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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GMOs and Your Next Shopping Trip: An FAQ to Keep Handy

Food with genetically modified organisms, otherwise known as GMO foods, have been around for decades. However, while they have been proven to be just as safe as conventionally grown foods, and in some cases are more nutritious, there remains some unknown facts about GMO foods and several myths relating to them. IFIC has discussed how GMOs help farmer productivity and aid in environmental sustainability, but more questions have come to consumer’s minds when it comes to GMOs and grocery hauls. Here is a list of FAQ’s that may come in handy for your next shopping trip: Are GMOs Labeled in Stores? Currently, you may find some food products with labels that inform shoppers of foods containing bioengineered ingredients–these would include GMOs. This type of notice is not meant to indicate safety, lack in quality or nutritional value—it is simply there to keep consumers informed about what is in our food. In 2018, the US Department of Agriculture announced plans to finalize the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard’s List of Bioengineered (BE) Foods. This list has since been published in the Federal Register and the regulation became effective December 29, 2023. Mandatory compliance for all food companies will begin on July 21, 2025. The regulation requires companies to place language or a symbol on all products that contain bioengineered ingredients. However, many companies already voluntarily place this label language on their products. Keep in mind that this regulatory action to disclose GMO information is not meant to signal a safety or quality concern. What Does a Non-GMO Label Mean? Now that you know that many foods carry bioengineered food language on its packaging signaling GMO ingredients, you may ask yourself ’What does a “Non-GMO” label really mean?’ These labels generally indicate that GMO biotechnology was not used to produce a food product. There […]

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Snacking Production Series: Protein Bars

IFIC’s 2022 Food and Health Survey showed that people really enjoy snacking—and that enjoyment is not likely to change. Specifically, last year’s survey showed that nearly three in four respondents (73%) reported snacking at least once a day. In comparison with our 2021 survey, snacking frequency has increased substantially—in 2021, 58% of respondents reported snacking at least once a day or more. One popular snack that offers both nutritional complexity and a variety of flavor is the protein bar. Protein bars have grown exponentially in flavor, texture, and ingredient options in the past decade, and many people (and about 30% of our 2022 survey respondents) reach for some form of nutrition bar as their go-to snack daily. But while many of us enjoy protein bars, how much do we actually know about their ingredients? Read on for more insights about how to enjoy a protein bar that’s right for you. First Things First: Why 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. Protein is also an essential nutrient for maintaining muscle strength, bone health, and blood sugar control. In addition, protein-rich foods contain many of the vitamins and minerals needed to support the body’s defenses and promote quicker healing. The composition of amino acids in the protein content of foods is especially important to consider, since our bodies need amino acids to make vital proteins for different body functions. Animal-based protein (such as whey) is considered to be “complete,” since it contains all the essential amino acids, which our bodies cannot make on their own. In comparison, most plant-based proteins are lacking in one or more essential amino acids (soy-based protein is an exception to this rule). Many people look to protein […]

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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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What Is Vitamin D?

Highlights The Basics Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that also functions as a hormone in our bodies. It plays a critical role in building and maintaining skeletal health, since it helps the body absorb calcium and maintain appropriate concentrations of calcium and phosphorus, two of the primary minerals in bone. It’s also important for muscle function, helping nerves carry signals throughout the body and supporting the immune system. Vitamin D’s effect on preventing and treating a variety of health conditions is being actively studied, though no benefits have emerged as strongly as its role in preventing osteoporosis, osteomalacia and rickets (see “Vitamin D and Health,” below). Humans can get vitamin D in three ways: eating certain foods, taking dietary supplements and making it in our skin after sun exposure. When ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun comes in contact with the skin, vitamin D synthesis is triggered. However, this form of vitamin D is inactive and needs to undergo two activation steps before being used by the body. The amount of active vitamin D in our body is tightly regulated, so blood measurements of vitamin D status often measure the concentration of a form of inactive vitamin D known as 25(OH)D. The amount of 25(OH)D in the blood accounts for vitamin D consumed through foods and supplements as well as vitamin D made in the skin. Vitamin D and Health There is conclusive evidence that vitamin D plays an indispensable role in bone health. Long-term vitamin D deficiency leads to bone softening, known as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Insufficient vitamin D can also contribute to osteoporosis, a loss in bone density that results in brittle bones that are prone to breaking. Because it is involved in so many systems in the human body, vitamin D continues […]

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Essential Nutrients for Adult Women, in Each Decade of Life

While the principles of healthy eating remain constant over a woman’s lifespan, women’s bodies also go through changes in each decade of life that may require adjustments to the specific nutrients they need. For example, some vitamins and minerals are critical during a woman’s childbearing years, while others become especially important as aging begins to affect the female body’s nutrient absorption. Knowing which nutrients are key, and at what times, can help women feel their best throughout each decade of life. The 20s and 30s: Folate, Iron, and Calcium Folate and Folic Acid If a woman decides to have children, folate is crucial for a healthy pregnancy, as it helps protect against neural tube defects in a developing fetus. Folate also plays an important role in producing red blood cells in the bone marrow by working closely with vitamin B12. Food sources of folate include beef liver, lentils, asparagus, spinach, broccoli, avocados, and folate-enriched grain products such as bread, pasta, rice, and cereals. Iron Iron is an essential component of red blood cells that transfers oxygen from the lungs to all the body’s tissues. Iron also is necessary for physical growth, neurological development, cellular functioning, and the synthesis of certain hormones. For women in their 20s and 30s, low iron intake is common, and often is compounded through monthly losses via a woman’s menstrual cycle. Iron is found in two main forms in foods: heme iron (found only in meat, seafood, and poultry) and non-heme iron (found in meat, seafood, poultry, some plants, and iron-fortified foods). Calcium Calcium is necessary for bone health and proper functioning of the cardiovascular, muscular, and nervous systems, among many other significant roles. We don’t reach our peak bone mass until our late 20s, so it’s especially important to consume adequate amounts of calcium in […]

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Please Don’t Switch Out Your Vegetable Oils for Lard

If headlines on your Twitter feed are telling you to cook with lard instead of vegetable oil, please don’t listen. Here’s why. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend limiting saturated fat intake to less than 10 percent of total calories per day. In fact, the 2015 recommendation isn’t much different than the original Dietary Goals for the United States published in 1977. In other words, nutrition guidance encourages you to REPLACE foods that are high in saturated fats (like butter and lard) with foods that are high in unsaturated fats (like vegetable oils). This recommendation is backed by strong evidence from randomized-control trials (the scientific gold standard!) that show replacing saturated fatty acids with unsaturated fats, especially PUFAs, significantly reduces total and LDL blood cholesterol levels. That’s a good thing for reducing your risk of heart disease.  How do you take your nutritious fats to the next level? Enjoy both PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acid) and MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acid). PUFAs (i.e. omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) are found in fish such as salmon, or nuts and seeds such as walnuts (omega-3), and soy, corn and canola (omega-6).   Both are needed and have broad positive health effects, such as improving heart health and cognitive function. MUFAs (i.e. omega-9 fatty acids), like those found in almonds, avocados, olive and canola oils, also improve heart health.  While all cooking oils contain saturated fat, canola oil has the least amount. It also has the most omega-3 fatty acids of the common cooking oils. Soybean oil also contains a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Olive oil, on the other hand, is known for its high MUFA content. To get a healthful blend of PUFAs and MUFAs, mix up your vegetable oils, incorporate a variety of nuts into your diet, top dishes with […]

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What’s the Dish on the DASH Diet?

Following diets or eating patterns is pretty common in the United States, with one in seven Americans reporting that they stick to a specific eating pattern or diet.  While fad diets and trends rotate in and out over time, there are a few tried-and-true eating styles (hey, there Mediterranean diet!) that stand the test of time. A recent panel of experts — including nutritionists, healthcare professionals and scientists who focused on chronic diseases, human behavior and weight loss — reviewed 40 diets. The panel rated each diet based on a variety of categories, including short- and long-term weight loss, ease of compliance, safety and nutrition. The panel concluded that the number one best overall diet was actually two diets: the Mediterranean diet and DASH diet. Since most of us have heard of the Mediterranean diet and we’ve already covered the basics of a Mediterranean eating style, let’s dish about the DASH diet. DASH 101 The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating style was developed in the 1990s in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health and five media research centers in the United States to research the role of dietary eating styles on blood pressure. Findings from these studies revealed that dietary eating styles impact blood pressure in at-risk populations such as hypertensive adults. Specifically, the DASH diet significantly lowered blood pressures compared to control diets, after two weeks of starting the diet and sustaining for six more weeks. The DASH eating style focuses on the notable nutrients and foods that have been touted for decades including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils. In addition, this eating style recommends limiting added sugars and sodium, as well as foods that are high in saturated fat such as fatty proteins, full-fat […]

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