MSG: A Brief History
June 7, 2022
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer that gives foods a specific savory taste that is also known as “umami.” Although MSG is found naturally in some foods, such as…
sodium
Getting Personal: How Much Sodium Do We Need?
April 7, 2022
In the field of nutrition, one thing is clear: There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to a healthy, maintainable eating pattern. Our genetics and environment play significant roles in how our…
What You Should Know about Sodium and Salt
November 30, 2021
Sodium is an essential part of everyone’s diet—the human body could not function without it. However, there can be too much of a good thing. Americans tend to overdo it…
Why is Sodium Being Reduced in Food?
October 1, 2021
In October of 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration made big news when it issued its final voluntary guidance for food manufacturers to reduce the sodium content across many…
Cutting Down on Sodium: 6 Alternatives to Salt
August 10, 2021
Sodium is essential for our bodies to maintain many basic activities — such as muscle contraction and a properly functioning nervous system. However, consistently consuming too much sodium can increase…
Potassium: You Make My Heart Beat
January 26, 2018
Potassium – how could I live without you? Well, the answer is…I couldn’t. Potassium is essential to life. It might not be the first nutrient that comes to mind when…
Fast Take: A Recent Study in JAMA vs. the Dietary Guidelines
March 8, 2017
Hardly a month goes by without a new nutrition research study capturing headlines. March is #NationalNutritionMonth, so, of course, another nutrition study (Micha et al.) is in the spotlight. It’s published…
New Dietary Guidelines: What Changed & What Stayed the Same
December 11, 2015
Let me take you back to 1980. Pac-Man was king, the Post-It was brand new, and Blondie topped the charts. It was also the debut of the Dietary Guidelines for…
Get the Lowdown on Back-to-School Nutrition
September 9, 2015
It’s back to school time, and as a dietitian and a mom of a second grader and a sophomore in high school, I’ve had my fair share of questions about…
Women’s World Cup (Nutrition) Flashback: Julie Foudy on Nutrition
June 30, 2015
Sixteen years ago, I curled up on the couch with my father and grandfather. We cheered and cheered as Julie Foudy captained the US women’s team to the championship. Now,…