Nutrition 101 Video Series: Fundamentals of Fats

This is the first installment of a video series highlighting the basics of several nutrition topics in partnership with Osmosis, an organization that focuses on health science education. You can view a playlist of our video collaborations with Osmosis here. Fats are an essential part of a healthy diet—they’re involved in everything from providing us with a major source of energy, to helping us absorb vitamins, to refereeing communication between the cells in our bodies. As if these health benefits weren’t enough, fats also contribute to our enjoyment of food by adding taste and texture—like the smoothness of guacamole, or the flakiness of a croissant. The Basics of Dietary Fats: Chemical Structure and Naming Dietary fats usually have a three-carbon backbone—called glycerol—attached to one or more fatty acid chains, which are basically strings of carbon and hydrogen atoms. If there are three fatty acid chains, the structure is called a triglyceride. If there are only one or two fatty acid chains, the structure is called a monoglyceride or a diglyceride, respectively. There are various types of fatty acid chains, and one way to categorize them is by their length. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) have up to six carbon atoms. They can be found in dairy products and are also produced by our gut microbiome. Medium-chain fatty acids, like some of the fats found in coconut oil, have seven to 12 carbons. And long-chain fatty acids, like oleic acid in olive oil, have 13 or more carbon atoms in their fatty acid chains. Fatty acid chains are also categorized by whether they have single or double bonds connecting their carbon atoms. When a fatty acid has only single bonds, it’s called a saturated fatty acid because it has as many hydrogen atoms as possible—that is, it’s saturated with them! Triglycerides with […]

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Collagen Supplementation: Is It All Hype?

Collagen has seemed to explode as a trend overnight, and many consumers are wondering if the touted benefits are legitimate or all hype. In this article, we explore what collagen is, where it’s found, and what the research says about its potential benefits to our health. What is collagen? Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body. It’s a main component of our bone, skin, muscle and ligament structure. There are several types of collagen, but types I, II and III are most common in the human body. Type I accounts for most of our collagen and is made of densely packed fibers needed for teeth, bones, ligaments, skin and connective tissue. Type II is found in elastic cartilage, which provides joint support. Type III is found in the structure of muscles, arteries and organs. As we grow older, our bodies produce less collagen, which may contribute to aging skin and wrinkles. Lifestyle factors such as smoking and too much sun exposure may also damage collagen production. Food sources and supplements Collagen can’t be absorbed by the body in its whole form. This means collagen proteins must be broken down into smaller peptides or amino acids before they can be absorbed. Collagen supplements are typically already broken down into peptides of two or three amino acids for the purpose of increasing their bioavailability. These collagen peptides are then absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. It’s important to note that collagen supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, and manufacturers don’t have to prove that they’re effective or safe before putting them on the market. In addition to supplements, collagen is found in food, with bone broth being the richest source. Any meat that contains connective tissue is a good source of collagen as well. Since collagen is […]

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Fermented Protein Series, Part 1: 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. For the first installment in IFIC’s two-part series on fermented proteins, let’s learn 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. In the second article of this series, we’ll talk about recent innovations in the field and provide some examples of newly created fermented protein offerings. 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 […]

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The Power of Protein: Dairy

June is National Dairy Month and a great time to celebrate all that dairy has to offer. We recently wrote about dairy production—how foods like milk, yogurt and cheese get from the cow to the carton—and in this article we’ll focus on one of dairy’s important nutritional contributions: protein. What is protein? At its simplest, a protein is a chain of amino acids bound to one another and resembling a string of beads. These strings get twisted and folded into a final protein shape. When we eat protein, it gets broken down into its individual amino acids, which can be reassembled into whatever type of protein our body needs at that time. Why do we need protein? Dietary protein plays a vital role in every cell of our bodies: Proteins provide energy, catalyze metabolic reactions and provide structure to our tissues and organs. It’s an essential nutrient for maintaining muscle strength, bone health and blood sugar control. Protein-rich foods contain many of the vitamins and minerals needed to support body defenses and promote quicker healing. Eating protein-rich foods may also help you meet and maintain your weight goals by satisfying hunger and reducing the urge to snack between meals. The importance of quality nutrition is even greater as our appetite and calorie needs decrease with age; preserving our body’s muscle tissue by maintaining protein intake allows us to stay active. What makes dairy protein distinct? Dairy foods contain two major forms of protein: whey and casein. Eighty percent of milk’s protein content comes from casein and the remaining 20% is whey. Whey is rapidly digested, while casein is digested more slowly, providing a more prolonged entry of amino acids into the bloodstream. When making foods like yogurt or cheese, excess liquid that contains whey protein is strained away, leaving a solid […]

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Questions & Answers About Food Color Additives

What you should know about approved food additives. Often, the names given to additives and other ingredients in our food can make them seem confusing and off-putting, even to the savviest shopper. But food additives perform specific, positive functions in food, such as enhancing safety and freshness and improving the taste, texture and appearance of products. In the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees the safety of food additives and allows only the use of those that are deemed safe. Color additives (also known as food colors) are one category of approved food additives. They not only play a key role in the enjoyment of our food; they also do so without posing a health risk to consumers. Why are food colors used? According to expert Charles Spence, in his article “On the psychological impact of food color,” “color is the single most important sensory cue to expectations about the likely taste and flavor of food and drink.” Food colors often allow us to easily identify our preferred food choices and can enhance food’s overall appeal. They may augment the naturally occurring color of a food and/or provide a consistent color in a food for which the color may vary (due to, for example, exposure to light, air, temperature extremes, moisture, storage conditions, or production elements). What are the categories of food colors? Certified colors are synthetically produced (or human-made) and used widely because they impart an intense, uniform color and blend more easily to create a variety of consistent hues. There are nine certified color additives approved for use in the United States: Color Additive Names That May Be Found on Product Labels What They Do Examples of Uses FD&C Blue Nos. 1 and 2 FD&C Green No. 3 FD&C Red Nos. 3 and 40 […]

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Brush Up on Bacteria: A New Video Series

What do you know about bacteria? Your first thought is likely something like “yuck” and that may be fair. Still, we should point out that there are good bacteria and bad bacteria. Bacteria are all around us, but not all bacteria are harmful. For example, you have a community of bacteria that live in and on your body, and they can support your health — these are good bacteria. There are also bacteria in some foods that are beneficial to health, such as those found in cultured foods like yogurt or sauerkraut. These bacteria can support digestion and your immune system. Bad Little Buggers Now let’s talk about the bad bacteria. These are the bacteria you should avoid because contact with them can make you sick. We’ve highlighted previously that bad bacteria can be encountered from contaminated foods, causing foodborne illness. Safe food-handling techniques like using clean utensils, cooking foods to their proper temperatures and storing foods properly can help reduce the risk of foodborne illness. We have a food system with regulated safety standards, but it’s still important to be diligent in handling food properly before eating it. To give you a few more details on specific bacteria, check out our new video series. Let’s start with our good ol’ pal, Escherichia coli, or more commonly referred to as E. coli. A Sometimes Nasty Guy, E. coli All bacteria have different strains, and there are different characteristics for each type. Some differences include the ability to cause illness or the ability to adapt to specific environments. Bacteria that can cause illness are called pathogenic bacteria or pathogens. There are six pathogenic E. coli strains. Pathogenic E. coli can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia, and other illnesses. While the majority of E. coli strains are not […]

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Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): From A to Umami

Has there ever been a taste that you enjoyed, but couldn’t quite explain? Perhaps you are noticing what has been coined as the fifth taste, “umami”; a taste attributed to foods containing glutamate, an amino acid that is one of the building blocks of protein. Think about a bowl of hot pasta with tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese, a freshly grilled steak with a rich mushroom sauce, or stir-fried seafood and chicken with crisp vegetables in a savory soy sauce. In all of these dishes, there is a common flavor denominator that may be surprising to many: monosodium glutamate, also called MSG. This fact sheet provides everything you need to know about MSG and its umami favor.   Get the Fact Sheet Favorably Reviewed by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners - http://www.aanp.org/   Fast Facts   What is glutamate? Glutamate is an amino acid (the building blocks of proteins) that is naturally abundant in both plant and animal proteins. Hence, protein-rich foods contain sizeable amounts of glutamate as part of the protein. In addition, many foods also contain small amounts of “free” glutamate, usually in the form of sodium glutamate (monosodium glutamate or MSG). This free glutamate gives an umami taste to such foods (e.g., ripe tomatoes and Parmesan cheese).   How is glutamate used by the body? Almost all of the glutamate present in food is used to produce energy by the intestinal cells, never making it past the intestinal lining. The small remaining amount is used by these same cells, along with other amino acids, to make proteins and the antioxidant glutathione, both essential for optimal intestinal function.   How is Monosodium glutamate (MSG) made?  MSG is comprised simply of sodium and glutamate, and is produced by natural fermentation. Natural fermentation is a process that that has been used for centuries to make common foods such as beer, vinegar, and yogurt. MSG is often produced through the fermentation of sugar […]

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Agriculture and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Ever buy a box of cereal, a bag of apples or a gallon of milk and think, “I wonder how the production of this product has impacted the Earth?” We may not think these words verbatim, but something similar may come to mind for many of us—something that shows we care about how food production impacts the environment. While many trips to the grocery store start with a hunt for a great bargain for food that will fill household bellies, many trips also involve consideration of the environmental impacts of our purchases. For instance, a 2020 IFIC consumer research survey found that most people (more than 70%) are concerned about climate change, and over half (52%) of those who are concerned said their concerns sometimes impact their food and beverage purchases. Nearly one in five (19%) said these concerns always impact their purchases. A background on greenhouse gases When we think of environmental concerns, the sustainable use of natural resources such as water, energy and soil may come to mind—and so too does the emission of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are defined as the gaseous compounds in the Earth’s atmosphere (such as carbon dioxide) that absorb infrared radiation, trap heat and contribute to the greenhouse effect (which refers to the warming of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere). The main greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ozone (O3), nitrous oxide (N2O) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). With increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere come resultant increased temperatures globally. The warming of the Earth’s atmosphere, termed “global warming,” is causing our climate to change. New weather phenomena like melting glaciers, more intense storms, more frequent forest fires, and the rising of global sea levels all reflect our changing climate. Many news stories and scientific articles have reported on […]

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