Six Critical Nutrients for Healthy Vegan Eating

The popularity of plant-based eating is on the rise, and many people are discovering the power of produce. In our 2022 Food and Health Survey, 12% of our survey participants said they followed a plant-based diet within the past year. Without a doubt, eating more plant-based foods can improve your health, especially if you do not already eat enough fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables, or whole grains. In addition to the numerous nutritional benefits of eating more plant-based foods like these, according to the National Cancer Institute, people who eat plant-rich diets have a lower risk of developing many types of cancers and other health conditions. Because of its potential health benefits, some people follow a vegetarian diet, while others take plant-based eating a step further and follow a vegan diet—a choice that is often driven by ethical beliefs and environmental concerns as well as a desire for better health. But while following a vegan diet can benefit your health, without special planning, it can also mean missing out on some crucial nutrients traditionally provided by animal foods. The need for dietary planning, however, is not limited to vegan diets—omnivorous diets also require attention to get the nutrients we need. If you follow a vegan diet or are considering giving it a try, “lettuce” help you level up your eating routine to ensure you’re getting enough of the following six nutrients. Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 is vital for proper metabolism and DNA and protein synthesis, all of which support our brain, heart, muscle, and nerve health. Our bodies do not make vitamin B12, so we must get it from foods and/or dietary supplements. Vegetarian and vegan diets must pay special attention to vitamin B12 because it is only found naturally in animal foods. Without adequate amounts of this nutrient, people […]

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Fiber Fact Sheet

Download the Fiber Fact Sheet here Dietary fiber is a plant-based nutrient found in a wide variety of foods. “Fiber” is a broad term that encompasses several types of non-digestible carbohydrates that offer a diverse array of health benefits. In recent year, significant developments have been made in our understanding of fiber and its role in the promotion of health and disease risk reduction. A wealth of scientific evidence demonstrates that adequate dietary fiber intake has a number of health benefits, including maintenance of a healthy gastrointestinal tract and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and some types of cancers. This fact sheet will examine many topics of interest around dietary fiber, including its definitions, food sources and associations with human health. Definition of fiber There are several definitions of dietary fiber worldwide and a singular definition remains the subject of ongoing discussion. Some of the definitions were the result of analytical methods used to isolate dietary fiber whereas others stemmed from the physiological benefits associated with this food component. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) Food and Nutrition Board (formerly known as the Institute of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board) defines dietary fiber as, “nondigestible carbohydrates and lignins that are intrinsic and intact in plants”, whereas “added fiber” consists of isolated, nondigestible carbohydrates that have beneficial physiological effects in humans.” NASEM defines “total fiber” as the sum of dietary fiber and added fiber. The Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses offers a more technical definition of dietary fiber as, “carbohydrate polymers with a 10 or more monomeric units…not hydrolyzed by the endogenous enzymes in the small intestines of humans…” Additionally, Codex included a footnote that the “Decision on whether to include carbohydrates of 3 to 9 monomeric unites should be left up to […]

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Biodiversity 101

We share our planet with a multitude of other living creatures—plants, animals, insects and microorganisms. Derived from the words “biological diversity,” biodiversity is defined formally as the “variety of life on Earth at all its levels.” This diversity is essential to supporting our food system. Specifically, improving our agricultural biodiversity can help us draw on plant species and their genetic variabilities in order to feed the world sustainably while preserving our natural resources. The basics: What is biodiversity? As emphasized by Gurdev S. Khush, a former World Food Prize Laureate, biodiversity is the “basis of agriculture and our food system” and allows us to feed the human population while improving our quality of life. As such, biodiversity is important for maintaining farm ecosystems, also known as agricultural ecosystems and agroecosystems. A quick recap on ecosystems: An ecosystem is an environmental area in which “[all] organisms, as well as weather and landscapes, work together to form a bubble of life.” An ecosystem can comprise many different environments, be it a small pond, a large expanse of prairie, or a working agricultural farm. Within an agroecosystem, everything from the type of dirt to the bacteria species living in the dirt to the multitude of insects, animals and different crops atop the soil plays an important role in sustaining and maintaining a farm’s function and balance. The biodiversity of different farm ecosystems is important in maintaining the farm itself, but it also allows us to enjoy a wide variety of outputs. For example, a cattle farm’s ecosystem may include the growing of different varieties of corn (used to feed animals as well as for human consumption) and the practice of grass-grazing cattle, the byproducts of which can be used to fertilize crops and help sustain humans in the form of products like milk, […]

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What is Responsive Feeding?

Did you know we are born with the ability to self-regulate our hunger and fullness cues, which tell us how often and how much to eat? Unfortunately, as we age external cues – think “clean your plate” rules, media influences, social pressures and misguided comments from our loved ones, can cloud our ability to listen and respond to those natural, internal cues. This reliance on external cues can begin very early in life and lead to an inability to self-regulate our food intake as children and adults. However, one way that parents and caregivers can nurture and support their child’s relationship with food from an early age is through responsive feeding. Responsive feeding is a term used to describe a feeding style that emphasizes recognizing and responding to hunger and fullness cues of an infant or young child. Since infants and young children are not able to feed themselves, responsive feeding requires a parent or caregiver to be aware of their infant or child’s signs of hunger and fullness and respond promptly and with emotional support. Long story short, you provide, the baby decides. Why is Responsive Feeding Important? Responsive feeding is important because infants and children should be encouraged to self-regulate their own food intake. The ability to self -regulate has been associated with less fussiness during mealtimes and the prevention of using food to soothe. Parents are sometimes hesitant to practice responsive feeding because they are concerned about how this may influence their child’s future weight status. They may also be concerned that their infant or young child may be over or undereating, or unsure of what their infant is trying to convey through different facial expressions, head movements or body cues. Nevertheless, when parents or caregivers do not practice responsive feeding, they risk overriding their baby’s internal […]

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Pesticides

What are pesticides, and how do they impact the food we eat? The IFIC Pesticides Toolkit is designed to help answer common questions with credible, science-based information. From consumer perceptions to regulatory oversight, you’ll find resources that support clear communication about how pesticides are used and how they contribute to a safer, more sustainable food system.

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Mercury Fast Facts

Putting Mercury In Food Into Perspective: What You Need To Know  The presence of heavy metals in food is not new. Mercury, like most heavy metals, is naturally occurring and can be detected at trace levels in food. Mercury can, however, accumulate in oceans, lakes, and streams, where it transforms into methylmercury, which can build up in seafood. People are primarily exposed to mercury by eating seafood. Exposure to mercury remains extremely low per the U.S. and global monitoring systems that are in place. Still, overexposure to mercury can cause adverse health effects.    Adults can safely consume 2 – 3 servings of “Best Choices” fish per week. Pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and young children are advised to choose options like salmon or shrimp, in a category identified as “Best Choices” according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) due to their lowest methylmercury content. Ongoing FDA testing and monitoring help reduce risks and ensure seafood safety for consumers.   To further reduce exposure to mercury and other heavy metals through food as well as promote good health and nutrition, consumers should continue to eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods across and within the main food groups of vegetables, fruits, grains, dairy, and proteins.   What Is Mercury? Mercury is a naturally occurring element that can accumulate in oceans, lakes, and streams, where it transforms into methylmercury, which can build up in fish and shellfish.   How Are Consumers Exposed To Mercury Or Methylmercury? While consumers can become exposed to mercury in various ways, the primary human exposure is through consuming contaminated fish and seafood. Once in the air, mercury settles into bodies of water where microorganisms convert it into methylmercury, which can accumulate in fish and shellfish. The highest methylmercury concentrations are found in larger fish that eat other […]

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Plates, Pyramids, Or People: Prioritizing Dietary Guidance Communication

A new U.S. symbol for healthy eating doesn’t come along often — the Food Pyramid debuted in 1992, MyPlate replaced it in 2011, and now, more than a decade later, we have the new Food Pyramid. Each arrival brings a wave of attention and second-guessing, and the new Food Pyramid is no exception: within three months of its debut, 83% of Americans said they’d already seen it, according to our newest research report, the 2026 IFIC Food & Health Survey: A Focus on Dietary Guidance & Processed Food. That exceeds reported awareness of MyPlate in both 2024 (76%) and 2025 (77%). In a fractured media environment, that’s no small feat.   Yet awareness and understanding are not the same thing. While 83% of Americans have seen the new Pyramid, just 54% say they know at least a fair amount about it — still, nearly identical to MyPlate in 2024 (54%) and 2025 (53%). Knowledge of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans themselves sits lower at 42%. Visibility, it turns out, is likely the easier part.  The Awareness-To-Action Gap  Seeing a symbol does not mean understanding the guidance behind it, and understanding the guidance does not mean changing what ends up on the plate. Dietary guidance has always been something of an odyssey — a long quest from intention to action — and the distance between the two is where the real work lives.  The latest Survey bears this out. The most common efforts Americans made over the past year were additive and affirming: eating vegetables and fruits throughout the day (50%) and eating “real food” (49%). And when asked which effort had the greatest impact on their health, eating fruits and vegetables again came out on top. People know the destination. What they need is help getting there.  The Pull Of Adding, […]

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2016 IFIC Food & Health Survey

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation’s 2016 Food and Health Survey, “Food Decision 2016: The Impact of a Growing National Food Dialogue,” marks the 11th edition of an ongoing investigation into the beliefs and behaviors of Americans. The Survey, commissioned by the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation, delves deeply into issues of health and diet, food components, food production, sustainability, and food safety. For eleven years, the Survey has uncovered important insights and trends for health professionals, government officials, educators, and others who seek to understand and improve the health of Americans. The 2016 Food & Health Survey continues this tradition, with a special focus on understanding the complex array of factors that influence food decisions in the United States. Suggested citation for the 2016 Food and Health Survey: International Food Information Council. 2016 Food & Health Survey. 11 May 2016. 

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