Sound Bites A Nutrition Podcast

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,...

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...

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.  Tu...

"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 multi...

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 l...

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 increas...

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 increas...

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 Pr...

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 wh...

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 t...

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 rel...

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...

"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...

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 candi...

"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...

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 diet...

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 ty...

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...

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 Da...

"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...

"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...

Crop One is an integral part of the future of farming. This vertical farm company is changing the way we think about agriculture, and how this type of growing system can play a role in food safety, sustainability, and land use. Tune in to this episode to learn about: The potential advantages and drawbacks to vertical farming The role of a controlled environment farming system in food safety How ve...

Tune in to this episode to learn about: The connection between soy and breast cancer. Soyfoods and men's health. The prevalence of soy allergies. The bioavailability of nutrients in soy. Whether or not soy protein impacts heart health. Dr. Mark Messina, PhD, MS, is an internationally recognized soy expert, Executive Director of the Soy Nutrition Institute, President of Nutrition Matters, Inc. and...

There seems to be increasing criticism and negative publicity around meat production despite the fact that we have much fewer cattle in the U.S. today than in the past, and therefore the carbon footprint is smaller than before. With increasing concerns about climate change and the fact that cattle are ruminant animals which produce methane, the challenge is putting that into context with other imp...

The AADE7® Self-Care Behaviors framework utilizes the best practice of diabetes education by measuring, monitoring and managing outcomes. The 7 behaviors are: healthy eating, being active, taking medication, monitoring, reducing risks, problem solving and healthy coping. These behaviors are widely recognized and used by healthcare professionals, professional organizations and governmental agencies...