Sensory Nutrition

Are You Sweetener Savvy? Part 1 of 2

Sweeteners fall into one of two major categories: Nutritive (which provide calories since they are either sugar alcohols or various carbohydrates), or Nonnutritive (which in their pure state do not provide any calories). There are products within each of the sweetener categories available for direct consumer purchase (possibly as liquids in bottles, as tablets, in packets, or in various “bulk bags”), or which are added by manufacturers during food manufacturing and processing (which should be noted on a product ingredient label). (Sweetener image courtesy of wax114 at rgbstock.com) A lot of controversy exists concerning all the various types of sweeteners. Health agencies

Is it Really Possible to Suffer From “Food Fatigue” in Italy?

According to their program’s newsletter, some students enrolled in a special gastronomic curriculum in Italy claim it is still possible to suffer bouts of “food fatigue” there, unlikely as it sounds. Mind you, second year students in this Italian rooted program often have a chance to further expand their food horizons by traveling to additional places around the world. For example, they might engage in study trips to Brazil, Canada, Japan, and South Africa, that allow them to explore the local gastronomy and culture wherever they go. The curriculum, including additional countries visited, is always subject to change. (Graphic of

The Skinny on Tomatoes, Including the Tomato Genome

Tomatoes qualify as a very popular non-starchy “vegetable” (even if they are botanically a “fruit” per se) based on per capita consumption in the USA, second only to potatoes. Year 2005 data from USDA noted tomato consumption from various sources, including primarily canned & frozen, as well as some fresh, to be close to 100# of farm weight/per person/per year. The next closest non-starchy vegetable category item, carrots, was noted to have consumption levels at just above 10# of farm weight/per person/per yr. (Different Tomatoes 2 graphic courtesy of salsachica at rgbstock.com) What contributes to the wild popularity of tomato

Anti-Inflammatory Food Item Sources

We’ve discussed the importance of eating food choices from the “rainbow of color” options out there, but some readers wrote in asking for even more specifics than we have previously listed in various blog posts. Although within the US we have moved from using a model of a food guide pyramid to using a model of a plate to encourage healthful choices in dining, there are still some useful pyramid options out there. (Fresh Produce on Display in Taormina, Sicily, Italy, graphic courtesy of Betty H) The “Mediterranean Diet” (general Mediterranean style dietary intake as part of a total lifestyle)

Gluten Free Update June 2012

•New or updated apps: The Gluten Detective (less than $3USD) version 1.0 by Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The app description states that it is designed as follows: “Gluten Detector tool helps you read labels and identify gluten-containing ingredients, FAQs on food labeling, gluten, celiac disease, and more. Create your own shopping list and e-mail it to friends or family. Tips on gluten-free grains, avoiding cross-contamination, and more. Link to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Find a Registered Dietitian.” Gluten Free Registry: version 2.0 under $2 USD by Gluten Free Registry LLC compatible with iPhone, iPod

Seasonal Fruit and Vegetable Guides (USA)

It’s summertime around the USA. That means a plethora of fresh herbs, vegetables and also some fresh fruits for consumers to enjoy can be found in various Farmer Markets, State & local Fairs, road side stands, community & backyard & sideyard vegetable gardens, grocery stores, convenience stores including bodegas, as well as push carts, food trucks, etc. In certain instances even area food banks and food pantries are lucky enough to receive some of nature’s abundance to be shared with others. How can you find out what produce options will be available in your locale during any given month? (Image

Diabetes Focus Apps

Towards the end of 2011, 10 diabetes focus apps for the iPhone were reviewed by a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (known formerly as the American Dietetic Association). Below you will find those apps grouped based on how many stars out of a maximum rating of 5 the app received at that time. We’ll also mention some other apps we have found on the www that are NOT rated on behalf of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Holiday Baking – Does Your Choice of Flour Really Matter?

In the culinary arts, there are “formulas” or “ratios” for preparing baked goods that are the basis for any category of product. To create different varieties of cookies, for example, the basic formula of ingredients is tweaked. This series on holiday baking will focus on some of those ingredients and how they affect your sensory perception of the finished baked good product, starting with cookies. Today’s blog post will look at one key ingredient: flour. With so many flour options on the market, you may wonder if your choice of flour really might matter when it comes to baked goods in

Go on Green–Now is the Time to Rethink Your Drink!

Since it’s officially Summertime, the temperatures are rising around the United States, and in many cases, so is the humidity. Such weather reminds us of the 3 H’s–Heat, Humidity, Haze –so typical of August, but which often also strikes as early as June or July! Everyone wants to cool down when it gets so hot outdoors, so it is time to properly hydrate. IF you have a medical condition that your health care professional is treating you for, then of course follow their advice, but otherwise for healthy folks the following “Go On Green” approach being advocated by government programs

More Apps To Help YOU Implement YOUR New Year’s Resolutions

Lots of apps keep springing up or newer versions of existing ones might come to your attention over this New Year. Some might prove to be useful to you in your quest to implement any of YOUR New Year’s Resolutions. That’s why we are listing some more of them for you today.