Snacks: Purposeful Partner or Unnecessary Nuisance?

I’m always nervous I’m about to get a side-eye from friends and family when I pull out a snack. It’s as if, because I’m a registered dietitian, I should only eat three meals each day and never need anything in between. The truth is, most of us eat snacks daily, and that’s OK! If you’re curious about snacks and how you could incorporate them into your eating plan, keep reading. Start with the Dietary Guidelines. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans provide recommendations for what nutrients to consume on a daily or weekly basis. Key recommendations include the following: vegetables (including dark green, red and orange and legumes), fruits, grains (at least half of which should be whole grains), fat-free or low-fat dairy, a variety of protein foods (including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds and soy products) and oils. The Dietary Guidelines also explain healthy eating patterns that one could adopt, which include sample portion sizes for each food group to be consumed daily. That’s where snacks can come into play. Make the most of snack time. We can make a snack out of any type of food. Similar to MyPlate recommendations, they are most beneficial for and satisfying to us when they are a good mix of food groups. A few good examples are an apple with a slice of cheese or some peanut butter, a few crackers and a palm full of nuts or a hard-boiled egg with a smear of hummus. If you’re on the go, grabbing a pre-packaged snack can be a great option. Skimming the labels for a combination of carbs, protein and fat will be helpful in making your choice. At the same time, not every snack needs to be nutrient-dense — we all need some chocolate or an ice cream […]

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Coconut Milk, Our Tropical Treat

For the last installment in our milk series, we thought it would be a good idea to dive into coconut milk. Plus, you might want to get an early start on celebrating World Coconut Day (Sept. 2). Even if you don’t celebrate, you may have noticed that this tropical beverage has grown quite a bit in popularity in the past few years, which may be rooted in the fact that it offers another alternative to cow’s milk. Similar to almond and soy milk, coconut milk sales are expected to continue to increase in coming years. A recent report has projected the market for coconut milk will grow 7.5 percent annually by the year 2023. It looks like coconuts are useful for way more than just coconut cream pies and piña coladas, but how is coconut milk made? Where the Milk Begins The coconut is a tropical tree species grown and harvested mainly by small-scale farmers. Its success depends largely on ample water availability, but they are also able to grow in a wide variety of soils. Coconuts are farmed in more than 90 countries, with the top four producers being Indonesia, Philippines, India and Brazil. While coconuts grow in many countries, their natural habitats are on coastal areas and the fringes of deserts, where rainfall and humidity are likely to be high. Coconuts are not really nuts at all; they are fruits in the drupe or “stone fruit” family, which also includes apricots, cherries and peaches. The coconut kernel (also called the “copra”) and water are two edible parts that form the foundational ingredients for a variety of coconut products, including coconut water, oil, cream and, of course, coconut milk. Crack the “Nut,” Get the Milk Specifically for coconut milk and cream production, coconuts must mature to between 10 and […]

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A Simple Guide to Plant-Based Eating

There’s no doubt that following a special eating pattern has become increasingly en-vogue in recent years—and the rising popularity of specific diets continues to be backed up by data from IFIC’s annual Food and Health Survey. Among the top growing dietary trends is plant-based eating, and it gets a lot of hype for good reason—scientific research shows that plant-based diets can have many benefits. But here’s the rub: What individuals perceive as “plant-based eating” is highly variable, and the term is not well-defined. Case in point? Some people assume the term “plant-based” is another way to describe vegetarian or vegan eating. In reality, a broad spectrum of plant-based eating exists, and there’s no one way to do it. If you’re looking for tips increase the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat—and maybe even foray into your own version of plant-based eating—use the below guide to understand what plant-based can mean, what its benefits are, and how you can implement this eating style. Defining “Plant-Based” Plant-based diets have existed since ancient times, but the term “plant-based” is just around 20 years old, according to a 2022 review that defines plant-based foods as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs, spices, and whole grains. Unlike vegan eating, a plant-based or, alternatively, plant-focused, diet does not have to exclude animal foods like red meat, fish, chicken, eggs, and dairy. Rather, a plant-based eater may still enjoy animal foods while deliberately building an overall eating pattern that is rich in or primarily made of plants, but not consisting only of plants. The Benefits of a Plant-based Diet There’s no doubt that many plant-based foods are full of nutrition and health benefits. Just the act of making healthy, plant-based choices can confer better nutrition in the way of more vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. But plant-based […]

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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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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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What is the Vegan Diet?

Vegan and vegetarian diets appear to be among the top food trends, but there is evidence that some people have been eating a predominantly plant-based or vegetarian diet for centuries. However, it wasn’t until 1944 that the term “vegan” was coined.

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Eyes on the Plant-based Food Prize

We’ve talked recently about the growing popularity of plant-based food diets. Plant-based diets encompass not only vegetarian and vegan diets, but also diets that focus on an increased consumption of plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains and numerous other foods that are made using plants as primary ingredients. Diets rich in plant-based foods deliver healthy amounts of fiber, vitamins A, C, E, K and folate, and the minerals potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and manganese. We can thank farmers around the globe every day for growing these plant foods—but today, let’s take a deeper look into the food production practices that are bringing us more plant-based food options. The Plant-based Burger It may not be grilling season quite yet, but many of us enjoy a good burger any time of year. But what if you could eat a burger that contained no meat at all and still gave you the feel and taste of the traditional hamburgers you grew up eating? Fortunately for us, food producers have found a way to do just that. You may have seen these “meat alternative” burger patties being sold in your local grocery store or served in neighborhood restaurants but wondered what was in them—or if it was worth giving them a try. Because the four main ingredients in these burgers are water, pea-protein isolate, canola oil and coconut oil, they are both vegan- and vegetarian-friendly. They’re also clever: Manufacturers use beets to help the burgers have a reddish color and “bleed” as a ground-beef burger would. Nor will these patties let you miss out on a dose of protein if you skip the hot dogs and chicken at your next barbeque: The pea-protein isolate in plant-based burgers are at your service. Peas are legumes, which are an excellent source of […]

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Earth Day 2019: Taking Some Time for Soil Appreciation

It’s no secret that without soil, we cannot produce food. But how much do most of us know about the sustainable practices farmers undertake to avoid and alleviate soil erosion, a problem that has been recognized as a food production issue since 1930 and still remains a concern? This is not just an issue in the United States. Researchers have noted that “global rates of soil erosion have been exceeding those of new soil formation by 10- and 20-fold on most continents of the world in the last few decades.” Check out these three ways our farmers and food producers are “fighting the good soil fight” and are aiming to effectively combat soil erosion and continue to provide us with the food our ever-growing population needs. Farm, Conserve Wetlands, Build Wildlife Habitats, Repeat Undoubtedly, agriculture can have an impact on the environment, but farmers and ranchers are working together to alleviate those impacts across large areas of land in the United States. In the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), farmers and ranchers have voluntarily signed up to prevent soil erosion and create new wetlands and wildlife habitats to 20 million acres of farmland. Signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1985, CRP is one of the largest private-land conservation programs in the United States. In the summer of last year, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said, “The Conservation Reserve Program is an important component of the suite of voluntary conservation programs USDA makes available to agricultural producers, benefiting both the land and wildlife. … CRP also is a powerful tool to encourage agricultural producers to set aside unproductive, marginal lands that should not be farmed to reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, provide habitat for wildlife and boost soil health.” Busting out the Bioengineering Crops that are grown with […]

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