By: Liz Williams Date: 2/28/12
I have absolutely no psychological training, but I love playing armchair psychologist. I am very willing to speculate on the reasons why someone makes odd choices or acts in a nontraditional manner. It’s fun. I do not take myself seriously in doing this, but my pursuit of armchair psychology is supplemented by my willingness to read about psychology and watch psychiatry-related television shows and movies.
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By: Elizabeth Rahavi, RD Date: 2/24/2012
Ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom, can you hear that noise? It’s the sound of your heart beating, working hard on your behalf, minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day, year after year. The heart is one of the most amazing organs in our body, and American Heart Month in February gives us time to pause and appreciate its hard work. As my colleague mentioned in her post earlier this month, there are all kinds of intangible benefits that are connected to heart health and exercise and the same is true when it comes to the diet.
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By: Katie Burns Date: 2/22/12
It seems like just yesterday my colleague was blogging about an arsenic “scare” (Arsenic in Apple Juice: Do You Really Need to Worry?), and now the media is buzzing about another arsenic issue—arsenic and brown rice, specifically organic brown rice syrup.
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By Sarah Romotsky, R.D. Date: 2/17/12
I’ve been teaching spinning classes for more than seven years now and have watched people transform their lives, both physically and mentally, through exercise. When I ask people who come to my spin class why they enjoy it and keep coming back, the answer usually involves something about muscle tone and weight loss/management. These responses are not surprising, since these are the benefits of exercise we can see. They are the tangible results that come with physical activity that help let you know that the physical activity you are doing is making a difference.
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By: Keri Gans, MS, RD, CDN, Author, The Small Change Diet Date:2/15/12
Recently, I was a guest on the Doctor Oz Show to discuss whether or not a person can become addicted to food. To prepare for the segment I searched for conclusive science-based evidence pointing in that direction. An important and recurring question was whether or not the body goes through physiological withdrawal in the same way it would for drugs and alcohol when we stop eating a particular food. My research into controlled human trials on the topic left me unconvinced.
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By: Erika Wincheski, University of Maryland Dietetic Intern Date: 2/13/12
More than a month into the New Year may be a good time to take stock of those resolutions we made to improve various aspects of our lives. I don’t know how it is for others, but despite all the advice floating around about how to stick to our commitments, it still can be very challenging to avoid disappointment. According to a recent study, about 75% of Americans maintain their resolutions for at least a week, with 71% hanging in there for two weeks. Not surprisingly, the percentage keeps decreasing as time increases.
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By Kimberly Reed, Executive Director,International Food Information Council Foundation Date: 2/10/12
I would like to wish Let's Move!, First Lady Michelle Obama's initiative dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation, a very happy second birthday.
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By: Katie Burns Date: 2/8/12
Some days, it seems one can’t turn on the television without hearing some story attempting to scare us about our food: whether it has to do with salt, sugar or even low levels of naturally occurring chemicals, these types of stories are part of our reality.
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By: Liz Williams, Southern Food and Beverage Museum Date: 2/6/12
I think that one of the most important things that happens in the kitchen is the transfer of the wisdom of civilization. It happens naturally and without effort. It happens when generations cook together. And one of the terrible consequences of not cooking is the loss of the opportunity to pass down that wisdom.
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By: Sarah Romotsky, RD Date: 2/3/2012
Growing up in Los Angeles, California, the closest I had ever been to a farm was buying produce at farmer’s markets. Sure, I was supporting local agriculture and seeing the faces of some farm workers, but I still had no real understanding of where the food I was buying came from and who was putting in the effort to produce food that was safe, affordable and of the best quality possible. After visiting a few different farms in Indiana recently, however, I’ve realized just how important and relevant the “story” is of how food gets from the farm to my fork.
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By: Christine Bruhn, PhD Date: 2/1/12
New Year’s Resolutions are often hard to keep. People can avoid the “sins” of the past for a short time, but long term adherence to the good life is tough. A commitment to act in accordance with safe food handling, however, doesn’t require any big sacrifices, and it can mean a better life for you and those you cook for.
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By: Dayle Hayes, MS, RD Date: 1/30/12
As you have probably heard, USDA released the long-anticipated new Nutrition Standards for school breakfast and lunch last week. The new regulations align the meals served in school cafeterias more closely with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
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By: Sasha B. Bard, MSN (University of Maryland Dietetic Intern) Date: 1/25/2012
Now that a new year is upon us, many people are reestablishing and refining their diet in an effort to manage their weight. While popular diet books recommend eliminating certain nutrients, foods, or entire food groups, we want to offer up sensible advice to set you on the path toward better health this year and for the rest of your years. The International Food Information Council teamed up with author and registered dietitian David Grotto to produce a video on the essentials of weight management. These tips for weight control are simple and timeless and will surely give you a push in the right direction.
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Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RD, Senior Director, Health and Wellness, IFIC Foundation
Despite multiple efforts to assist Americans in achieving a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular physical activity, only limited success in changing behavior has been attained.
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By: Anthony Flood Date: 1/18/2012
Yes. Orange juice continues to be a safe and nutritious beverage for you and your family. Recent reports about low levels of a fungicide (carbendazim) detected in orange juice received some attention and prompted questions about fruit juice safety. The bottom line is that orange juice is absolutely safe to drink.
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By: Meghan Ames, Dietetic Intern, Johns Hopkins University Date: 1/13/12
Appropriately-timed with New Year’s resolutions, the message, Enjoy your food, but eat less, is the focus of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 communications campaign for early 2012. As a national strategic partner in USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) Nutrition Communicators Network, the International Food and Information Council (IFIC) Foundation supports this message and features it in our recently-published list of tips for trimming down.
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By: Jania Matthews Date: 1/11/12
The first week of 2012 has already flown by and food, health, and nutrition issues have been nothing short of top-of-mind discussions in the mainstream media and on social media platforms.
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Note: This blog is part of our new series called "From the Pantry" which will take a historical look at the food we eat and the culture around food.
By: Liz Williams, Southern Food and Beverage Museum Date: 1/9/12
It is the time of year for new beginnings. We seem to be prodded each year at this time to make resolutions for an improved life. There are lots of cultural underpinnings for this time of reflection on the past and a look to the future. And sharing our resolutions with each other is certainly one of the ways that we can make sure that we keep them.
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By: Sarah Romotsky, RD Date: 1/5/12
As a Registered Dietitian, I take my commitment to promoting public health very seriously just like my colleagues. I care about the safety of my food because just like you, I want to keep myself and my family protected from health risks. However, I also know as a food and nutrition expert that there is a lot of information out there that is incorrect and not based on scientific evidence. Because some of the claims about low-calorie sweeteners strike an emotional chord with us, it can be difficult to analyze the information objectively and discern fact from fiction.
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At the beginning of the year, IFIC Foundation staff blogged about some of their resolutions for 2011. As the year comes to an end, we look back at how well (or poorly) we did.
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