Pulses are the nutritionally dense, dry edible seeds of legumes including dry peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas. They are high in fiber, folate, potassium and plant protein, and contain several micronutrients such as iron and zinc. While many people may not be familiar with the term “pulses”, chances are they are familiar with the food itself. Nutritious, versatile and affordable, pulses are also a climate-friendly crop. This episode dives into all things pulses with a farmer/agricultural economist and a registered dietitian nutritionist.

Tune in to this episode to learn about:

· what pulses are

· what the difference is between pulses and legumes

· why chickpeas are also called garbanzo beans

· current intakes vs. recommended intakes

· the nutritional profile of pulses

· benefits of pulses beyond nutrition

· tips for preparing pulses

· swaps and recipes to try

· what makes pulses a climate-friendly crop

· what benefits farmers experience by incorporating pulse crops into their rotation

· the Coalition for the Advancement of Pulses

· current research, takeaways and infographics

· resources for the public and health professionals

Full shownotes, transcript and resources at: https://soundbitesrd.com/272

New health, nutrition and weight loss trends are popping up daily on social media. Many of these fly-by-night trends are simply that, but a new study focusing on the platform TikTok found that these trends may have more of a hold on people than once thought.

To expose the inaccurate information being extracted from TikTok, MyFitnessPal, the #1 nutrition and food tracking app, partnered with Dublin City University on a two-part research project called “Health and Nutrition Inaccuracies on TikTok”. Part 1 looked at social media influencers and Part 2 looked at Gen Z TikTok users. Study findings ranged from determining that only about 2% of content being classified as accurate to Gen Z users trusting influencers more if they claim to be qualified dietitians.

Tune in to this episode to learn about:

· how and where Americans are getting their health information has changed

· improving our digital literacy is necessary to make better choices

· MyFitnessPal’s ‘Nutrition IQ’ surveys’ key themes and concerning statistics

· the Dublin City University 2-part research study

· why the study focused on TikTok vs other platforms

· preliminary findings from the 2-part study

· what the “2% accuracy” finding really means

· the positive finding about Gen Z’s trust in registered dietitians over unqualified influencers

· the importance of licensed professionals helping to champion scientific truth across social media

· the mere exposure effect, parasocial effect, and rules of persuasion

· how to identify warning signs when scrolling on social media

· how RDNs can stay on top of trends and leverage them to create compelling content that is evidence-based

· a helpful infographic on ‘How to Spot Questionable Nutrition Tips on Social Media’

· if it’s ‘safe’ to be on TikTok

· resources for the public and health professionals

Full shownotes, transcript and resources at: https://soundbitesrd.com/271

Kids love cartoon characters so why not leverage that to entice them to try new foods and encourage healthy eating habits? That’s just what today’s guest has done in his new book, The Girls Who Lived in the Refrigerator! Whether a child is a picky eater or just isn’t interested in trying new foods, focusing on taste and fun first can make all the difference.

Tune into this episode to learn about:

· statistics on fruit and vegetable consumption in children

· nutrients of public health concern for children

· the importance of taste and enjoyment regardless of age

· increasing access to fruits and vegetables for kids and families

· research regarding cartoon characters and food marketing

· what types of messages resonate with children more than nutrition messages

· the benefits of getting kids involved in the kitchen

· the Family Meals Movement

· a recipe for Fairy Salad

Full shownotes, transcript and resources at: https://soundbitesrd.com/270

You can also watch this episode on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdsCMklyTSA