Nutrition Fundamentals Blog #1: Introduction
Hello everyone and welcome to the first blog post of CMDI 1255 Nutrition Fundamentals from a Culinary Pespective! My name is Alex and it is my pleasure to be your host in exploring new information related to food and culinary science through this blog, which originally started for Theory of Food I.
In this new class, we'll delve into the properties of foods we cook to see what is their composition and impact on the human body-after all, since we must learn how to properly handle and utilize ingredients, as well-rounded chefs we also ought to know what happens to customers after they have ingested our creations!
This week consists of a short introduction, so read on and stay tuned for new content in a few weeks time.
Cheers,
Alex
1. State one topic in nutrition that interests you and that you would like to learn more about.
Not to be superficial or anything, but one topic that interests me within the realm of nutrition and which I would like to learn more about is whether food can help preserve youth: after all, we know the way one leads their life determines how healthy they will remain throughout it and in what state they will be at the end of it. If regular physical activity, lifestyle choices, stress levels, pollution, sleep etc contribute to someone's health, then diet certainly is at the top of that list. Since the ultimate sign of unhealth is death, couldn't we consider anything that delays this process (here on the outside) is working?
We know old age is visible in humans through signs such as wrinkles, the greying of hair and reduced mobility and vitality to name but a few. Therefore, from a layman's point of view, we can imagine an age-prevention diet is one that enhances the elasticity and fullness of skin.
By doing a quick search, Registered Dietitian Franziska Spritzler (2016) gives us the following list of foods that help preserve youth:
1) Extra virgin olive oil
2) Green tea
3) Fatty fish
4) Dark chocolate & cocoa
5) Vegetables
6) Flaxseeds
7) Pomegranates
8) Avocados
9) Tomatoes
10) Spices
11) Bone broth
We learn these foods are considered to help preserve youth due to their properties such as collagen, antioxidants and omega-3 fats, as well as chemical compounds that protect against inflammation and sun exposure (flavanols, polyphenols, ALA).
2. Do you feel, currently and in the future, nutrition will play a more important role in the culinary industry? Explain why or why not?
I want to say yes and no. Yes, because consumers have never been this savvy and interested regarding what goes on in their food, especially with topics that don't relate to necessities like allergies but instead ideological stances (veganism, non-GMO crops, farm-to-table movement etc); but no as well, because junk food franchises continue being very profitable and expanding into developping markets, rates of obesity and diet-related ailments keep on prevailing and I think dining out remains a special occasion where you eat something you don't know how to make or don't get to eat very often, and that includes splurging on something you know is not healthy. For instance, having a meal of wholewheat pasta with poached salmon and steamed vegetables is healthy; but would actually go to a restaurant, something you don't do everyday, to pay probably $25 plus taxes and tips for a meal that's not very exciting just so that you're eating a "balanced meal"?
I believe there could be interest regarding the sustainability and toxicity of agricultural products and cattle as mentionned above due to consumers being aware of long-term health risks such as cancer linked to pesticide usage. Or interest would take place in specific settings, such as nursing homes where our ever-increasing ageing population requires more dietary adjustments to be made.
To summarize, it will probably meet halfway between increased nutritional awareness and desire to eat out and have flavour at the forefront, especially as due to COVID people have been locked up at home and are itching to simply go out.
3. Choose a credible nutrition website and a website that may not be credible and explain three ways you can determine the credibility of the website.
Credible nutrition website: Diabetes Canada
Why is it credible?
- Diabetes Canada (formerly The Canadian Diabetes Association) is the national association providing help and support to Canadians affected by diabetes; it directly descends from the late 1940's Diabetic Association of Ontario founded by Charles Best, who worked as Dr Frederick Banting's assistant, who himself discovered a successful method to treat patients with diabetes using insulin (Diabetes Canada, n.d.)
- It has authority to provide information and advice to healthcare professionals, government agencies and other public and private organisations (Diabetes Canada, n.d.)
- It benefits from research funding as it is considered trustworthy and legitimate by organisations, and offers a plethora of resources such as webinars, meal plans, diagnostic assessments for healthcare professionals and even organises its own camp program for children (Diabetes Canada, n.d.)
Not credible nutrition website: FoodByMaria by Maria Koutsogiannis
Why is it not credible?
- The author does not possess credentials that would give her nutritional authority, such as higher studies in nutrition or being a Registered Dietician
- While some statements are backed up with links to reliable sources, many others are not and state supposedly scientific facts without any supporting reference. Case in point, in "Grandma's Vegan Pasta Sauce Recipe", it is announced that "tomatoes are loaded with health benefits such as the antioxidant lycopene which is linked to reducing your risk of heart disease and cancer. Tomatoes are also an awesome source of vitamin c, potassium, folate, and vitamin k" (Koutsogiannis, n.d.). However, no reference that could verify the veracity of these claims is provided
- The website hosts many advertisements, which would lead to think its goal is to sell products rather than merely providing information
References
Diabetes Canada. (n.d.). Our History. Retrieved from https://www.diabetes.ca/about-diabetes-canada/our-history
Koutsogiannis, M. (n.d.). Grandma’s Vegan Pasta Sauce Recipe. FoodByMaria. Retrieved from https://www.foodbymaria.com/vegan-pasta-recipes/
Spritzler, F. (2016, April 24). 11 Foods That Can Help You Look Younger. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-foods-to-look-younger
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