and meals, we can take better care of our overall well-being. But how do we hack into our higher nutritional goals in the heat—or hunger!—of the moment? One way is to draw more attention to our hunger cues throughout the day. Specifically, mindful snacking can help prevent extreme hunger between larger meals and fill gaps in our daily nutrients. Read on for four easy tips to tune up your mindfulness around snacks. 1. Ask yourself what you’re looking for Are you truly hungry? Or do you just need a break or some “me” time? Our 2024 Food and Health Survey found that 73% of consumers report snacking at least once a day, an amount consistent with our 2022 findings but an increase from 58% who said the same in 2021. Of those who snack, 43% said they do so because they are hungry or thirsty, while 30% said snacks are a treat for them. If you are hungry, figure out the taste, texture, and temperature of the craving you are looking to satisfy before you eat. For example, you can ask yourself, “Am I in the mood for something sweet, salty, or savory? Crunchy or smooth? Hot or cold?” Honing in on your needs can prevent overeating foods that don’t quite hit the spot. 2. Check in with your hunger Try using a hunger scale before, during, and after your snack. Before eating, take a moment to assess your hunger on a scale of one to ten. If one is “ravenous” and ten is “stuffed,” where are you now? If you’re not […]

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Fermented Proteins: Traditional Sources

Americans are becoming more and more interested in fermented foods—a trend that runs parallel with our increasing commitment to put more protein on our plates. But what happens when you combine these two food categories to create fermented proteins? In short, the result is buzzworthy and ripe for innovation. In this article, we’ll talk about “traditional” fermented proteins, which cover products that have been part of our food supply for a long time and may be more familiar to us. What is fermentation? In a nutshell, fermented foods are produced by the actions of microbes. The different flavors, textures, and appearances of fermented foods are determined by certain species of bacteria, yeast, and mold. Scientifically speaking, fermentation is an anaerobic process, meaning that it occurs without oxygen. During fermentation, bacteria or yeast convert the sugars in a food to other compounds, typically resulting in the production of alcohol or organic acids. The specific compounds produced by these microbes result in the fermented foods that we’re familiar with today—for example, microbes that convert sugars to alcohol are used to produce beer and wine, while the microbes that make lactic acids give foods like yogurt and sour cream their signature tangy flavor. How does fermentation work for protein? Many long-established fermented proteins originate from dairy and soy foods, so let’s focus on these two sources. Dairy Three common fermented dairy products are cheese, yogurt, and kefir. The process of cheesemaking begins with the pasteurization of milk, which kills potentially harmful bacteria. Then, bacterial cultures (the good kind!) or yeasts are introduced to ferment the lactose in milk, creating lactic acid. The type of bacteria used in the fermentation process is one reason for the differences in flavor and texture of cheese varieties. Next, rennet (an animal-sourced, enzyme-based ingredient) is added to coagulate the milk, which separates it into curds (the solids that will […]

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Snack Production Series: Crackers

Crackers are a popular snack for all ages—and can be found in many households as a quick go-to for everyday eating. And while they may not be the first food that comes to mind when you think of “healthy,” crackers—especially whole-grain crackers—can be part of a nutritious eating pattern and a staple of mindful snacking routines. Some typical cracker ingredients include flour, baking soda and/or yeast, and oil-based shortening, but a wealth of different varieties with different flavors and ingredients are on the market—including gluten-free crackers (which must not contain wheat, rye, barley, triticale, or related types of grains). But when we enjoy our favorite crackers as part of a satisfying snack, do we think much about how crackers are made, and what processes are part of providing their key characteristics—like their nutrition, shelf-stability, and texture? Read on if you’re curious about cracker creation! Enrichment and Fortification Enrichment and fortification are common aspects of food production and processing that are designed to add nutrients to a food. Enrichment typically refers to adding nutrients that have been lost during food handling, processing, or storage back to that food. Fortification, in contrast, generally refers to foods that have had nutrients added to them that are not naturally occurring in that food (like the iodine that is commonly added to salt). Fortification has historically been used to help correct widespread dietary insufficiencies recognized by the scientific community (thus improving the balance of nutrients in consumers’ diets). One of the most widely publicized fortifications of food has been the fortification of several types of flours—including those found in many crackers—and breakfast cereals, which have been fortified with folic acid since 1998 following overwhelming evidence that sufficient folic acid consumption is linked to better health outcomes in pregnant women and children. Unlike fortified foods, many […]

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