New Plant-Based Foods Round-up

The plant-based foods trend is nothing new, but it does seem to be growing as fast as a weed. In particular, plant-based proteins are gaining attention and consumers are gradually becoming more interested in diversifying their plates to include more plant-based proteins. Although plant-based alternatives to animal products have been around for millennia, it seems that new options arise constantly, as innovators redesign everything from milk, to burgers, cheeses and even eggs. While products like soy milk and veggie burgers are now commonplace in many coffee shops and burger joints, new technology is bringing goods like plant-based cream cheese, hard-boiled eggs and chicken nuggets to our grocery stores. For the bagel connoisseur: plant-based cream cheese First in our new foods round-up is plant-based cream cheese. Vegan cheeses that use soy or nuts to mimic the texture of dairy-based cheeses have existed for decades, but cheese-derived products like cream cheese have constantly been in development to mimic the characteristic creamy texture. Current plant-based cream cheese products are typically soy or nut-based, similar to other plant-based cheese products, and will usually have lactic acid or lactic acid-producing bacteria added during production. Despite what its name implies, lactic acid does not add lactose; rather it is needed to acidify the product to make the plant-based “curds” that are essential in dairy-based cream cheese production. Acidification changes the structure of the start product, which is often liquid drained from soaking nuts or soy, creating a thicker, creamier structure, which is expected in cream cheese. Additionally, since milk fat isn’t inherent in these plant-based alternatives, some manufacturers may use coconut in their formulations to add more creaminess. For the champion of breakfast: plant-based hard-boiled eggs Plant-based eggs have been around for a short while, though typically in liquid form, which makes for easy scrambled eggs […]

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Diversifying MyPlate: Chinese Cuisine

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and their associated MyPlate graphic are commonly referenced resources for learning about healthy and nutritious eating. The recently updated 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans put a stronger focus on meeting dietary recommendations while keeping cultural preferences in mind, and resources highlighting culturally inclusive approaches are valuable tools for translating the general messages of MyPlate and the Dietary Guidelines to more Americans. This article is part of a series that shows how healthy eating can take on many different forms outside of the Western diet. The featured guest authors will demonstrate what healthy eating looks like in their culture and how many of the MyPlate food groups and principles can translate across varying cultures and world cuisines. Each article in this series is written by a registered dietitian who is experienced in integrating culturally inclusive approaches into their work. About the Author My name is Michelle Jaelin (in Traditional Chinese, 關靜嫻). I’m a TV-media and communications dietitian, and my main focus in dietetics is on Asian food and cultural nutrition. I’m of Chinese descent, my parents are from Hong Kong, and I am Canadian-born. Watching my English-as-a-second-language parents try to navigate and understand the healthcare system inspired me to focus on this area in dietetics. Given that traditional dietary guidelines are based on Euro-centric diets, I didn’t find the information out there inclusive enough to Asian Canadians and other ethnic groups. My cultural preference is on mainly the Chinese diet in North America. In China there are many diverse cuisines, eight of which are considered primary or “high” cuisines. This particular article emphasizes mostly cuisine from Guangdong province, a coastal province in South China that has evolved to become a part of American culture. The History of Chinese People and Cuisine in North America The Chinese […]

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The Case for CRISPR

When some people hear the term “selective breeding,” they assume it’s a fairly recent technology. Well, they would be off just a little bit — by about 12,000 years, to be precise. Practices such as breeding crops for desirable traits are almost as old as agriculture itself. Fast-forward to barely 150 years ago when we first began to understand genetics. Our working knowledge of DNA dates back only to the mid-20th century, and only then did genetic engineering get more sophisticated. Just a few decades removed, the intersection between science and food is at perhaps the most exciting place yet. With the rise of “big data,” we are beginning to see the connection between genetics and the food we eat, also called nutrigenomics. And now we stand on the cusp of a potentially revolutionary technology called “CRISPR.” It might sound like a drawer in your refrigerator, but it’s actually a tool that could bring enormous benefits to the food system. What is CRISPR? Before we dive into CRISPR, trust us, you may want to be sure to brush up on some basic genetics and biology so that the terms we use aren’t too foreign. CRISPR is one of many methods to alter the genetic information in the cells of living things — plants, fruits, vegetables, etc. That genetic information is called DNA, which are chains of molecular building blocks called nucleotides. DNA can produce proteins that define what an organism’s cells do or don’t do — kind of like how software controls the operation of a computer. Snippets or “sequences” of DNA called genes, pass down inherited traits over generations, tend to be stable, changing only slightly over time as organisms evolve and adapt to new conditions. Sometimes these changes are visible, such as the color of a flower, and […]

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Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Six Tips To Make Your Holiday Meal Planning Easy

A few years ago, I hosted my first Thanksgiving dinner, which turned into a wild scramble in my tiny apartment kitchen while I cooked a meal for seven. On top of all that, my sister-in-law was coming, and her wheat allergy made things a little trickier. Hosting a big meal for guests with food allergies can be challenging, especially when everyone is depending on you to make a safe, delicious, mistake-free meal. While I was fortunate to know which allergies to look out for in my cooking, sometimes guests show up without notice. My list of tips below can help keep your holiday dinners running smoothly, even if there’s an unexpected guest at your table. In fact, sometimes surprises give you an opportunity to get creative in the kitchen! 1. Offer allergy-free alternatives. Instead of scrapping a dish altogether, offer an allergen-free alternative dish to ensure everyone can enjoy a little of everything. For my family, stuffing is the big hit, but I knew we would need an alternative for my wheat-free sister-in-law. We don’t stuff the turkey, so there wasn’t a risk of cross-contact with the turkey, but I still wanted everyone to enjoy this iconic side dish. My solution: cornbread stuffing in addition to classic wheat bread stuffing. Here are some other ideas for adjusting popular side dishes: swap out cow’s milk for coconut milk in mashed potatoes; leave the walnuts on the side for the sweet potato casserole; and make a crust-less apple crisp instead of apple pie. 2. Keep allergen-containing foods separate. In an ideal world, we would have the space of a commercial kitchen to cook our holiday meals. My tiny city apartment was far from ideal. This meant being extra vigilant about separating food ingredients. While one of my top concerns was keeping raw […]

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Everything You Need To Know About Acesulfame Potassium

What is acesulfame potassium? Acesulfame potassium is a no-calorie sweetener that is used in foods and beverages to provide sweetness without the added calories contained in sugars. While some types of sweeteners are considered no-calorie (e.g., acesulfame potassium, monk fruit sweeteners, stevia sweeteners and sucralose) and others are low-calorie (e.g., aspartame), this category of ingredients is often collectively referred to as artificial sweeteners, high-intensity sweeteners, low-calorie sweeteners, low- and no-calorie sweeteners, nonnutritive sweeteners or sugar substitutes. Originally developed by German researchers in 1967, acesulfame potassium was first approved for use in Europe in 1983. Five years later, in 1988, it was approved in the U.S. Today, it is often used in combination with other low- and no-calorie sweeteners, such as aspartame and sucralose, to provide a more sugar-like taste than acesulfame potassium provides on its own. Like other low- and no-calorie sweeteners, acesulfame potassium is intensely sweet. It is about 200 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar), so only small amounts are used to match the sweetness provided by sugar. Acesulfame potassium retains its sweetness at a wide range of temperatures and in many food-processing conditions, which allows it to be used as an ingredient in a variety of food products, including baked goods, beverages, candies, chocolates, dairy products, desserts, and more. When acesulfame potassium is used as an ingredient in a packaged food or beverage, it will appear in the ingredient list for that product as either Ace-K, acesulfame K, or acesulfame potassium. Acesulfame potassium is also used as an ingredient in some tabletop sweeteners. The most common brand of sweetener in the U.S. that contains acesulfame potassium is Equal® Original. What happens to acesulfame potassium after consumption? Acesulfame potassium provides sweet taste quickly after it is consumed. Eventually, it is completely absorbed into our blood from the gut, […]

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IFIC Spotlight Survey: A Second Look At COVID-19’s Impact On Food Purchasing, Eating Behaviors & Perceptions Of Food Safety

In the United States, the COVID-19 pandemic has been entrenched in our daily lives for over two months. In the midst of its impact on the health of many and the lives of everyone, the way we’re thinking and acting around food and food safety continues to evolve. We conducted our first consumer research on COVID-19’s effects on shopping for food, eating habits and perspectives on food safety in early April. This most recent survey, fielded May 7th to May 12th, serves as a follow-up to this initial research. It tracks several questions asked previously in April and asks new ones to help us better capture the full scale of the pandemic’s effects on how we think and feel about food in these ever-changing times. Here are some key takeaways:  Since April, there has been a consistent downturn in following risk-reducing practices related to COVID-19 and grocery shopping. Just 52% of survey takers report washing their hands after going to the grocery store, down from 63% in April. This change is emblematic of the declines seen in many other safety practices, including going to the store less (46% versus 51% in April), minimizing touching surfaces while at the grocery store (39% versus 50% in April) and using wipes and hand sanitizer (38% versus 47% in April). Consistent with last month’s survey, those in the youngest age bracket (less than 45 years of age) are less apt to follow many risk-reducing precautions compared with people older than 65. One exception to the downturn is an uptick in the percentage of people who say that they’re ordering at least some of their groceries online (24% versus 16% in April). Wearing protective equipment, frequent cleaning, wearing gloves while working, and offering sanitizers or wipes are perceived as the most important actions grocery store employees can […]

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IFIC Spotlight Survey: Purchasing Behaviors, Eating Decisions & Health Perceptions Of Dietary Fats & Oils

Highlights Over the past few years, it might seem like we’ve come a long way in our perceptions of dietary fat. Avocadoes, omega-3-rich fish and nuts and seeds are welcomed parts of a balanced diet, and fad diets like keto and Paleo that focus on higher fat intakes continue to be popular in certain health circles. But have people really cast aside the deeply ingrained fear of fat that dominated the nutrition conversation years ago? To answer this question, we set out to learn more about purchasing and eating behaviors, as well as health perceptions of dietary fats and oils, by surveying 1,000 American adults. Here are some key takeaways: Over one in three seek out “low fat” or “reduced fat” foods or beverages, while only one in ten seek out full–fat products. When survey takers were asked if they seek out products with different labels related to their fat content, 36% said they seek out low–fat products and 35% reported looking for reduced–fat foods and beverages. In contrast, just 11% said they seek out full–fat products and 29% said they don’t seek out foods and beverages with descriptions of their fat content. People under 45 were more likely to seek out “full fat” products, while those ages 45–64 were less likely to do so. People above age 65 and college-educated people were more likely to seek out products labeled as “low in saturated fat.” Consumers are split on whether they would choose a higher–fat version of a product over a lower-fat version. When given a scenario in which there were two products that differed only in their fat content—one that was higher in total fat and one that was lower in total fat—36% said they would consider choosing the higher-fat product, while 38% said they would not. People under […]

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Everything You Need to Know About Stevia Sweeteners

Download the Stevia Fact Sheet for Consumers here Download the Stevia Face Sheet for Health Professionals here WHAT ARE STEVIA SWEETENERS? Stevia sweeteners are no-calorie sweeteners that can be used to lower one’s intake of added sugars while still providing satisfaction from enjoying the taste of something sweet. While some types of sweeteners in this category are considered low-calorie (e.g., aspartame) and others are no-calorie (e.g., stevia sweeteners, monk fruit sweeteners and sucralose), collectively they are often referred to as sugar substitutes, high-intensity sweeteners, non-nutritive sweeteners or low-calorie sweeteners. Like other no-calorie sweeteners, stevia sweeteners are intensely sweet. Stevia sweeteners range from being 200-350 times sweeter than sugar, and as such only small amounts of stevia sweeteners are needed to match the sweetness provided by sugar. Stevia sweeteners can be used by food and beverage manufacturers as an ingredient in beverages (such as diet sodas, light or low-sugar juices and flavored waters), canned fruits, condiments, dairy products (such as ice cream, flavored milk and yogurt) and other foods (such as baked goods, cereals, chocolate and other confections) and syrups. Because they are stable at high temperatures, stevia sweeteners can be used in baked goods. However, a recipe that uses stevia sweeteners in place of sugar may turn out slightly different because, in addition to sweetness, sugar plays several roles related to volume and texture in recipes but varies based on the type of recipe. Stevia sweeteners are also used in several tabletop sweeteners, such as Truvia®, Pure Via®, Stevia In The Raw®, SPLENDA® Naturals Stevia Sweetener, SweetLeaf® and Enliten®, as well as other retail products sold under store-brand names. HOW ARE STEVIA SWEETENERS PRODUCED? Stevia sweeteners are derived from the leaves of the Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) plant, an herbal shrub native to South America. The stevia plant has been used […]

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