Dec 18, 2024, 18:59 PM by Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN

Dec 18, 2024, 18:18 PM by Martha Anne Belury, PhD, RDN

Dec 18, 2024, 16:32 PM by Kristina S. Petersen, PhD, FAHA

Strong evidence supports consuming unsaturated fatty acids, particularly PUFA, instead of SFA to reduce the risk of CVD and type 2 diabetes. It is recommended that non-tropical liquid vegetable oils, including seed oils, be consumed as part of healthy dietary patterns. Vegetable oils should be used as a replacement for rich sources of SFA including butter, tallow, lard, palm and coconut oils, duck fat, and ghee.

Aug 29, 2024, 21:32 PM by Lawrence Kushi, ScD,

Breast cancer continues to be the most common cancer among women in the U.S. and worldwide, and it is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in the U.S., after lung cancer. With breast cancer incidence gradually increasing and mortality rates from breast cancer decreasing, the American Cancer Society (ACS) now estimates that there are more than four million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. today.

Aug 29, 2024, 21:22 PM by Mark Messina, PhD, MS,

Despite 30 years’ worth of research, the question of whether postdiagnosis soy intake impacts breast cancer outcomes cannot be definitively answered because the necessary clinical data to do so are not available. However, dietary advice based on imperfect data is routinely issued. In fact, most of the understanding about diet/health relationships, especially as related to chronic disease risk, is based on the results of observational studies (which do not allow cause and effect relationships to be established).

Aug 29, 2024, 21:14 PM by Karen Collins, MS, RDN, CDN, FAND

After breast cancer treatment, many wonder, "What's next?" Conflicting information in the media can cause anxiety and food fears, or inaction. As a follow-up to primary cancer treatment, the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the American Cancer Society recommend the following cancer risk reduction steps.

Jun 27, 2024, 18:03 PM by Mark Messina, PhD, MS

“High UPF [ultra-processed food] consumption is associated with an increased risk of a variety of chronic diseases and mental health disorders. At present, not a single study reported an association between UPF intake and a beneficial health outcome.” This statement, which comes from a recently published umbrella review of 39 meta-analyses of observational studies, should concern all health professionals, but especially those in the United States because by one estimate, Americans get 58% of their calories from UPFs; more than any other country, and in most instances, markedly so.

Jun 27, 2024, 17:35 PM by Madeline N. Erlich, RD, PhD(c)

The evidence from these preliminary analyses provides a good indication that substituting sweetened soymilk for cow’s milk does not have an adverse effect on a broad range of intermediate cardiometabolic outcomes and that sweetened soymilk (with up to 7g of added sugars per 250mL) may even have advantages for LDL-C and blood pressure reduction. If the findings hold in the full analysis, these results suggest that classifying plant-based dairy alternatives like soymilk as ultra-processed could be misleading regarding their cardiometabolic effects. The results of the full analysis involving sweetened and unsweetened soymilk are expected in late 2024.

Jun 27, 2024, 16:59 PM by Karen Ansel, MS, RDN, CDN

Ultra-processed foods are controversial. Yet, despite the headlines, we rarely hear about their benefits. For example, many ultra-processed foods are extremely nutrient-dense, not to mention convenient, affordable, and accessible. As a result, they can help busy clients and patients prepare healthful, nutrient-rich meals without spending hours in the kitchen. Because ultra-processed foods have a long shelf life, they can also reduce food waste as well as time spent shopping for food.

May 9, 2024, 16:25 PM by Stuart Phillips, PhD,

The health benefits of exercise are universally recognized and supported by evidence. Exercise provides a set of signals to skeletal muscles to adapt. The stress of exercise, be it energetic or structural stress, leads to muscle adaptations that try to lessen the stress of the subsequent exercise sessions.

May 9, 2024, 16:11 PM by Marie Spano, MS, RD, CSCS, CSSD,

Optimal nutrition plays a pivotal role supporting the extreme physical and cognitive demands placed on elite athletes, military service members, and first responders. These populations operate in challenging environments that require individualized evidence-based dietary strategies to enhance performance, health, and recovery.

May 9, 2024, 14:44 PM by Kelly Jones, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN,

Protein is a regular topic of conversation among health professionals supporting elite athletes. Many elite athletes want to consume more plant proteins for performance as well as personal health. While plant-forward diets are sometimes associated with concerns about protein quality and adequate protein consumption, the primary need among this group is identifying convenient solutions for busy schedules and frequent travel.

May 9, 2024, 14:26 PM by Joanne Villaflor, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD,

Diet is pivotal in enhancing performance and resilience, especially for elite athletes, military service members, and first responders who push their bodies to the limit in demanding environments. Service members and first responders operate in high-stress environments where physical and mental performance is critical for mission success and personal safety. Their nutritional requirements may differ based on the nature of their duties, environmental conditions, and operational tempo. For example, soldiers deployed in combat zones may require nutrient-dense rations optimized for durability, portability, and shelf stability, while firefighters combating wildfires may face challenges in maintaining hydration and electrolyte balance under extreme heat.

Mar 4, 2024, 16:08 PM by Nasima Afzal, Mildred Min, and Raja K. Sivamani, MD, MS, AP

The pursuit of healthier skin transcends the realm of cosmetics, delving into the interplay between nutrition and dermatology. Soy contains multiple compounds that enhance skin appearance -- particularly isoflavones. A growing body of research indicates that soy supplementation contributes to both skin health and appearance through a variety of mechanisms, favorably influencing various dermatologic parameters such as hydration, elasticity, collagen synthesis, skin barrier function, fine lines, and wrinkles

Mar 4, 2024, 16:02 PM by Rajani Katta, MD

Diet and skin health have been linked since ancient times. For example, ancient texts of Ayurvedic medicine describe many herbs, minerals, and fats that could help maintain the health and beauty of skin. In the last few decades, a robust body of research has outlined this relationship more clearly. Population studies have examined the long-term effects of dietary patterns on skin health.

Mar 4, 2024, 15:56 PM by Shelley Rael, MS, RDN

It is well known that nutrition influences multiple body systems, including the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, and endocrine system. However, despite the popularity of collagen supplements, in clinical practice, nutrition is sometimes overlooked as a factor in skin health. It is also uncommon for patients to inquire about this connection, much less understand the impact their overall diet can have on skin health.

Aug 30, 2023, 14:45 PM by Rosanne Rust, MS, RDN

Have your clients asked about the impact of fermented foods on health? Fermentation is a process by which bacteria break down carbohydrates into alcohol or organic acids. As a result, fermented foods have a slightly distinct and acidic smell to them. Examples of fermented foods and beverages include cheese, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, yogurt, kombucha, sourdough bread, stinky tofu, tempeh, miso, and natto. Fermented foods are considered probiotics because they can increase levels of certain bacteria in the gut.

Aug 30, 2023, 14:40 PM by Mark Messina, PhD, MS

The health effects of soy foods and various soybean components have been widely investigated, although with respect to the latter, most focus has been on protein and isoflavones. A wide range of outcomes has been examined including many chronic diseases in epidemiologic studies and many risk factors for or markers of chronic diseases in clinical studies. One outcome for which a better understanding is needed is the impact of soy on the microbiota/microbiome. Fortunately, several ongoing trials funded by Soy Nutrition Institute (SNI) Global, involving both children and adults, will help address this need.

Aug 30, 2023, 14:35 PM by Levi Teigen, PhD, RD

Recent technological advancements allow us to explore, at new depths, the relationship between us as hosts and our intestinal microbes. As discussed by Staley et al., developing a meaningful understanding of the dynamics of the gut microbiome requires viewing the microbiome as an ecosystem where the microbes interact with, and relate to, one another in complex ways. This approach resists the simple classification of microbes as “good” or “bad”. Furthermore, when understood as a dynamic community, it places an emphasis on moving beyond composition to include measures of functionality. The most common measure of microbial composition utilizes the 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing technique. Approaches to measure the function of the gut microbiome range from shotgun metagenomics, which provides a measure of functional genes, to metabolomics, which is a direct measure of a given metabolite of interest. Investigators studying the gut microbiome often utilize a combination of techniques that incorporate measures of both composition and function.

Jun 15, 2023, 12:40 PM by Christopher M. Warren, PhD

Convergent data from a variety of sources clearly indicate that food allergy (FA) prevalence has markedly increased over recent decades. IgE-mediated food allergy is now estimated to directly affect roughly 8% of U.S. children and 11% of U.S. adults, rendering it of major public health importance. Of U.S. children and adults with FA, nearly half are estimated to have current allergies to multiple foods. Both genetic and environmental factors are implicated in the development of food allergies. Research indicates moderate associations between family history of FA (and other allergic diseases like atopic dermatitis and asthma) and increased risk of pediatric FA. However, most children with FA do not have a parent with a FA, which highlights the importance of early life environmental exposures—the most important of which is arguably the infant diet.