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 […]

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 […]

Dietitian Feature: MinnTofu

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

Let’s Get to Soy

Soy beans with their pods

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

Pork Up Your Nutrition

Written by Andrew Akhaphong, MS, RD, LD, Mackenthun’s Registered Dietitian Updated March 27, 2024 Heart-Healthy Choice Pork is certified heart healthy by the American Heart Association.   For a food item to earn the certification by the American Heart Association, at least 5 nutrient criteria must be met -(1) Total Fat: less than 6.5 grams […]