From the category archives:

Food Marketing

Top Ten Trends in the Global Food Industry

by Janet on July 22, 2012

Innova Market Insights identified ten top trends in the global food industry at IFT’s annual meeting and food expo, which was summarized in Food Product Design. Here’s a look at the trends, especially from a product R&D point of view:

1. Pure is the new natural.

dannon pureThe term “natural” has come under attack, particularly because consumers and the industry have different definitions of what “natural” really means. As a result, the term “natural” on package labels may be falling out of favor.Now it appears that “purity” is more popular.  Claims of  “pure” on the label have doubled from 2008 to 2009, a third more were added in 2010 and “considerably more” in 2011. Innova suggests that use of stevia helps contribute to a food’s “pure” image.

2. Green is a given.

Showing how you care of the environment has become mandatory, but the way “green” is communicated varies. Corporate social responsibility is playing an increasingly important role. Innova cites more “waste” or byproduct materials developed into nutritious and functional ingredients. Another tier of this trend is the use of “ethical” claims, such as eco-friendly, biodegradable, compostable, recyclable, carbon footprint, fair trade, animal friendly, free-range, and general sustainable claims.

3. Location, location, location

Increasingly, people want to know where their food comes from.   Manufacturers are touting authenticity, attempting to build intrigue with a sense of place and showing transparency regarding ingredient origin. The trend includes an increased interest in traditional and regional foods from around the world, and the dialing down of ethnic cuisine to regional specifics, such as Copper River salmon and California almonds.

4. Premium stands out

Even with today’s tough global economy, premium foods remain attractive—they’re affordable indulgences. Innova says consumers often shop at the extremes of the market, seeking-out big discounts at one end and ultra-premium products at the other.

5. Seniors get some attention

With our aging global population, expect to see an increase in products that help seniors age gracefully. Innova says some keywords and concepts used in products for this market include easy to open, easy to digest, reduced acid, for strong bones, specifically formulated, nutritionally balanced, improved health, easy to read labels, and lightweight packaging.  The “easy to swallow” attribute is popular because  22% of 50+ year olds suffer from dysphagia. Foods need to be “easy to eat,” with the right consistency. High protein content (fortified with whey protein) is also important to help prevent sarcopenia, or age-related loss of muscle mass. Flexibility of product use is also important, such as a food that can be eaten either as a snack or dessert.

6. Forty is the new twenty5168930691_013879a94b_b

Boomers are helping define the art of aging gracefully, yet research indicates that consumers need to get into that nutritional mindset before senior status kicks in to truly age well. This expands the scope of products that have some type of “anti-aging” positioning. Maintaining vision is a key priority, and products with eye-health benefits are on the rise, up from 71 in 2008 to 138 in 2011 say Innova. Other key nutrients for this group, per Innova, include resveratrol, omega-3s, CoQ10, gingko biloba, L-carnitine and those found in green tea.

7. Grounded in science

When the increase in products making some type of nutrition claim, expect to see  greater use of “scientifically proven” claims on packaging, such as the connection between vitamin C and immune health. Yet the claims that are not officially approved by FDA will require judicious wording to avoid regulatory scrutiny. Therefore, label and marketing support for functional ingredients that are not approved for specific claims will  rely on explanations of their key nutritional properties, such as ingredients that are “rich in antioxidants,” says Innova (although the antioxidant claim has been heavily scrutinized recently).

8. Regulators force a rethink

Any time there are  changes in food policy or regulatory activities, there are shifts in the food industry. For instance, when labeling of trans fats in the Nutrition Facts became mandatory, the industry was a flurry of reformulation and new products were designed to avoid trans fats. And this wasn’t just a U.S. issue, it affected R&D around the world. The industry saw 566 new global product launches with “No trans fats” on the label in 2005; by 2011, that number was 5,021.  So what’s next?  Some municipalities have proposed “fat taxes” that would include foods high in saturated fat, as well as products like soft drinks.  Innova says manufacturers are trying to stay ahead of the curve, keeping product nutritional profiles front and center when beginning product R&D, or when reformulating. They cite examples like oven-roasted chips, products touting use of less salt, and highlighting use of specific oils, like sunflower oil, often with specific claims outlining the fatty-acid makeup (such as unsaturated fats vs. saturated).

9. Unmeasureable niches

Innova suggests that smaller manufacturers have an improved ability to compete in today’s market as it strives to meet more specific dietary needs of consumers, opening niches that bigger players might be hesitant to approach. Some consumer segments have also developed pronounced tastes and desires for specific, niche products. Social media can play a role here in reaching targeted groups of consumers.

10. Boom for protein

2760450189_194a6ff305_bProtein continues to be top of mind for consumers, and Innova says specific types of protein are seeing strong demand, sometimes tied to the relative sustainability of the source. For instance, global product launches for foods with potato protein have grown from 8 in 2008 to 41 in 2011. Many of the protein-enhanced products are touted for weight management, while others promote the benefits of plant protein.

hemp image courtesy of foodsalive on flickr

cereal image courtesy of david_jones on flickr

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Overcoming Your Fear of Fat

by Janet on July 5, 2012

olive oil pouring - Selfish VeganLong demonized, dietary fats have made a break from the past, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Even so, the concept of good fats is an oxymoron for some folks.  It’s just stuck in their heads that all fat is bad.  But we’re a long way away from the old food pyramid that dumped all fat and oils into the tip with a warning to “use sparingly.”  Now liquid oils and other good fats like nuts have earned a coveted spot on USDA’s MyPlate.  For most adults, we should aim for 5-7 teaspoons of oils each day (which includes nuts, olives and avocados).

The topic of good fats was the focus of my latest blog for WebMD’s Real Life Nutrition.  In the post, I talked about a new Purdue study that should make you think twice about buying a fat-free salad dressing.  Researchers at Purdue found that a fat-free or low-fat salad dressing reduced the absorption of fat-soluble carotenoids – beneficial compounds in the salad such as lutein, lycopene, beta-carotene and zeaxanthin. So by buying some type of bottled fat-free dressing instead of mixing up your own vinaigrette with a luscious-tasting extra-virgin olive oil, you’re not only missing out on the benefits of the oil, you’re getting less out of the salad you just tossed.  Plus, just think how much better it’s all going to taste with your own dressing.

The study’s lead author Mario Ferruzzi advised:  

If you want to utilize more from your fruits and vegetables, you have to pair them correctly with fat-based dressings.  If you have a salad with a fat-free dressing, there is a reduction in calories, but you lose some of the benefits of the vegetables.

This is just another reason why it’s best not to assume that fat-free or low-fat is always better.  Sometimes you’re not even saving calories, as this comparison chart illustrates, and the “low-fat” health halo could coax you into eating twice as much, as three recent studies from Cornell University have shown. You also need to look at the ingredients that were used in a product to replace the fat (maybe extra sugar or refined carbs, perhaps more additives).  Even messages about eating a low-fat diet can backfire, as this overview from Harvard  asserts:

One problem with a generic lower fat diet is that it prompts people to stop eating fats that are good for the heart along with those that are bad for it.

So that’s the big  issue.  We need to get over our fear of fat so we won’t miss out on the multiple benefits of “good fats.”  And we need to get past the idea that low-fat is always better.  Here are some suggestions from Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab on how to avoid the low-fat trap:

  • Pay attention to the calorie count of foods, particularly low–fat foods. When researchers went to a grocery store and looked at the fat and calorie content of various packaged foods, they found that although the low–fat versions of these foods have 59% less fat than the regular versions, the drop in calorie content is only 15%, which is not large enough to justify our increased consumption.
  • Understand what claims like “low–fat” and  ”reduced fat”  really mean, and be sure you’re looking at serving sizes on the label.
  • Consider buying regular or full–fat versions of snack foods instead of the low–fat ones if you think you’ll still be tempted to overeat. This is especially important for overweight people who showed a strong tendency to overeat low–fat foods, regardless of serving size labels. Also, some research shows that the ingredients companies use to replace the fat can actually make you hungrier, causing you to overeat.

 Image courtesy of Selfish Vegan on flickr

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Have We Become a Nation of Flabby Palates?

by Janet on May 28, 2012

2671956629_c10feaee0bBarb Stuckey describes herself as a professional taster.  For the last 16 years she’s worked for a food-and-beverage development firm to help create new products.

She’s combined her expertise in product development with the science of taste in the new book Taste What You’re Missing: The Passionate Eater’s Guide to Why Good Food Tastes Good.  I just read a fascinating article Ms. Stuckey wrote for the Wall Street Journal called For Healthy Eating, Bitter is Better, along with a Q & A in the journal’s online magazine Speakeasy.

She describes her frustration over the unwillingness of most Americans to try foods that challenge their palates.

She believes we’ve become a nation of flabby palates — preferring sweetness over bitterness — and that’s one reason that our physiques have become flabby, too.  Expanding our repertoire of foods isn’t just about exploration and new pleasures, she says. It’s also the first step toward eating a broader, healthier diet.

We are born loving sweetness, so we heap sugar into our lattes and drown our Chinese food in sweet sauces. But constantly indulging our craving for sweetness has an insidious effect.  With each new overly sweet food that we consume, whether it is high in calories or not, we dull our palates to other tastes and flavors, especially those of nutritious fruits and vegetables.

Expanding our palates is especially important for young children — a topic I previously wrote about for the Chicago Tribune. Keith Ayoob, pediatric nutritionist at Albert Einstein Medical Center in New York City, told me:

Our children’s palates are being dumbed down by greasy, salty and sweet foods and drinks. Once they get used to these flavors, the taste threshold is set so high that fresh fruits aren’t sweet enough and vegetables taste too bitter.

Dr. David Ludwig, a childhood obesity expert in Boston and author of Ending the Food Fight: Guide Your Child to a Healthy Weight in a Fast Food/Fake Food World, told me that he worries we’re stunting children’s taste buds. He said the extra-intense artificial flavors that dominate “kid food” interfere with a child’s natural tendency to develop a broader palate.

Our taste preferences, by nature, are designed to broaden over time, but we’re short-circuiting basic biological pathways and warping children’s taste buds. We’re essentially putting the breaks on children’s palates and preventing them from appreciating more natural and healthful food.

The good news is that our tongue is a unique muscle and the best way to exercise it is not to flex or fatigue it, but to stretch it.  Here are some of Ms. Stuckey’s exercise tips for your palate:

1. Eat more bitter foods. One study found that only 5-8% of the calories we eat are bitter. But the compounds that make foods taste bitter (carotenoids in sweet potatoes and spinach, flavonoids in cranberries and kale) also make them good for us.  While we may be born with an aversion to bitterness, we can learn to appreciate these foods.  In Asian cultures, Ms Stuckey writes, they teach kids that bitter foods are good for them and they’re more likely to enjoy them at an earlier age.
2. Try something new. At a restaurant, order something you would never cook at home.  Instead of recoiling at the smell of something foreign and pungent, get to know it better.
3. Do a hated horizontal. Pick a food you hate but know you should eat more often, and teach yourself a bit a bout it.  By sampling across a whole category of food — beans, for instant, if they are your most hated food — you are more likely to notice and appreciate the differences in textures, colors, flavors, tastes.  Wine tasters call this a horizontal tasting.  Find your leased-hated bean and eat them once a day for a week.  At the end of the week, if you still hate them, you’re free to take a pass.
4. Eat more ethnic food. Trying new cuisines and unfamiliar flavors, such as Vietnamese, Lebanese, Afghan and other ethnic food, is one of the best and enjoyable ways to exercise your taste buds and olfactory anatomy.
5. Quiz yourself. Ms. Stuckey describes how she keeps a couple of spice jars on her counter with the labels obscured.  Every now and then she picks one up, sticks her nose in it and sees if she can identify it.  With skills like this, you’ll be looking for ways to flex your palate, she says.

Too much sweetness and not enough bitterness makes food taste flabby.  To help kids avoid flabby palates, Ms Stuckey thinks we should be teaching about taste.

I believe that the cause of many of our public health issues is that we don’t teach our children food appreciation. If we made this a part of school curriculum, we’d raise kids that not only appreciated the difference between bitter and sour, salty and umami, but actually sought out challenging flavors to entertain and enthrall themselves at the table. Usually challenging flavors equate to healthy foods. With palate education comes the desire for palate stimulation. When novice wine drinkers take a wine tasting class, the result is that they seek out more and more complex wines. The same holds true for food.

I love the idea of palate education.  What about you?

image courtesy of newsha111990 on flickr

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A Juice That’s Too Good to Be True?

by Janet on May 23, 2012

3179260418_78666d3d38_oYou’ve probably heard by now about  the trouble that POM Wonderful juice has gotten into. After a two-year fight, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has found that the company misled consumers by making unsubstantiated claims regarding the juice’s ability to treat, prevent or reduce the risk of  heart disease, prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction.

From the looks of the advertising, the heavily promoted pomegranate juice (“The Antioxidant Superpower”) can even save your life — or in POM’s words, help you “cheat death.”

POM Wonderful owners Lynda and Stewart Resnick, Beverly Hills billionnaires who bought up acres of pomegranate orchards and started the whole pomegranate superfood craze, have spent $35 million on studies to try and document the superpowers of pomegranate juice and pills.

3147592119_a165a1d260_oTrouble is, the judge ruling in this case found much of the evidence to be conflicting. FTC alleged that the POM  heart disease claims were false and unsubstantiated because many of the scientific studies did not show benefits from using POM products for treating or preventing heart disease.

The agency alleged that the prostate cancer claims were false and unsubstantiated because, among other reasons, the study that POM relied on was neither “blinded” nor controlled.  Regarding the erectile dysfunction claims, the FTC said they were false and unsubstantiated because the study on which the company relied did not show that POM Juice was any more effective than a placebo.

It’s too bad, because pomegranates as a fruit are truly wonderful.  But once you try and make a food more than it really is — such as drug that’s “effective in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of any disease” — then you go too far.   And once you take a fruit and put it into a pill, then you’ve downgraded the real thing, in my opinion.  We should be encouraging more whole fruits, instead of sipping large quantities of super juices or taking a supplement.

From the looks of POM’s website, you’d think they’d won the fight. It’s true that the FTC didn’t find all of  the POM ads misleading, and they’re not requiring the company to pre-approve the claims with the FDA (so it could have been worse).  But there’s no doubt about it, this was a big slap on POM Wonderful’s hands.  This was no victory.

I do love pomegranates. They truly are nutritious and have an fascinating, rich history linked to health, fertility and rebirth. Native of Persia (or modern-day Iran), the pomegranate is one of the earliest cultivated fruits that can be traced back as far as 3,000 B.C. In fact, some historians believe it was the pomegranate, not the apple, that tempted Eve. So there’s no doubt that this is a marvelous, mystical fruit…and POM Wonderful tried to bring that to life in their TV commercials.
Pomegranates are an important part of the Middle Eastern diet, and they are a fruit worth celebrating. Just guzzling them in juice may not be the best way to honor the history, or benefit from the fruit. Sure, enjoy in moderation (remember, the Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting juice to 1 serving/day), but don’t expect the drink to work miracles.

Pomegranates are truly wonderful. The juice, not so much.

images courtesy of threepunchstuff on flickr

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Chocolate for Breakfast?

by Janet on April 28, 2012

Chocolate is one of the top 10 breakfast trends named by the Food Channel, based on its research in conjunction with Culture Waves, the International Food Futurists and Mintel International.  You may think of Cocoa Puffs from your  youth, but there are lot more chocolate breakfast cereals on the shelf these days, including Chocolate Cheerios, Frosted Mini Wheats and Special K. Just take a look at all these chocolate cereals from Candy Addict.

3245576460_849e0c9bf5_bimage courtesy of nettsu on flickr

But we’re not just talking cereal, chocolate has become a bona fide adult trend too, according to the Food Channel.  It was one of the breakout stars at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, which featured  chocolate tea, hot chocolate on a stick, chocolate belgian waffles and pancakes, and chocolate granola.  Lots more ideas are in the book dedicated to the topic:  Chocolate for Breakfast by Barbara Passino.

249730548_b90a8a9a1a_zchocolate belgian waffles by irrational_cat on flickr

4101334251_e01b19e512_bchocolate pancakes by isabellacester on flickr

6026084523_87302703a1_bchocolate breakfast cake with peanut butter cream cheese by Brown Eyed Baker on flickr

6838045811_923b79ba77_bchocolaté croissant by Castle Vision Photographic on flickr

6291862235_243401faa7_bchocolate mint breakfast by onesmileahead on flickr

6852499545_676af043da_b
hot chocolate on a stick by Ode to Inspiration on flickr

One chocolate breakfast food that got in hot water recently is Nutella.  Maybe you heard about the $3 million  class-action lawsuit that Nutella-maker Ferrero agreed to settle for marketing the chocolate-hazelnut spread as a healthy breakfast for kids.

6054469918_59c5cbf3ec_bimage courtesy of Helen Chang on flickr

The claim was filed by California mom Athena Hohenberg who said she was deceived by the ads for Nutella that promoted the spread as a nutritious breakfast.  She had been feeding her 4-year-old daughter Nutella in the morning until she learned from friends that it was “the next best thing to a candy bar,” according to court documents. Here are the words that got Italy’s Ferrero in trouble:

“[MOM]: As a mom, I’m a great believer in Nutella, a delicious hazelnut spread that I use to get my kids to eat healthy foods. I spread a little on all kinds of healthy things, like multigrain toast. Every jar has wholesome, quality ingredients, like hazelnuts, skim milk, and a hint of delicious cocoa. And Nutella has no artificial colors or preservatives. It’s quick, it’s easy, and at breakfast I can use all the help I can get.

[VOICEOVER]: Nutella—breakfast never tasted this good.”

How I see it, read the label Athena.  Don’t blame the advertising.  Don’t let someone else decide if something is a smart choice to serve your daughter in the morning.  Pick up the jar and turn it around.  See that each two-tablespoon serving contains 21 grams of sugar and half the 200 calories come from fat. Yes, maybe it is similar to a candy bar.  Is Nutella on whole-grain toast better than a chocolate donut?  Yes.  Is it better than whole-grain cereal and milk? No.   Nutella is a beloved food in Europe and increasingly here in the U.S.  There’s even a World Nutella Day on February 5 to celebrate the chocolate-hazelnut spread worldwide. Was it a good idea to promote the spread as a healthy breakfast food for kids?  I don’t think so.  But let’s leave lawsuits out of this.  As Forbes wrote: Nutella case proves that stupid people can have smart lawyers.

Here’s the commercial so you can see for yourself.  What do you think?

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Not So Sensible Portions

by Janet on July 1, 2011

veggie straws

There’s a new snack in town.

Have you seen them?  To me, it seems like Veggie Straws from Sensible Portions are every where.  For sure, the company is doing some clever promotions.  They recently conducted a contest with NYU Tisch Film students to create a viral commercial for Veggie Straws.   Here’s one of the student films…

A sensible solution to eating your vegetables? I don’t think so. Nice ad, but these veggie straws are a far cry from a real vegetable.

Sensible Portions has been reaching out to media in a big way.  I agreed to accept free products to review (more about that later), and I’ve seen lots of coverage raving about the snacks.  In fact, the sweet barbecue flavored Potato Straws were just honored as one of the best low-calorie snacks of 2011 by Shape magazine.

“Enjoy the smoky-sweet flavor of barbecue chips for 30% less fat.  One staffer said:  These are so good, I felt like I was being bad by eating them.”

Hence my problem with these  so-called “healthy” snacks.   For starters, why does this Shape staffer feel “bad” when eating real barbecue chips, and why does she feel like she’s getting a free pass by eating these “better-for-you” barbecue straws (or so it seems by her comment:  they taste so good that they have to be bad, but they’re not, so I can eat even more?)

These Sensible Portions chips are trying so hard to be good.  The package label includes a long list of boastful claims:  All natural ingredients, 30% less fat than the leading potato chip, 0g trans fat, no preservatives, cholesterol-free, non-GMO and kosher oil.  The Sensible Portions web site touts “next generation in healthy foods,” but I couldn’t find  nutrition and ingredient information any where on the site (which was a big red flag for me).  It was only until I received the product samples could I really tell what these snacks were all about.   And I got to taste them.

That’s where my disappointment comes in.  You would think these snacks were simply dehydrated vegetables the way  the package looks and how glowing the praise has been. Not so.  These fry-shaped chips really have very little to do with real vegetables.  The “Garden Veggie Straws” are a puffed up, extruded mixture of potato flour, sunflower oil and corn starch with some tomato puree, spinach powder, salt, sugar and turmeric.  Do they have the nutrients of  vegetables?  Hardly.  0% vitamin A, 0% calcium, 2% vitamin C, 2% iron, 1 g fiber. And I thought they tasted awful.

So why compare yourself to vegetables?  The clever commercials are misleading. Just be a chip.

And are they really such a better chip?  Heck, if I wanted a chip, I’d have a chip that tasted good. The label claims 30% less fat than the leading potato chip  (7 grams in Veggie Straws vs. 10 grams in leading potato chip).  But you could buy baked potato chips and only get 3 grams of fat!  The Sensible Portions sweet barbecue Potato Straws contain 130 calories and 7 grams of fat per 1-oz. bag, while the same amount of barbecue Baked Lay’s contains 120 calories and 3 grams of fat.  So this “30% less fat” really depends on what chip you typically buy.

To me, this is the “health halo” hard at work. Studies show that people end up eating even more of a low-fat snack because they think they’re being good. And they’re apt to enjoy it even less. When you’re eating a potato chip, you know what it is. And that tends to make people eat more in moderation. With all of these “healthy cues” on a product (even if undeserving), people tend to let their guard down. So people may end up eating twice as many of these Sensible Portion snacks because they’re so “healthy.”

How sensible is that?

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So What’s All the Fuss Over the Yoplait Commercial?

by Janet on June 29, 2011

Do you know about the controversial Yoplait commercial? It’s the ad that the National Eating Disorders Association fought to have taken off the air.   In the commercial, a woman opens the fridge and bargains with herself over whether she can eat a slice a raspberry cheesecake:  ”What if I just had a small slice?  I was good today.  I deserve it.”  Then she talks through various scenarios in her head about jogging in place and eating celery sticks to make up for this indulgence.

Here’s the ad in case you haven’t seen it.  What’s your take?


The commercial came to NEDA’s attention after the organization received numerous emails and phone calls from eating disorder sufferers. The group believes the ad’s language could easily serve as a trigger for those vulnerable to disordered eating. Lynn Grefe, president and CEO of the NEDA explains:

“This behavior in a commercial tells people with eating disorders, ‘See, it’s even on TV. It’s OK and normal for my head to go through all these mental exercises.’”

Grefe says that NEDA “applauds” Yoplait and parent company General Mills for agreeing to pull the commercial days after the group voiced concerns (although it may still be in rotation in some markets until it’s completely off the air).

“We had no idea,” Tom Forsythe, VP of Corporate Communications for General Mills, said to the Huffington Post. “The thought had never occurred to anyone, and no one raised the point. We aren’t sure that everyone saw the ad that way, but if anyone did, that was not our intent and is cause for concern. We thought it best to take it down.”

NEDA has fought what they describe as “David versus Goliath” battles against numerous companies whose ads encourage an unhealthy relationship with food. The Huffington Post features a slideshow of other advertising campaigns that NEDA says could serve as triggers for those struggling with eating disorders.

Given all the hubbub, Yoplait was “probably wise to stick a fork in” the ad, says David Gianatasio at Adweek.

Maybe not everyone sees the big deal about the commercial. There are a million ads for “diet” foods, what makes this so different? The problem is all about what experts call “restrained eating.” The character in the commercial (which Adweek says looks a lot like Sarah Palin) is having an internal dialogue that is a classic case of restrained eating — that’s where you never let yourself eat what you want or you’re always obsessing over what you eat. This is the struggle of a lot of chronic dieters who deprive themselves and then give in to their cravings and can’t stop. It’s an ongoing cycle of deprivation and out-of-control, regretted eating. The ad just got a little too psychological and seemed to validate this way of thinking.

“I don’t know what’s more stunning,” says Mary Elizabeth Williams at Salon. “That Yoplait actually ran this dangerous and perverse ad, or the pervasive dysfunctional thinking that it’s natural for women of all sizes to be guilt-plagued, food-fetishizing calorie-counters who “careen from Restriction Village to… Binge Town.”

Here’s what Ellyn Satter says about restrained eating:

Restrained eating increases abuse of emotional eating. In my clinical experience corroborated by the research, restrained eating exacerbates the tendency to abuse emotional eating. People who are not restrained eaters consume less, not more, under stressful conditions. Restrained eaters try to eat less and less-appealing food than they need and want and are chronically hungry. Trying not to eat in the face of hunger and food-preoccupation takes a lot of energy. Stress undermines the energy to sustain food deprivation, and the person overeats. Thus, rather than overeating in response to stress, the restrained eater disinhibits. The restrained eater still eats a lot, but the root cause is undereating rather than emotional arousal. The cycle continues: The remorseful fallen-away restrained eater redoubles her efforts to restrict and again falls prey to stress induced disinhibition.

Satter recommends the following to avoid restrained eating:

  • Feed yourself regularly and reliably. Have meals and snacks at predictable times, and include the food you like.
  • Set aside restrained eating. Trust yourself to go to the table hungry and eat until you feel satisfied. Then stop, knowing another meal or snack is coming soon and you can do it again.
  • Become more comfortable with your feelings. Know what you feel, including that knowing in choosing how to act. Learn to productively use food for emotional reasons.
  • Be clear about what eating can do for you. Eating in a focused fashion is likely to soothe or calm you and even raise your spirits a bit. It won’t resolve the problem-unless the problem is being hungry! When you feel like eating because you are bored, depressed, happy, or sociable, say to yourself, ”It is all right to eat. But first I will find out what I am feeling.”

Then eat positively, deliberately, soothingly, and cheeringly.

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5 Food & Nutrition Words I Want to See Less

by Janet on June 22, 2011

Guilt-free - Joewhk

Guilt-Free: I know it’s probably well-meaning, but I cringe each time I see “guilt-free” on a food label, in the title of a recipe or on a restaurant menu.  Sure it may be reduced fat, sugar-free or whatever, and that’s fine. But no food should evoke guilt.  The same product with a little more fat or sugar shouldn’t make you feel guilty for eating it.  All foods should be guilt-free.  So let’s stop using this adjective, thank you very much.

skinnygirl margarita

Skinny:  Why is skinny the new ideal?  I know the term is in the title of many popular diet books (I wrote about that recently), and Skinnygirl is Bethenny Frankel’s entire platform — which scored her an amazing deal with Skinnygirl Margaritas.  But I think it sends the wrong message.  Maybe skinny helps sell a lot of books, and a lot of booze, but I still don’t like it.

Natural: It’s the big buzz word on package labels, and there was even a recent food fight with the FDA to determine if high fructose corn syrup really qualifies as natural.  We’re arguing over technicalities and the word has lost all meaning. I  think if a food wasn’t actually plucked from a tree or grown from the ground, then it shouldn’t claim to be natural. A vegetable is natural, an extruded veggie straw made from dehydrated vegetable powder isn’t — no matter what the label says.

veggie straws

Detox: I’m so tired of this word. Enough said.

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Cleanse: It seems as though cleanse is the cousin of detox.  Why has this word captured the public’s imagination?  It rose to mainstream status with the Master Cleanse and became big in the world of dietary supplements, such as Jillian Michaels’ detox and cleanse diet pills (that I wrote about not so long ago).  But why has a respected culinary magazine like Bon Appetit jumped on the cleanse bandwagon?  I hated to see the magazine create The Food Lover’s Cleanse.  Sure, they tried to put the focus on real foods and justified going down this path with the message “forget juice fasts and calorie counting…”  I liked that, but why embrace the mythology of cleansing?  Why elevate the terminology?  Why legitimize the concept?  Just don’t think we need to jump on the bandwagon to grab attention.

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Any way, those are the five food/nutrition-related words I hope to see less often.  What about you?

Photo credits:  Flickr users joewhk, chipdwood, geann candare, cheeryobs.

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A Trip to Central Market in Austin

by Janet on June 5, 2011

I’m just getting back from a trip to Austin, Texas, for the International Association of Culinary Professionals annual conference.  It was my first time in Austin and I was told I had to visit the Central Market — an amazing grocery store that you’ll only find in Texas. So after my presentation was over, that’s exactly what I did.  I hitched a ride with some colleagues and we drove to the original Central Market. I soon found out why this is a top tourist destination in Austin that attracts 2 million guests a year.

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For starters, take a look at the chile display above. Maybe you’re only going to get this in Texas, but how wonderful to find such a wide array of dried chiles.  And I love the Scoville scale that was posted above the chiles to indicate the degree of heat.   There was also a salsa bar where you can buy freshly-made guacamole and a wide variety of salsas.

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IMG_0829The produce section at the Central Market was incredible.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen better anywhere. They had everything! I was especially amazed at the variety of purple produce on display.  I’m quite enamored with purple vegetables and I’ve written about these vibrant-hued vegetables several times, including In Praise of Purple Produce. Take a look at these beautiful purple baby artichokes…

IMG_0821Here’s purple kohlrabi…

IMG_0822and purple carrots.

IMG_0823I’ve never seen a bigger variety of fresh mushrooms.

IMG_0824Take a look at these giant portabellas.

IMG_0825Central Market is a must-stop for anyone interested in tracking trends, and I spotted several innovative products while we were there.  For instance, there was an entire section of dinner kits that shoppers can take home to make quick meals — like this vegetable fried brown rice kit.  All of the kits included pre-cut, pre-measured ingredients that were ready for quick assembly at home.  Great idea, I think.

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The bulk section featured several interesting products, including this falafel mix to easily make this Middle Eastern favorite at home.

IMG_0837The packaged food section included products I’ve not seen anywhere, like these flavored kale chips.

IMG_0835Nut butters are coming on strong as a trend, and I spotted several different varieties…

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Blood orange has become a popular flavor and I spotted this Italian soda…

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I was only in Austin for three days, and most of the time in the conference hotel.  The Central Market was my only real side-trip — and it was well worth it. I found it especially incredible that Austin has Central Market, as well as the original Whole Foods — which is a full block long. Some nice food shopping in Austin, I must say.

Do you know the Central Market?

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Is Red, White and Blue the New Green?

by Janet on April 24, 2011

american flag and chipsWe love our American food.  Increasingly, we’re looking for foods produced or made in America, and we’re OK if it costs more. Nearly all Americans — 94% to be precise — say they would rather buy food produced in the U.S. than less expensive versions made in China, even if U.S. products cost twice as much, according to a Gallup Poll survey.

Country of origin is becoming more important to us — related to food safety issues and pride.  In fact, when it comes to food — red, white and blue may be the new green.  That’s the tagline of a campaign from the folks promoting the Made in USA brand certification program.

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Food companies are increasingly leveraging this love of Americana, including the people behind the products – the farmers, the fishermen, the producers.  Lay’s has been touting locally made potato chips and showcasing the farmers in 27 states across the country who grow the potatoes.

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Supermarket Guru Phil Lempert says we’ll see more “produced or made in America” signage as supermarkets start to promote foods from the U.S. — like Gulf shrimp instead of shrimp from China.  In fact, Lempert predicts that Big Easy seafood will be big in 2011 as we rally to support New Orleans and Gulf seafood.

timmy-cheramie-mWild American Shrimp has introduced a great campaign featuring shrimpers from the Gulf and South Atlantic. The message:  you’ve been tricked.  The campaign says 85% of the shrimp we buy is imported:  ”Your shrimp was raised in a pond then shipped overseas, you had no idea.” Their TV commercial tagline is “the shrimp you thought you were eating.”  The group has also introduced a certification program for shrimp caught in American waters.

Alaska has seen its seafood grow in popularity.  Research shows that 82% of consumers who see the Alaska Seafood logo would be more likely to buy it.alaska seafood

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Restaurants are getting in on the state-branded trend too. Increasingly you’ll see menu items touting USA ingredients from a specific state or region.

I noticed that this week on vacation in Florida when I ordered a salad for lunch.  The menu featured Michigan Cherry Chicken Salad with Pecans.

It’s a growing trend in restaurants, so expect to see this even more often.  A survey of chefs conducted by the National Restaurant Association indicates that locally sourced meats and seafood and locally grown produce are the top two menu trends for 2011.  The #10 trend on the list:  farm-branded ingredients.

Mintel Menu Insights identified the most popular state-branded menu items:

1.Texas
2. New York-style
3. Southwest
4. Southern-style
5. California
6. New England
7. Cajun-style
8. Boston-style
9. Santa Fe
10. Americana

What state-branded foods have you noticed lately?

(photo credit above:  NikonGirl24 on flickr)
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