Dietary fiber is a component of edible plant material that cannot be digested in the body. Fiber is generally identified as soluble (can be dissolved in water) or insoluble (cannot be dissolved in water). Soluble fibers have been shown to decrease blood glucose and cholesterol levels whereas insoluble fibers are great for regulating movement of …
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. With this growing concern, many researchers continue to study different nutritional interventions that might decrease the incident of CVD. As result of a recent meta-analysis, researchers have found a strong correlation between tree nut consumption and decreased risk …
Protein is an essential part of a healthy and balanced diet. The proteins we eat contain a variety of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. There are 20 different amino acids; 11 of the which are classified as non-essential because our bodies are able to synthesize them. The remaining 9 amino acids …
In Part 1 of this series, we discussed some of the science behind why eating well as an older adult becomes a challenge. Losing the sensations of taste and smell pose a challenge to finding satisfaction during mealtimes. The question now is, how does one eat well during the senior years despite these changes? What …
How do taste and smell work? Taste is a sensation that is perceived by the taste buds on the tongue, and smell is a sensation that is detected by olfactory (smell) receptors in the nose. A common misconception is that our tongue can taste flavors such as chocolate, strawberry or mint. However, the tongue can …
What is food? In the simplest terms, food is material that we ingest to fuel our bodies for life and sustainability. However, as I have pondered on this question, I have realized that food is so much more than just chewing, swallowing and digesting.
