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 […]

SILK® Protein in a Nutshell

Written by Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD, Mackenthun’s Registered Dietitian Updated April 19, 2024 The plant-based non-dairy industry grew by 15% from 2019 to 2020, an additional 6% from 2020 to 2021, and 11% from 2021 to 2022.(1) In a survey conducted in 2022 of 1217 consumers -(1) 71% consume and purchase only dairy products […]

Processed and Ultra-Processed Foods: Reading Beyond the Headlines

Written by Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD, Mackenthun’s Registered Dietitian Updated April 16, 2024 Processed and ultra-processed foods are common headliners in terms of health-related topics. Concerns for consuming processed foods include heart disease, cancer, type-2 diabetes, and obesity.   A sample size of 105,159 participants ages 18-years and older  in Europe were observed over […]

Rotisserie Chicken: Meals Made Simple

Written by Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD, Mackenthun’s Registered Dietitian Updated April 12, 2024 It is estimated that 625 million rotisserie chickens were sold in 2020.(1)    A consumer analysis on rotisserie chicken published in 2020 by Brisan Group reports -(2) Main purchasing factor is convenience Consumers view rotisserie chicken as a healthy, high-protein option […]

Yogurt: Not Just for Breakfast or Snacking

Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD, Mackenthun’s Registered Dietitian Updated April 5, 2024 According to a consumer analysis on yogurt consumption in 2023 published by TasteWise -(1) 14,61% increase in restaurants serving yogurt Most important trait for yogurt purchasing is protein content An additional survey by Food Dive in 2021 reported -(2) 48% of consumers buy […]

Let’s Get to Soy

Soy beans with their pods

Written by Andrew Akhaphong,, MS, RD, LD, Mackenthun’s Registered Dietitian                                                                                            […]

Integrative Uses of Magnesium

Written by: Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD, Mackenthun’s Registered Dietitian Updated: January 9, 2024 Intro to Magnesium Magnesium is one of the most abundant mineral in the human body; approximately 40% are stored in intracellular space while 60% are stored in the bones and teeth.1 Evidence suggests that 1% of magnesium however is found in […]

Keeping Off Weight – Is Keto Right for Me?

ketogenic diet

Written by Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD, Mackenthun’s Fine Foods Registered Dietitian Published 12/08/2023 According to a survey conducted in 2022 by Forbes Health/OnePoll on 1,005 adults in the United States, the top New Year’s Resolutions are improving mental health (45%), improving fitness (39%), achieve weight loss (37%) and improving diet (33%). (1) In 2023 […]

All About Organic and Organic Agriculture

Image Source: Tom Werner / Getty Images Organic or conventional? Those are two most common choices consumers ask me to help guide them towards which is better for nutrition, but especially overall health. In all honesty, there is no correct answer and it should be left to interpretation on which a consumer should do. Some […]