Avocados are a good source of dietary fiber and provide monounsaturated fatty acids, nutrients that have been independently connected to metabolic health benefits and the gastrointestinal microbiota. A recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition evaluated the impact of avocado consumption on the gut microbiota and microbial metabolites and explored the relationship between the fecal microbiota, fecal metabolites and health markers. Tune into this episode with guest Marisa Moore MBA, RDN t...
Apr 19, 2021•32 min•Ep. 175
There’s no evidence that withholding any allergen prevents food allergies, and the newly revised Dietary Guidelines for Americans reinforce that in order to reduce the risk of food allergies babies should be fed infant-safe potentially allergenic foods once they’ve eaten a few other complementary foods successfully – starting at around 6-months of age. This recommendation is particularly important when it comes to helping prevent peanut allergies. Despite current research, recommendations and ex...
Apr 15, 2021•35 min•Ep. 174
This bonus episode is part of a series of Cookbook Conversations. These bonus episodes are shorter than the usual episodes and the discussion is focused solely on the cookbook, recipes and tips straight from the author. Today we are “in the kitchen” with Luis Gonzalez talking about the 30-Minute DASH Diet Cookbook: Fast and Easy Recipes to Lose Weight and Reverse High Blood Pressure Luis Gonzalez, MS, RD is an Account Coordinator at Eat Well Global where he uses evidence-based information to emp...
Mar 24, 2021•17 min
The science behind anti-inflammation foods and diets, such as the Mediterranean Diet, is strong. But there are some common misperceptions and other barriers that might be preventing people from embracing this healthy diet and lifestyle. Research shows that inflammation is the root driver of many chronic conditions. An anti-inflammatory eating approach can provide important benefits for people, regardless of health status, age, or condition. Tune in to this episode to learn about: what inflammati...
Mar 17, 2021•36 min•Ep. 173
As a registered dietitian, TEDx speaker, international speaker, and author, Clancy Harrison challenges the way food insecurity is approached in the US. Her mission to demolish the stigma around healthy food access places her on the cutting edge of advocacy. Tune in to this episode to learn about: Clancy’s personal story of how she woke up to her own food elitism as a registered dietitian Melissa’s personal story about being on food stamps as a young child the enlightening definitions of “hunger”...
Mar 03, 2021•50 min•Ep. 172
This bonus episode is part of a series of Cookbook Conversations. These bonus episodes are shorter than the usual episodes and the discussion is focused solely on the cookbook, recipes and tips straight from the author. Today we are “in the kitchen” with Toby Amidor talking about The Best 3-Ingredient Cookbook: 100 Fast and Easy Recipes for Everyone Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, FAND is an award-winning nutrition expert and Wall Street Journal best-selling cookbook author of seven cookbooks. For the...
Feb 24, 2021•19 min
The health benefits of seafood are well researched - eating more seafood can reduce the risks of chronic disease affecting many Americans today. The newly released Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage people to eat seafood at least twice a week, and includes first-time recommendations for babies and toddlers under two years old. While eating seafood is a good choice from a nutritional point of view, it is also a good choice from an environmental point of view: seafood is one of the most en...
Feb 17, 2021•47 min•Ep. 171
As consumers increasingly demand more nutritious food and beverages, the food industry is responding with innovation and reformulation. Nutrition science is the guiding principle as well as the bridge between nutrition research and food industry goals. For example, PepsiCo continues to add product offerings with positive nutrition like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, dairy, protein and hydration. In addition, they are reducing added sugars, sodium and saturated fat in many products to keep ...
Feb 03, 2021•48 min•Ep. 170
There is no reason for women to deprive themselves of delicious, nourishing foods as they navigate the years before, during and after menopause. Registered Dietitians Hillary Wright and Elizabeth Ward have teamed up to author the new book, The Menopause Diet Plan. With a comprehensive approach to better health, this book helps women take charge of their well-being and live life to the fullest. Wright and Ward share insights on nutrition and lifestyle habits for before, during, and after menopaus...
Jan 19, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 169
A growing body of evidence suggests that specific, naturally occurring gut bacteria are under-represented in the intestinal tracts of individuals developing, and with, type 2 diabetes and that their functions impact glucose and insulin homeostasis. This podcast offers listeners a deeper understanding of the changes that occur in the gut microbiome and how certain food choices and eating patterns, along with the use of a novel probiotic, can potentially improve glucose and A1c levels. Guests on t...
Jan 13, 2021•47 min
Thank you for tuning into this short bonus episode so I can share some important updates with you! I hope I've provided some information and inspiration to you during this "unprecedented" year we've had in 2020. One of the best phrases I’ve heard to describe this year was this: We are all experiencing the same storm but in different boats. Same storm, different boats. I often think of this as I go through my day, watch the news, experiencing and processing everything that is going on while keepi...
Dec 18, 2020•9 min
The United States Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Health and Human Services update the Dietary Guidelines for Americans every five years. These guidelines serve as a source of guidance to inform food and nutrition programs and initiatives. They also support the development of science-based nutrition education messages and consumer materials for the general public. Tune into this episode to learn about: the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee process and scientific...
Dec 15, 2020•53 min•Ep. 167
“Medical humanities can be defined as an interdisciplinary, and increasingly international endeavor that draws on the creative and intellectual strengths of diverse disciplines, including literature, art, creative writing, drama, film, music, philosophy, ethical decision making, anthropology, and history, in pursuit of medical educational goals. [2] The humanistic sciences are relevant when multiple people’s perspectives on issues are compiled together to answer questions or even create question...
Dec 08, 2020•55 min•Ep. 166
The road to type 2 diabetes remission or reversal is not as simple as eating better and exercising more. Improving outcomes in diabetes is a much more complex system. The reported rates of remission are often different from what the research actually says. In this podcast episode, we hear from a diabetes care and education expert on where the research stands on diabetes reversal, and what we can learn about diabetes management. Tune in to this episode to learn about: current research on diabetes...
Nov 24, 2020•49 min•Ep. 165
Diet has a significant role in disease development and protection, particularly when it comes to certain diseases like diabetes. More recently, the quality of carbohydrates and fats has been examined more closely for their impact on health. Epidemiologic studies have revealed that consumption of refined carbohydrate-containing diets and/or diets high in saturated fat may be associated with increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes and risk for coronary heart disease. Dietary patterns emphasizing c...
Nov 17, 2020•35 min•Ep. 164
Avocados are a nutrient-dense source of monounsaturated fatty acids (5g of MUFAs per one-third of a medium avocado) and other essential nutrients. They may have an additional LDL cholesterol lowering effect beyond that observed when their MUFAs are substituted for saturated fatty acids, especially on small, dense LDL particles, which are susceptible to in vivo oxidation and associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. A recent study, published in the Journal of Nutrition , investiga...
Nov 10, 2020•29 min•Ep. 163
Digestive health has been a priority trend for multiple years and is anticipated to keep evolving as scientific research expands and further uncovers solutions to help address consumer concerns. There are many factors that can affect our digestive health including family and genetic history, stress, and what we eat. Tune in to this episode to learn about: The scientific definition of probiotics Probiotics in foods and beverages vs. supplements What is required/not required on food labels How do ...
Oct 14, 2020•46 min•Ep. 162
This year marks the 100 year anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution granting women the right to vote in 1920. However, the battle for women’s suffrage lasted more than 70 years, beginning in 1848. When we hear about the suffrage movement in the media or read about it in history books, we usually hear about the loud and militant women, or the ones who paraded in great numbers. But the forgotten suffragists, the ones who went door-to-door with a coo...
Oct 06, 2020•43 min•Ep. 161
According to a 2019 Gallup survey, 1 in 7 Americans said they personally use CBD-containing products, citing relief from pain (40%), anxiety (20%), insomnia (18%) and arthritis (8%) as their top reasons for using it. As more people turn to cannabis and CBD for their medicinal properties, it’s important to learn about the history and the science behind these products in order to better understand the myths and stigma surrounding them. Tune into this episode to learn about: Cannabinoids, cannabis ...
Sep 28, 2020•54 min•Ep. 160
As more consumers approach health and wellness in a holistic way, functionality is being sought in a highly complementary way via supplements and functional foods and beverages. Historically, beverages were a more culturally acceptable vehicle for functionality, but now we see as much or greater interest in obtaining specific benefits from functional foods. While supplements used to be largely relied upon as "insurance" in case healthy eating regimens weren't enough, now more consumers use suppl...
Sep 15, 2020•44 min•Ep. 159
While the forms of communication may be ever changing, the methods behind effectively communicating science-based nutrition information are evergreen. Knowing your audience and customizing communications through various platforms are skills that practitioners, students, and nutrition professionals of all degrees of experience can utilize in practice. Today’s guest, Barbara J. Mayfield, is Founder and President of Nutrition Communicator, LLC and leads nutrition professionals to create compelling ...
Aug 31, 2020•45 min
“Individuals with overweight or obesity are at a greater risk for cognitive impairment. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential role of avocados on cognitive function and lutein status among adults with overweight and obesity.”– Marisa Moore, MBA, RDN Emerging science links mid-life obesity to later cognitive decline, and while the exact mechanisms of the influence of overweight and obesity on cognitive health are not yet fully understood, dietary lutein (which is a plant pigment ...
Aug 18, 2020•33 min•Ep. 158
While RCT (Randomized Controlled Trail) studies are the gold standard, there’s no perfect research study or methodology - every approach will have it’s inherent advantages and disadvantages. Despite some criticism, NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) offers a rich database of information surrounding health and nutrition. During this podcast, Yanni Papanikolaou, MPH, PhD candidate, covers the benefits, potential drawbacks, and ways we can strengthen nutrition research today,...
Aug 12, 2020•52 min•Ep. 157
“My background bridges agriculture, trade, and nutrition, so I can help those that are looking to bulk up their ‘food literacy’. Where our food comes from, how to understand science, how we should actually choose what we feed ourselves and our families… These are the questions I have spent many years studying and thinking about. I help people redefine their reality with fact-based information that they were either missing entirely or had not been presented in an engaging way.” - Christine Cochra...
Jul 28, 2020•43 min•Ep. 156
There is a growing awareness of the importance of body positivity and intuitive eating. More people are embracing the Health At Every Size (HAES) concept and the belief that weight status does not equate to health status. However, there are some who believe that any “intentional” weight loss is more dangerous than being overweight and that it’s also pointless, because “95% of people who go on diets regain the weight”. This 95% statistic is repeatedly cited but it’s actually from a 1959 study who...
Jul 15, 2020•52 min•Ep. 155
Tune in to this episode to learn about the details of a new research study as well as an in-depth discussion about the strengths and limitations of different types of nutrition research including randomized controlled trials, observational studies and industry funded research. Nearly half of all American adults are living with some form of cardiovascular disease and 10 percent of Americans have type 2 diabetes, making it more important than ever that people have accurate, science-based nutrition...
Jun 30, 2020•59 min•Ep. 154
The International Food Information Council (IFIC) is a not-for-profit science communications organization based in Washington, DC that addresses various food-related topics with its team of RDs, PhDs and communications professionals. They are dedicated to the mission of effectively communicating science-based information on health, nutrition and food safety for the public good. As Senior Director of Nutrition Communications at IFIC, Kris Sollid, RD, leads their nutrition team in monitoring nutri...
Jun 24, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 153
Big Data: The Opportunity for Food & Nutrition Professionals All aspects of food and nutrition are impacted by Big Data and its analysis, and to this end, dietitians must possess a deeper understanding of this field as well as the full potential of using these technology advances within the profession. If nutrition professionals can tap into the flow of information, the wide availability of Big Data can unlock possibilities for these professionals to positively impact consumer behavior chang...
Jun 10, 2020•54 min•Ep. 152
“When was the last time you changed YOUR mind?” - Tamar Haspel Tamar Haspel is a James Beard award-winning Washington Post columnist. She has been on the food and science beat for the best part of two decades and is knee-deep in the public food conversation. Tamar speaks frequently at venues where the debates about our food supply play out, including the National Academy of Sciences, food- and ag-related conferences, and SXSW. When she’s tired of the heavy lifting of journalism, Tamar helps her ...
May 27, 2020•33 min•Ep. 151
“The misperception that eating fat causes weight gain may lead consumers to avoid nutritious foods like avocados, which are primarily composed of beneficial monounsaturated fats.” – Marisa Moore, MBA, RDN A randomized parallel-controlled trial of 51 healthy participants 20-60 years old and of BMI 27-35kg/m2 published in Current Developments in Nutrition demonstrated that including one Hass avocado daily in a hypocaloric diet not only supported weight loss efforts, but also offered additional pot...
May 19, 2020•31 min•Ep. 150
