The world of nutrigenomics becomes more personalized and innovative every day. Learn some of the latest happenings in the field. 

We often blame lack of willpower for our failed diet attempts. However, new research suggests that it may be due to how our brain processes decisions. In a recent study, 79 participants were asked to rate various snack foods on their tastiness, healthfulness and desirability. They were first asked to fast for 4 hours before the experiment, to make sure they were hungry before making their food decisions. During the experiment they were given pairs of snack foods and asked to decide between the two. At the end, the participants were offered one of the snacks.  

What the study found was that participants first registered the taste information when choosing between the snack options. It took them twice as long to register the health information. Therefore, in order to choose the healthier options they would have had to take longer to consider the options. This tells us, when it comes to food decisions, the healthfulness of a food may enter the decision making process too late, causing taste to ultimately drive the food decision. 

To guide food decisions towards the healthfulness of the food, consider ways to slow down the decision making process. Read the full article here. 

Garlic is commonplace in many recipes across the globe due to it’s signature flavor. Did you know, it has multiple benefits beyond it’s potent flavor? It contains vitamins B, C, manganese, selenium, iron, copper, and potassium. Most importantly, it is a source of allicin which gives garlic it’s medicinal properties. 

Q: What is the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance?

A: Our immune system creates antibodies when it detects potentially harmful substances. A food allergy is when the immune system reacts to a substance in a food and identifies it as harmful. The immune system then makes antibodies to fight it off. This can cause various symptoms such as skin rashes or breathing problems. 

On the contrary, a food intolerance is not an immune system reaction. A food intolerance happens when a person has trouble digesting a particular food. This is often due to a lack of an enzyme that is needed to digest that particular food. For example, people with a lactose intolerance lack enough of the enzyme lactase which is needed to digest lactose. 

Discover the hottest trends in the food industry that affect the way we look at—and eat—food!

The pandemic may have boosted the popularity of Virtual Cooking Classes, but this trend is here to stay. According to chefs, online virtual cooking classes, alongside chef boxes with recipes, will only continue to popularize. They predict many people will continue to enjoy this fun way to learn and connect with friends and family in the kitchen. 

Did you know grapes actually pack a nutritional punch? Research has shown that all colors of grapes are a natural source of polyphenols. Polyphenols have antioxidant properties and can impact important biological processes. 

Each month, we will be highlighting a few seasonal recipes. Happy cooking!

Roasted Potato Salad with Garlic Dill Dressing

Do you still need a side option to bring to your summer BBQ? This recipe puts a delicious spin on the traditional potato salad. 

Nutrition Analysis for 1 serving:

Calories: 275 

Fiber: 6.1g 

Carbohydrates: 51.3g 

Protein: 5.6g 

Fat: 7.2g 

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