From Tree to Table: Olive Oil
Written by Anna Horsch, University of Minnesota – School of Public Health, Dietetic Intern Updated: June 20, 2024 To effectively utilize olive oil and determine the appropriate type for various uses, it’s crucial to understand the distinct properties of each variety. Words to know: Unrefined: chemicals or heat are not used to extract oil […]
Power Up Your Mood with Beans
Written by Andrew Akhapong, MS, RD, LD, Mackenthun’s Registered Dietitian Updated July 2, 2024 The Canned Beans Council published a study in 2020 assessing consumer attitudes towards beans. The findings that they have found include – 18% of consumers eat beans at least 3+ times/week 56% of consumers believe beans may reduce heart disease and […]
Crispy, Refreshing, Nourishing Cucumbers
Written by Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD Updated May 30, 2024 In a consumer survey published by the International Fresh Produce Association in 2022 -(1) 50% of consumers purchases cucumbers the past year 73% prefer to eat cucumbers with a salad Persons ages 50 to 49-years are the largest purchasing group of cucumbers The […]
Juicy, Sweet, and Peach-ariny
Written by Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD Updated June 5, 2024 What produce screams spring and summer better than peaches or nectarines? Peaches and nectarines are produced among 20 states. The top four include California, South Carolina, Georgia, and New Jersey. In 2017 approximately 56% of peaches and nectarines in retail were supplied by […]
Unraveling Delightful Tang
Written by Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD Updated May 22, 2024 Feta cheese is often associated with the dry, crumbly, mild salty add-on commonly served with Greek salads. Though this is a characteristic that is found in feta cheese, American feta cheese differs quite largely from its Greek counterpart. When we think of authentic feta, […]
Harvesting the Benefits of Asparagus
Written by Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD, Mackenthun’s registered dietitian Updated May 5, 2024 When it comes to fresh and delicious produce as the warmer season approaches, produce like asparagus and rhubarb often marks its beginnings. Asparagus is a perennial vegetable which means it can regenerate itself each year. Before asparagus can be harvested it […]
The Fresh or Frozen Produce Debate: Which One?
Written by Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD, Mackenthun’s Registered Dietitian Updated 5/6/2024 The American Frozen Food Institute conducted a survey on 1525 Americans around frozen produce, published in Spring 2023. Frozen produce offers convenience; it reduces the cooking time and prep needed for meals compared to fresh produce. The findings included -(1) 68% of consumers […]
Enriched Grains for Good Health
Written by Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD Updated May 1, 2024 The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that at least one-half of total grain consumption comes from whole grain sources. A review by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 2013-2016 found Americans consumption of whole grains accounted for an average of […]
May Food Affect Your Mental Health?
Written by Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD, Mackenthun’s Registered Dietitian Updated: April 25, 2024 According to the United States Department of Agriculture, more than 1 in 5 US adults live with a mental illness.(1) “This is equivalent to over 50 million Americans”.(2) Additionally 1 in 10 US youths have depression which creates a barrier to […]
Canned Tomatoes and Beyond
Written by Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD, Mackenthun’s Registered Dietitian Updated April 26, 2024 Tomatoes are a native crop to South America; during the Spanish colonization of the Americas the Spaniards brought with them tomatoes for trade. Tomatoes were not available for commercial production in the United States until the mid-1800s.(1) Behind potatoes, tomatoes are […]
