Food Bullying Podcast: Recent Episodes
Michele Payn & Nicole Rodriguez
Firsthand perspective from farmers about how food is grown. Author Michele Payn & RDN Nicole Rodriguez arm the dietitian community with the REAL stories of agriculture and empower RDNs to help others feel more confident in their food choice, with tips about how people are bullied about nutrition.
Michele & Nicole know nutrition experts are hungry for connection with those who grow, raise, and produce food. This Food Bullying podcast brings together voices from the agrifood sector to help you better understand the food you're so passionate about.
The humble potato: is it a vegetable or a grain?
Coming from a family that has farmed America’s favorite vegetable (yes, we’ll refer to the potato as such), Mitchell Searle offers a unique perspective on the cultivation, harvesting, and sustainability of this crop.
While Searle expresses concern about what he perceives as the growing chasm between the farm and the consumer, he emphasizes that many of the misconceptions surrounding potato farming are largely unfounded.
“Sustainability is my number one focus every day,” says Searle. “Is my workload sustainable? Are my tillage practices sustainable? Is my business structure sustainable to be passed on to the next generation? Everything boils down to sustainability. His family has farmed for over 100 years, so they should know.
Listen in as Searle discusses biological vs. chemical practices, how interest groups shape policy, and his very down-to-earth potato consumption preferences.
Visit potatoesusa.com for more or connect with Mitchell Searle on LinkedIn.
Where’s the future of food production? You might want to look to the sky.
In this episode of the Food Bullying podcast, Nicole and Michele chat with Sarah Hovinga of Bayer Crop Science in California and Bryan Sanders of HSE-UAV in Washington about how precision agriculture is transforming farming.
According to Sanders, drones REDUCE 1) the amount (and cost) of pesticides used 2) human exposure by keeping the applicator away from the actual pesticide (since the drone is doing the spraying) and 3) pesticide drift thanks to the intentional downward movement the propellers create which helps push the pesticide into the crop with centimeter level accuracy. Drones also help by creating good-paying tech jobs in farming, inspiring young people to get into farming - but he says consumer misunderstanding of the role of pesticides in our food system still runs rampant.
“Blaming and pointing the finger at farmers, applicators, and the chemical industry is an easy and popular narrative that anti-agriculture groups promote which helps them in turn gain funding from their sponsors,” says Hovinga.
The reality? Hovinga shares the following: “My friend once asked me: ‘I am so confused, what food in the store is safe to eat?’ Do you know what I told her? ‘Everything.' And it's because of the robust regulations around food in the United States. How cool is that?”
We think it’s very cool indeed. We also think dietitians and those who prioritize nutrition need to understand where the future of agriculture is going to help reduce fear-mongering. Who can you share this episode with?
Sarah does a lot on social media under the AgScienceMom handle - be sure to check it out for great examples of precision agriculture in action. You can find her on Instagram, LInkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahhovinga/, Facebook, and Twitter.
Bryan love technology that flies, but isn't as active on social media. However, his company has accounts across all social media channels under HSE-UAV where you can see drones in action.
No - you DON’T have to cook pork until it’s gray. This, along with the idea that pork is somehow not a healthy protein choice are two misconceptions that Jeanette Merritt, director of Communications for Indiana Pork, wishes would go away already.
“Pork still has the perception of not being a good dietary choice,” says Merritt. “Consumers think chicken is the only healthy meat available to them. A boneless pork loin as the same amount of fat as a skinless chicken breast.”
She talks through pig squeals, animal care, Indiana's infamous pork loins, environmental improvements in farming, and why Proposition 12 in California has been a factor in driving up pork prices.
A 4th generation pig, corn, soybean, and wheat farmer, Merritt proudly raises three kids with her husband, Rusty, where at least two of them want to be the 5th generation on the farm and the other wants to be an ag education teacher. She has spent her entire career serving agriculture.
Merritt encourages consumers and dietitians to familiarize themselves with Pork’s We Care Principles. She also hopes that these principles - centered around food safety, community, environment, animal welfare, people, and public health - will encourage the next generation to explore opportunities in agriculture.
“Overall, we have a labor shortage, as much of agriculture is dealing with. We need younger people to come in and want to be involved in pork production!” says Merritt.
Follow Indiana Pork on Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.
Sure, grocery prices are through the roof, but are farmers paying the ultimate price? This insightful podcast gives dietitians, consumers, and farmers insight on the impact of inflation around the food plate.
In this candid conversation, Michele and Nicole take a deeper dive into the impact of the yet-to-passed Farm Bill, consumer demand, and the ensuing stress on farmers. They talk food insecurity, inflation, farming practices, and nutrition myths in this episode of the Food Bullying podcast.
Offering perspectives from their respective fields, Michele and Nicole also discuss the weight of dis- and misinformation on their personal and professional lives.
On a lighter note, the two share recent recipe wins to give listeners ideas for their own kitchen.
One dietitian with three decades of experience believes RDNs must be a part debunking nutrition myths and overcoming food bullying to help people enjoy food.
Is eating well on a budget…impossible? Dr. Keith Ayoob, EdD, RDN, FAND, CDN, is an Associate Professor Emeritus in the department of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, NY, where, for over 30 years he directed a nutrition clinic for children with special needs. Dr. Ayoob has also worked with numerous commodity and nutrition organizations to help dispel nutrition myths and misconceptions.
Sharing his own experiences as a graduate student and drawing on his vast work experience in the poorest congressional district in the nation, Dr. Ayoob has come to the conclusion that it is indeed possible to eat well on a tight budget, despite the common misconception that it has to be “complicated and expensive.”
“NONE of my families can afford organic foods or even farmer’s market foods - and they don’t have to in order to be healthy and feed their families well,” says Dr. Ayoob.
Highlighting the importance of meeting patients where they are (both literally - as in where they shop, and figuratively, as in where they are in their respective health journeys), Dr. Ayoob discusses the importance of cultural sensitivity when making dietary recommendations, and that having a deeper understanding of agriculture can help dietitians inspire confidence in their patients.
Listen in as Dr. Ayoob offers tips on food modeling, his thoughts on plant-based diets, social media, and more. "My body is anot a trend" sums up his thinking.
Visit his website www.cuttothechasenutrition.com, and find him on X.
With the rise of Avian flu, should consumers take caution when buying eggs? What do dietitians need to know about the safety of animal proteins? And why are egg prices so high?
Andy Bishop, Kentucky farmer and ag lender, confirms that Avian flu is not transmitted via eggs, but that the spread of the virus has presented farmers with a variety of challenges. From depopulation to misinformation, Avian flu hurts farmers' bottom line and impacts mental health.
Also serving as the chair of the Cattleman’s Beef Board in Kentucky, Bishop has plenty to say about the food landscape and how the term “plant-based” impacts consumer decisions.
“Consumers are inundated with messaging based on social media algorithms that often spread false information. With the changes in the way we receive information, it is often difficult to discern what is true and what is not,” says Bishop. “The whole plant-based narrative amplifies the negative messaging surrounding true protein ‘Animal Protein’."
Bishop also touches on his passion for agvocacy, how farming has shaped parenthood, and how “regenerative agriculture” is simply the way things have been done on his farm - and many others - for generations. Visit Fairfield Farms Angus, which Bishop owns and operates with his wife, Meagan, and their four children on Instagram.
Scientific curiosity can change the conversation about food, whether from a food, farm, or dietetic perspective. Likewise, scientific illiteracy can leave people susceptible to food bullying. Listen to this latest episode of the Food Bullying podcast and learn about how a new book can help you better communicate science.
Amy Hays is currently the Assistant Director at the Oka Institute at East Central University, focused on sustainable water solutions, land stewardship, water research, and policy. She lives on a small ranch in Oklahoma. Her passion for science literacy inspired her to start For Science Sake, a project that helps people enhance their outreach and engagement, which lead to her co-authoring the new Science Story Speak with Michele Payn to help re-build trust in science around the food plate.
"Science is being questioned and denied like never before in this era of divisiveness, inflated food prices, and social media. Decisions are often made based on emotions, rather than evidence. Yet science has never been more critical for addressing major challenges like food security, climate change, and public health."
Science Story Speak helps you change the way you communicate and builds belief in scientific advancements. Declining trust in science hurts agriculture by limiting progress in modern farming technologies, hindering hunger relief, expanding regulations, increasing consumer questions about farming, and contributing to mental health challenges.
Amy also notes "There's a common misconception that farming and ranching are dominated by corporate farms using harmful, environmentally unfriendly practices. In reality, it’s quite the opposite. Most farms and ranches are family-owned, and the folks running them care deeply about their crops and animals. They have to — their commitment to stewardship means everything because agriculture is tightly regulated, more so than many others. If they don't do things right, they simply won't last."
Learn more about Amy's work at 4sciencesake.com or the newly released Science Story Speak at ScenceStorySpeak.com.
In a sea of dis- and misinformation, what’s the most important thing dietitians can do to help consumers?
Milton Stokes, Senior Director of Food and Nutrition at the International Food Information Council (IFIC), has some ideas to help RDNs cut through the congestion of information swirling around about food and nutrition.
“Sometimes when we provide more information, we make the problem worse. Let's build connections based on values, especially when dealing with contentious topics,” says Stokes, whose career has been at the intersection of food, agriculture, and nutrition for the last 10 years working on some of the most urgent issues facing people and planet–issues like food and nutrition security as well as sustainability. Stokes suggests that the profession could benefit from more active listening in the social media landscape.
Touching on IFIC’s 2024 Food and Health Survey, Stokes shares that taste and price are the most important factors in consumer food choice. Dietitians can help consumers make more nutritious decisions by utilizing a more positive approach, emphasizing the enjoyment of food, its flavor, and the overall experience.
Stokes also emphasizes the importance of creating connections between dietitians and farmers, and specifically points to Jenny Schmidt (guest on Food Bullying Podcast Episode 102) as a resource for RDs. He also shares that dietitians can benefit greatly from partnerships with farmers as opposed to assuming expertise in various areas of agriculture.
Connect with IFIC on Instagram, on X, and LinkedIn.
If you close your eyes and imagine a “healthy” meal, is a salad the first thing that comes to mind?
Dr. Eric P. Berg of North Dakota State University discussed the concept of a 'complete plate' in the context of good nutrition. He explained that a complete plate should have a balanced diet with six nutrient categories: water, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates. He emphasized that it's not enough to just have these categories in the diet, but that there are certain levels of essential nutrients within each category that people need to have.
The body needs amino acids to make proteins. Proteins are essential for many functions in the body, such as building and repairing tissues, producing enzymes, hormones, and neurotransmitters. The body cannot produce all the amino acids it needs, so they must be obtained through the diet. There are nine essential amino acids that the body cannot synthesize on its own and must be obtained through the diet. These amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
He says that consumers are doing themselves a disservice by failing to consider animal-based proteins as part of a complete plate. Moreover, a plethora of foods labeled as “high protein” may sway shoppers away from foods that are naturally rich in protein and into “crude” protein territory.
Dr. Berg mentions that choosing proteins with a high Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) can lead to better health outcomes. He pointed out that some food labels claiming to be “high protein” may not adequately indicate the quality of the protein.
According to the World Health Organization, a protein source must have a DIAAS score above 75 to be considered a good source and above 100 to be considered an excellent source. He also highlighted that animal-source foods often have higher DIAAS scores than plant source foods.
He suggested that consumers can find nutrition information on food labels, which provide details about the amount of nutrients (like protein) in a serving of food. However, he noted that labels may not always provide a clear picture of a food's nutritional quality. In such cases, he suggested looking at other resources, such as the USDA Nutrient Database, which provides detailed nutritional information on a wide range of foods. Additionally, he recommended consulting a registered dietitian, who can provide personalized advice on nutrition and help consumers make informed choices about their diets.
Dr. Berg has demonstrated the impact of a diet with an overall higher DIAAS score vs. a more traditional Western diet in pigs. Pigs on the more traditional Western diet experienced acne, hair loss, and muscle loss, while pigs who were fed a diet in which beef replaced sugar experienced less muscle loss and fat accumulation. Dr. Berg discusses the study in depth during his Ted Talk.
While Dr. Berg emphasizes the importance of higher DIAAS-scoring foods as part of an overall balanced diet, he cautions consumers to resist fixating on any one nutrient or food group.
He is a meat scientist who has worked to help people understand meat. He explained that the Barbecue Bootcamp was initially started as a program to educate people about modern agriculture. He and his team recognized that misconceptions were prevalent about modern agriculture, and they believed that teaching people about food safety, nutrition, and the difference between grilling and barbecue would be a good way to draw people in. They also wanted to address any questions and misconceptions people had about food and agriculture.
Visit Dr. Berg on Facebook and contact him via email.
Would consumers be healthier with fewer dollar stores? While the plethora of expanding bargain chains across the country offer fewer nutrient-dense choices than other food retailers, Dr. Sean Cash, an economist on faculty at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, where he chairs the Division of Agriculture, Food and Environment, says that some consumers benefit from having a dollar store nearby.
“It's not necessarily the case that all consumers would be better off, or have healthier diets, if they had fewer dollar stores near them. The reality is more complicated: Dollar stores may make it harder for grocery stores to stay open in some areas, but in other places they are providing services where other retailers would not be operating regardless. And the people who rely most on dollar stores are generally very satisfied with them -- and as our research shows, may even be using the foods offered at dollar stores to free up funds that help them buy healthier items elsewhere,” says Cash.
Dr. Cash advises dietitians to clarify WHERE their patients are shopping before making purchase recommendations and warms against hypervigilance in nutritionism, or focusing excessively on the nutritional value of foods. With this tendency toward hypervigilance, Dr. Cash explains, online shopping for grocery items presents a unique decision-making process that may result in making less nutritious choices.
For more information on Dr. Cash and his work, visit him on LinkedIn and X.
Algorithms. Shortened attention spans. Competition from uncredentialed influencers. In communicating science, even the best in the industry may occasionally fall prey to the siren song of sensationalism in an effort to deliver evidence-based information.
Dr. Jess Steier, creator of Unbiased Science, emphasizes the importance of nuance in science communication and resisting the urge to make absolute statements, as very few things in the world are black and white.
However, Dr. Steier notes that this is a challenge on social media. She has learned that communicating science in social media requires a balance between sharing credible nuance and capturing people’s attention. She's found that her more recent posts, which have a different tone and contain more nuance, are less popular because they don’t elicit the same emotional response as her past posts. However, she feels strongly about upholding scientific integrity while still communicating empathetically. She also recognizes that the algorithm rewards more absolutist views.
She highlights that meeting people where they are is crucial to communicating science effectively, but how do RDs handle subjects such as genetic modification, CRISPR, and pesticides when other supposedly science-based professional groups spread misinformation?
Listen in for Dr. Steier's insights and how she personally shops for herself and her family. Follow Dr. Steier at unbiasedscipod.com
Facebook: facebook.com/unbiasedscipod
Instagram: instagram.com/unbiasedscipod
Twitter/X: x.com/unbiasedscipod
The gluten-free market is valued at over two billion dollars. Yet the question remains...do so many people really need to avoid this protein?
Heidi Wells, a dietitian by day and farmer by night, and her farming husband Byron - are proud owners of Lucky W Dairy in Kansas. They grow crops, including wheat, for both feed and human consumption.
The myths surrounding this mainstay crop are plentiful - from questions to how it’s grown to whether or not it should be avoided altogether: Is it doused in Roundup? Does its consumption elicit an inflammatory response? Would organic wheat be a more nutrient-dense option, given the choice?
In addition to clearing up all of the above, Byron discusses their wheat cultivation practices, which involve conventional tillage methods. He highlights the importance of selecting wheat varieties with high protein content and using products like fungicides to maintain plant health. The process includes addressing nitrogen needs, managing weed pressure, monitoring insects, and applying fungicides to protect crop quality.
Heidi explains that while there are cases where gluten must be avoided, such as in celiac disease, the general population’s fear of gluten may not always be justified. Heidi emphasized the importance of educating people about the actual impact of gluten on health and highlighted the commercialization of gluten-free products for those who may not necessarily need them.
Listen in for all of this plus the Wells’ guidance on helping consumers navigate nutrition noise.
Dr. Andrea Love on milk safety, food anxiety & chemophobia
Ever since fragments of the H5N1 virus (also known as avian influenza or HPAI) were detected in milk, the safety of our dairy supply has come into question, with some wondering if they should forego dairy in favor of alternatives, and others gravitating toward raw milk.
In this episode of the Food Bullying podcast, Dr. Andrea Love brings some insight into the nature of viruses, the history of pasteurization, and – long story short, why you can still feel good about pouring yourself a glass of milk. She talks through the specific testing measures in milk and dairy products around bird flu, also known as bovine influenza A virus (BIAV) in cattle.
Dr. Love is a biomedical scientist and award-winning science communicator with a PhD in Microbiology and Immunology with over a decade and a half of experience in basic sciences, translational medicine, and clinical research. Outside of her full-time career in life science biotechnology, she has a passion for helping the public and healthcare professionals understand complex science topics to navigate the world better.
She is the Founder of ImmunoLogic, a science education organization that aims to improve science literacy, the Executive Director of the American Lyme Disease Foundation, and a contributing author for numerous science and health organizations.
While the conversation focuses largely on H5N1 and dairy products, Dr. Love also touches on the impact of social media on orthorexia, the parallels between orthorexia and chemophobia, and how she wishes the general public had a better understanding of hazard vs. risk (which she reviews in detail on this episode).
Learn more about Dr. Love and her work at immunologic.org.
You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and X.
Are seed oils poison? Is it worth purchasing produce if it’s not organic? Are the Dietary Guidelines for Americans actually killing us? Today's guest has a unique perspective for dietitians and everyone interested in food.
These are just a few of the questions Michele and Nicole pose to Dr. Adrian Chavez, who earned his PhD in nutrition and health promotion from Arizona State University. His own personal health journey began as a child experiencing asthma and severe allergies, the treatment of which left him with digestive issues that he learned to resolve with improvements to his nutrition.
As host of the Nutrition Science Podcast, Dr. Chavez helps listeners cut through the nutrition noise so they can make informed decisions on how to feed themselves and their families. He has also guided thousands of patients through courses, group programs, and 1:1 counseling, with a focus on high cholesterol, diabetes, autoimmune disease, IBS, and IBD.
Known for his direct approach and willingness to take uncredentialed wellness influencers to task, Dr. Chavez has amassed tens of thousands of followers on social media. While he doesn’t have a hand in agriculture, Dr. Chavez has one request of the people who grow our food: listen in to find out what it is.
Follow Dr. Chavez on Instagram
Visit his website https://www.dradrianchavez.com/
Tune in to the Nutrition Science Podcast
When dietitians are offered a seat at the table of commodity boards, food brands, and non-profit associations, there are benefits for all involved - including the consumer.
But what’s the emotional price tag the dietitian must pay when partnerships are erroneously scrutinized for all the world to see? Is the discussion more nuanced than recent articles would you to believe?
Cara Harbstreet, MS, RD, LD, and owner of Street Smart Nutrition, is a fierce advocate for fearlessly nourishing meals, and she uses a weight-inclusive approach in her work in private practice and nutrition communications. Working with many industry partners, Cara emphasizes that her primary goal as a registered dietitian is to share nutrition information and knowledge with as many people as possible.
Being able to go on farm tours and partake in other immersive agricultural experiences has allowed her to do just that - and to be well-versed in where our food comes from and how it’s grown. Through these experiences, Cara has built a network of industry and food science experts on whom she can rely for further insights as issues arise in our food system and mis and disinformation continue to proliferate on social media.
While Cara emphasizes the potential for bias to increase when compensation is introduced to industry partnerships, she also notes that there is an inherent degree of bias in ALL partnerships, and that having a strong litmus test of who you’re willing to go to the mat for and defend publicly should a partnership come under scrutiny can help guide dietitians in choosing industry and brand partners. Moreover, Cara believes that there are many ways in which dietitians can make money and that they should be compensated for their work - regardless of the implicit media message suggesting that they should be limited in their career choices.
As she often highlights processed foods in recipes and on social media, Cara points out that the degree of processing a food goes through is not an indicator of its health or nourishing value. Listen in for her insights on how the role of processed foods has evolved over the past half century, and for her personal standards when it comes to grocery shopping.
Find Cara on all social media platforms @streetsmart.rd and visit streetsmartnutrition.com
“The biggest misconception about farming in the dietetic world is that GMOs are bad for the environment and human consumption - and that farmers are financially well-off.”
Wendy Yeager is a fourth-generation farmer who, with her husband Jamie, owns and operates Bell Place Farm, a diversified row crop operation. They grow peanuts, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat managed through crop rotation over 1100 acres in west central Alabama (the heart of the Blackbelt).
Given the rise in prices of multiple inputs including fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides, and diesel fuel, the Yeagers are more conscientious than ever in planning before planting. And while no-till farming and GPS technology have helped transform day-to-day business, the uncertainty of mother nature (such as threats of severe drought) still creates a sense of uncertainty and hurts a farmer’s mental health.
Wendy outlines how the costs of farming, specifically putting a crop in the ground, are increasing each year. She highlighs that while people may perceive farmers as rolling in money, the reality is that margins are getting tighter, making it harder to stay profitable. Wendy explained that expenses such as fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides, and diesel fuel are rising, impacting the financial sustainability of their family farm.
Wendy describes how farming practices have evolved over the last 30 years, particularly in terms of trips across the field. She contrasted traditional methods, where multiple trips were made for tilling, spraying, and other tasks, with their current approach at Bell Place Farm. She explains their operation now primarily practices no-till farming, planting directly into crop residue without tilling the ground. By utilizing GPS technology, they can plant precisely, reducing field compaction and erosion. This shift has led to fewer trips across the field, cutting down on fuel consumption, equipment wear, and benefiting both cost savings and environmental protection.
While the term “genetic modification” often carries a negative connotation, Yeager explains the reality for farmers: genetically modified plants help with disease resistance and reduce the application of herbicides, allowing for more efficient farming practices. She stresses that, as a farmer, she prioritizes the health of the land and would confidently consume and feed her family the crops grown on her farm.
Wendy talks candidly about the financial stress in farming. She highlighted that while outsiders might assume farmers are financially well-off, the reality is that farming margins are becoming tighter. Wendy explained the rising costs of inputs like fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides, and diesel fuel, which impact the profitability of farming operations. She also mentioned the challenges of predicting yields and ensuring that the crop's financial returns cover the initial investment costs. Additionally, Wendy shared the mental strain caused by factors like severe droughts, which can significantly impact a farmer's confidence and outlook for the future.
Listen in as Yeager shares her journey to becoming a respected female farmer in a largely male-dominated industry and how she balances and has confidence in her own food choices.
Visit Bell Place Farm on Facebook and follow Yeager on Instagram.
“If a food is free from something, then it must be healthy, right?”
Dr. Brett Carver, a wheat breeder and researcher at Oklahoma State University for nearly 40 years, has found himself spending more time defending the plant to which he’s devoted his career in recent years.
“A huge chunk of our population, based on easy-to-find survey data, makes dietary choices AWAY from gluten (wheat). That's about 9-12% of us, and millennials and Gen Z's lead the way. About 1 in 5 persons will reduce or eliminate gluten from their diet because they believe this to be a healthier option,” says Carver.
But is this trend warranted? For those who are diagnosed with Celiac disease, avoidance of gluten, the protein found in wheat, is a non-negotiable. But for those of us without Celiac or non-Celiac wheat sensitivities, following a gluten-free (and therefore wheat-free) diet is likely unnecessary.
Getting to the “heart of the kernel,” Dr. Carver shares insights on why what doesn’t easily undergo genetic engineering (reminde: there are no GMO wheat varieties), how wheat has and hasn’t changed over the last century, and the role of FODMAPS in his work.
According to Dr. Brett Carver, one of the major misconceptions around wheat is related to its origin. Many people make assumptions about the healthiness or unhealthiness of wheat based on where they think it comes from. Another misconception revolves around the changes that have occurred in wheat over the last century. Dr. Carver mentions that wheat breeding has been ongoing since the 1920s, and there is a need to understand the advancements and improvements that have been made in wheat varieties.
There is no GMO wheat in the U.S. market. Carver mentioned that wheat does not easily undergo genetic modification (GMO) due to its biology. However, he mentioned that the science of gene editing is highly developed and may become a prominent technique in wheat breeding.
Brett also outlined how DNA sequencing has revolutionized wheat breeding. With the ability to select based on DNA sequence, breeders can now make more accurate and efficient selections for desired traits, such as disease resistance or gluten quality. This advancement allows breeders to bypass the need for certain traits to be physically present and instead select based on the DNA sequence itself. This has greatly accelerated breeding progress and has the potential to improve wheat varieties in terms of both quality and disease resistance.
There is a misconception that gluten in wheat has changed over the last century. He mentioned that the composition and protein of wheat have not significantly changed. Claims made in books like "Wheat Belly" about the varieties being produced and the food derived from them are not accurate. Dr. Carver conducted his own research to counter these claims and found that the perception of wheat has changed, but the reality is that wheat breeding programs have been focused on developing varieties that meet consumer demands.
The exact cause of non-celiac wheat sensitivity is still being researched and is not fully understood. However, Dr. Brett Carver mentioned a few factors that could potentially contribute to this sensitivity. One possibility is sensitivity to gluten itself, specifically the gluten that naturally occurs in wheat varieties. Another factor that Carver mentioned is the presence of certain carbohydrates called FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) in wheat, which can trigger symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in some individuals. Additionally, there are proteins called amylase trypsin inhibitors (ATIs) found in wheat that have been associated with sensitivity. Further research is needed to fully understand the causes and mechanisms behind non-celiac wheat sensitivity. He wants dietitians to know he's working on a variety of those projects.
For more information, visit https://experts.okstate.edu/brett.carver and find Dr. Carver on X @osuwit.
Rich in vitamin C and flavonoids, many citrus varieties have earned their place on our breakfast tables, squeezed into our water (and cocktails), and in our favorite American recipes. There is both art and science in growing citrus that is in demand as part of our nutrition. Citrus farmers continually met consumer demand for new flavors (think blood oranges), increased eye appeal (Cara Caras come to mind), and ease of use (seedless lemons).
Amid so much innovation, the unfortunate reality is that citrus is at risk. In this episode of the Food Bullying podcast, Casey Creamer, president of California Citrus Mutual, explains how citrus greening. The disease (also known as Huanglongbing), is a significant concern for the three central citrus-producing states: California, Florida, and Texas.
Casey discusses the efforts being made in California to identify and remove infected trees to prevent the disease from spreading. One of the key steps is controlling the Asian citrus psyllid, the insect that transmits the disease. The state has a surveillance and trapping program to identify the presence of the psyllid and take proactive measures to contain it. Infected trees are immediately removed to eliminate the disease reservoir. California is also advocating for a national citrus breeding program to develop resistant varieties.
He also notes that Florida faces more challenges in controlling the spread of the disease due to its climate. Casey emphasizes the importance of proactive measures, such as controlling the psyllid population and removing infected trees, to protect the citrus industry from the devastating effects of citrus greening.
While growers are taking great pains to prevent citrus greening, Casey explains that they’re also utilizing multiple strategies to help make their operations environmentally sustainable. One approach is drip irrigation and sprinkler technology, which reduces water consumption during crop growth. They have also adopted a holistic approach to water management, focusing on groundwater recharge during wet years to ensure water availability in drier periods.
Additionally, growers have embraced integrated pest management techniques, utilizing biologicals and beneficial insects to minimize pesticide use. Efforts to manage water quality and reduce nitrate nitrogen usage have also been implemented. The citrus industry in California has been proactive in protecting pollinators, working in partnership with beekeepers to support healthy bee populations.
Growers use pesticides, integrated pest management, and biologicals to effectively manage pests and ensure the quality of their citrus crops. Pesticides are used when necessary to control pests that can damage the fruit or affect its external quality. Integrated pest management (IPM) is a comprehensive approach that combines various strategies to minimize pest populations, including the use of beneficial insects, crop rotation, and monitoring techniques. IPM aims to reduce reliance on pesticides and promote sustainable pest control practices.
Biologicals, such as beneficial insects, are natural enemies of pests and can be used as a part of IPM to target specific pests while minimizing harm to beneficial organisms and the environment. These practices help growers maintain high-quality fruit while minimizing the impact on the ecosystem.
These sustainability practices contribute to California's overall environmental stewardship of citrus - whether you are enjoying the nutrition of oranges, orange juice, or lemons. For more on California Citrus Mutual, visit https://www.cacitrusmutual.com
“The biggest misconception about my work is that agriculture companies place pesticides or biotech products on the market without testing them for safety. The fact is that agriculture is one of the most strictly regulated and thoroughly investigated industries in the world. Agriculture companies must strictly follow local and international regulatory guidelines and conduct hundreds of safety studies before launching a product.
When a consumer has safety questions about pesticide residues or GMOs in their food, I hope all dietitians are well-equipped with knowledge about the agriculture regulatory processes, and help consumers make evidence-based food decisions.”
Dr. Meng Wang is the Transparency Lead at Bayer Crop Science. She makes the safety data of their products available and understandable to the public. On a personal note, food is her love language and she loves talking about food! Wang puts this passion to use in creating artisan macarons, which Michele reports they taste as good as they look.
Meng discussed the importance of transparency in making product safety data available to the public. She mentioned that about five years ago, they realized the public's interest in knowing if their food is safe and understanding how it's produced. As part of the transparency program, they decided to make safety data more accessible to the general public.
Bringing a new chemistry, such as a pesticide, to market typically takes around 11 years and costs approximately $300 million. This lengthy process involves conducting rigorous safety studies to ensure the product's safety for humans, animals, and the environment when used as directed.
Researching and approving a new genetically modified (GM) crop product takes approximately 16 years on average. This process involves extensive development and testing to ensure the product's safety, efficacy, and compliance with regulatory standards. The cost of bringing a GM crop to market is around $150 million. It's important to note that these timelines and costs may vary depending on the specific product and regulatory requirements.
Bayer Crop Science Crop Science creates new pesticides and genetically modified (GM)/bioengineered products to address the challenges faced by farmers – and to contribute to food security, sustainability, and productivity.
A growing global population brings a need to increase agricultural productivity, while also taking care of the environment. Bayer Crop Science Crop Science listens to the needs of farmers and develops products that can help them be more productive and address food security concerns. The development of new products involves significant investment and rigorous safety testing to ensure they are safe for humans, animals, and the environment. The goal is to provide innovative solutions that benefit farmers and contribute to a more sustainable and secure food supply.
Transparency, as explained by Meng, refers to the practice of making safety data and information about agriculture products available to the general public. In the past, safety data was primarily shared with regulatory authorities for approval purposes. However, with increasing public interest in understanding the safety and origins of their food, Bayer Crop Science recognized the importance of transparency. They believe that transparency allows consumers to make informed decisions and builds trust in the agricultural industry. By making safety data more accessible, Bayer Crop Science aims to address public concerns, promote understanding, and foster a more transparent and open dialogue about their products.
Transformational leadership, according to Dr. Meng Wang, involves inspiring and empowering people to reach their full potential. She believes in creating a culture where employees are motivated and encouraged to excel in their roles. Throughout her career, Dr. Wang has been fortunate to have managers and mentors who embraced this leadership style, allowing her to flourish in her work. For her, transformational leadership is not just a temporary initiative but should be ingrained in the company's culture. It involves empowering every employee to embody transparency and make it a part of their behavior.
Transparency, to Meng, means making safety data about agriculture products available to the general public. She believes that transparency is essential for addressing public concerns, promoting understanding, and building trust in the industry. Access to safety data empowers consumers to make informed decisions about the food they consume and to foster an open dialogue about their products.
Bayer Crop Science has taken steps to increase awareness and promote transparency among its employees. They have conducted learning sessions to educate colleagues about the importance of transparency and the unique knowledge they possess. They have also launched campaigns, such as the "#WhereisMeng" campaign, to engage employees and encourage them to learn more about transparency. Through these initiatives, Bayer Crop Science aims to foster a culture of transparency where every employee understands the significance of sharing information and representing the company's values.
Meng expressed excitement about the conversations she has had with people regarding food safety and transparency efforts. She mentioned engaging in discussions with her family, friends, and various audiences, including regulators, journalists, and the general public. These conversations and the opportunity to address concerns and provide information seem to be indicators of success for Meng in her transparency work.
Dr. Wang explained that product safety at Bayer Crop Science is thoroughly tested through a comprehensive process. The safety assessment starts from the very beginning, incorporating safety concepts into the product design. They conduct hundreds of safety studies to evaluate the safety profiles of pesticides, including their impact on humans, animals, and non-target species. They also perform robust environmental safety testing, such as studying the runoff and its effects on birds, mammals, and fish. The efficacy of the pesticide is also tested to ensure it can effectively protect crops. Dr. Wang emphasized that the safety assessment is data-driven and rooted in her science background as a biologist.
One common misconception she deals with is the belief that agricultural products on the market have not undergone rigorous safety testing. This misconception can impact people's choices when shopping for food. Dietitians can help dispel this misinformation by educating the public about the rigorous safety framework and procedures in place to ensure the safety of the products they buy. By providing accurate information, dietitians can help consumers make informed choices and support farmers in their practices to produce safe food.
For more information on Wang’s work, visit https://www.bayer.com/en/agriculture/transparency-crop-science, and connect with Wang on LinkedIn.
For more on pesticide levels in food, visit the WHO and use the Safe Fruits and Veggies calculator.
Brady Blackett is a 4th generation cattle producer from Utah who’s passionate about the cattle industry and its ability to contribute to a healthy and wholesome food system in the U.S. and abroad.
As the co-founder of IGA (Intermountain Genetic Alliance), Blackett is well-versed in the subject and application of AI (artificial insemination). In this episode, Blackett explains the many ways in which AI has a positive net impact on the environment and offers a wider array of consumer choices at the meat counter and in the dairy aisle.
For example, by selecting traits that improve feed efficiency, AI allows cattle to perform at the same level while consuming less feed. This means that they can produce meat and milk more efficiently, reducing the overall environmental footprint of cattle production.
Additionally, AI enables producers to breed animals with specific traits, such as shorter calving intervals, which can lead to more efficient land use and potentially shorter grazing times. These factors contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to beef production.
The science and research conducted in the field of reproductive technology in cattle, including artificial insemination (AI), has had significant benefits for humans. For example, advancements in fertility treatments and hormone therapies used in human reproductive medicine have been influenced by research conducted in cattle.
The similarities between bovine and human reproductive systems have allowed scientists to study and develop techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer, which have been successfully applied in human fertility treatments. Therefore, the knowledge gained from studying cattle reproduction has contributed to improving human reproductive health and assisting individuals and couples in achieving pregnancy.
In addition to his work throughout the beef industry, Blackett is father to three children and is an advocate for local agriculture. When feeding his own family, he buys local whenever possible - especially when the food in question is beef. When choosing beef, choose to buy from local producers. Local producers often lose a portion of the margin on beef thanks to a consolidated processing industry.
"If you buy directly from a local producer they capture more of the retail value of the beef. Furthermore, when you buy directly, you are keeping those dollars in your local economy while knowing exactly how that animal was raised."
You can learn more about the IGA on Instagram: @IGAbulls and Facebook.
What’s the relationship between front-of-package food labeling and consumer choice, and how can it potentially impact grocery prices?
Dr. Chen Zhen is a professor in Food Choice, Obesity, and Health Economics at the University of Georgia. His research focuses on the impact of interpretative front-of-package labeling on consumer behavior and food prices. In this conversation, Zhen discusses policies that can discourage consumption of less nutrient-dense foods (such as taxation) versus those that focus on access (making more nutritious food more accessible and less nutritious food less accessible), as well as the potential confusion caused by nutrition facts panels.
While a combination of policies may benefit the nutritional intake of lower-income consumers, Zhen highlights a study that demonstrated how a soda tax reduced the consumption of sugary beverages among low-income individuals, while a fruit and vegetable subsidy did not have a significant impact on their overall nutrition score.
He discussed three categories of policies to address the issue of food prices and consumer choices. The first category is taxation, where the aim is to tax unhealthy food to discourage consumption. However, there are concerns about the potential costs and impact on consumer welfare. The second category is access policy, which involves making healthier food more accessible and less healthy food less accessible. For example, removing sugary drinks from schools. However, there can be compensation effects where people consume more unhealthy food outside of school. The third category is information provision policy, such as nutrition fact labels. Chen mentioned the recommendation for interpretative and summary nutrition labels on the front of packages to help consumers better understand the information. He also mentioned his research on yogurt and consumer confusion with labels.
He referenced a study on yogurt that examined the impact of a nutrition labeling change on sales. The study found that when a yogurt product received a lower nutrition score, its sales decreased. Conversely, when a yogurt product received a higher score, its sales increased. However, the study also discovered that retailers adjusted the prices of the yogurt products to offset the sales effects of the labeling change. After accounting for the pricing effect, it was found that about 40% of the labeling effect was offset by the retailer's pricing strategy. This suggests that the impact of nutrition labeling on consumer behavior can be influenced by pricing strategies implemented by retailers.
Chen mentioned that low-income individuals tend to purchase less healthy foods due to financial constraints. Chen also highlighted the potential impact of labeling and pricing strategies on nutritional disparities. He is now working on a USDA grant that aims to examine the nutrition disparity resulting from nutrition labels. The hypothesis is that if a product receives a lower nutrition score, retailers may lower the price, and low-income individuals may be more sensitive to these price reductions, leading to increased consumption of unhealthy foods. Chen also mentioned a study on pricing policies, where a soda tax was found to reduce the consumption of sugary beverages among low-income individuals, while a fruit and vegetable subsidy did not have a significant impact on their overall nutrition score. He suggested that a combination of taxes on unhealthy foods and subsidies for healthier options may be more effective in addressing nutritional disparities.
Dr. Zhen discussed three categories of interventions that policymakers can make to address the obesity epidemic: pricing strategies (such as soda taxes), access policies (making healthier food more accessible and less healthy food less accessible), and information provision policies (like nutrition labels). Chen emphasized that while taxes can be effective, they come with costs, so labels are often preferred by economists. Chen's research focused on the impact of soda taxes and found that low-income households responded more to the taxes, resulting in reduced consumption of sugary beverages. Additionally, Chen explored the potential unintended consequences of labeling and pricing strategies, particularly in relation to low-income individuals. However, it's important to note that any food taxes are regressive and may face political resistance.
If you’re curious as to how front-of-package labels and food policies can have unintended consequences on grocery prices and his predictions on grocery inflation, listen in for more of Zhen’s research and insights.
“You can’t talk about what’s on the plate if you don’t know how it got there.”
As the founder of Build Up Dietitians, Leah McGrath has created a space in which dietitians at all stages in their careers (including students), can learn more about just that - and provides avenues for evidence-based practitioners to gain a better understanding of agriculture practices.
But when searching for that evidence, how do we discern quality sources from those that are less-than? McGrath offers multiple resources for dietitians so that YOU can empower the consumer to make choices based on fact - not fiction.
In addition to a robust conversation on the importance of cultivating an evidence-based career, McGrath shares her examples of persistent mis and disinformation in the nutrition space and diet trends that remain strong throughout the years.
Visit Build Up Dietitians and find them on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to the Build Up Dietitian Substack at https://buildupdietitians.substack.com/. You'll find great resources about food whether you are a dietitian, into nutrition, or a part of agriculture.
“I wish people would take a little time to understand where their food comes from and also to trust the farmer.” A great perspective for RDNs to remember!
Wanda Patsche, alongside her husband Chuck, farms in southern Minnesota. They grow corn and soybeans and raise hogs. Patsche also utilizes her blog to tell her farming story. Unfortunately, she has recently experienced some food bullying as part of her efforts to help people understand farming.
“I think GMOs and organic foods are still widely misunderstood by the consumer,” says Patsche. “I also think the fear-based labeling food companies use such as labeling foods non-GMO when there isn’t a GMO option for that particular food causes further confusion.”
Listen in as Patsche shares her insights on how biotechnology has helped her use fewer inputs throughout the years, the use of antibiotics in swine, and why you should shop confidently - especially for meat - at any grocery store.
For more on Patsche, visit her on X and Instagram @MNFarmLiving and on Facebook MinnesotaFarmer. Be sure to check out her blog, https://www.mnfarmliving.
Grocery store costs are crazy, but what costs have gone up on farms? Are fields sprayed with “such harsh pesticides” that workers can’t enter the fields? Is hydroponic farming the wave of the future when it comes to leafy greens? Should you be worried about lead in soil? Michele helps Nicole separate fact from fiction on these topics and more.
The co-hosts spend time reflecting on their personal favorite and eye-opening episodes from 2023, which include apple growing, dietitians, pumpkins, GMOs, mRNA vaccines, scientists, farmers, animal protein & sustainability, and more. They recommend episodes to help listeners learn more about their food and how it's grown to overcome the myths of the food plate. Michele and Nicole want to know: which experts do YOU want to hear them interview in the New Year? Leave your questions in the comments or message Nicole or Michele.
The bird’s the word, but when we’re talking turkey, what do all those labels REALLY mean?
Peter Klaphake, a third generation turkey farmer from Minnesota, owns and operates turkey farms, a feed mill, and crop farming businesses. He’s also a current board member on the Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council.
“Our birds are never raised with added hormones or steroids. In fact, it’s illegal,” explains Klaphake. And while he goes into great detail on labeling, antibiotics, and what he wish consumers knew about raising turkey, he is deeply passionate about raising turkeys, despite all the challenges.
“It is a very risky, demanding, and rewarding profession,” says Klaphake. “We either have to love what we do, are completely nuts, or a bit of both!”
Listen in and learn more about how this lean, nutrient-dense protein makes its way to your table. For more information, visit Klaphake Feed Mill.
Pick a pumpkin - but what kind? A self-proclaimed Professor of Pumpkinology, John Ackerman is the owner and operator of the farm bearing the same name that has been in his family for over a century. And while you may hear “pumpkin” and think of the jack-o-lantern variety, he and his wife grow an astounding number of breeds.
While Ackerman has opened his farm to the public each fall for the past 24 years, the long hours and devotion to his land are consistent throughout the off-season. Pumpkin season may be a given, but the weather can determine great fluctuations in the farm’s income.
A steward of his land, Ackerman shares his concerns with common misconceptions about farming practices.
“While organic food is certainly growing in popularity, I have concerns that its production may be hard on the environment,” says Ackerman.
Listen in for more reasons to eat a greater variety of pumpkins, how they’re grown, and just how many varieties are available.
Learn more about Ackerman and his farm at ackermanfamilyfarmsllc.com.
"A little sugar is not always a bad thing!”
Kevin Herman is a diversified farmer who grows crops you may have not heard much about, but his biggest crops are figs. And yes, there are more than one variety. He likens fig varieties to wine varieties - each with a distinct flavor and pairing opportunity.
A nutritional powerhouse of fiber, calcium, and potassium, Herman views figs as a great replacement for candy bars. In this episode, he sheds light on the different varieties and their nuances in flavor, texture, and eye appeal, and shares some of his favorite preparation methods. If you're an RDN or into nutrition, be sure to listen.
Herman also clears the air so to speak on the many ways in which farmers serve as environmentalists.
“We all recognize the need for trees to help clean our air and we not only be on the loss of the rain forest but also spend billions every year to plant trees, well what about farmers, we plant millions of trees every year that not only feed the world but also clean the air!”
To learn more about California-grown figs, visit californiafigs.com.
Is “wild” fish somehow better for you than the farm-raised variety?
Mike Freeze, owner of Keo Fish Farm, conservationist, environmentalist, and naturalist, offers his perspective based on years of fish farming.
“For a variety of health reasons people need to consume more seafood and since we are fishing the oceans at maximum sustainable levels, only farmed seafood offers the possibility to increase seafood consumption,” says Freeze.
While “wild” fish might be perceived as being more nutritious or somehow better for the environment, Freeze notes that their more affordable, farmed counterparts may be overlooked, and the consumer might be skipping fish altogether - and not meeting recommended guidelines. He encourages RDNs and those who prioritize nutrition to consider fish an important part of their diet.
Listen in for more information on the safety and sustainability of farmed fish in the nutrition world, as well as Freeze’s take on purchasing American-raised seafood.
Named after and guided by her parents, Jerry and Linda, Alise Sjostrom’s Jer-Lindy Farms produces award-winning cheeses. A graduate of the University of Minnesota and Vermont Institue for Artisan Cheese, Sjostrom is quick to point out the biggest misconception about her line of work - that being lactose intolerant means you can’t enjoy the fruits of her labor.
“Cheese is actually quite low in lactose compared to dairy products like milk, cream, and yogurt,” says Sjostrom. “Most contain less than 2g per one ounce serving, which is far less than the 12-13g found in a one cup serving of milk.”
Crediting the lessons she’s learned along the way from others in the cheese industry and her team of owners and employees, Sjostrom not only produces cheese with her team at Redhead Creamery, but the business is also making it foray into the spirits industry. Listen in to find out which by-product of the cheese-making process is making its way into cocktails.
To learn more about Sjostrom or to order Cheese, visit www.redheadcreamery.com. Find her on Facebook and Instagram.
With back to school in full swing, Michele and Nicole talk with Katie Pratt and Amanda Radke on the latest podcast episode. While each of these women wears many hats (farmers, mothers, and pillars of their respective communities), they both work to increase literacy about food, farming, ranching, and nutrition in the classroom.
As misinformation can spread early in life, Pratt keeps an open door (literally - as the host of many tours of her farm) and creates a safe space for elementary and junior high school students to learn more about where their food comes from.
“When a student asks a specific question about organic foods or corn syrup or gluten, it comes from a place of curiosity and one influenced usually by a social trend and not factual information,” says Pratt.
Radke, who in addition to ranching, retailing, parenting, and public speaking is also a published author of eight children’s books, shares how misconceptions and misinformation can impact the ag community at large.
“When these misconceptions permeate popular culture, it impacts politics, perceptions, consumer buying trends, food prices, regulations, etc.,” notes Radke.
Listen in for best practices on communicating with young consumers, empowering them to feel good about their food choices, and ideas on how RDNs can better engage youth in their nutrition choices.
Learn more about Katie at https://www.theillinoisfarmgirl.com/ and visit her on Facebook.
Visit Amanda at www.amandaradke.com, on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
“All actions have some sort of impact on the system, but at times, people can assume reducing animal protein can have a vast and meaningful impact without considering other important tradeoffs that should be considered.”
Passionate about leaving the planet better than she found it and ensuring access to nutrient-dense foods including nutrient-dense animal proteins, Dr. Kim Stackhouse-Lawson works to clear up the misconception that animal agriculture isn’t sustainable.
“I wish people knew how dedicated farmers, ranchers, and producers are to raising high-quality food and that there are scientists, my team specifically, looking for solutions to continue to reduce food system impacts from animal ag. We have improved, but technologies are advancing quickly,” says Stackhouse-Lawson.
She is the Director of AgNext and a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. As Director of AgNext, she brings together producers, industry partners, and researchers to innovate real-time solutions for sustainability in animal agriculture. Prior to her time at CSU, Kim was the Director of Sustainability for JBS USA where she was responsible for coordinating the North American sustainability program, inclusive of the company’s beef, pork, poultry, case ready, transportation, and branded product business.
Learn more about Dr. Stackhouse-Lawson here and visit AgNext on Facebook and Twitter. You can also connect with her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-stackhouse-lawson-0108341a1.
There is a farmer behind everything you choose in the grocery store. Even sugar.
“Pesticides, GMOs, roundup, the word natural....fear-mongering in the grocery store needs to stop. People are guilted into paying more for equally safe food due to a meaningless label.”
As a full time farmer (she grows sugar beets, corn, wheat, rye, and dry edible beans) and mom in the thumb of Michigan, Rita Herford wishes people would pay more attention to experts when making their food-buying purchases. A fan of American-grown groceries, she wants consumers to know that “farmer” is not synonymous with “farmers market.”
"Farmers are not over-using pesticides; we don't want to use them, but sometimes it is necessary. Nature is disease, fungi, bugs, and microbes trying to infest food we are trying to grow. I eat food from the grocery store, too!"
If you’re curious about crop protection and the many forces working AGAINST farmers as they work to grow the foods we buy (in many different places), listen in on Herford’s perspectives as a farmer, mom of three young daughters, and consumer.
For more information on crop protection, visit https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/crop-protection-pest-management-program.
Follow Herford on Instagram , on Facebook and on Twitter @herfordrita to learn more.
“Herd health is our #1 priority.”
Alli Fender left her corporate vet technician career to pursue her dream of being her own boss as a direct-to-consumer beef producer and black angus breeder. Not only does she juggle that dream alongside motherhood, showing and breeding Australian Shepherds, and sharing her beef story via flyingranch.org, Fender also records conversations on all things small business and shares them on her Agripreneur Empire Podcast.
Well aware of the misinformation surrounding grain-finished beef, Fender shares her concerns about consumer perspectives on hormones, antibiotics, and other buzz words within the beef world. While consumers may be fed content that drives fear and reinforces a negative connotation about beef, Fender spends a significant amount of time explaining her business model and the “why” behind using certain types of feed at the Flying F Ranch.
“I believe that by helping consumers understand that all beef is safe, nutritious, and raised in incredible conditions is essential to create trusting relationships and healthy communities.”
Get a glimpse into Fender’s operation on Instagram via @flying_f_ranch.
For more on the nuance of grass and grain-finshed beef, visit beefresearch.org.
"The work ethic and pride most farmers have in what we do everyday is second to none. Family farms take care of the environment and land we use to make sure it is better for the next generations" points out a Michigan farmer responsible for the beans in your can.
Black beans, navy beans, bean soup, amino acids in beans, bean recipes...Greg Ackerman is a farmer who is glad to talk beans. Ackerman & son farms is a multi generational family farm focusing on producing high quality specialty crops, including dry edible beans. He especially enjoys growing navy beans.
Greg says that edible dry beans have the lowest carbon footprint of any product on his farm. He discusses soil quality, preparing a seed bed that allows for environmental efficiency, monitoring for insects to protect their crops, and more.
"The food we produce is the safest food that has ever been available in the supply chain. It’s the same food we feed our own families. That is a big responsibility that we not only accept but take pride in. The food safety standards in place today should help alleviate any misconceptions consumers may have," says Greg.
He shares details of site specific farming and how farmers use the tool to select what is needed for each type of soil. For example, they don't apply fertilizer where the soil can't hold it - and only put it on where the soil needs it.
Food cost is inflated today for many reasons. Greg, a member of the U.S. Dry Beans Council, points to the need to defend modern agricultural practices, food safety documentation and inspections, transportation and handling by processors.
Greg points to dry beans as the all around super food. High in fiber and protein, excellent for gut health and has an amino acid that has been proven to fight cancer cells.
Learn more at cannedbeans.org.
“The biggest misconception comes in when organic options are pushed as healthier than conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables.”
As operations manager for her family’s strawberry farm in Florida, Michelle Williamson shares concerns that the Environmental Working Group's Dirty Dozen and similar activist groups unnecessarily create fear around the food she and her family have been growing for five generations. She hopes dietitians can help set the record straight about strawberry farming.
“The EWG Dirty Dozen list is a bad interpretation of science, that creates fear and guilt among consumers,” says Williamson. "I think that this causes fear with some consumers, if they cannot afford the organic option, they feel that they may be causing harm to their families, so they avoid fresh fruits and vegetables all together. Also, the misconception that organic farming practices are safer in the environment creates fear among people living near farming operations."
Living on the same family homestead that previous generations have tended to since 1889, Williamson works alongside her two daughters and niece and takes great pride in this land being as safe a place for her grandchildren to play as it is to grow one of America’s most-beloved fruits.
If you’re concerned about pesticide residues on produce, visit Safe Fruits and Veggies to calculate how many servings of various fruits and vegetables you would need to consume before pesticides have any effect on your overall health. Know that strawberries are a sensational nutrition addition, regardless of what is on the fruit's label!
For more on pesticides allowed in organic farming, visit the National Archives.
A dairy farmer who is just shy of ONE MILLION followers on Facebook, Derrick Josi survives on coffee and sarcasm while dispelling B.S. on social media. He says “doesn't put up or ignore idiots online because to do so makes them feel justified and entitled to stay ignorant.”
This candid conversation covers everything from Josi and Nicole’s mutual disdain for certain food labels and love of ice cream to his and Michele’s friendly debate over who has the better breed of dairy cattle. RDs can glean insight on what REALLY happens on a dairy, from feeding, to animal welfare, and caring for the environment.
Passionate about preserving TDF Honest Farming for many generations, he stays focused on the future. Josi is one of the farmer-owners of Tillamook Creamery and loves to talk ice cream. He also offers honest thoughts about how the naysayers impact farmer's mental health.
Derrick wishes people knew that, as a dairy farmer the health and well-being of my cows is his top priority. His cows are milked on a merry-go-round or rotary parlor and he works to show people animal care through his videos.
If you’re curious about dairy vs. its alternatives, how the dairy business is committed to making its practices even more sustainable, and the day-to-day operations of TDF Honest Farming, give this episode a listen, and follow Josi on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and his podcast, The View From the Milk Barn.
“Translating the science to the table does not mean we slide over the science.”
Connie Diekman, M.Ed, RD, CSSD, LD, FADA, FAND is a Food and Nutrition Consultant in St. Louis, Missouri, and a former President of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Always on top of cutting-edge research, she recently co-authored Misinformation and Disinformation in Food Science and Nutrition: Impact on Practice.
This paper explains "Health and wellness gurus, or self-proclaimed experts, utilize social media platforms to garner attention through compelling narratives, build audience followings, and influence public opinion by sharing (often) misleading information about food and nutrition.
The consequence of this can be the perpetuation of misinformation, which not only undermines a well-functioning democracy but also diminishes support for policies that are science or evidence based. Nutrition practitioners, clinician scientists, researchers, communicators, educators, and food experts need to encourage and model critical thinking (CT) to participate in our world of mass information and mitigate misinformation."
In this candid conversation, Diekman touches on the spread of both mis- and disinformation, the role of social media in the nutrition landscape, and how the RD can play in leveraging their credential to be a trusted source of evidence-based messages.
As Diekman puts it, “the media is full of claims and promises when it comes to food and nutrition and if consumers can't see why RD's are different, and the person to trust for nutrition advice, our credibility will never grow. We have to be the communicator who can translate with honesty, evidence, and enthusiasm.”
This episode is a must-listen for any RD looking to make science translatable to consumers and combat misinformation on social media, in their practice, or across the dinner table.
Learn more about Diekman at https://cbdiekman.com/, on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/connie.diekman, Twitter , and Instagram. Join us for the next episode of the Food Bullying podcast on the first and third Monday of the month.
“You have to do what’s right, no matter how much it hurts.”
Dr. Kevin Folta is a molecular biologist who has worked with mRNA for more than 25 years. He is scientist in the genetics and genomics of small fruit crops, a recent farmers market president, and advocate for science communication. And although he’s suffered significant personal and professional hardship for standing up for science, he continues to train, teach AND tweet the evidence, because, as he puts it, “you have to say the words” to help combat mis- and disinformation in the agricultural space.
Dr. Folta emphasizes that technology has given us access to the safest, most abundant food supply in human history, and this access is worthy of appreciation - not fear. He wants dietitians to look for the evidence behind mRNA and genetics in food, rather than believing clickbait. As new technology continues to help strengthen our food system, communicating the science behind it will strengthen consumer trust.
"As a molecular biologist, it was exciting to see the mRNA technology go into use. We’ve been watching and waiting for a long time. We’ll see it used to treat some cancers and other human diseases. Its role as a vaccination is just beginning, as we’ll see better and more adaptable, less-expensive vaccines that can address emerging pathogens faster. It’s potential role in treating livestock is tremendous.
Unfortunately misinformation, in some cases spread by internet celebrities and politicians, stands to slow the implementation of this technology by tarnishing public perception. We have a role as scientists, farmers, and ag communicators to challenge these false assertions, as they will negatively affect ranchers, farmers and our animals."
mRNA vaccines, in particular, have a huge potential role in livestock health. On this episode, Dr. Folta explains the mechanisms behind the technology, clears up misconceptions about its usage, and urges those in the dietetic and ag communities to challenge false assertions about this and other technologies that can have a positive impact.
Dr. Folta can be found at www.kevinfolta.com, on Twitter @kevinfolta, and on Facebook www.facebook.com/kmfolta. Listen to more on the Facts and Fallacies podcast, which he co-hosts with Cameron English.
Other sources regarding mRNA:
AP Fact Checking: "No, farmers aren't requires to vaccinate cattle with mRNA vaccines.
Factcheck.org: Meme Spreads Falsehood About Vaccine Transfer Through Eating Meat
Genetic Literacy Project: Kill the Messenger: mRNA-based livestock vaccines are under attack by vaccine skeptics
Pork Business: Livestock & mRNA Vaccines: What You Need to Know
The biggest hurdle for so many people pursuing health and wellness, including healing their relationship with food and being intentional about nutrition, has so much more to do with their mental and emotional state that we often realize. I believe that health should be pursued in a holistic approach, not sacrificing one aspect of health while in pursuit of another.
Kiah Twisselman Burchett, better known as Coach Kiah, is a California cattle rancher turned motivational speaker, life coach, and podcaster on a mission to empower others to love themselves deeper, care for themselves better, and find joy in this messy, beautiful journey of life. After battling with her own weight and body image from a young age, she embarked on her own personal health journey losing over 100 pounds, but more importantly, the mental weight she had been carrying with her for years. Recently named one of Cowgirl Magazine’s 2023 Top 30 Under 30, Coach Kiah uses her vulnerability and infectious energy to show others how to overcome hardships and become the main characters of their own lives.
She wants people to know that farmers and ranchers, regardless of the size of their operation, are committed to the safety of the food they produce and the well-being of the animals they care for. Fear driven marketing of food often creates distrust and shame around food choices.
Not only does fear driven marketing negatively impact farmers and ranchers, but it also trickles down to the consumer and the cost of food that they purchase. Food shaming can also negatively impact consumers relationship with food, making them feel like a bad person if they can't afford to purchase items with all the fancy buzz words.
As a coach, I wish people knew that my role is NOT to give nutrition advice in any way. That's what we have registered dietitians for! As someone whose family ranches, I wish people knew that we all have a LOT more in common that we have different. Farmers and ranchers have a lot of the same worries, concerns, and priorities as consumers do and vice versa. Through our Backroad Cowgirls series, our hope is to use storytelling to create more connections between those who produce food and those who consume it.
You can follow Kiah on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/coachkiah/, listen to her podcast at https://pod.link/1578296414 or connect with her on Insta at https://www.instagram.com/coach_kiah.
“We’re not ‘dousing’ our fields, we’re not ‘mining’ our soil, and nutrients don’t ‘run off’ the fields during normal rainfall.”
As a dietitian turned full-time farmer on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Jennie Schmidt has heard it all when it comes to misconceptions about how our food is raised. Growing corn, soybeans, wheat, green beans, and wine grapes with her brother-in-law, Jennie is equally passionate about the health of her soil as she is about cutting through the noise about agriculture for fellow dietitians. She questions how farming today is monoculture and walks through example after example.
And while Jennie recognizes the importance of dietitians being able to clear up misconceptions for the consumer so they can make the best choices for feeding their families, she warns that misinformation can have an even bigger impact.
“Misperceptions in the marketplace on food and farming can end up as bad policy and regulations when consumers are fed misinformation by environmentalists,” says Schmidt.
Listen in on Schmidt’s insights on everything from GMOs to monoculture to glyphosate to vineyards to technology helping soil health.
Follow on Instagram @dirtdietitian and Twitter @farmgirljen.
“Everyday life on the farm isn’t always sunshine and roses.”
Nick Schweitzwer, a fifth generation farmer from the area known as “the ridge” north of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Roughly 60% of Michigan’s apple production are grown in the area and Nick grows over 18 varieties on his farm. He shares how there are many challenges unique to Midwest apple growers. Nick relishes the opportunity to share how he tackles the impact of high humidity, something his Pacific Northwest counterparts don’t grapple with.
Noting that the choice of organic or conventionally grown apples is a consumer choice, Nick cautions that when grocers make that decision for their shoppers, the results can be detrimental to this sector of agriculture.
“There has been at least one fairly large chain grocer that has decided to buy strictly organic apples and will not buy any conventionally grown fruit. If more followed this path, then it would have a serious negative effect for us growers in the Midwest and Atlantic states. We generally have high humidity and unfortunately, fungal diseases love humidity.”
In this episode, Nick also discusses what it means to “support local,” cross-pollination, treating fungi/weeds/insects in the orchard and explains the role of pheromones in growing apples. Nicole's mind is blown learning about how this pheromone technology confuses pests and prevents them from mating.
Find Nick on Insta & TikTok at @that.apple.guy and Twitter: @thatappleguy616.
“Go out and get the work done.” If there’s one insight to be gleaned from the 100th episode of the Food Bullying Podcast, it might be this one from co-host Michele. Or that she'd rather smell like her cows, while Nicole wishes to smell like Froot Loops.
When Michele wanted to take the Food Bullying podcast in a new direction, she tapped a dietitian as a co-host. But why one with zero background in agriculture? Nicole's candid discussion touches on everything from Nicole’s perceived indoctrination of “big ag” being bad during her nutrition studies in New York City to where the co-hosts stand on Froot Loops (both as a food and potential fragrance choice).
While their backgrounds are vastly different, Michele and Nicole raise young women in what often feels like a food war zone, and each shares her unique perspective on positioning food as a source of joy and not fear. They both strongly believe food should be about celebration, not condemnation.
Listen in as they divulge their biggest nutrition and supermarket pet peeves, the greatest takeaways from the show, and their thoughts on how farmers and dietitians can continue to collaborate across the plate for the benefit of the consumer.
They've collaborated across the food plate to bring insights from agriculture to dietitians and share what they've learned along the way. They've talked with experts on animal welfare, beef, cans, chicken, cranberries, dairy, dietetics, FFA, food waste, GMOs, lamb, lettuce, livestock heat stress, peanuts, pork, prunes, RDN education, soybeans, sustainability sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and more. Upcoming episodes will include apples, beans, eggs, ethics, pesticides & soil health, strawberries, sugar beets.
“I learn something new with literally EVERY episode,” says Nicole. “But what I find most heartening is that each farmer we speak with - whether from a large or small operation - has the same goal: to do the right thing for the environment.”
Follow Michele across most social media platforms at @mpaynspeaker and Nicole on Instagram @notoriously.nicole.RD
If Hannah Craun and Levi Schiller are any indication, the future of farming certainly shines bright. Craun, a masters student at Virginia Tech focusing on cattle reproduction, and Schiller, an Ag Business major at The University of Nebraska, boast numerous awards and experiences in 4-H and FFA. They also share a concern about the misconceptions surrounding agriculture - and how fear and confusion are impacting the consumer.
“The basic knowledge gap that separates agriculturists from the rest of society is huge and hugely concerning,” says Craun, who was raised on her family’s dairy, beef, and crop operation.
"While misconceptions about agriculture may not seem directly related to dietetics, it's important to anyone purchasing food. A lot of our decisions in life are based more on how they make us feel rather than the facts behind the matter. If we don't feel sure that our food was produced in a safe manner for all involved, that may take a mental and emotional toll, not to mention economic.
This can motivate us to spend more money on purchasing food that isn't any different nutritionally. In addition, understanding basic production practices has extreme importance when applied to food labeling. What isn't understood can be intimidating or even scary, when, in this case, it's truly not. From a producer's point of view, it can be disheartening when consumers don't trust what you do simply because they don't understand. More and more, governing policy is also being dictated by those who aren't familiar with standard practices. This makes it a very real possibility that agriculturalists are prevented from doing what is best for their animals or crops."
While both Craun and Schiller emphasize the importance of modern agriculture in feeding a growing population, they recognize that certain technologies are misunderstood.
“I wish people knew that producers try their hardest to make the safest product while being the most efficient,” says Schiller. He hopes dietitians will meet more FFA members and learn more about modern day farming products.
Listen in as these two agvocates share their insights on answering tough questions about agriculture, what they look for on a label before tossing an item into their grocery carts, and bridging the gap from farm to plate for the next generation.
Natalie Mariani Kling is a fourth generation family member of premium dried fruit company, which was started by her great grandfather in 1906 in what is now Silicon Valley. "My family and I are committed to 'inspire healthy living' and being a real solution for busy families trying to eat a little healthier every day."
Natalie shares different perspectives in the medical and nutritional community about natural sugar vs. added sugar, and understanding how bad certain sugars are for your body "When natural sugar is combined with a good amount of fiber, your body is able to digest natural sugars found in dried fruit at a slower rate vs. refined sugar which spikes blood sugar.
"Prunes are not just good for gut health and a healthy microbiome, but recent research shows they are excellent for bone health; Recent research in postmenopausal women found that eating prunes daily both protected bone mineral density and mitigated fracture risk at the hip"
Natalie talked with Michele Payn and Nicole Rodriguez about how dried fruits, such as plums and dates, are incredible for adding a natural sweetness to recipes. "By adding water to rehydrate the fruit, you can create purees/syrups/drizzles out of prunes, and essentially any dried fruit, for baking, stews, even cocktails."
Prunes have an awareness problem. They have been for so long paralleled with digestion, and yet they may be best super fruits on the market - good source of fiber and an excellent source of Vitamin K, an essential bone nutrient. "People have fear and anxiety around buying shelf-stable fruits and vegetables, so they gravitate towards 'keto' and 'paleo' (which have served their purpose) yet they don't consider dried fruit an option to enjoy year-round." Listen in for more about this shelf-stable fruit, which extends the fruit season, and provides a convenient grab-and-go snacks.
As a certified clinical nutritionist, she's committed to promoting habits that support healthy children and families; this passion stems from her son who was born with neurological challenges, so she knows the power of nutrition as a foundation for life.
The Mariani Family Packing Company has partner growers (our 'extended family') span the globe, growing orchard fruits (prunes, peaches, apricots), berries, and extending to tropical fruits (mango, pineapple), raisins, dates and others. Natalie shares "Family is our differentiating factor, and we consider our grower partners around the world part of our extended family. We believe in treating others with respect - some of our long-term partners have been with us for multiple generations, e.g., our partnership with Kellogg's has extended +35 years."
Mariani's respect Mother Nature - they have a fun family quote 'We report to Mother Nature.' Natalie reports "We're focused on increasing our sustainability efforts more so now than ever through our solar installation, water purification plant and water usage on the farms, and our growing techniques. We also believe in less food waste - prunes fit easily into a sustainable diet as consumers can eat the entire fruit without worrying about a peel or other inedible plant parts taking up space in their waste cans. Because prunes are simply dried plums, they have reduced water content, making them much lighter in weight and less perishable. This means fewer resources are needed to transport them and less refrigeration is used, resulting in a lower carbon footprint."
Listen in to hear about prunes can help brains, bones, and guts and follow Marianis at www.facebook.com/MarianiFamily on Facebook, www.instagram.com/themarianifamily/ on Instagram, or https://twitter.com/MarianiFamily on Twitter.
Food prices rose 13% in 2022. Yet American's waste about $218 billion of food the U.S. and food is the single largest component taking up space inside of our landfills. RDN Roseann Rust offers practical ways to reduce food waste in the home to save money and help the environment.
A prolific writer, she’s published eight books, including several in the popular For Dummies® series, including her latest include Zero Waste Cooking For Dummies® (Jan 2022, John Wiley & Sons), and the 2nd edition of DASH Diet For Dummies® (November 2020).
Roseanne believe's there's more than one way to consume a healthy diet. "We understand the big picture, including human physiology, human nutrition, and food science. We take behavior into account and understand how to help people make changes that they can accept. We also understand how to evaluate the evidence and put diet into perspective for overall health.
People come up with strict rules. They hear so many soundbites of misinformation (like "sugar is toxic", "carbs are killing you", "organic is best". This all-or-nothing approach is affecting the mental health of many people who may feel they are failing because they aren't reaching some unrealistic goal. At a time when food budgets (and all budgets) are tightening, we need to take this fear away. And also help those who HAVE a choice (to shop at fancy food stores) to understand that demonizing the rest (with no evidence of inferiority) is detrimental to everyone."
Roseann received her bachelor's degree in Dietetics from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and her M.S. in Nutrition from the University of Pittsburgh. Owner of Rust Nutrition Services, she provides a variety of nutrition communication services. Her philosophy has always been to take a fad-free, doable approach to healthy eating, in order to help people put food and nutrition into perspective and set realistic health goals.
A prolific writer, she’s published eight books, including several in the popular For Dummies® series, including her latest include Zero Waste Cooking For Dummies® (Jan 2022, John Wiley & Sons), and the 2nd edition of DASH Diet For Dummies® (November 2020). You can connect with her on Facebook,Insta, Twitter, or TikTok.
How is soy a part of your diet? Maryland farmer Belinda Burrier talks about high oleic soybean oil, GMOs, international demand, the health benefits of soy, and so much more in the latest Food Bullying podcast.
Belinda farms soybeans, corn, wheat, and hay in central Maryland, just north of Washington DC with her husband and nephew. She married into farming 20 years ago, she and her husband have been awarded the Mid-Atlantic Master Farmers and the Northeastern Region Conservation Legacy Award. She is the chair of the United Soybean Board Promotion & Education Committee.
"When I married into farming, I knew nothing and asked many questions- why do you do that? It made my husband think outside of the box and he did change some of his practices, not many, he is very progressive; so what I want people to know as a mother and grandmother that I always have my family’s best interest and health in mind before any choices are made on the farm. Water, air, and soil are my greatest concern."
Belinda points out "Some very influential people bad mouth soybean products and it’s hard to break that apart." She breaks down how the bean is grown, why GMO has value, what the benefits of high Oleic soy is, and more in this podcast.
She understand how food bullying impacts people in the grocery store. "I look for soybeans in my products, if I can purchase items locally I will, I won’t buy products just because they say so and so on the label. If I am truly concerned about how something is produced I will look at reviews and talk to my dietitian friends or women whose opinion I value. I really try to buy US, but sometimes that’s not available." Belinda works to try to ensure more people have access to soy products, including biodiesel across the globe.
She is on Facebook as Belinda Doyle Burrier, Insta as Burrier Farms, and LInkedin under Belinda Burrier. Connect with her to learn more about the power of soy in a diet.
Do you know the latest research on peanuts & allergens? Or that these protein essential grow in the ground? Or that the peanut plant is a legume that is rotated with other crops to help with soil health? Case Cox Kerr is the sixth generation of her family to farm on the Flint River in south Georgia. Her family farm, Longleaf Ridge, produces sweet corn, peanuts, field corn, soybeans, and timber. She was recently appointed by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to serve as Georgia’s Board Member on the National Peanut Board, and is the first woman from Georgia to serve on NPB! Casey points to several misconceptions and wishes people knew how much peanut farmers nationwide have invested into peanut allergy research, education, and awareness.
- Peanut allergies & early intro guidelines for dietitians to know
- Myths about peanuts – i.e., that they are inflammatory or nutritionally inferior to other nuts.
- Misconceptions about general nutrition benefits – natural peanut butter, organic peanut butter, added sugars, fats – many consumers seem to think there are big differences in the nutrient profiles, but they are largely similar.
She points to the myths around peanuts creating misconceptions with consumers and misinformation being shared that can lead to unnecessary fear about a safe and nutritious food.
Visit The National Peanut Board website or lonleafridge.com or connect with @caseycoxkerr on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Take the gene as a sentence in a book. Copy that sentence (gene) into another book. Now scientists can put the gene into a specific paragraph. Farmer Paul Hodgen uses this example to explain genetic modification in food. He has worked with GMOs - genetically modified organism - in both the laboratory as an agronomist, as well as farming GMO corn and soybeans.
He uses biotechnology to make his job easier to produce a low cost, healthy, environmentally-friend product. GMO crops allow him to use fewer pesticides, make fewer passes across the field, and spend more time with his family than the non-GMO fields he farms. He wants dietitians to know the facts behind biotechnology so they can share accurate information with their clients.
"The biggest misconception is driven by the fear labels" says Paul. The companies are trying to add fear with non-GMO labels, particularly when there are no genetically modified products available - meaning there is no difference. He also points out how GMO food can be healthier for you and that GMO labeling is marketing trying to get more of your food dollar.
Paul discusses how consumers want affordable, safe, and environmentally friendly products - and GMOs allow farmers to do that efficiently. He talks about biotechnology, CRISPR, and gene editing techniques, as well as the improvements made in the technology that improves our food and farming.
Insect control, managing weeds, and quality traits such as high oleic soybeans are some of the reasons farmers use GMO seeds. He points to high oleic soybeans as a way to have a consistent source of oils found in fish.
In responding to the claims about how much research has been done, Paul highlights how years and years of research have been done with the proteins used in GMOs. Where is the activity of the trait happening in the plant or the food we're consuming? Most don't have activity with humans.
Paul highlights how growing non-GMO crops cost him more time away from the family, additional hours of work more exposure to chemicals, and increases his financial risks. He encourages RDNs and all listeners with a nutrition preference to consider the whole picture rather than activist-led information.
The world's poor cannot afford the more expensive alternatives. GMO allows food costs to be lower and deserves your consideration as to why it makes sense in food.
Follow Hodgen Farms on Instagram or look up Paul Hodgen on social channels to learn more.
"Avoid the center of the store...canned food isn't nutritious and filled with preservatives." These are examples of the negative bias put on the canning and processing community, according to our Food Bullying podcast guest Andy Russick. Reality is that canned vegetables and fruits can help you cut food costs, as well as get more nutrients in your diet.
"I read and hear with frequency a suspicion that is held about canning being a process that cooks all the nutrients out of food or that canners add too much sugar or salt to our products. Sometimes new articles claim that we still have BPA in our cans (not true since 2012) or that we use additives or preservatives to our products to extend shelf life (not correct - nothing added).
Incorrect reporting such as I have mentioned above, gives consumers pause to purchase our products. It also levies a feeling of mom guilt or dad guilt on can purchasers which is not fair to the purchaser or the producer or brand owner when this misconception is repeated and laid upon our loyal followers" notes Russick.
When asked what he wishes people knew, he quickly points out "Incorrect reporting such as I have mentioned above, gives consumers pause to purchase our products. It also levies a feeling of mom guilt or dad guilt on can purchasers which is not fair to the purchaser or the producer or brand owner when this misconception is repeated and laid upon our loyal followers." He hopes dietitians can bridge the understanding of the value of canned food in cutting food costs during this time of inflation, as well as recommend canned veggies and fruits to improve their nutrition.
Andy Russick is the Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Customer Service for Pacific Coast Producers. Over the 35 years he has been with PCP, he has held the positions of Vice President of Retail Sales, Director of Retail Sales, National Sales Manager, Regional Sales Manager, Field Operations Manager and Logistics Coordinator. He began working for Pacific Coast Producers shortly after his time at Santa Clara University, where he graduated in 1986 with a degree in Economics. Andy has been very happily married to Kathleen for 32 years and has two smart and cheerful daughters, Chloe and Jana. He travels to various customer's offices across the country, attends trade shows, rides a Peloton, surfs, skis, golfs and listens to a good many podcasts and sporting events.
Andy wishes that his legacy in his time working for the Food Industry would be that our nation’s population adopt his vociferous appreciation for the qualitative goodness, economic value and logistical sensibility of shelf stable (particularly canned) products. Learn more at www.pcoastp.com or follow Pacific Coast Prodcuers 1971 on Instagram.
Heather Barnes thinks the sweetpotato should wear a cape because it's such a nutrition powerhouse. And did you know the proper way to spell sweetpotatoes is without a space between the two words?
Heather is a Marketing Specialist with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. She grew up in the city, but has spent more than 20 years working in agriculture. She is the mom to three boys and her favorite way to eat sweetpotatoes is in muffins. She also asked us to be sure we spelled sweetpotatoes the correct way.
When asked about the biggest misconception around this fall favorite, she highlights throughout the episode:
- In talking with consumers they often tell me they can't eat sweetpotatoes because they shouldn't have carbs. Sweetpotatoes are a nearly perfect food and fit well in any eating program. My son has Type 1 diabetes and sweetpotatoes are great for him.
- There is no nutritional difference between organic and conventional sweetpotatoes. This is important because sweetpotates are a nutrition powerhouse. Organic produce costs more at the grocery store and it's important for consumers of every income level to know the nutrition is the same.
- Sweetpotatoes and yams are not the same thing.
Listen in for excellent insight from Heather, recipes, and links to help you provide better nutrition insight. Follow Heather at @CarolinaFarmMom.
Heather Barnes thinks the sweetpotato should wear a cape because it's such a nutrition powerhouse. And did you know the proper way to spell sweetpotatoes is without a space between the two words?
Heather is a Marketing Specialist with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. She grew up in the city, but has spent more than 20 years working in agriculture. She is the mom to three boys and her favorite way to eat sweetpotatoes is in muffins. She also asked us to be sure we spelled sweetpotatoes the correct way.
When asked about the biggest misconception around this fall favorite, she highlights throughout the episode:
- In talking with consumers they often tell me they can't eat sweetpotatoes because they shouldn't have carbs. Sweetpotatoes are a nearly perfect food and fit well in any eating program. My son has Type 1 diabetes and sweetpotatoes are great for him.
- There is no nutritional difference between organic and conventional sweetpotatoes. This is important because sweetpotates are a nutrition powerhouse. Organic produce costs more at the grocery store and it's important for consumers of every income level to know the nutrition is the same.
- Sweetpotatoes and yams are not the same thing.
Listen in for excellent insight from Heather, recipes, and links to help you provide better nutrition insight. Follow Heather at @CarolinaFarmMom.
One of the misconceptions around beef is grass-fed beef is better for human health and the environment. "Many times this is promoted by those who are far removed from agriculture. Or they base it on one nutrient such as short chain omega-3 fatty acids.
My scientific take: there are system trade-offs, no system absolutes."
Sarah Klopatek is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California Davis who is focused on grass-fed and grain-fed beef systems. She received her undergraduate from the University of Arizona, her masters from Texas A&M and her PhD at UC Davis. Sarah is determining how beef cattle’s water footprint has changed over the last 30 years.
"People are stressing to buy grass-fed beef, and trainers and celebrities are pushing for this product. However, this product is more expensive and consumers may feel bad it they may not be able to afford this product. Consumers should have the right to choose what protein they want to consume but providing false narrative and does not provide value to food or nutritional security.
Furthermore, when looking at sustainability one must also look at sustainability of scale. Can a small grass-fed system in Pennsylvania be sustainable? What about grass-fed for the entire country where there are areas of drought ext? Multiple systems are key to resilience and resilience is key to sustainability."
Sarah was not raised in livestock and once had a poster on her wall about the greenhouse effect. It's been her life's journey to work in science to help find the answers to reducing the effects of climate change. "Working in livestock is not antagonistic to this goal. Workin in livestock can be a part of the solution."
Connect with her on Twitter at Dr. BeefBabe & Linked in at www.linkedin.com/in/klopatek-beefphd
One of the misconceptions around beef is grass-fed beef is better for human health and the environment. "Many times this is promoted by those who are far removed from agriculture. Or they base it on one nutrient such as short chain omega-3 fatty acids.
My scientific take: there are system trade-offs, no system absolutes."
Sarah Klopatek is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California Davis who is focused on grass-fed and grain-fed beef systems. She received her undergraduate from the University of Arizona, her masters from Texas A&M and her PhD at UC Davis. Sarah is determining how beef cattle’s water footprint has changed over the last 30 years.
"People are stressing to buy grass-fed beef, and trainers and celebrities are pushing for this product. However, this product is more expensive and consumers may feel bad it they may not be able to afford this product. Consumers should have the right to choose what protein they want to consume but providing false narrative and does not provide value to food or nutritional security.
Furthermore, when looking at sustainability one must also look at sustainability of scale. Can a small grass-fed system in Pennsylvania be sustainable? What about grass-fed for the entire country where there are areas of drought ext? Multiple systems are key to resilience and resilience is key to sustainability."
Sarah was not raised in livestock and once had a poster on her wall about the greenhouse effect. It's been her life's journey to work in science to help find the answers to reducing the effects of climate change. "Working in livestock is not antagonistic to this goal. Workin in livestock can be a part of the solution."
Connect with her on Twitter at Dr. BeefBabe & Linked in at www.linkedin.com/in/klopatek-beefphd
Leslie Bonci has filled four decades as a dietitians with certifications, Academy of Nutrition & Dietetic offices, and building an amazing practice of serving athletes & real people. Leslie is all about helping clients discover their best through knowledge, application, and motivation.
Leslie notes "No one knows what RDs do. We have not done a great job of marketing ourselves and our voice is lost in the sea of sinfluencers. We also need to find ways to resonate with relevance leading with emotion and the common ground before facts and evidence. We must find ways to connect before we correct."
She also believes that creating a budget, living within one's salary cup, culinary competence, and being able to separate the nonsense from the real are critically important skills that consumers need to master. "The economy, the misinformation, the proliferation of stress on all fronts is making it more difficult for people to thrive."
In this episode, Leslie talks about her walk in learning more about agriculture and provides suggestions for other RDNs to learn more about food is grown. She believes in the value of inclusion and has worked hard to not exclude anyone from the food conversation.
Congrats, Leslie, on your remarkable legacy. A must listen for any dietitian.
Leslie Bonci has filled four decades as a dietitians with certifications, Academy of Nutrition & Dietetic offices, and building an amazing practice of serving athletes & real people. Leslie is all about helping clients discover their best through knowledge, application, and motivation.
Leslie notes "No one knows what RDs do. We have not done a great job of marketing ourselves and our voice is lost in the sea of sinfluencers. We also need to find ways to resonate with relevance leading with emotion and the common ground before facts and evidence. We must find ways to connect before we correct."
She also believes that creating a budget, living within one's salary cup, culinary competence, and being able to separate the nonsense from the real are critically important skills that consumers need to master. "The economy, the misinformation, the proliferation of stress on all fronts is making it more difficult for people to thrive."
In this episode, Leslie talks about her walk in learning more about agriculture and provides suggestions for other RDNs to learn more about food is grown. She believes in the value of inclusion and has worked hard to not exclude anyone from the food conversation.
Congrats, Leslie, on your remarkable legacy. A must listen for any dietitian.
Did you know that a three ounce serving of lamb delivers 23 grams of protein – almost 50% of your daily protein needs? Lamb is a great meat, but largely misunderstood. Michigan farmer Elaine Palm wants to change that.
She is a partner on her family’s farm in Michigan, where she and her two parents raise sheep for meat and for breeding stock, plus the crops and pasture that support the sheep flock. She and her husband Rick have goals to raise their new baby on the farm. Like many farmers, Elaine and Rick have careers off the farm and spend many mornings, evenings, weekends and vacation days building the farm business.
Elaine shares "When people find out I raise sheep, I get two main questions: 'Oh, like for the wool?,' and, 'Oh, how can you eat those cute little things?' When people think of the image of a lamb, I think they're often thinking about newborns at around 8-15 pounds, which can be a barrier to considering putting lamb on your plate. However, the reality is that a lamb is any sheep under one year, and lamb meat comes from animals that have, literally, more meat on their bones. Lamb meat is varied across the industry depending on age, breed type, size and body composition at the time of marketing a lamb. Lamb is often used as a specialty meat for holidays, celebrations and special events, but lamb is a great choice for lean protein any time!"
She also wants dietitians to know the choices that farmers make in their business practices allow for more choice in the marketplace. "Just because I might farm one way doesn't mean that everyone should. We do what works best for our family, and we're always adapting. And all of the overwhelming options in the stores...or at farmers markets, on-farm markets, wherever you're buying food...they all come from the diversity of farm products and farm practices. That should be celebrated!"
Did you know that a three ounce serving of lamb delivers 23 grams of protein – almost 50% of your daily protein needs? Lamb is a great meat, but largely misunderstood. Michigan farmer Elaine Palm wants to change that.
She is a partner on her family’s farm in Michigan, where she and her two parents raise sheep for meat and for breeding stock, plus the crops and pasture that support the sheep flock. She and her husband Rick have goals to raise their new baby on the farm. Like many farmers, Elaine and Rick have careers off the farm and spend many mornings, evenings, weekends and vacation days building the farm business.
Elaine shares "When people find out I raise sheep, I get two main questions: 'Oh, like for the wool?,' and, 'Oh, how can you eat those cute little things?' When people think of the image of a lamb, I think they're often thinking about newborns at around 8-15 pounds, which can be a barrier to considering putting lamb on your plate. However, the reality is that a lamb is any sheep under one year, and lamb meat comes from animals that have, literally, more meat on their bones. Lamb meat is varied across the industry depending on age, breed type, size and body composition at the time of marketing a lamb. Lamb is often used as a specialty meat for holidays, celebrations and special events, but lamb is a great choice for lean protein any time!"
She also wants dietitians to know the choices that farmers make in their business practices allow for more choice in the marketplace. "Just because I might farm one way doesn't mean that everyone should. We do what works best for our family, and we're always adapting. And all of the overwhelming options in the stores...or at farmers markets, on-farm markets, wherever you're buying food...they all come from the diversity of farm products and farm practices. That should be celebrated!"
Paula Peterson is a farmer from eastern Nebraska and she loves to share the story of their Tom Peterson Farm. As a mom and grandma, she knows how painful 11% inflation in food has been in 2022. Paula understands peoples concerns and wants to create conversations to address them.
"I feel we are working to grow food that is safe and affordable and we take great pride in what we are doing. We all get are groceries from the same place and know we have safe food choices in this country."
Paula and family are trying to raise the livestock and crops in a manner that is safe and economically prudent. "We don’t cut corners but try to find ways to save money where we can." even when a flood devastates their crop, which happened this year.
She talks through the investment their farm makes just to plant a field, which Mother Nature can destroy in a few minutes - which is what happened with a hail storm this year. Listen in for a better idea of the risks farmers take in raising food, or follow her on Facebook at @Farmerpaulahasafarm.
"There is a lot of misinformation about where our food comes from, how it is grown, and how that food impacts our health. We can see this in topics regarding organic farming, GMO's, and whether or not dairy products can fit into a healthy diet. With dietitians being the go to resource for nutrition, they also need to become more educated on agriculture so that they can guide consumers and not add to further confusion" points out Food Bullying podcast guest RDN Lauren Twigge.
Lauren is in the unique position to bridge the dietetic and farming world. She is a Dallas based registered and licensed Dietitian with a Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition and a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. Lauren was born and raised in a family of farmers located in central California and is an outspoken supporter of agriculture. Growing up on a dairy and being raised around farming her whole life has given Lauren a unique perspective on where our food comes from and her passion is to work at the crux of agriculture and human nutrition to fight misinformation and give consumers back their food confidence.
Along with running her own private client business, Lauren works on Instagram @nutrition.at.its.roots and educates on a variety of health topics including the truth about the agricultural industry, education on where our food comes, and discussing the role that various agricultural products, like milk, can play in a healthy diet!
She also says "People fear what they do not understand and with the distance between consumers and agriculture, many consumers are stressed and worried about their own and their families health. Many feel confused and overwhelmed with the amount of conflicting information which can put dietitians in a difficult myth busting position."
Listen in to learn about what myths need to be busted about milk, how RDNs can help, how dairy farmers take care of their cows, factory farms, and more insight on dairy.
"There is a lot of misinformation about where our food comes from, how it is grown, and how that food impacts our health. We can see this in topics regarding organic farming, GMO's, and whether or not dairy products can fit into a healthy diet. With dietitians being the go to resource for nutrition, they also need to become more educated on agriculture so that they can guide consumers and not add to further confusion" points out Food Bullying podcast guest RDN Lauren Twigge.
Lauren is in the unique position to bridge the dietetic and farming world. She is a Dallas based registered and licensed Dietitian with a Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition and a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. Lauren was born and raised in a family of farmers located in central California and is an outspoken supporter of agriculture. Growing up on a dairy and being raised around farming her whole life has given Lauren a unique perspective on where our food comes from and her passion is to work at the crux of agriculture and human nutrition to fight misinformation and give consumers back their food confidence.
Along with running her own private client business, Lauren works on Instagram @nutrition.at.its.roots and educates on a variety of health topics including the truth about the agricultural industry, education on where our food comes, and discussing the role that various agricultural products, like milk, can play in a healthy diet!
She also says "People fear what they do not understand and with the distance between consumers and agriculture, many consumers are stressed and worried about their own and their families health. Many feel confused and overwhelmed with the amount of conflicting information which can put dietitians in a difficult myth busting position."
Listen in to learn about what myths need to be busted about milk, how RDNs can help, how dairy farmers take care of their cows, factory farms, and more insight on dairy.
"There is a lot of misinformation about where our food comes from, how it is grown, and how that food impacts our health. We can see this in topics regarding organic farming, GMO's, and whether or not dairy products can fit into a healthy diet. With dietitians being the go to resource for nutrition, they also need to become more educated on agriculture so that they can guide consumers and not add to further confusion" points out Food Bullying podcast guest RDN Lauren Twigge.
Lauren is in the unique position to bridge the dietetic and farming world. She is a Dallas based registered and licensed Dietitian with a Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition and a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. Lauren was born and raised in a family of farmers located in central California and is an outspoken supporter of agriculture. Growing up on a dairy and being raised around farming her whole life has given Lauren a unique perspective on where our food comes from and her passion is to work at the crux of agriculture and human nutrition to fight misinformation and give consumers back their food confidence.
Along with running her own private client business, Lauren works on Instagram @nutrition.at.its.roots and educates on a variety of health topics including the truth about the agricultural industry, education on where our food comes, and discussing the role that various agricultural products, like milk, can play in a healthy diet!
She also says "People fear what they do not understand and with the distance between consumers and agriculture, many consumers are stressed and worried about their own and their families health. Many feel confused and overwhelmed with the amount of conflicting information which can put dietitians in a difficult myth busting position."
Listen in to learn about what myths need to be busted about milk, how RDNs can help, how dairy farmers take care of their cows, factory farms, and more insight on dairy.
"There is a lot of misinformation about where our food comes from, how it is grown, and how that food impacts our health. We can see this in topics regarding organic farming, GMO's, and whether or not dairy products can fit into a healthy diet. With dietitians being the go to resource for nutrition, they also need to become more educated on agriculture so that they can guide consumers and not add to further confusion" points out Food Bullying podcast guest RDN Lauren Twigge.
Lauren is in the unique position to bridge the dietetic and farming world. She is a Dallas based registered and licensed Dietitian with a Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition and a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. Lauren was born and raised in a family of farmers located in central California and is an outspoken supporter of agriculture. Growing up on a dairy and being raised around farming her whole life has given Lauren a unique perspective on where our food comes from and her passion is to work at the crux of agriculture and human nutrition to fight misinformation and give consumers back their food confidence.
Along with running her own private client business, Lauren works on Instagram @nutrition.at.its.roots and educates on a variety of health topics including the truth about the agricultural industry, education on where our food comes, and discussing the role that various agricultural products, like milk, can play in a healthy diet!
She also says "People fear what they do not understand and with the distance between consumers and agriculture, many consumers are stressed and worried about their own and their families health. Many feel confused and overwhelmed with the amount of conflicting information which can put dietitians in a difficult myth busting position."
Listen in to learn about what myths need to be busted about milk, how RDNs can help, how dairy farmers take care of their cows, factory farms, and more insight on dairy.
Growing greens and delivering them safely to your plate is more complex than you might believe. Did you know that there are over 400 family farms behind the big brands of lettuce you see in your grocery store? Dan Sutton is general manager of the Pismo-Oceano Vegetable Exchange (POVE), a farmer-owned cooperative near San Luis Obispo, CA, and joins Nicole & Michele to help you get to know the people behind your greens.
Most people think that produce items like lettuce and leafy greens are farmed by corporations – especially when it comes to the leafy greens. that are found in retail grocery stores. "My company is a cooperative made up of five farming families, all of Japanese descent, who have banned together to sell their products. There are stories like this throughout the leafy greens industry" says Dan.
"It's important for dietitians to clear up this 'corporate ag' image so that consumers understand that the people growing their fresh leafy greens are moms, dads, grandfathers and grandmothers who care a great deal about the quality, safety and nutrition of these foods because we feed them to our own kids along with millions of families across the country. We take this responsibility very seriously. And I think knowing this is something very important to people."
POVE farms several different varieties of leafy greens and specialty Asian vegetables. Dan is also a member and past chairman of the Board of an organization called the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, which is a program that exists to make lettuce and leafy green safer by enforcing a set of food safety practices that take place on lettuce farms. He knows salads, loves salads, and is committed to gettin people trained to be your salad is safe.
He believes food bullying is negatively effecting his business because there a big knowledge gap when it comes to people understanding where their food comes from. "The leafy greens industry is a tough industry to understand to begin with. Growing safe, healthy, fresh high quality lettuce is challenging and we face all kinds of obstacles from weather to labor and food safety. I don't think people have any idea how difficult that is and what measures we take out in the field to make sure food is safe. For example, most people don't know that we have very stringent rules for hygiene that are required under the LGMA food safety program and, by law, in the state of California. Anyone who enters our fields must wear a hair net, we always have bathrooms and hand-washing facilities near the fields and people are trained regularly to follow all food safety precautions. This is just one example of something that most people have no idea about when it comes to the food on their dinner table."
This vegetable grower also wants you to know he believes one of most important factors in farming leafy greens are POVE's workers. "Most people don't understand the relationships that farmers often have with their workers. They really can be a part of our own families. We see their kids grow up, many of them work for us for generations. They are just such a big part of our operations and I think the perception is that farmers don't treat their workers very well. Most people don't understand how critical that workers are to our every day operations and how important they are to us."
Learn more across all social channels by following Lettuce Info, visit lettuceinfo.org or the POVE co-op at pove.net.
Chicken bull speak (B.S.): chickens are pumped full of hormones and steroids, broiler chickens are raised in cages, mass confusion between layers and broilers, chickens are genetically modified and "big" is bad. This Food Bullying podcast episode features Tom Super to address all of these myths and more.
Tom is senior vice president of communications at the National Chicken Council, where he oversees all internal and external communications, media relations and issues management. The council's members are comprised of companies that produce about 95% of the chicken meat that ends up on Americans' tables.
He notes that all of the misinformation adds confusion when consumers are trying to make purchase choices for themselves and their families. "They don't want to have to feel guilty when buying a pack of chicken breasts."
Tom hopes that dietitians and consumers learn more about the truth in food production. "I wish people realized that there are hard working, salt-of-the-Earth people who work to put food on our tables, and not just one big "machine."
Heat index crisis. 10,000 cattle dead. A lot of questions. Claims of conspiracy. Disgust. Physical exhaustion. Emotionally drained.
All of these describe what happened in early June in southwest Kansas. DVM Tera Barnhardt explains how cattle overheated in a rare event in Kansas. This veterinarian offers the "boots on the ground" perspective on what happened in June 2022 that resulted in the deaths of thousands of beef cattle.
A mom of three, Tera has firsthand knowledge of the farms and people impacted by the unusual combination of high humidity, high heat, and very little wind. Listen in to better understand how this sudden heat index crisis physical impact on a 1500 beef steer.
She also addresses how difficult these crises are on the people of agriculture. Watching cattle die and having to move them is physically and emotionally exhausting. This weather incident had an impact far beyond the cattle and Tera provides context on what it looks like in southwest Kansas.
Dustin Moore is a dietitian active in research, education, and public health communication who thinks it's time for RDNs to circle the wagons around agriculture. His favorite topics of discussion include food production, agriculture, public policy, and culture. He and his family are active in their community and church, always cooking or trying new foods. He also wants to be Batman...LOL.
"I wish dietitians understood and held a little more reverence for the fact that a booming food supply is a good problem to have. We'll deal with the chronic illnesses associated with poor diet, AND circle the wagons to deflect unwarranted criticism towards our food suppliers - the farmers." says Dustin, who teaches at CSU Long Beach / UC Irvine.
He encourages students and ALL dietitians to exercise a little more caution and refrain with how much we all empower politicians to shape that food supply through policy and law. "I think many problems associated with diet quality can be traced to the disconnect that exists between the public and agriculture; distrust of production methods, increased/unfair demand on food producers, greater leverage by policymakers against food producers, waste and distribution."
He provides great insight on the vacuum between RDNs and agriculture - and those who have filled it with misinformation. Learn more from Dustin at https://dustinmoore.substack.com/, on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Publichealthdad, or be amused by his tweets at @theamericanrd.
Everything we eat has a direct impact on the environment. Debbie Lyons-Blythe is a cattle rancher from Kansas and has been working on sustainability for years. She is the chairman elect of the US Roundtable for Sustainable Beef.
Debbie highlights how beef is good for the environment. Cattle sequester carbon from land that cannot be used for anything besides grazing. She calls on dietitians to overcome the misinformation about meat - people have been bullied to believe that going vegan for a day will.
This rancher also touches on concerns around early puberty and development. A mom herself, Debbie understands concerns about girls developing early and highlights the science that shows caloric intake has led to that. She shares the process of why hormones and antibiotics are used - and how your food is safe.
She wants RDNs and consumers to know "Ranchers care! We spend our entire life doing the right thing for cattle and the land." Debbie works daily to help give people insight about how beef is really raised and finds all of the misinformation about methane, hormones, and antibiotics in beef disheartening. Connect with her on Instagram at @kidscowsandgrass.
Leon Sheets is a pig farmer in northeast Iowa and his family grows corn, soybeans, and hay using several conservation practices to protect the soil and water. They have 12,000 pigs, from just weaned to harvest, which are cared for using Modern Inside Production Housing. Leon says "Pork Producers We Care Principals is at the foundation of how we raise and care for our pigs."
While sharing animal care and environmental practices, Leon also provides insight on the nutrition and cooking of pork. He points to fat as maybe the easiest, quickest word used to describe an objection to using Pork. Historically Pork has been portrayed as not the healthiest choice for an active lifestyle, and unfamiliarity with cooking gets raised. "Unless it's Bacon. Than there's love for that. Our consumers/customers are looking for healthy variety in their diets, and look to or listen to what Dietitian or Nutritionist are saying."
This pig farmer wants you to know "We Care. It's what we do. Making sure what we raise and grow gives our consumers a safe enjoyable eating experience."
Connect with "The Pig Farmer" across social media.
Amber, AKA @CranberryChats on Insta and Facebook, is a fifth generation Wisconsin cranberry grower and mom raising the first of the sixth generation. She's a farmer working alongside her entire family and now trying to navigate the work life balance with a new baby.
She wants people to know all of the work that goes into growing cranberries. They only float at harvest (really!) and sustainability is a huge priority for cranberry growers. Amber also wants to encourage you to enjoy cranberries year round - not just during the holidays. She shares ideas for dietitians and consumers in ways to use cranberries in snacks and baking.
The biggest misconception in Amber's work that the dietetic community needs to know? There is some misinformation that cranberry juice doesn’t help UTIs due to the added sugar in cranberry juice cocktail. Cranberries are great for helping treat and prevent UTIs; Amber suggests switching from the cocktail to the pure cranberry juice if you're concerned with the sugar. Cranberries are a naturally low sugar fruit.
Learn more about this fruit and farming, whether you're an RDN or foodie and follow along with Amber on social media.
Michele Payn welcomes Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Nicole Rodriguez to the Food Bullying podcast as the new co-host. A second career dietitian, Nicole found a huge disconnect between her education in New York City and agriculture. Michele and Nicole have teamed up help dietitians and consumers get firsthand perspective from farmers about how food is grown.
Nicole Rodriguez, registered dietitian and certified personal trainer, resides in the metro New York area, where she offers nutrition counseling and fitness coaching to a diverse clientele. Always encouraging her friends, family, followers, and clients to make fruits and vegetables the stars of their plates, Nicole serves as a partner in kind with the Produce For Better Health Foundation. Eager to inspire the next generation of bold, active, and compassionate entrepreneurs, Nicole serves as leader of her daughter’s Girl Scout troop. In her spare time, you’ll find her browsing the grocery store aisles, working on her deadlift, and on the beach with her family. Visit enjoyfoodenjoylife.com for more info.
Listen in to learn more about the people behind the voices at the newly re-launched Food Bullying podcast.
Anyone else feeling overwhelmed? Michele and Eliz talk ranging conversation about stress, overwhelm, uncertainty, and choice in 2021. Much of their conversation is based on Eliz’s soon-to-be-released book, Stress-Proof Your Life in this final episode of the food bullying podcast. Listen in as they say farewell and help you deal with the stress of a pandemic and beyond.
Eliz shares tips to:
- Tell your body it is time to let go of the stress hormone cortisol
- Identify what is in your stress environment
- Make, sometimes difficult, choices to rearrange your stress environment to support what is most important.
They also discuss the hard choice to wrap up the Food Bullying Podcast to focus on other projects. Eliz will be working on spreading the word about her new book and Michele is considering how she can help with mental health challenges in agriculture. See https://causematters.com/mental-health-resources/ if you're looking for resources to break the stigma around mental health.
Thank you to our guests for amazing insight and listeners for following the journey through 78 episodes!
Links:
Food Bullying by Michele Payn
Stress-Proof Your Life with Eliz Greene
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page
Did you know soldiers used to carry flowers into battle to keep them healthy? Dr. Liza Dunn joins Michele and Eliz for a fascinating conversation about pesticides, nutrition, herbicides, and why doctors need to stay in their lane.
Liza Dunn is a mom of 3 boys and a hockey fan who loves her pets - a pug, a horse and a snake. She's also an emergency physician and a medical toxicologist who has done relief work in Haiti and Kenya. Her work there opened her eyes to the importance of food security and vector control for public health. She is now the Medical Affairs Lead for Bayer Crop Sciences.
Key points:
Why should medical doctors “stay in their lane”?
- Medical school educates about disease not nutrition or agriculture
- Without a background in nutrition of ag, doctors have less information than they think
- Registered dietitians are a good place to start for high quality nutrition information
- Gastroenterologist have specific training that general medical doctors and other specialist do not.
As a medical doctor, why have you focused on agriculture?
- Participating in humanitarian missions changed Liza’s focus
- She identified malnutrition and insect born illness were the leading issues
- If you can address those issues, real progress can be made
- The vast majority of the world lives on rice, corn, and wheat - and miss out on vital micronutrients
- Golden rice was modified to contain Vitamin A - and could have a significant impact to end blindness caused by malnutrition
- Golden rice was donated, but has been blocked by activists against GMOs
Why are pesticides important?
- Insect born illness has been a problem for centuries
- War wounds in the past didn’t kill the majority of soldiers, insects did
- For centuries soldiers used to carry chrysanthemums into battle, because the flowers produce natural pesticides
Three tips to overcome Food Bullying:
- Try to look for healthy nutrition information
- Ignore labels about what’s NOT there
- Get good advice: Liza suggests: PesticideFacts.org and GeneticLiteracyProject.org
Links:
Liza Dunn on Twitter
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
Stress-Proof Your Life with Eliz Greene
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page
Can we trust the information we hear about nutrition? Why does nutritional advice change? Does it have to be this confusing? Does the source of science funding matter? Michele and Eliz are joined by Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Elieke Kearns for a lively discussion about the science of nutrition and why you shouldn’t believe everything you read on Facebook, but you should trust science - especially during a pandemic.
Elieke Kearns is on a mission to make food less confusing through her nutrition research expertise, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) background, and deep appreciation for agriculture and food production. She loves to geek out with her fellow scientists about the complex data, regulations, and research and then share that information in simple sound bites with colleagues, friends, family, neighbors, and health care professionals to enable the innovation of new foods and drinks that are grounded in science as well as empower everyone to make the right food choice for themselves and their patients or clients.
Elieke currently works at PepsiCo as a Principal Nutrition Scientist. Previously, Elieke worked at RXBAR as the Manager of Scientific Affairs, and at the National Dairy Council as a Director of Nutrition Research. Elieke received her doctoral degree from the University of California, Davis where she completed her Ph.D. in Nutritional Biology with an emphasis in both Immunology as well as Biotechnology. She has a bachelor’s degree in Clinical Nutrition from UC Davis and is a RDN.
Key points:
Nutrition is a young science and it is complicated:
- Nutrition is a giant puzzle. Every piece builds understanding.
- Trends can present gaps in knowledge and research.
- More research fills in the gaps.
- All research is subject to the same standards regardless of the funding source.
- The data doesn’t care where the dollars come from.
- Research on human volunteers requires approval to be ethical and safe.
- Scientific research is published in legitimate journals, replicated, and peer-reviewed.
The media often gets science wrong:
- Headlines are sensational, but not accurate.
- Topics such as probiotics are complex and can’t be understood in a sound bite.
- Claims are often repeated, but aren’t based in fact or science.
- Be curious about the sources of information - ask questions until you are confident.
Three tips to overcome Food Bullying:
- There are no “bad” foods. Ask yourself: Does it make me happy? Does it make me feel good?
- There are no quick fixes.
- Be aware of misleading information - ask questions.
Links:
Elieke's Website
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying B.S. by Michele Payn
Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page
Sustainable farming is a hot topic - but was does sustainable even mean? In this episode Michele and Eliz welcome regenerative farmer Steve Tucker to discuss why he changed the way he farms and why great soil is like chocolate cake.
Steve Tucker is an ag production specialist. He farms in southwest Nebraska with his wife and three kids on their diversified regenerative farm. Steve's innovation has been important as the farm has moved from a wheat/summer fallow rotation to 14 different crops and several different ag enterprises.
Key points:
What is the difference between a sustainable farm and a regenerative farm?
- Sustainable leaves us where we are.
- In the past farmers used to think about what pests and weeds they needed to kill.
- Regenerative think about the health of the soil and focus on how to make things better in the future.
- Steve replaced summer fallow crops with marketable crops that are great for the soil.
- He focuses on what the consumer wants, not what the elevator is buying.
What makes happy soil?
- Plants harvest sunlight into soil
- Plants make happy soil by putting carbon back into it
- Lack of plants creates the need for fertilizer
- Good soil is like chocolate cake
Three tips to overcome Food Bullying:
- Do your own research
- Know where foods come from
- Understand the other side of the equation
Links:
Steve Tucker Website
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page
Has an increase of leisure time during the pandemic made us more distrustful of science? Can we pick and choose what science we believe like we do flavors of ice cream? Michele and Eliz are joined by two scientists, Dr. Meghan Wulster- Radcliffe and Dr. Stuart Smyth to discuss science, misinformation and odd flavored ice cream.
Dr. Meghan Wulster-Radcliffe is the CEO of the American Society of Animal Science for the last 15 years, before working at ASAS, she worked in industry, government and academics. Her degrees are in Animal Science and, specifically, physiology. Over the course of her time at ASAS, she has been involved in every aspect of scientific publication for three journals, including starting two of the journals.
Dr. Stuart Smyth is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Saskatchewan, where he holds the Agri-Food Innovation and Sustainability Enhancement Chair. His research focuses on sustainability, agriculture, innovation and food. Dr. Smyth publishes a weekly blog on these topics.
Key points:
Why is science not like ice cream?
- the ice cream store has lots of options. You can choose your favorite flavor
- science is fact-based
- science increases knowledge over time
- the process of science doesn’t deviate
- Animal Science is dedicated to providing nutritious, sustainable food for the world
- Animal Scientists use the best science to support animal welfare
How is misinformation and disinformation about agricultural science spread?
- sensational titles get attention - marketing people use this to their advantage
- part of the credibility of science is NOT to be sensational — Ag science is very conservative and always has to provide primary sources
- Misinformation and disinformation pulls attention from science messages
- It is hard to debate when one side uses emotion and the other uses data
- scientists talk about statistics - which aren’t engaging for most people
- journalism has changed to be more emotion driven
Why should people believe in science?
- science is doing great things: human life span has increased because of better food and medicine
- we have to question why we stopped trusting science. It has changed over the last 20 years. We have more leisure time and more time to think philosophically
- consumers drive how we accept science
- universities need to train scientists to be great communicators
Dr. Meghan’s three tips to overcome food bullying:
- Look for moderation in the statement: Never all wrong or all right
- Examine the sources for marketing terms
- Hunt down the original sources
Dr. Stuart’s 3 tips to vet information:
- Ask what information is being provided
- Who is providing it?
- What are they promoting? (If it is a product, be skeptical)
Links:
Dr. Meghan:
Website
Dr. Stuart:
Website
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page
This episode features a wide-ranging conversation with a veterinarian about how farmers care for their animals, the challenges of being a vet, and the story of Fairlife Milk.
Dr. Marissa Hake is a veterinarian who specializes in communicating about how our food is raised. Marissa’s background has been in calf health and welfare but recently has transitioned into a new position as the Director of Animal Welfare and Sustainable Farming for Fairlife.
Key points:
What should consumers know about farmers caring for animals?
- Dr. Hake sees farmers working hard every day and putting animal needs above all else.
- Consumers tend to personify animals and compare them to children and pets. Farm animals are different.
- Farmers care deeply for the well-being of their animals, but sometimes that care looks bad from the outside.
- Dehorning calves, for example, protects other cows from injury.
What do people misunderstand about veal?
- Baby animals is an emotional topic. People love cute baby animals.
- Veal is not a baby cow. They are harvested when they weigh 500 to 600 pounds
- Chicken and pork are harvested at younger ages.
- Housing conditions have changed. It is illegal to tether a calf.
- Farmers want happy, healthy cows. Cows are social.
How was Fairlife milk developed?
- A farmer/veterinarian experimented with filtering milk on his farm to see if it would filter out lactose
- The result was a lactose-free high-protein milk that appealed to athletes
- Now there are lots of Fairlife products available in the store
- Why are people scared of GMOs but not of filtered milk?
- People have a point of reference for filtering something
- There is too much heavy-lifting to comprehend the details of bio-engineering
What issues challenge the mental health of veterinarians?
- In ag and for Vets, what people say matters and affects mental health. Most people don’t understand what they do.
- Vets have a high education debt load compared to human doctors - and make less money
- They deal with end-of-life decisions every day for their patients
- They get push-back from people who think their services should be free
- In rural communities, mental health resources are not accessible.
Three tips to overcome food bullying:
- Make educated decisions
- Ask the source
- Do what is best for your family
Links:
Marissa Hake Website
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene
Do you know your pharmacist? Does he or she know you? If not, you may be missing out on a key player in your health care. In this episode, Michele and Eliz chat with pharmacist Jason Medows about the role he plays in his rural community and why mental health resources should be treated as first aid.
Jason Medows is a pharmacist and rancher from Cuba, Missouri. He lives on a family farm with my wife Keri and their 4 sons. Just last year, he founded the podcast Ag State of Mind, which focuses on mental health in agriculture.
Key points:
The most asked question of pharmacist: “What supplements should I take?”
- Jason wants people to be as drug-free as possible
- Take what you need
- Avoid disease through good nutrition
- Nutrition wasn’t covered much in pharmacy school
Pharmacy issues in rural community
- Addiction is a big issue
- People are hungry to learn about nutrition, but are not fed good information
- Mental health resources are not accessible
- A rural pharmacist may be the only resource
- A doctor will write a prescription, but it isn’t the whole solution. We have to have a holistic approach to health
- We have to treat mental health resources as first aid
Mental health issues in agriculture
- Jason’s own experience led him to want to help others
- Culture within Ag, for men in particular, makes mental health a tough subject
- Men taught to be tough, independent, and stubborn - personal health is never the priority
- Jason believes we have to start treating farmers themselves as an asset that needs to be supported and protected
- The podcast grew out of the desire to have rural men talk about struggling
Three tips to overcome food bullying:
- Keep it simple.
- Understand what your body needs and make choices based on that.
- Ask a health care provider, dietitian, farmer, or rancher,
Links:
Jason Medow's Website
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Leslie Bonci is back with the truth about immunity-boosting foods, why your gut health is essential, and, of course - lots of laughs with Michele and Eliz! There's a reason she returns as a three-peat guest - and this episode will help you overcome food bullying during the pandemic.
Leslie Bonci is a registered dietitian and a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics. She is the nutrition consultant for the Kansas City Chiefs, Carnegie Mellon University athletics, and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre – and helps power a wide variety of athletes with smart nutrition. Listen in, and learn how Leslie’s food insight can help you make smart eating choices, during COVID-19 and beyond.
Key points:
There is no such thing as an immune-boosting food:
- We can support our health with good nutrition, but we can’t cure a cold, flu, or other illness with food.
- Your immune system is in your gut.
- Carbohydrates are critically important - your microbiome flourishes when fed carbs!
- Eating fermentable carbohydrates produces prebiotics
- We need enough protein, divided throughout the day to produce antibodies.
- Omega 3 fats are essential, too.
- Whole fruits and vegetables supply fluid, calories, carbs, fiber, and disease-fighting phytonutrients.
Stocking “wealth on the shelf”
- Eat well with what you have.
- Canned, frozen, and dried fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of nutrition.
- Stocking your shelf is great for budget-minded nutrition,
- Mix canned or frozen items with fresh to stretch your food dollars: produce, dried milk, canned beans, etc.
- Don’t feel you need to have the brand name.
- A dollar store can also be a great source.
Three tips to overcome food bullying
- Enjoy your food!
- Everybody and every food has a place at the table.
- Sometimes put your hands over your ears and say “enough”. #DebunkTheJunk
Links:
USDA
Leslie’s website
Leslie’ LinkedIn
Have you liked the Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page? https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene
What happens when the market for farm products disappears and there are hungry people in the community? In Utah it led to farmers delivering food to Navajo families, including lamb - a sacred food. Ron Gibson shares the heartwarming story the remarkable effort to inspire all Utah families to connect, succeed, and grow through the Miracle of Agriculture Foundation during COVID-19.
Ron Gibson is a sixth generation dairy farmer from Weber County, Utah. He is currently serving as the President of the Utah Farm Bureau, the largest farm & ranch organization in Utah. Its mission is to inspire ALL Utah families to connect, succeed and grow through the 'Miracle of Agriculture'.
Key points:
The agriculture industry was expecting 2020 to be a better year than the last few, but the pandemic changed everything.
- The last few years have weighed down farmers emotionally and financially.
- Farmers don’t control the prices. They, for example, build a business assuming milk will be priced at $18 per pound. When the price becomes $10 per pound - farmers lose several hundred-thousand dollars per month.
- COVID hit food prices plummeted. Much of food is purchased for food service and restaurants.
- Grocery store shelves were empty and farmers had no market for their harvest.
- Sheep ranchers were hit particularly hard since most of their harvest goes to restaurants.
A community effort formed to help farmers and hungry people.
- Donations to the Miracle of Agriculture Foundation are used to purchase food to deliver to hungry families.
- The first project focused on easing the impact of hunger in the Navajo community.
- Sheep is a sacred animal to the Navajo.
- The beauty of the collaboration inspired more projects throughout the state.
- Sacred money is supplying sacred food and creating a sacred community.
Three tips to understanding farmers, from a farmer.
- Some of the coolest people in the world are farmers.
- Farmers run their businesses without knowing what the price will be at harvest.
- Farmers are independent and proud people who are the salt of the earth.
Links:
Miracle of Agriculture Foundation: https://www.miracleofag.org/
Farmers Feeding Utah Website: https://farmersfeedingutah.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ron.gibson.1840
Instagram: instagram.com/milkman_ron
Food Bullying book by Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
What happens when the market for farm products disappears and there are hungry people in the community? In Utah it led to farmers delivering food to Navajo families, including lamb - a sacred food. Ron Gibson shares the heart-warming story the remarkable effort to inspire all Utah families to connect, succeed, and grow through the Miracle of Agriculture Foundation during COVID-19.
Ron Gibson is a sixth generation dairy farmer from Weber County, Utah. He is currently serving as the President of the Utah Farm Bureau, the largest farm & ranch organization in Utah. Its mission is to inspire ALL Utah families to connect, succeed and grow through the 'Miracle of Agriculture'.
Key points:
The agriculture industry was expecting 2020 to be a better year than the last few, but the pandemic changed everything.
- The last few years have weighed down farmers emotionally and financially.
- Farmers don’t control the prices. They, for example, build a business assuming milk will be priced at $18 per pound. When the price becomes $10 per pound - farmers lose several hundred-thousand dollars per month.
- COVID hit food prices plummeted. Much of food is purchased for food service and restaurants.
- Grocery store shelves were empty and farmers had no market for their harvest.
- Sheep ranchers were hit particularly hard since most of their harvest goes to restaurants.
A community effort formed to help farmers and hungry people.
- Donations to the Miracle of Agriculture Foundation are used to purchase food to deliver to hungry families.
- The first project focused on easing the impact of hunger in the Navajo community.
- Sheep is a sacred animal to the Navajo.
- The beauty of the collaboration inspired more projects throughout the state.
- Sacred money is supplying sacred food and creating a sacred community.
Three tips to overcome food bullying:
- Some of the coolest people in the world are farmers.
- Farmers run their businesses without knowing what the price will be at harvest.
- Farmers are independent and proud people who are the salt of the earth.
Links:
Miracle of Agriculture Foundation: https://www.miracleofag.org/
Farmers Feeding Utah Website: https://farmersfeedingutah.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ron.gibson.1840
Instagram: instagram.com/milkman_ron
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
“Many people are one emergency away from food insecurity,” says First Lady of Wyoming Jennie Gordon. She has made fighting hunger in Wyoming her mission. In this installment of our November hunger Series, we discuss how Wyoming is banning the “sandwich of shame” from school lunches and responding to food needs that tripled during COVID-19.
Jennie father was a Senior Master Sergeant who served in the navy and her mother was from Austria where she survived World War II in Vienna. Jennie has nine siblings. When her husband was appointed as Wyoming Treasurer in 2012, Jennie took over management of the Merlin Ranch full time where the the ranch has garnered national recognition for its environmental stewardship and conservation achievements as well as efforts to promote the sale of Wyoming beef worldwide. Jennie became the first lady in 2019 and launched Wyoming Hunger Initiative in October 2019. This initiative works to address hunger in Wyoming, where 1 in 6 kids and 1 in 8 adults are experiencing food insecurity.
Food is security:
- Friday Food Bags given to children to bridge the 48 hours outside of school on the weekend allows a mom to work and not worry about kids having to go out to get food in a less than secure neighborhood.
- Many people are living paycheck-to-paycheck and worry about an unexpected expense driving them into food insecurity.
- People who are hungry didn’t put themselves in the position on purpose. We need to view food security as a hand-up not a hand-out.
Bringing compassion to school meals:
- Food security has to be delivered without stigma or shame.
- Many kids need support, but the parents do not qualify for free lunch.
- In the past school nurses would see 50 kids per day with tummy aches. After implementing a breakfast that is delivered to all children after the bell rings, that number is reduced 80%.
- Students shouldn’t be given a “sandwich of shame” if they have school lunch debt. They are given a full meal and an initiative helps parents pay off debt.
Farmers, ranchers, Department of Agriculture, hunters, and grocers unite:
- There is an abundance of food, but it needs to reach people.
- A partnership allows farmers and ranchers to donate food.
- Hunters can donate as well.
Three tips to overcome Food Bullying:
- Remember food is security.
- Make it a hand up - not hand out.
- How you treat the most vulnerable shows who you are.
Links:
Jennie Gordon Website: https://www.nohungerwyo.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/firstladywyoming/
Instagram: instagram.com/jennie.gordon2019
Twitter: twitter.com/JennieGordon
Food Bullying book with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
"Food elitist ideas are a problem, not a solution for hunger." We continue our focus on hunger and food insecurity with a poignant conversation about compassion with Clancy Harrison of The Food Dignity Project. Clancy is a self-professed “recovering food snob” and shares stories of how her group is fighting the stigma and shame of food insecurity by serving PEOPLE first.
Clancy Harrison challenges the way hunger is approached in the United States as a registered dietitian, TEDx speaker, and food access strategist. She is The Food Dignity® Project creator, a strategic consulting program for organizations that want to strengthen health outcomes and shift how they approach healthcare. Her mission to demolish the stigma surrounding food assistance programs places her on the cutting edge of advocacy.
Key points:
Being a food snob increases the stigma of hunger:
- Food elitist ideas are a problem, not a solution for hunger
- People experiencing food insecurity don’t have the same choices as those who are privileged to afford the “right” food
- We have to understand the “why” behind food choices. A flavored yogurt may be a treasured gift for a child - but causes shame for the parent if they are told it isn’t a healthy choice
- Privileged people often create fear around food by calling it toxic, unhealthy, etc.
Serving hungry people with dignity:
- Change the environment where food is received
- Ask volunteers, “What are you good at?” and humanize the experience
- Giving every kid in the cat a balloon animal makes the trip fun
- Volunteers are encouraged to take food to cut food waste and to share recipes (what to do with a rutabaga)
COVID impact on hunger
- In March, the need for food services increased by 1700%
- Shifted to “Truck to Trunk” service where people stay in their vehicles
- A month’s worth of food was distributed in 3 hours
- Lost elderly volunteers
Three tips to overcome food bullying:
- Ask why and have compassion
- Know others do not have the same choices
- Remember a story
Links:
Clancy Harrison Website: www.clancyharrison.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClancyHarrisonRD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clancyharrison/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClancyCHarrison
Clancy’s Recent Video about Food Bullying: https://www.facebook.com/clancycash/posts/10224210111345153
Food Bullying by Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Our November hunger series kicks off with one of our favorite guests, anti-hunger advocate Diane Sullivan. She shares how COVID-19 has impacted people who are experiencing food insecurity. For example, did you know people who use SNAP benefits aren’t able to use grocery delivery services that have been essential to many who are at high risk?
Diane Sullivan is a mother and a grandmother with lived experience and hunger and is currently a SNAP recipient. She is an anti-hunger advocate focused on food affordability working to ensure everyone has access to safe, affordable, nutritious food or regardless of income.
Key points:
COVID-19 has presented new challenges for people who need food assistance:
- SNAP (formerly Food Stamp) recipients cannot use grocery delivery services which forces people with underlying conditions to go to the store.
- SNAP recipients could not stockpile food as we were advised to do at the beginning of the pandemic.
- Unemployment payments put people over the income cap to receive SNAP benefits, but then when the payments stop they have to reapply. This created an administrative nightmare.
The pandemic highlighted inequities:
- People were already living with limited housing, food, and healthcare resources.
- Many people found themselves needing resources but didn’t know where to find them.
- People deserve a choice in the food they receive, but the demand for food support during the pandemic has removed much of the choice. People wait in long lines to receive a random bag of food.
- People still have to leave home to receive food.
- People deserve choice and safe access to nutritious food.
Where to find resources:
- Look online to apply for SNAP benefits.
- Feeding America is a great resource for immediate needs from Food Banks (that buy food to distribute) and Food Pantries (that distribute food).
We haven’t solved the problems of hunger and poverty because we aren’t listening to the people who have lived experience:
- People with lived experience need to be treated like experts and reimbursed for their time and travel.
- We need to solve the problems that exist, not those that don’t.
- We need to advocate for efficiency.
Three tips to overcome hunger and food insecurity:
- Keep educating yourself.
- Don’t fall victim to the manipulation of clever food marketers. Don’t sway the market toward more expensive food.
- Learn to engage people with lived experience in hunger.
Links:
Diane on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FoodChoices4All
Food Bullying book by Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Cranberries! One of the stars of autumn tables evokes beautiful images, wonderful scents, and a distinct taste. We discover how cranberries are grown and harvested sustainably in this episode, plus why we shouldn’t be afraid of the “sugar” in these nutritious berries. We also learn how a cranberry bog in Massachusetts looks different than a cranberry bog in Wisconsin.
Michele and Eliz are joined by Dawn Gates-Allen, a fourth generation cranberry grower, who believes that the future of agriculture is through continuing education. Collaborating with schools, realtors, universities and stewardship is a foundation; culminating these while not being afraid to embrace things that are tough will help raise awareness of what agriculture offers to our environment and at your table. Ultimately food education and good decision making is what makes us healthy and well balanced.
Key points:
How are cranberries grown?
- What you see on the commercials is a glamorized version of harvest. Cranberry bogs are flooded for harvest, but aren’t grown in water.
- Cranberries don’t like to have “wet feet.” Cranberries are grown on a vine with shallow roots.
- Durning growing season the cranberry bog looks like a lovely golf course with ditches for irrigation.
- Water is recycled and stored in reservoirs and ponds - It is very scenic.
- One of the largest managers of water in the state.
How does technology help make the farm more sustainable?
- Remote control irrigation is used to provide the right amount of water at the right time.
- Everything is done by satellite through solar powered sensors.
- Sensors report the temperature and soil moisture conditions in the bog.
- Water is used to protect plants from both frost and heat.
How does a cranberry bog in Massachusetts look different than a cranberry bog in Wisconsin?
- When cranberries farms in Massachusetts started in the 1880s, they were built in the wetlands around rocks and trees. They are unevenly shaped and require more labor to harvest
- Farms in Wisconsin are more open and rectangular. They are built with dykes around them so that machinery can be used to harvest.
What about all the sugar in cranberries?
- As with any food, portion control is important.
- Cranberries have lots of health benefits.
- Lots of recipes call for whole, unsweetened cranberries.
Much of Dawn’s work with realtors is educating them and new home owners about what to expect living near a working farm.
Three tips to overcome Food Bullying:
- Keep an open mind.
- Know your sources.
- Freeze cranberries. They keep up a year! Don’t let the sugar thing worry you.
Links:
Dawn Gates-Allen Website: www.cranberries.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MassCranberries
Twitter: twitter.com/MassCranberries
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Food Bullying with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
We’ve all seen the ads for pet food featuring happy dogs with happy owners who buy the very best food for their furry family members. But is that food better? How do you know what is best for your pet? Does grain-free dog food make sense or are you being food bullied into buying a boutique brand that offers less nutrition? Our guest, veterinarian Tammy Lons, gives us the scoop on the facts about pet food.
Tammy Lons is a small animal veterinarian. She has two degrees from Michigan State University, a B.S. in animal science, and a D.V.M. She is a wife, mom, practice owner, hobby farmer who raises Dexters.
Key points
How to choose the right food for your pet:
-
Talk to your veterinarian:
- What your pet needs depends on their stage of life, size, and activity level
- Most pets are overfed - 75% are obese
- Dogs often get the wrong kind of food
- Cats don’t need the carbs in kibble and should get canned food most of the time
- Vets don’t receive kickbacks from pet food manufacturers and will recommend what is best for your individual pet
- Tammy recommends Science Diet, Royal Canine, and Purina as the top three brands.
-
Stick with food companies that do research (feeding trials)
- Look for the AFFCO label which gives feeding instructions, calorie counts and a statement about life stage
- Ingredient lists are a source of misinformation and bullying
- Dogs and cats like grain. It tastes good
- By-products and left-overs from people food and are fine
- High-protein, grain-free diets are causing heart disease in animals (UC-Davis Study)
- Ignore the ads for pet food:
- Ads are all marketing and are not required to provide real nutrition information
- Companies have big budgets for ads to appeal to your senses
- Companies sent people to train staff at PetCo and other retailers to recommend their products to customers using misleading claims such as:
- Meat should be the first ingredient
- By-products are bad
- Pets need grain-free diets
Three tips to overcome Food Bullying when buying pet food:
- Feed one of the top three brands
- Talk to your vet
- Ask questions
Links:
Website: www.Tekonshaanimalhospital.com
Facebook: facebook.com/tekonshaanimalhospital
Instagram: instagram.com/tekonshaanimalhospital
Resources: https://www.aafco.org/
Food Bullying with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Did you know popcorn is an entirely different crop than the sweet corn you enjoy on the cob? Eliz didn't! Michele and Eliz welcome Brian Scott to talk about popcorn, sweet corn, field corn, GMOs, and why seeds are intellectual property.
Brian is a corn, soybean, popcorn, and wheat farmer in northwest Indiana raising two young boys on the farm with his wife, Nicole. He started The Farmer's Life blog in 2011 as a way to reach out to people across the world who don't have farming as a part of their daily life.
Key points:
What is the difference between sweet corn, field corn, and popcorn?
- Field corn harvested when dry
- Sweet corn harvested when juicy
- Popcorn outside of kernel thicker than sweet corn
- Sweet corn and & popcorn account for about 1% of all corn grown
- Field corn goes to animal feed, corn oil extraction, or ethanol
Why is some corn labeled GMO, but not all?
- There is no GMO popcorn.
- Most sweet corn is modified to keep worms out of the plant. If the worm takes a bite, the worm dies. Farmers don't have to spray the plants to protect them.
- Field corn is modified to allow farmers to keep weeds from taking nutrients, light, and water from the plants. This allows farmers to use a single herbicide.
Why do farmers have to sign a contract with seed companies?
- It takes tremendous effort and money to create a new seed product.
- A farmer can choose which seeds will work best in their fields. They are not under corporate control.
- Farmers don't "save seeds" to plant next year because the offspring isn't the same as the original. Planting equipment is also very precise. The machinery needs very consistently sized and clean seeds.
Three tips to overcome Food Bullying:
- Don't pay attention to labels
- Eat what tastes good to you
- Know farmers care about the environment
Links:
Brian Scott Website: thefarmerslife.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/thefarmerslife03
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thefarmerslife
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefarmerslife/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thefarmerslife
Food Bullying with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
There is a critical time between diagnosis and treatment when patients are vulnerable and searching for anything to control. Too often, people receive lots of unsolicited, non-science-based advice about what they should and shouldn’t eat to get rid of cancer. Patients will run with advice, even if it is not supported by science, just to have some action to take. Unfortunately, that advice can make them miserable and can interfere with their treatment. Julie Lanford sheds light on the truth about cancer treatment and food.
Julie Lanford is a Wellness Director for Cancer Services, a non-profit in Winston-Salem, NC. She is a registered dietitian, licensed nutritionist, and board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition with over 10 years of experience working in oncology. Julie is the creator of CancerDietitian.com and The Cancer Dietitian Podcast, both functioning to translate evidence-based nutrition guidelines into consumer friendly messages for everyday life.
Key points:
Patients are fed lots of myths, including:
- Sugar feeds or causes cancer or causes tumors to grow
- Organic food are toxin-free and conventional foods need to be avoided
- Acidic diets cause cancer
- Soy causes breast cancer to grow
- Microwaves and non-stick pans are dangerous
Taking action on myths can lead to malnutrition, a serious issue for people going through cancer treatment, and poorer outcomes.
- Patients lose time, energy, and enjoyment during treatment through food bullying. They miss out on:
- Enjoying foods they love
- Good, balanced nutrition
- Mealtime gatherings
- Going out to eat
- Feeling worse than they could due to losing weight or malnutrition
Cancer nutrition is a unique field:
- Not many dietitians are trained in oncology nutrition
- Few doctors are trained or have access to evidence-based information
Lower-income and minority patients are more impacted by food bullying:
- Nutrition services are not always covered by insurance
- Many patients don’t have access or unable to afford services because cancer treatment is so expensive.
- Lower income people are diagnosed at a later stage
- “Myth” based recommendations are more expensive
- Nutrition education staff needs to be diverse to deliver culturally appropriate advice.
3 tips to overcome Food Bullying after cancer diagnosis:
- Stay positive - focus on what your body needs not on what to avoid
- Use the 80/20 rule: feed your body 80% of the time and your soul 20% of the time. All food has a place.
- Keep calm and eat your veggies.
Links:
Julie Lanford websites: www.cancerdietitian.com or www.cancerservicesonline.org
Podcast: www.cancerdietitianpodcast.com
References:
www.cancerdietitian.com/sugar
www.cancerdietitian.com/soy
Food Bullying by Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
What role does disgust play in our fear of disease? Why should we be careful about the language used to describe disease? Dr. Tyler Davis is back to discuss how exotic foods are associated with “otherness." Neophobia (fear of new things) creates stigmas. Bonus, Michele expresses her feelings about snakes. It's a great start to Season 7!
Dr. Tyler Davis is an associate professor of psychological sciences at Texas Tech University, where he directs the Cap Rock Lab. The Cap Rock lab is something that uses functional in neuro imaging to study cognitive neuroscience in categories, categorization, attitudes, and preference.
Key points:
- We need to be careful about the language we use to describe disease because if we are unfamiliar with something there is more chance of misinformation.
- If people believe a disease, such as Covid-19 originated from an exotic food source it is perceived as more risky and this creates a stigma around the disease and the country of origin.
- In the United States, we don’t typically eat bats or snake (although some people eat rattlesnakes). We often don’t understand the importance of these animals to the food chain. For example, bats control malaria by eating insects and are pollinators.
- People also generalize the perceived risk of exotic foods (or disease) with the people who eat it.
- Neophobia is the fear of new things. This plays into food bullying as identity-based avoidance technology, such as non-GMO, contributes to fear. Labels like “natural” prey on this fear.
- To change perceptions we need to focus on the values of the group and how they identify around a fear.
Three tips to overcome food bullying:
- Think about how food relates to your values
- Check that food claims actually mean what you think they mean. Ask why people want you to believe or identify with the claim.
- Don’t assume people are different because they eat differently.
Links:
Dr. Tyler Davis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/flatlandneuro
Email: h.davis@ttu.edu
Food Bullying book with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart book with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Do you wonder which apple will taste the best, or which is healthier? Our guest today writes a very popular blog that inspires people to eat more produce. Lori Taylor also started using TikTok to illustrate how eating produce is love language for your body.
Lori is the founder & CEO of The Produce Moms. For 10 years she sold fresh produce to over 300 grocery stores in the United States . Today, The Produce Moms serves as the leading destination and community for consumers to gain education about fruits and vegetables and transparent truth about agriculture. The Produce Moms mission is to help people of all ages understand that fruits and vegetables are the ultimate choice in food.
Key points:
Why did you start The Produce Moms?
In 2012 there was no place online to learn about produce, and more than 200 items in produce department. Millennial moms were consuming information differently and wanted information about plants, growers, the best time for taste. As part of Lori’s job, she pitched a blog with a friendly approachable tone. For three years she wrote and was the spokesperson for The Produce Mom Blog. In 2015 the company decided to end their involvement in the blog, Lori bought it, and rebranded it as The Produce Moms.
What is the top question your get on The Produce Moms?
People are confused and want to know where to find good information. The Produce Moms blog is intended to provide quality information and the inspiration to eat more produce in an environment where anyone can create a platform. Many platforms are rooted in passion, not fact. People think organic and local means healthy and fear that traditionally grown produce is loaded with pesticides. Lori’s organization shares information about how the economy and consumer choice drive different types of production.
How does food bullying impact low income people and increase food insecurity?
Misinformation such as the “Dirty Dozen” list scares people away from buying produce. Produce is nutrient rich and essential. Food security is national security in and human security. We need to focus on nutrition not just calories. The nutrition panel for produce is the same regardless of how it is grown. It is all healthy.
Childhood nutrition is especially important. We need to push government leaders to have the best interests of children/students up front. All forms of produce (fresh, frozen, and canned) are good choices. Promoting fresh produce, which is most nutrient dense, is important. If we moved toward free school meals for everyone, we would improve childhood nutrition for all and remove the stigma.
3 tips to overcome Food Bullying:
- Food is culture - celebrate life & family history
- Fruits and vegetables are the ultimate choice. ALL choices are good choices.
- Don’t overthink it! Don’t stress out over which fruit or veggie to choose. Do you. Don’t beat kids up if they don’t like something - try something else.
Links:
Lori Taylor website: www.theproducemoms.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheProduceMoms
Instagram: instagram.com/theproducemoms
Twitter: twitter.com/theproducemom
Pintrest, YouTube & TicTok: @theproducemoms
Have you liked the podcast’s Facebook Page? https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Food Bullying with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Ever wonder if that tasty sound bite on the news about what you eat is true? Our guest, journalist Kate Delaney, shares how to vet what you hear and why a sensational headline is more likely to get media attention.
Emmy award-winning talk show host and speaker Kate Delaney’s talk show "America Tonight" is syndicated across the U.S. and is heard in 20 other countries. In the 15 years of the show, she has broadcast from Ireland, Grenada, Ecuador and many other countries. A big part of her on the roadshows include food.
Key points:
- There isn’t enough time to delve into sources and proof in a short-form radio or television story. Viewers and ratings are important. An attention-grabbing headline or juicy sound bite is key to making the format work.
- Kate likes the longer format of a talk show because she can dig deeper into topics. She knows 25 to 54-year-old people are concerned about food and want health information. In the longer format, she can give sources, doe research, and more “meat on the bone.”
- 90% of a pitch to be on a show is selling a point of view. The media are interested in hearing from people on the front lines of producing food. If you see or hear misinformation, reach out to the host or reporter and offer another point of view. Reporters have to file stories. Feeding the beast of the media will pay off.
Three tips to vet media stories and fight food bullying:
- If you see something sensational, go deeper. Don’t trust the information at face value; get more information.
- Follow reliable, trusted sources who provide sources and details.
- Have your guard up. The goal of the media is to serve who pays to keep them in front of you.
Links:
Kate Delaney websites: katedelaneyradio.com and dealyourowndestiny.com
Facebook: facebook.com/katedelaneyfanpage
Instagram: instagram.com/katedelaneyspeaker
Twitter: twitter.com/katesdelaney
Food Bullying with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Have you liked the podcast's Facebook Page? https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Fifty eight episodes have flown by and here we are, a year into the Food Bullying Podcast! Michele and Eliz reflect on the first anniversary of the podcast with a look at some of their favorite episodes. Listen for more insight on nutrition, neuroscience, farming, exercise, GMOs, healthy eating, hormones, science, and wellness.
Episode 11: How do you feed a vegan NFL player & a carnivore ballerina?
Leslie Bonci talks about how nutrition can give you a competitive advantage.
https://causematters.com/advocacy/vegan-football-carnivore-ballerina/
Episode 12: How does food bullying cost hungry people?
Diane Sullivan shares why we should shop with our wallets to help those living in food insecurity.
https://causematters.com/advocacy/how-does-food-bullying-cost-hungry-people/
Episode 16: How is your brain being manipulated about food?
Dr. Tyler Davis explains how emotional responses to GMOs and hormones, sustainability and antibiotics impact our impressions of food.
https://causematters.com/advocacy/brain-food-manipulation/
Episode 18: Are you feeding your brain trash?
“Food is such an integral part of our social fabric. It becomes a part of the storytelling process,” but our farming memory is being lost across generations, says Dr. Cami Ryan, a Canadian social scientist.
https://causematters.com/advocacy/brain-trash-food/
Episode 22: How to overcome food anxiety & B.S. health claims
The “health industry” is a business of money, contends Bill Sukala, a Registered Dietitian Nutrition and Clinical Exercise Physiologist in Australia.
https://causematters.com/advocacy/overome-food-anxiety-health-claims/
Episode 25: Are chemicals in food poisoning you?
The Food Science Babe shares, “Whether you can pronounce an ingredient or not has no bearing on whether it’s safe. If you can’t pronounce it, look it up.”
https://causematters.com/advocacy/food-science-babe-chemicals/
Episode 29: How now, brown cow? Why a dairy farmer talks to his cows
Farmer Derrick Josi says, “Some people think I’m crazy when I’m out there lecturing my cows.”
https://causematters.com/advocacy/dairy-farmer-animal-care/
Episode 30: Are you bullying yourself about food?
Cara Harbstreet says, “If we feel that our food choices don’t uphold this ideal standard of how we “should” be eating, there is a harsh cycle of criticism and judgment, often from ourselves.”
https://causematters.com/advocacy/self-food-bullying/
What's been your favorite episode? What would you like to hear more about? Let us know at the Food Bullying Podcast's Facebook page!
Social media memes and marketing messages often ring nostalgic for how things used to be on the farm. But were the “good old days” really better? In this episode we chat with fruit and vegetable expert Gene McAvoy about how farming used to work (and how it still works in some parts of the world) and how research has made farming better.
Gene McAvoy is currently the Associate Director for Stakeholder Relations at the University of Florida Southwest Florida Research and Education Center and previously served with UF IFAS Extension as regional specialized vegetable extension agent in SW Florida for 23 years. He has over 50 years experience in vegetable production in NJ, West Africa, South Africa and the Caribbean and most recently Florida. He is currently president of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents.
Key points:
What does an agricultural agent do?
Agricultural or extension agents act as go betweens bringing research information from land grant universities to the people who need it.
How has agriculture changed?
In the past farmers were barely feeding themselves - sustenance farming. Today a single farm supports 250 people. Florida grows food for 150 million people. ,
How has COVID19 impacted Florida agriculture?
A single town in Florida produces 16 million pounds of produce per week during harvest. During the early months of COVID Florida had to destroy 60 million pounds of produce per week.
As much food as possible was donated to charity, but difficulties in transportation and produce that perishes quickly made it challenging.
Crops had to be destroyed instead of harvested to keep them from becoming a breeding ground for pests.
It costs $16,000 per acre to bring a crop to market. Florida experienced a 1/2 billion dollar loss in 6 weeks in Spring 2020.
Florida agriculture is starting to recover.
How has traveling the world influenced your view of farming?
In places like the Caribbean it is expensive to import food. Growing food locally for residents and tourists increases income for the farmers and decreases expenses for local governments.
In Africa a simple school garden can prevent children from going blind by supplying food rich in vitamin A. Teaching simple practices impacts an entire community.
Three tips to overcome Food Bullying:
- Educate yourself. Not everything on Facebook is true.
- Any fruit or vegetable is better than none. Produce is good for agriculture and good for you.
- Don’t buy into claims that pit one type of agriculture against another.
Links:
Gene McAvoy website: https://swfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gene.mcavoy or https://www.facebook.com/South-Florida-Vegetable-Grower-149291468443385/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SWFLVegMan
Food Bullying with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Have you ever had an authority figure make you feel bad about your food choices? Are you drawn in by people selling sensation rather than by facts around food? We talk peanut allergies, low-FODMAP diet, health literacy, and why you can eat a pound of chocolate if you really want it (but maybe that isn’t the best idea in the end) with our guest Sherry Coleman Collins.
Sherry is an award winning Registered Dietitian Nutritionist who is passionate about making the delicious choice the healthy choice and converting the science of nutrition into bite-size nuggets for consumers and professionals. She's a writer, a speaker, a social media savvy recipe developer, podcaster and lover of good food.
Key points:
Context is important:
- Choose what is right for you in the context of: What you like: you can eat any thing any time, just not every thing all of the time.
- You need to know:
- Your nutritional goals
- Allergies and sensitivity
- Long-term health
How to sort through information provided by “authorities”:
- Just because someone is trained as a health provider/chiropractor/etc, it doesn’t mean they have nutrition training based in science.
- Most of us aren’t health or science literate so we have to check the source of our information:
- Is the person an actual authority in science-based nutrition or are they selling sensation?
- Is the information based in science, or does it jut sound “sciency”?
- Is the website of the source an academy or journal of science or is it a website selling supplements, tonics, diets, or books?
- Nutrition science isn’t “sexy.”
- The answer is always balance and moderation, but that is hard for people
- Moderation is subjective and people want specifics
- Sensationalism is sexy (probably a big clue about the quality of information)
- More facts equal more enjoyment of food.
Navigating allergies and food sensitivities:
- Work with a registered dietitian
- Focus on food naturally free of what you need to avoid
- provide a list of what you CAN eat
- have a conversation in advance with those providing food (school, college, work, etc)
- the AND covers food allergies and sensitivities
- Peanut allergies are misunderstood:
- We believe peanut allergies are more prevalent than they are:
- 1% of adults
- Up to 2% of children
- People are fearful about being around allergens
- touching and airborne exposure doesn’t create life-threatening reactions
- need to provide education for staff and classmates about good hygiene to prevent cross contamination
- banning peanuts from an environment can create a false sense of security.
- We believe peanut allergies are more prevalent than they are:
Three tips to overcome Food Bullying:
- Know what you believe and why.
- No is a complete sentence.
- Say what you mean, but don’t say it mean.
Links:
Sherry Coleman Collins website: SouthernFriedNutrition.com
Facebook: facebook.com/dietitiansherry
Instagram: instagram.com/dietitiansherry
Twitter: twitter.com/dietitiansherry
Food Bullying with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Do you know a farm family? The vast majority of agriculture businesses are family-owned. Our guest, Jolene Brown, consults with hundreds of farm families each year and shares the stresses and delights of farming.
Jolene Brown is a real "Farmer Brown." From Eastern Iowa, she's an internationally known professional speaker in agriculture. Jolene is a long-time friend of Michele and Eliz, who can attest that Jolene is fun and funny, insightful, and authentic in her presentations. Her consultations in family business earned her the reputation as the "Dr. Phil of Agriculture." In this episode, she's shares experience, insight, and tools to help make a good family business even better.
Key points:
People in agriculture live in uncertainty all of the time:
- Weather, global markets, government pressures
- Farm families learn to be resilient
- Farmers critical to the economy of rural communities
COVID-19 has added more uncertainty
- Significant economic and mental health impact
- Working 24 hours per day and still being in the red
- Not making a profit on products - Food had been dumped rather than sold
- Trade being questionable
When uncertainty increases, people look for something to control
- Suicides have increased in Ag
- Farmers are handing on to assets and delaying decisions about succession
- Senior generations need to feel financially secure before handing over the reins
Family farm businesses are complicated
- 95 - 98% of all agriculture businesses are family-owned but incorporated to address liability, asset protection, and tax issues
- Farmers are good people who want to do what’s right
- Farmers are dedicated to providing safe, abundant, and compensated food to the world
- Farming gives us national security
- Gratitude goes a long way
Three tips to overcome food bullying:
- Know yourself and what you are willing to do
- Have good resources, be a good neighbor and check in with farm families
- Be a student and listen
Links:
Jolene Brown website: jolenebrown.com
Facebook: facebook.com/jolene.brown.cspcpae
Twitter: twitter.com/jolenebrowncsp
Food Bullying with Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
In this special behind-the-scenes episode, Michele and Eliz welcome Callie (Eliz’s daughter and manager of the Food Bullying Facebook Page) for a wide-ranging Q&A session. Callie Greene is about to begin her second year at Lawrence University, where she studies psychology and harp performance.
Callie’s Questions:
What’s with all the Roundup in hummus and cereal?
- Roundup kills weeds and has been used and tested for many years
- Farmers treat the fields to kill weeds to protect the crop plant
- Weeds in chickpea field will cause mold after harvest
- If weed seeds get into harvest, the chickpeas the farmers can’t sell it
- Roundup like the sun is a carcinogen. The dose (or exposure) matters
- The EPA has stringent guidelines for residue measured in mg/kg/day
- A person would have to eat 36 Kg of breakfast cereal per day to be harmful.
- The Environmental Working Group is not a research group; they use their own, non-science-based measurement as a scare tactic.
- Farmers don’t dump chemicals on to their land
- Time-consuming and expensive
- Soil is the most important asset
- Your food is safe. Check the source of information for facts.
What can we do to eat better when we are eating dorm food?
There is room for all foods in your diet.
- Choose colorful foods
- Talk to the foodservice manager and ask for what you want
- Pay attention to how you feel after eating. Experiment with combinations of proteins, grains, and produce.
Why is there so much blame and fear about agriculture and the environment?
People working with the land care deeply about the land
- People are disconnected from the farm and get misleading information about what happens on the farm
- Ag is responsible for 9% of greenhouse gasses
- Electricity of the U.S. is responsible for 7 times the impact of Ag
- COVID19 drastically improved the air quality around the world - but there are the same number of animals.
- The FAO's Livestock’s Long Shadow study exagerated figures on the environmental impact of agriculture, and has been corrected by the author. The damage to ag’s reputation hasn’t been corrected.
- The study created distrust and fear.
- Ads like the recent Burger King ad continue to spread misinformation
- There is always room to do better, that’s called progress
- Ag is always trying to reduce environmental impact.
- GMOs are part of that effort.
- People may feel that changing their eating habits is something they can do to individually impact the environment:
- Check the sources of the information.
- Make choices based on your own standards
- Farmers deserve choice on how they farm, too.
Links:
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Food shaming puts undue stress on parents, especially as kids go back to school. Our guest, Amy Reed, is a pediatric dietitian who is teaching parents how to advocate for the needs of their kids. Whether your child is labeled as a “picky eater” or has significant challenges receiving nutrition, parents who aren’t confident in what they feed their kids are susceptible to food shaming and bullying.
As a pediatric dietitian, Amy evaluates how well a child is growing and how their nutritional status is helping or hurting their growth. She works with kids with a wide range of eating issues and reminds us that eating is a learned skill. Each child develops the skill at their own pace. Amy encourages parents to feed their kids with confidence, they know their child run best.
Key Points:
- All foods have their place. Stay away from fads that eliminate food groups.
- One thing is constant: fruits and veggies are important.
- Look for information from credible sources:
-
- Professionals with training and credentials https://www.eatright.org/find-an-expert
- NIH Nutrition Resources https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/eat-right/index.htm
- HealthyChildren.org https://healthychildren.org/English/Pages/default.aspx
- Talk to a registered dietitian
- Eating is a skill. What may look like a picky eater could be a child who is developing at a different pace.
- Parents of children with feeding issues often blame themselves and feel blamed by others.
- Many parents feel guilty because they aren’t sure what to feed their kids. Lack of confidence make them vulnerable to misinformation.
- Parents should rely on good quality information rather than fads or marketing, especially during the pandemic.
- Family events can be very stressful for parent dealing with feeding issues.
-
- Don’t buy into “in my day kids ate what was put in front of them” guilt.
- Bring something along just in case.
- If you are hosting, ask about what the kids can eat.
- Have a go-to response, “I appreciate your concern. We are working with professionals and have a plan.”
- Remember it is only one meal. If all the kid can eat is the cake, it doesn’t make you a bad parent.
Links:
- Amy Reed
-
- https://www.amyreednutrition.com/blog/2018/03/06/lets-talk-gmos-part-1
- https://www.amyreednutrition.com/blog/2018/03/08/lets-talk-gmos-part-2
- https://cincinnati.momcollective.com/food-shaming/
- https://www.amyreednutrition.com/blog/2018/4/23/how-to-be-supportive-of-a-family-with-a-picky-eater
-
Have you liked the Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page?
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
Did you know there is a science dedicated to teaching cooking skills? How and what we serve at our table makes a big difference in our health. Our guest shares why she teaches medical students about nutrition.
Dr. Jacque Nyenhuis is a chef, dietitian, professor of medicine, and farms on the side. She started working in restaurant kitchens when she was 16 and moved up from dishwasher through just about every position in culinary. She has spent several decades teaching and mentoring medical doctors, chefs, medical students and families how to move towards better health through simple cooking and sharing of meals. Jacque co-authored a nutrition textbook used in Universities across the country and several cookbooks. She had her own television cooking show, radio show, syndicated nutrition column that ran in newspapers throughout the US and Canada, a monthly food and nutrition column for Saturday Evening Post and currently teaches nutrition and is director of the Culinary Medicine Lab at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine in Orlando, Florida.
Key points:
What is culinary medicine?
- It’s about how food can move us toward better health
- Evidence-based science of teaching cooking skills
- Help people to develop skills for better health
- Teach medical students so they have tools to use with patients
There are significant barriers to putting a healthy meal on the table:
- It is stressful when you are busy
- Talked with women around the US and internationally about what makes it hard:
- Time
- Financial pressures
- Pickiness (don’t eat some foods)
- People choose nutrition interventions along political party lines:
- Should government be involved in the solutions or not
- Is fast food to blame
- Lots of noise about what we should choose
- Being bullied is embarrassing
- Questions can feel like bullying
- Two of top 3 items that people have a belief not supported by science are food items.
How to give medical students better tools:
- Medical students and physicians love the class
- They have to put aside personal ideology and talk to the patient about health
- It can be hard for younger professionals to give advice when they may not be cooking for themselves
- Need to find simple ways to eat at home
- 76% of doctors felt they didn’t get enough information about nutrition in med school
- More than half were not comfortable talking about fad diets and nutrition
- Doctors want more information
- Doctors are overwhelmed with information
Helping families develop good eating habits to improve health is important:
- Don’t have to change every habit
- Creating a meal-time habit including:
- Plates
- Serving multiple food groups
- Sitting down
- Cutting out constant snacking all day long
Three tips to overcome Food Bullying:
- Show grace for the person who is bullying me
- Show grace to myself in my response to food bullying
- Kindly and gently set the record straight
Links:
- Jacque Nyenhuis website: www.cookingwithjacque.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cookingwithjaqcue/
- Instagram: @cookingwithjacque
- Have you liked the Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page?
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
Agronomist Kevin Hoyer joins the podcast to talk about his experience helping farmers diagnose and treat their plants and soil as well as traveling the world looking at food production in other countries. As a "doctor for crops," he says “you can be thankful and trust that the products you buy are at the highest level of safety possible. America carries the highest standards found anywhere in the world.”
Kevin Hoyer and his wife Jody own and operate a family farm nestled in the bluffs of west central Wisconsin, not far off the Mississippi River. They grow soybeans, corn along with small grains to use as cover crops. They both also work off the farm, Jody as a quality control specialist for a local dairy processor, while Kevin works as an agronomist and crop advisor at a local ag retailer.
Key points:
An agronomist is like a doctor for crops
- trained in plant and soil health.
- focused on safe and abundant food that is as sustainable and environmentally-friendly as possible.
- works directly with farmers.
- soil tests
- plant health analysis
- advising farmers
Why do farmers use chemicals?
- the chemicals are plant-protectants designed to protect or reduce stress on the crop.
- similar to using sunscreen to protect our skin.
- like taking an aspirin for a headache.
- weeds rob water and nutrients from crops
- many compounds used are found in nature in plants or soil
- plants have natural pesticidal activity to ward off pests.
- alfalfa evolved to grow longer hairs on the stem to ward off aphids.
Why is understanding agriculture in other parts of the world important?
- get outside your comfort zone
- understand other consumers and their concerns - there are commonalities.
- farmers want to grow crops with as little fertilizer or pesticides to maximize production.
- consumers want to feel comfortable that food was grown and processed with care an safely.
- other countries do things we don’t do anymore.
- new practices reduce negative impact.
- America has the highest standards for food safety and quality.
Tips to overcome Food Bullying:
- Remember all of our food has to go through the same safety standards whether it is labeled sustainable, organic, conventional - they must meet the same levels of quality and safety.
- Look out for claims that seem outrageous. Trust that your food is safe.
- If you have questions, ask a farmer - we don’t have anything to hide.
Links:
Kevin Hoyer Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hoyer-Farms-138987533112713/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Sugar gets the blame for many of our health issues. Should we avoid sugar? Are there good sugars and bad sugars? Our guest, Melissa Joy Dobbins is a registered dietitian and diabetes expert. She brings a common sense approach to eating well and says “if people with diabetes can have sugar, you can too!”
Melissa Joy Dobbins MS, RDN, CDE is known as The Guilt-Free RD® – “because food shouldn’t make you feel bad!” As a dietitian and diabetes educator, Melissa helps people digest food and nutrition information so they can make their own well-informed food decisions based on facts, not fear, and ultimately – enjoy their food with health in mind. Melissa hosts the popular Sound Bites® Podcast where she interviews experts on a variety of topics ranging from fad diets to farming and delves into the science, the psychology and the strategies behind good food and nutrition.
Key points
-
More than 1/3 of Americans are obese. People blame sugar consumption, but we’ve only slightly increased sugar consumption since 1989.
-
- Sugar isn’t the sole problem. Inactivity is an issue, too.
- Sugar is a simple carbohydrate
- Common sources of sugar are
- Sugar cane
- Sugar beets
- Corn
- Honey, table sugar, and high fructose corn syrup all have 16 calories per teaspoon and are nearly identical.
- The difference in the source of sugar is less important than the amount consumed.
- Doctors don’t always have the facts on sugar.
- Should focus on nutrient-rich foods instead of sugar.
- Takes shame out of the conversation.
- Research shows kids drink more milk if it is flavored. Getting the nutrition is more important. It is like putting a little dressing on salad.
- Focus on what is nutrients are in the food and what things in it might you want to avoid.
- Doctors have implied power based on their position, but don’t receive training in nutrition. They can unintentionally spread fear about food.
- People have to be in the driver’s seat of their own health. There are no forbidden foods - have to pay attention and make a decision about what works best for you.
- Dietitians have significant on-going training and specialize in areas such as pediatrics or diabetes. People have to swim in their own lane of expertise.
- School lunches and snacks can be a source of food bullying.
- Things have changed over time in terms of what is encouraged for snacks at school.
- Now required to bring fresh fruit or vegetable for snack
- Challenging to avoid food waste if it all has to be fresh instead of apple sauce or raisins
- Doesn’t avoid allergy issues
- Elitist - not everyone can afford or has access to produce
- Now required to bring fresh fruit or vegetable for snack
- Things have changed over time in terms of what is encouraged for snacks at school.
- How to think about sugar:
- Look at it from diabetes point of view.
- Consider a combination of simple carbohydrates (sugar) and complex carbohydrates
- Research doesn’t support sugar creates hyperactivity
- Blood sugar doesn’t spike and crash unless you have diabetes or reactive hypoglycemia
- Be aware how much sugar is in your food - but don’t be afraid
- too many calories from anything will cause weight gain
- “hidden sugar” isn’t really an issue
- feeds into a conspiracy theory about the food industry tricking us into buying food - look at the label
- people buy what tastes good
- “added sugar” label is confusing
- Look at it from diabetes point of view.
- Snacks should fill nutrient and hunger gaps
- look at label to see what nutrients are in the snack
- we don’t get enough produce
- use all forms of produce to get what we need: Fresh, canned, frozen, and dried.
- small cups of apple sauce or fruit are portion controlled
- chose based on your own needs and standards
- look at label to see what nutrients are in the snack
Three tips to avoid food bullying:
- Food shouldn’t make you feel bad. If you aren’t feeling good about a food (or are uncertain) step back and think about your goals and standards
- Don’t pay attention to the front of the package. Look at the nutrition label.
- Focus on nutrient-rich foods.
Links:
Sound Bites Podcast: https://soundbitesrd.com
Melissa on Instagram & Twitter: @melissajoyrd
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Food Bullying: How to Avoid B.S. by Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
How do we honor the people who produce our food when most of us never set foot on a farm or ranch? Our guest this week suggests the key is educating yourself about the benefits of food and choosing what you want without giving into what other people may think.
Joe Anderson is a fourth generation farmer in Idaho & has been farming probably all his life, but as a career since 1983. Like many farmers, he knew that's what he wanted to do from an early age. When not farming, he serves his industry as an Idaho Wheat Commissioner, or is out on an adventure somewhere seeking new people and places.
Key questions:
What does a Wheat Commissioner do? They decide how check-off dollars are spent:
- Research
- Marketing (including international marketing)
- Education
What would do you wish people would know about what you do?
- It is about more that what happens in the field.
- Farmers spend a lot of time educating themselves about what they produce and the market for their products.
Has wheat been modified to have more gluten?
- Starches and proteins have not changed in the last 50 years.
- Wheat has been selected for yield and baking characteristics.
- Wheat production is customer driven. They want a consistent product. Through universities and research create better baking traits.
- Gluten is a combination of wheat proteins. It is the active part of what makes bread work.
How is GMO wheat different?
- There is no GMO wheat. The label is marketing, not nutritional.
- There could be some other GMO ingredients (soy or canola oil for example)
Is the gluten-free label frustrating to you?
- Some people need the label to avoid gluten allergy, however many products never contained gluten.
- Ham has always been gluten-free.
- It is frustrating.
Do you want to go back to the “good old days” of farming?
- Equipment now is better e.g. tractors didn’t have cabs to protect from dirt and weather or GPS equipment.
- The early days were rather brutal.
- Now we have tools to prevent erosion and save top soil (better chemicals help reduce tillage and keep nutrients)
Links:
Joe Anderson on Instagram: instagram.com/lewistonjoe
Twitter: twitter.com/beemerjoe
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
USDA Certified Organic is more than a label. Our guest, Carolyn Olson, shares the attention to detail and expense necessary to produce an organic crop. She also shares how raising pigs conventionally is part of their plan.
Carolyn Olson is a wife, mom, grandma, and farmer. She is a district director on the Minnesota Farm Bureau board of directors and was the first chair of the American Farm Bureau Organic and Direct Marketing Issue Advisory Committee. She farms with her husband, Jonathan, in southwest Minnesota, and shared her farm story in Food Truths from Farm to Table about how conventional and organic agriculture can work together.
Key points:
It takes 36 months to become a certified organic farm:
- There is a ton of record-keeping and paperwork to prove everything is done exactly to organic standards.
- In those 36 months. farmers can sell crops in the conventional market, but there are more expenses. They can find new markets for their crops or switch to different crops.
- Farmers have to market their own crops and understand who is buying what.
- Annual and spot inspections are a big expense and require that what is happening matches exactly with the requirements and plans.
Agriculture has divided themselves into groups, such organic vs. conventional or no-till vs. till. There isn’t one right answer in agriculture - or in food. Everyone chooses what is best for them. For example, raising pigs conventionally provides ample organic fertilizer.
Tips to overcome Food Bullying:
- Remember that no matter what you buy, you are supporting a farmer.
- If you have questions about organic, ask an organic farmer. If you have questions about conventional, ask a conventional farmer.
- Understand the impact of the disruption of the food chain has on the emotional health of farmers. Come in with compassion.
Links:
- Carolyn Olson on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolyncaresblog/
- Twitter: @Westacre
- Instagram: @Westacre2CJ
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Have you liked the Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page?
Life on the farm may be a mystery for those of us in urban and suburban areas. One of the best ways to understand where food comes from is to meet the people who grow it. Farm kids balance school, sports, service clubs, and helping on the farm. In this behind the scenes episode, meet our Food Bullying Podcast editor and find out about her life as a farm kid. She shares what she’s learned showing dairy cattle in 4-H, including how stubbornness and leverage can move a ton.
Audrey will soon be a junior in high school and loves her Holsteins. She is an avid runner, competing in cross country and track. Audrey is a busy, high-achieving student who is also active in 4H and FFA - and wishes people understood that not all farmers fit a mold.
She also describes a very successful FFA effort to solve two problems in her community. Through a milk and meat campaign that raised more than $34,000, her FFA chapter purchased meat and milk from local farmers to be distributed to seven local food banks during the pandemic and following months.
Listen in for an inside look from a teenager on the farm.
Links:
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Food Bullying: How to Avoid B.S. by Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Does how you feel about a cut of steak or whether it is labelled “natural” impact how much you enjoy it? Our guest, Dr. Mark Miller shares his research on consumer beef preferences and how labels influence what we choose to eat.
Dr. Mark Miller is the San Antonio Livestock Show Distinguished Chair in Meat Science at Texas Tech University. He has been instrumental in developing consumer thresholds for beef and holds two patents for the processes that improve beef tenderness and color with electrical stimulation. He is also passionate about meat judging and has coached numerous teams to seven national championships.
Key points:
How does price impact how we feel about the value of a product?
- Consumer preferences are the most important things to meat science.
- There is no good food or bad food. People’s preferences to eat or not eat are always right.
- It is the amount of foods or “dose” that can make the difference.
Companies are trying to create market share through labels and messaging appealing to niche markets:
- “Natural” production claims have increased by 40%
- Organic production costs 25 - 30% more than conventional production.
- We should allow the market rather than marketing to decide what should be grown and produced.
- Food production has to be affordable to everyone.
Why would people pay so much more for beef than other meats?
- Beef is more expensive than chicken or other meats
- Eating a great cut of beef releases they same type of hormones in the brain as falling in love. It is very satisfying.
How do labels influence how we perceive beef?
- In an experiment, people rated several cuts of beef on tenderness, taste etc.
- Then they were fed the exact same cuts but they were labeled with terms such as organic, natural, hormone treated, etc.
- The labels created a bias that effected the enjoyment of the beef.
What is the difference between conventional and grass-fed beef?
- New Zealand and Southern Australia are the best place in the world for grass production. They have grass in abundance and a favorable climate.
- In the U.S. there are only about 120 days per year that animals can graze.
- Grass-fed animals take 2.5 - 3 years to grow large enough.
- In the US we have corn and soy beans in abundance.
- Conventional fed animals grow to the same size in 14 months.
- Grass-fed beef is more expensive to produce. It costs about $8 per pound compared to $2.90 per pound for conventional beef.
- The carbon foot print of conventional beef is about 45% of grass fed beef.
- Cattle like grain over grass.
What should we know about hormones in beef?
- In the U.S. we’ve been using hormones in beef production since 1957.
- We’ve already done the human case study for nearly 70 years. There is not a single documented case of any health concern as a result.
- The additions of naturally occurring testosterone or estrogen encourages muscle growth.
- The amount of estrogen in cabbage is far greater than in treated beef.
- Anti-science propaganda make it sound scary.
Working with Dr. Tyler Davis (featured in two previous episodes) on understanding reactions to marketing labels was life changing.
- Food choices create an emotional response.
- Eating something that tastes bad creates a reaction that will last forever. A great eating experience lasts too.
3 tips to overcome food bullying:
- Enjoy your point of view based on what you like to taste and eat. Don’t feel guilty.
- There are no good foods or bad foods. It is all about how much you eat.
- Don’t believe anything that isn’t backed up by a peer-reviewed scientific study.
Links:
Mark Miller: mfmrraider@aol.com
Tyler Davis Episodes:
Is your emotional brain being tricked by food marketers? Episode 16
How is your brain being manipulated about food?
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
Food Bullying: How to Avoid B.S. by Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Did you know that people can use food to threaten others? When it comes to food allergies, food CAN kill! Our guest in this episode has great advice on how to truly welcome everyone to your table AND avoid killing someone (or making them sick) with the food you serve.
Tracy Stuckrath is a food allergy and inclusivity expert who wants to ensure no one is offended or hurt with the food they are served by others. She provides strategy and training to organizations worldwide to establish best practices, increase efficiency, increase profit, mitigate risk, and improve customer experience.
Key points:
Event professionals need to be aware and prepare for guests with food allergies.
- Tracy strives to make the world healthier one event at a time.
- Food and beverage makes a big difference in an attendee’s experience event. If you can’t eat the food offered, your participation is hindered:
- feel hungry and not focused
- can be made to feel like “a problem”
- may have to leave event to get other food at their own expense
- Eating is included in the ADA which gives protections to people with food allergies
- events should include food allergies on registration materials
- ask “How can we support you in participating in this event?”
- ask about dietary restrictions and life threatening allergies
- ask about preferences
- need to label everything for the top 8 allergens at the least (Europe label for 14):
- crustacean:crab, shrimp, prawn (EU includes molluscan shellfish
- wheat (EU includes rye & barley)
- egg
- milk
- tree nuts
- peanuts (EU includes sesame and lupin)
- fish
- soy
- (EU includes celery, mustard, sulphur dioxide & sulfites)
People with food allergies can’t “just get over it.”
- Need to “eat of the same plate” and understand the experience
- Newly diagnosed people struggle to figure it out and need support and compassion
- If you are serving food, you have to respect the person who will eat it
- Listen to needs and ask non-defensive questions
- I want you to feel safe. How can I make you feel safe?
- Ask for clarification
- Take steps in the kitchen to avoid cross contamination. Explain what you do.
- You may need to give them a gift card to buy other food
- Understand airborne flour, for example, can be a problem.
- Read labels - ingredients change.
Three tips to overcome food bullying when serving food to others:
- ASK if people have dietary restrictions
- LABEL what you are serving
- CREATE a statement about being a food and beverage experience and encourage to be respectful of people’s allergies
Links:
- Tracey Stuckrath website: www.thrivemeetings.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/thrivmeetingsevents
- Twitter & Instagram: @tstuckrath & @thrivemeetings
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Have you liked the Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page?
Do you know how labels, ads, and menus are designed to make you buy? The job of a marketer is to get you to choose their item and sell more. Our guest Gerry O’Brion shares how giving people a rational reason to choose a product is the key to influencing buying behavior.
Gerry O’Brion is a professional speaker and branding expert who speaks to 10,000 CEOs and sales professionals every year about how big brands get customers to buy and how they can apply those principles to any industry. Gerry’s framework shows companies how to become the number one choice in a crowded market. He started his career in marketing at Procter and Gamble and was an executive for Coors Light and Red Robin.
Key points:
How do marketers influence our buying decisions?
- People believe we make rational buying decisions, but that isn’t always true.
- Marketers use emotional messaging and images to influence buying behavior, but emotion alone doesn’t trigger buying behavior.
- Our brains need a rational reason to make an emotional decision. We need proof that our emotional decision is justified. Proof you can explain to others.
- Buyer’s remorse is caused when you can’t find proof.
- For food, marketing is about creating a rational hook for the decision. We want proof we are making a good/safe/better choice.
- A blue liner inside a beer can that “locks in fresh brewed taste” (which is what every can liner does) was responsible for an $100 million increase in sales the first year of the marketing campaign. The liner was the rational reason to make the choice of Coors Light vs some other beer.
- Understanding how marketing works allows consumers to question the rationale for choosing one product over another.
How does food marketing work in restaurants?
- “Food porn” is used in video ads to create desire. For example, dripping butter on Red Lobster ads or the pizza cheese pull.
- Menu design can determine what you will buy. The highest margin items can be placed to influence what people order.
- Visuals and key words influence choice. If the item has organic chicken, people believe the whole dish is organic.
- “House specialty” item that is unique is often the best seller.
Everything on every sign, label, menu, or ad is designed to make you buy something.
- The job of executives is to make the stock price go up.
- Some labels are designed to sound like a “safe” choice but has no real meaning such as “clean” or “fresh” food.
- We don’t spend a lot of time making simple buying decisions and we rely on way to short cut the decision and repeat it.
- Sometimes we are looking for alignment with what we believe.
- In order to stand out in the millions of restaurants, they have to provide easy short cuts to align with people’s beliefs. The decision is easier and you feel good about it.
- If we have a “because” we feel good about the decision. Our brains are looking for a reason to say yes. It doesn’t matter what the rational reason is… it just matters that you have one.
Three tips to overcome Food Bullying:
- Understand how you are being influenced to buy.
- Do your homework. What labels are important and have meaning. (Marketers know people don’t do their homework)
- Do what feels good to you.
Links:
- Gerry O’Brion website: https://www.whatbigbrandsknow.com/
- Food Bullying Podcast Facebook page
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
This episode’s guest and her husband are millennials and third generation dairy, beef and crop farmers in Michigan. They are working hard and using technology, including robots, to secure the future of their farm. Ashley Kennedy shares insights on being a working mother, fostering a positive attitude toward food, and what exactly robots are doing on their farm.
Ashley Kennedy is mother to two passionate little girls, one about animals and the other about Cheerios. Ashley and her husband are third generation dairy, beef and crop farmers in Michigan. She is a long-ish distance runner usually hating herself for signing up for a half marathon. Her blog and vlog mix all of these things together by sharing about her cooking, training, farming, and mom-ing.
Key points:
What do robots do on the farm?
- Milking robots that milk: Cows love to milk via robot, they get pick when they get milked, and some choose to milk up to 6 times per day (every 4 hours). Typically, without a robot, cows are milked on a schedule in groups.
- Pushes feed to the cows all day long so they have fresh feed
- Mixes formula for calves
What do you wish people would know about what you do?
- It’s not just about making money.
- We are passionate about our product because it is safe, wholesome, and healthy for your family and we take that very seriously.
- We shop at the same store. We buy milk from the dairy case. We wouldn’t feed our children something dangerous. We wouldn’t feed your kids something dangerous either.
- Happy, healthy content cows make the most milk. A comfortable cow makes more money.
- We don’t make a lot of money, and don’t think about money every day. Our lives revolve around making sure our animals are safe and comfortable.
- Being millennial taking over farm and raising young kids:
- Before kids working 80 hours per week. Have all of the struggles of a working mom.
- They were lucky her parents understood how important it was to talk about expectations were for retirement and they young couple taking on the farm. This is unusual for farming families.
- Financially the transition took longer than planned, which caused stress.
- Had to give farming the best try - even if they fail.
- Exciting things ahead for farming with technology. She hopes to secure the future of the farm for their daughters.
How do you have a positive attitude toward food?
-
Sanity and mental health are important when choosing food.
-
- Let negative feelings go.
- We want to protect kids from things that will impact their health in the future, but that leads to well-intentioned mom bullying.
- Milk fat became “bad for you” now the research supports dairy as part of a healthy diet.
-
Don’t over think it.
-
- Our bodies and brains need carbohydrates, fat, and protein to function and grow.
- Choose a few things that are important to you.
- Milk fat became “bad for you” now the research supports dairy as part of a healthy diet.
-
Work with a registered dietitian (not a nutritionist, trainer, or someone from the gym).
-
- A good dietitian is like a food wizard and a psychologist all in one.
- Ashley is actively working on separating negative feelings from food. Packing a lunch for her kids causes guilt.
- Ashley fights against the “diet culture.” Pregnancy triggered a strict diet to lose the baby weight which backfired.
Links:
- Ashley Kennedy website: messykennedy.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/messykennedy
- Instagram & Twitter : @messykennedy
- YouTube: youtube.com/messykennedy
- Food Bullying Podcast Facebook page?
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
We are likely to stand in line to get the latest smart phone technology — so why do we fear technology in food? In this delightful episode, Dr. Kevin Folta makes Eliz and Michele roar with laughter and sheds light on genetics, technology, and how to he’s working to make strawberries taste better. We discuss how science is working to solve important problems for people and the environment.
Kevin is a professor in plant molecular biology that publishes frequently in the genetics of fruit flavor and light regulation of plant traits. He has been a fixture in the public discussion of genetic engineering and food for almost two decades, and is recognized for his communications work with scientists and farmers. He has also hosted the weekly Talking Biotech Podcast for over 200 episodes and 1 million downloads.
Key points:
- There is intellectual property in food. Like an author’s book is intellectual property, seeds and plants are created and carry the same rights.
- Selective breeding is like being a “strawberry pimp.”
-
Genetic terms:
-
- Genetic Modification: an imprecise term meant to convey a creepy distance from food. Scientists don’t use the term GMO.
- Genetic Engineering: an imprecise term for using science to change a plant. It is better than modified. Would you rather drive across an engineered bridge or a modified bridge?
- Transgenics: Specific type of engineering that changes a plant by inserting a gene from another organism. For example a bacteria to make the plant resistant to disease. It is like going to the library and putting a new book on the shelf.
- CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats): Specific type of engineering that involves gene editing. It is like going to the library and erasing a letter or two from one book and alter its meaning.
-
Genetic engineering technology is so precise that it can be tested to make sure it is doing exactly what is intended without any other effects or changes. The likelihood of side effects are very low. Only one gene is changing. Regulations require a tremendous amount of data.
- Selective breeding isn’t tested and creates many collateral outcomes that are not intended. For example, corn during selective breeding often incorporate 5000 new genes.
- We regulate the least risky technology to death.
- Kevin has been bullied by people who have entrenched interests against technology, including non-stop freedom of information act requests and threats.
- Scientists need to show how technology can solve very important problems for people and the environment. Solutions are available to help starving people around the world, and we don’t use it because of the fear.
- Tips to overcome Food Bullying:
- Listen to scientists and ask questions of scientists. Make the phone ring at your Land Grant University.
- Follow trusted sources.
- Eat a variety of healthy foods.
Links:
- Website: www.kevinfolta.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/kevinmfolta
- Twitter & Instagram: @kevinfolta
- Listen to his Talking Biotech Podcast: www.talkingbiotechpodcast.com
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Have you liked the Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page?
Do you feel guilty for not being able to afford the "better" food label? Food Science Babe is back for a rousing game of “Guess What I Saw in the Grocery Store?” to kick off season five of the Food Bullying Podcast. Super foods, non-GMO, and other food bullying labels cause unnecessary guilt.
"Food doesn't have morals - food isn't good, food isn't bad." Erin, a chemical engineer and a food scientist, is well-known on social media as Food Science Babe. Listen to our eye-opening discussion about food labels, parental guilt, and her experience as a mom feeding a child with special needs, including:
- Guilt created by not being able to afford the “better” label
- People fear eating “bad” food and then choose to avoid the product or produce - and their diet suffers.
- Misinformation comes from many sources including medical professionals, friends, family, and social media.
- A single food can’t be healthy or unhealthy if considered in the full scope of your diet.
- We all need to be considerate of individual needs and abilities around food.
- The value of a product for a family may be so much more than what is listed on the nutrition label.
- It is hard to change a long-held belief. We tend to seek information that confirm our beliefs and are uncomfortable (and sometimes angry) when our beliefs are challenged.
-
To push back against Food Bullying:
- Know what labels mean (and don’t mean)
- Be confident in the science
- Remember labels are designed for profit, not health or safety
Links:
- Food Science Babe Facebook Instagram & Twitter: @foodsciencebabe
- Erin's Season 3 Food Bullying Podcast: https://causematters.com/advocacy/food-science-babe-chemicals/
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Are you connected to the Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page?
In this special Mother’s Day edition, Michele and Eliz are joined by Grace Greene, Eliz’s daughter. In a nod to the West Wing Weekly Podcast, Grace leads a “Big Block of Cheese” format to turn the tables on her mom and Michele. To peals of laughter, Grace asks questions on a range of topics including:
- Was Eliz a food bully when Grace was little?
- How lactose-free and A-2 milk works
- Selective breeding of Holsteins and watermelon
- The cool story of saving the papaya through bioengineering
- The non-GMO butterfly label
- Bioengineering - including the 10 crops that are bioengineered (yep - only 10)
- How to use your own standards to resist food bullying - especially when you bully yourself.
Grace Greene is taking the final exams of first year at the University of Wisconsin (Go Badgers) where she studies vocal performance and music education. She is an environmentally conscious vegetarian and an avid consumer of podcasts.
This podcast is a great reminder to every mom out there - you're doing the best you can. Remember - someday your child will grow up and may tell stories on your podcast!
Links:
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page
- West Wing Weekly Podcast: http://thewestwingweekly.com/
Navigating through unsolicited advice as a new mom is hard enough. Imagine the complexity of bringing a child into the world hours after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis! Our guest, Brooke Taylor is an Oklahoma ranch girl who has lived in various cities across the United States, while working with national and global food and agricultural organizations through ad agencies. Today, she's back in rural Oklahoma as a digital strategy consultant. While juggling life as a full-time, self-employed business woman, Brooke welcomed her first baby into the world six hours after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Brooke shares insights on how to cull unsolicited information, especially if it isn’t based in science and fact, out of your life — along with some great advice for supporting new parents and people going through cancer treatment. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, grandparents acting as moms, and dads being moms!
Key points:
- We are most vulnerable to food bullying during changing stages of life: becoming a parent, sending kids off to school, retiring, moving, getting married or divorce, etc.
- During those changing stages we all look for ways to guarantee things will work out well — and we will cling to anything that may help. This leaves us susceptible to misinformation.
- It is appropriate to limit who you give access to your treatment or parenting choices.
- We often don’t know what to do or say when someone receives a cancer diagnosis. Brooke has some great advice (that works for new parents too):
- Think about the person, not the diagnosis. If they didn’t wear pink before, they probably aren’t looking for an entire pink wardrobe make over.
- Think about your role in their current season. If you aren’t on the medical team, don’t weigh in on their treatment.
- Consider what you can offer to do, rather than buy. Holding the baby while mom takes a nap is a real gift!
- Seek information from a registered dietitian and be suspicious of claims that seem too good to be true (they probably aren’t true).
Links:
- Brooke’s Website: ruralgoneurban.com
- Facebook: Rural Gone Urban
- Instagram & Twitter: @ruralgoneurban
- How best to support a friend with cancer: https://ruralgoneurban.com/blog/my-friend-has-cancer-how-can-i-help
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page
Our guest, Heather Barnes, tells parents, “You are doing great.” Having a child with different dietary needs opens the door to bullying. Parents have to make the choice about what is right for their family. "We need to respect the choices and the benefits of science."
Heather grew up in town and didn't know anything about farming other than how to identify cotton and peanuts before going to college. She began a career in agriculture after graduating from Virginia Tech with an Animal Science degree. Heather has worked with many different types of farms throughout her career as an Extension Agent and now Marketing Specialist. She is married to a second-generation farmer. They grow sweet potatoes, tobacco, corn, soybeans and wheat. She is the mother to three sons, ages 7, 4 and 1. Their oldest son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder four years ago and their middle son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes almost one year ago.
Key Points:
- Type 1 Diabetes is scary, especially in the beginning. As a parent you are terrified for your child and that fear puts a target on your back. It's easy for the anti-GMO groups to scare a person who is already terrified they will lose their child.
- Insulin is a GMO - the first genetically engineered product approved by the FDA. It’s been used for 40 years. In the past, diabetes was a death sentence.
- In the 1920s. insulin from pig and beef pancreas was used. It took 2 tons of pig pancreas to make 8 ounces of insulin for human use. People were concerned that there would be a shortage of insulin.
- Modern, genetically engineered, insulin was developed in 1982. It is identical to human insulin and can be tweaked to be long and short acting to keep blood sugar under control.
- Consumers fear GMOs in the agriculture world. Those crops have given farmers more options and limit food waste.
- Heather was surprised there were protests when insulin was being developed that put limits on the scientists. People didn’t understand or support the science.
- As a mom with a son who depends on insulin, Heather can’t imagine what it would be like to not have an unlimited supply.
- Families are bullied because they are using GMO medications. Fear for your child makes you vulnerable to bullying.
- Parents have to make the choice about what is right for their family. Rely on medical experts rather than people who aren’t entitled to be involved.
- It’s important to educate teachers, care givers, and friends about what your child needs. Other children need to understand why a child with diabetes may need juice or a snack when they don’t get it.
- Empowering a child to understand their condition and be able to talk about it. Heather worries he will be bullied in the future. We have to get over “kids will be kids” and we have to talk to children about bullying.
Links:
- Facebook: Carolina Farm Mom
- Instagram: @CarolinaFarmMom
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page
Did you know the term “sustainable” is used in food marketing to achieve price advantage, without any science backing the claim? For example, greenhouse gas emissions associated with a glass of milk today is 1/3 what it was in 1944, but many people have been led to believe both milk and meat are not environmentally friendly.
In this Earth Day episode, our guest is Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam, a livestock geneticist at University of California, Davis. She sheds light on why genetics is an important component of sustainability. She shares that practices such as selective breeding (which is like Match.com for cows) and artificial insemination have allowed each generation of cows to improve in health and milk production. In the 40’s there were about 26 million cows producing milk, and today nine million cows produce all the milk we need.
Alison also warns that anytime useful breeding innovations are taken off the shelf (e.g., GMOs) it is associated with the very real opportunity cost of a less sustainable food production system. In order to overcome food bullying, she recommends you make choices based on your own standards, avoid food fads, and ask a scientist about any technology or labels you don’t understand.
Key Points
- Alison is from Australia - so her accent makes this interview delightful. She is a Cooperative Extension Specialist in the field of Animal Genomics and Biotechnology in the Department of Animal Science at University of California, Davis.
- Right now dairy farmers are under increased pressure. The cows can’t stop producing milk, and it would be cruel to stop milking them. If farmers have to dump milk, it is like lighting your paycheck on fire.
- The term “sustainable” is used in food marketing to achieve price advantage without any backing in science.
- “GMO” is a marketing term without a scientific definition.
- Technically, what people worry about with “GMO” is genetic engineering, or changing the genes of a food in a lab (in contrast to selective breeding).
- There are no genetically engineered meat products sold in the US.
- One meat product, fast growing salmon, was developed 30 years ago and is just now getting through the approvals for sale. This fish would allow Atlantic salmon to be raised locally and significantly decrease the distance it travels — which is certainly earth-friendly.
- Fear-based marketing that uses an absence label (such as non-GMO or rBST free milk) misleads the public about science. Fear of innovation in agriculture led to the end of rBST in the US and many other countries, despite the lack of evidence there was anything wrong with the milk. Stopping the use increased the environmental footprint of milk by 6%.
- Alison has spent her whole life applying science to agriculture and is frustrated by the lack of investment in technology that could protect our food system.
- Fear has stopped research into how to fight animal diseases using genetics, such as African Swine Fever.
- Alison contends that if we invested in technology to eliminate such diseases and protect our food system, it would decrease the likelihood of pandemics like COVID19.
- Consider the environmental trade-offs when purchasing food. For example, foods without preservatives spoil more quickly and increase food waste.
- Make choices based on your own standards, avoid fad, and ask a scientist about any technology or labels you don’t understand.
Links
Website: https://animalbiotech.ucdavis.edu/
Alison’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/alison.vaneenennaam
Twitter: https://twitter.com/biobeef
US Davis Biobeef Blog: https://biobeef.faculty.ucdavis.edu/
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast
How can you support people who are food insecure with dignity? Our guest, Community Network Dietitian Nicole Weeks, share how her organization uses the MyPlate model in choice food pantries. Nicole shares ways to help by, “Shopping with your wallet and having a voice, as well.”
Nicole is a registered dietitian focused on community nutrition. Her background includes the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) supplemental food program, school nutrition with a focus on the administration of the free and reduced meal program, and now Hunger Task Force - Milwaukee's Free and Local Food Bank. She is the Community Network Dietitian, helping to support the network of over 50 food pantries and 20 meal sites and shelters. Hunger Task Force is the first food bank in the nation to utilize the USDA MyPlate model in a food bank setting, and Nicole's role supports this throughout the network.
Key Points:
- The My Plate model replaced the Food Pyramid model. It emphasizes filling your plate with:
- 1/2 of the plate produce
- 1/2 of grains whole grains
- Lean protein
- Low fat dairy
- Hunger Task Force’s Choice Pantries are filled with items that fit within the My Plate model. People shop the panty and choose their food.
- Nicole provides education about how to use the items, including cooking tips
- Best things to donate are low sugar canned fruits, and low sodium canned vegetables.
- Ramen noodles are terrible donations. They are non-nutritive and can’t be used. They end up in the Hunger Task Force compost bin.
- Hunger Task Force runs a farm that produces a half million pounds of vegetables and fruit each year.
- Hunger Task Force has a mobile market serving the community with fresh produce, meat, and dairy. It serves 1000 people each month.
Ways to help your local food bank:
- Donate food
- Donate cash
- Understand food assistance programs exist for a reason. They are available to anyone — and one day you might need one.
- Volunteer. Organizations need help assembling food boxes, sorting food, stocking, and many other opportunities.
- Advocate for nutrition programs. When changes are suggested in programs, look into what is suggested. Speak up to support those who deal with food insecurity.
Links:
Nicole’s email: nicole.weeks@hungertaskforce.org
Hunger Task Force Website: https://www.hungertaskforce.org/
Nicole on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rdsnick
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn: https://foodbullying.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast/
As we all cope with stay-at-some orders due to COVID-19, cooking and grocery shopping have become more challenging. In this special episode, Registered Dietitians Alice Henneman and Liz Ward share tips for stocking your fridge, pantry, and freezer while sharing quick meal ideas.
Liz Ward, RDN, recipe developer, writer and nutrition communicator from the Boston area. Registered Dietitian Alice Henneman, RDN, was actively engaged as an extension educator with University of Nebraska-Lincoln for 37 years. They both provide helpful nutrition tips, recipes, and answer food question online via various social media channels.
Tips for stocking up:
- It’s time to appreciate all food. Canned, frozen, and dried are healthy choices to stretch your food between shopping trips.
- You can store cans anywhere in the house. Save freezer space and buy whatever possible in cans. Best by date is for quality.
- Canned tuna, peanut butter, canned beans, eggs, cottage cheese, cheese, and Greek yogurt are all nutritionally dense foods that will keep well.
- Dry milk is great for using in baking, making oatmeal etc so you can save fresh milk for drinking.
- Nuts, dried fruit, whole grain rice, and whole grain pasta are great too.
- Buying dairy products right now is important. Dairy farmers are having to dump milk.
Tips for cooking with what’s on hand:
- Look at what you have
- Pick three ingredients
- Search the internet for recipes with those ingredients
Fabulous Quotes:
“Coffee, chocolate, and wine are essential items to stock.”
“Cheese fixes everything. If you’ve made something that isn’t great, put a little cheese on it.”
“Don’t buy it because you think you should. Buy it if you’ll eat it.”
“Don’t overdo the treats. This is not a snow day”
“Don’t hoard. You only need enough for two or three weeks.”
Links:
Liz Ward
Website (www.betteristhenewperfect.com)
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.ward.31)
Instagram: @ewardmsrd
Twitter: @EWardRD
Easy Chili Recipe: (https://betteristhenewperfect.com/2017/02/02/easy-beef-and-bean-chili/)
Alice Henneman
Website (https://alicehenneman.com)
Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/alicehenneman)
Instagram & Twitter: @alicehenneman
All Recipes (https://www.allrecipes.com/)
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn (https://causematters.com/foodbullying/)
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene (http://www.embraceyourheart.com/)
Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast/)
Fancy shoes and cheap prices. Chicken breasts and hormone myths. Food snobbery and the hungry. Healthy food and fat. Cheap food and sustainability. “It’s really easy for us to look at a product that has a fancy name or claim and assign higher perceived value to it."
Dr. Jayson Lusk is a distinguished professor and head of the Agricultural Economics Department at Purdue University. He studies what we eat and why we eat it, and the economics around food decisions. In today’s Food Bullying podcast, he offers insight on how claims, policies, and misperceptions can cost us all.
Key points
- How labels change how we feel about a product and how we are willing to pay more for perceived value.
- What does an agricultural economist do? Food prices, farm production, international trade, supply and demand.
- We want to buy more than we can afford: what perceptions and factors explain what is on our plate
- Large chicken breasts, animal welfare and how prices are affected by regulations put in place.
- Slow growth or heritage breed chicken grow a lot slower, have negative environmental and cost consequences.
- The unintended consequence of food choices: how the things we can afford change as our income grows.
- The people that bear the brunt of food price policies are the lowest income consumers. Shopping with your wallet will help support lower prices for everybody.
- Consumers say they will do one thing and then shop entirely differently. If you make people make trade-offs you can little closer to the truth in studies with consumer groups.
- Perceptions around healthy food. FDA regulates the healthy claim, which has a lot to do with fat content. Does healthy or natural really mean what you think it does?
- How the brain processes information about food and controversial food issues, such as cloned cows and cage-free eggs. Brain activation can predict what people are likely to choose in buying food. Decision making around food is not just emotional or rational – it’s both.
- Tips to overcome food bullying: price is a perfectly legitimate guide in shopping for food, pay attention to the sources of information, and don’t fear your food.
Fabulous quotes
“It’s really easy for us to look at a product that has a fancy name or claim and assign higher perceived value to it. “
“Let information empower and don’t be fearful of your food.”
“It’s illegal to use growth hormones in broiler chickens.”
“As our incomes grow, we see people eating differently than us. There’s maybe a little bit of snobbery…”
“The motivation for some of these new policies are ‘people aren’t eating correctly or right.’ We forget that people have a lower income have an entirely different set of preferences.”
“It’s O.K. to use price as a guide to shopping for food.”
“By in large, info coming out from FDA, USDA and PhD scientists is more trustworthy.”
“There’s a lot of guilt that gets tied up in what we eat. Let information empower you to not fear your food.”
Links
- Blog: JaysonLusk.com
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page
“Kids are dirty and if you’re worried about what you’re feeding them, you’re a good a mom,” says this millennial mom who prioritizes low-cost food at the grocery store. She offers insight on how the science of producing food is remarkable, along with the care that farmers and ranchers provide for the planet.
Brandi Buzzard Frobose is a rancher, head honcho of their family’s ranch, and an environmentalist. She’s not a fan of the mud while she’s ranching in Kansas, but loves to go roping at the rodeo as a cowgirl. Meet our latest #featuredfarmer.
Key points
- The mud of March on farms and ranches: why animals stand in mud and can make a mess together
- The difference between farming and ranching
- Why rodeoing? What is breakaway roping?
- Purebred cattle breeding, embryo transfer, commercial cattle
- How science is used in farming and ranching.
- The best environmental science we have comes from EPA: agriculture contributes less than 9% of greenhouse gas – and of 9%, animal agriculture is 2%
- Choices outside of food can reduce greenhouse gas, such as cycling instead of cars, not taking flights, etc. have a far greater impact that eating choices
- How conservation and sustainability is a priority in feeding cattle
- Mud isn’t pretty, but cows have been laying in it for hundreds of years.
- Motherhood and how buying food can be stressed
- Tips to overcome food bullying: Buy what you can afford – don’t let labels sway you into buying something more expensive. Food at the grocery is safe – don’t feel bad if you’re buying a generic brand without a fancy label. If you care enough that you’re stressing out about what to feed your family – you’re a good mom – just buy the food you want.
Fabulous quotes
“Animals stand in mud in the spring because rain happens and cattle like to hang out together. Mud on the farm and ranch is reality, even if it’s not pretty.”
“The way we raise food today is very much based on scientific practices. It is very refined and there is a lot of science involved.”
“Science is not an emotional guessing game – it’s fact-based.”
“Kids are licking boogers and eating dirt – they’re fine. Don’t worry so much about the food you’re buying – you’re a good mom.”
Links
- Blog: buzzardsbeat.com
- Instagram: @brandibuzzard
- Facebook: Buzzard’s Beat
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page
If you are feeling unsettled, stressed, or have jangled nerves as we all weather changes due to COVID-19, there is a good reason. In this special edition of the podcast, Michele and Eliz discuss why your brain likes a predictable environment and how uncertainty creates stress. Eliz shares her research on stress and some tips to decrease the impact of these unsettling times. As always, there’s a bit of humor, some real talk about food insecurity, bullying, and even Michele’s stress brought on by a drunk driver destroying her cattle fence. Key points: * Why your brain likes predictability * How you can make uncertainty feel more predictable * WASH YOUR HANDS * How to disconnect from the stress of things you can’t control * Why your emotional reactions are natural * WASH YOUR HANDS * Why we have enough food * Why staying at home is important * Seriously, WASH YOUR HANDS
COVID-19 Resources Alton Brown on how to wash your hands for the World Health Organization (WHO) #SafeHands challenge A COVID-19 coronavirus update from concerned physicians Why outbreaks like coronavirus spread exponentially A call to clear misinformation in the era of COVID-19 Mental Health Considerations during COVID-19 Outbreak Eliz's blog with COVID-19 resources Eliz’s New Book: stressproofbook.com
Did you know that nutrition programs are the majority of the farm bill? It’s one of the many ways agriculture and nutrition go hand-in-hand. That’s why the Food Bullying podcast is celebrating National Nutrition Month and National Agriculture Month with a joint release with the Sound Bites podcast.
Melissa Joy Dobbins, a Registered Dietitian Nutrition (RDN), is the host of the Sound Bites podcast and she’s known as the Guilt-free RD. She loves learning from farmers! She talks with Michele & Eliz about opportunities for agriculture and nutrition to work more closely together to address hunger. Be sure to check out the Sound Bites episode on food waste at https://soundbitesrd.com/bonus-food-waste for more conversation about farmers and dietitians working together.
Key points
- Melissa’s background with food insecurity and food stamps.
- How nutrition programs such as SNAP are the majority of the “Farm Bill”.
- Hungry children and how food insecurity impacts their development, education and social interactions.
- The disparities of food insecurity.
- Food desserts and how those in food insecurity eat less produce due to food bullying.
- Messaging about fresh produce, chemicals, the dirty dozen list, canned & frozen foods, and mom guilt.
- Technology used in farming today and how it helps provide more food for more people.
- How regulation and legislation is increasing the cost of food from farm to consumer level.
- Work dietitians do to help educate people and get nutritious food to those in food
- How dietitians work with Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program to get nutrient dense food to young families in need and connect the dots.
- Learning to write a new story for yourself to overcome elitism, misinformation, and self-bullying around food selections.
- It’s the job of dietitians and agriculture to overcome misinformation
- How dietitians and farmers can work together to help with food insecurity.
- The common interests and hot buttons of dietitians and agriculture: collaboration can help address more problems in food insecurity.
Fabulous quotes
“My mom went without sometimes to be sure we had enough. She really stretched the food all week long.”
“Everyone needs enough nutrition to be healthy.”
“In today’s society, we expect perfection in food. That’s not always reality.”
“Healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive.”
“The nutrients of canned, frozen, and dried fruits and vegetables provide the same nutrition as fresh produce.”
“Dietitians are more like coaches than referees.”
“Both farmers and dietitians are in the business to help people – that’s a core value for both.”
Links
- Instagram & Twitter: @melissajoyrd
- Sound Bites podcast on Food Waste
- How Coronavirus is a food security issue for low income senior citizens
- Sound Bites on Apple podcasts
- Previous episodes on food insecurity:
- Can the way you buy food reduce hunger?
- How can you best help the hungry & food insecure?
- How does food bullying cost hungry people?
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page
Wine. Tomatoes. Green beans. Tofu. What may sound like a menu is actually what this Maryland farmer grows. Jennie Schmidt shares why her farm transitioned from organic to conventional to be more sustainable, how she produces such a wide variety of crops, and what food bullying terms like factory farming mean to her family farm.
Jennie is a dietitian turned farmer, so she’s a great #featuredfarmer during National Nutrition Month & National Agriculture Month. She grows corn for chickens, soybeans for tofu and oleic oil, grapes for wine, tomatoes for a canning company, green beans for the fresh market and other crops on their farm in Maryland. Jennie gives great insight on why she uses chemicals on all of her products, the positive environmental impact she works toward, and how some of the products can be a pain in the butt to grow and even smell really bad. Listen in to go inside a 'grocery store' farm.
Key points
- Wine, grapes, and chemicals. The technology and intensive hand labor involved in a vineyard.
- How weeds are a pest in a farm field and what farmers do about them.
- The transition away from organic farming to conventional - and why .
- How weeds take moisture and nutrients from crops.
- How farmers protect topsoil, the value of tillage, and farming in the unique Chesapeake Bay environment.
- The trade-off of diesel fuel, man hours and equipment versus the use of herbicides.
- Why tillage is used in some areas, but not in others. There’s no singular right way to farm.
- How 3.5 million pounds of tomatoes are harvested and why they can stink
- Tips to overcome food bullying: don’t be afraid of your food
- Family farms, factory farms, and misperceptions.
Fabulous quotes
“Chemicals naturally occur in all foods. And you and me “
“Where foods grows, bugs go.”
“When you plow your field, you’re burying the organic matter you’ve built up from the previous year.”
“There are different types of farming practices that work for different parts of the country that work for different crops.”
“There’s no cookie cutter system – no one system works perfectly across all growing regions.”
Links
- Twitter @farmgirlJen
- Facebook: The Foodie Farmer
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page
“I shouldn’t eat this...I’m too fat to have this cupcake...I’m not a good parent because I bought this snack.” When was the last time you judged or criticized yourself about food? National Nutrition Month is a great time to change the restrictive mentality we have around food and today’s guest will help you spend less energy worrying about food.
Cara Harbstreet is a Registered Dietitian Nutrition (RDN), focused on eating without restriction or fear. She’s authored an intuitive eating workbook to help people find food freedom and celebrate eating agin. ara believes health at every size is pursuing healthful behaviors that can help us. Stop bullying yourself about food and buying into the chaotic eating space. If all else fails, celebrate with chocolate and smile!
Key points
- Food shame: why we bully ourselves
- Food freedom: how do you relate to food and believe what your believe? It’s a very fluid and ongoing process.
- Health at every size: moving away from calories in and calories out, putting more of an individual emphasis on other factors.
- Food bullying offers a persona to restrictive mentality, which can lead to eating disorders.
- How you’re drawn in by “bright and shiny” objects of food labels
- Standards: put some blinders on and identify your own priorities, which can be determined by budged, time, and other preferences.
- The stress of trying to feed ourselves and making nutrition decisions, from calorie counting, macros, etc.
- Being more compassionate towards yourself; adapt and evolve your plans to what happens in the moment to be more flexible in getting through the day.
- The multi-billion business of dieting and supplements.
- Pendulum effect of restrictive eating and the associated cycle. Find a place you can sustain new found satisfaction around food.
- How restricting your food can lead to overeating.
- Identifying B.S. label claims such as super foods, detox foods, transparent food.
- The importance of transparent conversations with farmers and farmers to help people feel more comfortable with food production
- Tips to overcome food bullying: Take a step back to check-in with yourself, stay curious and skeptical, and grow your network.
Fabulous quotes
“Shame is the most powerful master emotion. It’s the fear that we’re not good enough.” says Brene Brown. Food should never be about shame."
“Don’t let one negative experience about food define your story.”
“Health at every size means we’re pursuing the helpful behaviors."
"If we feel that our food choices don’t uphold this ideal standard of how we “should” be eating, there is a harsh cycle of criticism and judgment, often from ourselves.”
“Get more in tune of what’s going to look best for you in the long run.”
“Eating is such a fun thing, but food can be incredibly stressful instead of celebration and connecting with other people. It can be contentious.”
“We really don’t have to be so uptight and need to loosen up about food.”
“Food is deeply, deeply personal.”
Links
- Instagram, Twitter, Facebook: @streetsmartrd
- Website: www.streetsmartnutrition.com
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook page
Are dairy farmers crazy? Maybe, but it’s because they always put their cows first. It’s National Agriculture Month and we are bringing you a featured farmer (#featuredfarmer) each week. Derrick Josi, an Oregon dairy farmer and founder of TDF Honest Farming, encourages farmers to bridge the gap with consumers – and understand the divide goes both ways.
He talks about his little brown cows, while Michele jokingly accuses him of being a cow racist, and they discuss beautiful udders while Eliz cringes. Derrick shares the mental health impact of bullying by activists, how he actually cares for cows, and the work that goes into producing healthy milk.
Key points
- Putting animal welfare and farming documentaries in context by understanding the "why" of farming practices.
- Generational disconnect between consumers and farmers – the gap works both ways.
- Differences in breeds of dairy cattle and personal preferences.
- Why do dairy farmers share pictures of cow’s udders?
- Why Derrick talks to his cows about hot topics and lets them kiss the camera.
- Impacts of food bullying on farmers and the extreme messages sent by anti-dairy activists. It can cause mental issues in farming.
- Cows should be in barns – and why.
- Staying grounded in spite of online commentary; stop focusing on the minority of people who are not nice and pay attention to the 99% who are nice.
- How Derrick handles several hundred private messages/day and personally responds.
- Tips to overcoming food bullying: nobody’s business what you are eating, food is extremely safe, and eat what you enjoy – don’t let anyone take away the foods you enjoy.
Fabulous quotes
“Some people think I’m crazy when I’m out there lecturing my cows.”
“These animals do not fear me, they trust me, and they are definitely not abused.”
“Food bullying is when someone tries to force their lifestyle on others. I see it happening more and more online.”
“These people (activists) roam the internet in a herd. It is mentally exhausting and you have to step away to take a break.”
“I wish people understood how much time it takes out of my day to do what I do online.”
“I wish they understood the cow comes first. The cattle are our livelihood. Everything evolves around taking care of the cows 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. I am always on call.”
“You kind of have to be crazy to be a dairy farmer.”
Links
- Twitter: @DerrickJosi
- Instagram, Facebook, YouTube: @TDF Honest Farming
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Pssst…have you liked the podcast’s page on Facebook?
Did you know that only 8% of males wash their hands after using the restroom? And those hands may have picked up that apple you just purchased? Hygiene is important – both on your hands and in your kitchen. More important than concerns around chemicals and pesticides when it comes to food safety.
Jennie Hodgen has her doctorate in food science and works as a meat scientist. She's a mom of four who loves to talk about bacteria, meat cuts, cleaning produce, and keeping your food safe. “The food you’re getting has gone through quite a bit of rigor from a food safety standpoint.” She helps us remember that food safety done well is invisible in the latest episode of the Food Bullying podcast.
Key points
- Cross-contamination of food and germs on hands and why it's more important than concerns around pesticides and chemicals.
- Bacteria, viruses and your food.
- How to wash your produce – and your hands.
- Remember to clean or throw out your scrubber to avoid the transfer of bacteria from one fruit/vegetable to another.
- USDA’s recommendation on food safety: clean, separate, cook it properly, refrigerate.
- Knives and cutting boards used for cutting meat need to be washed before using them again.
- Why does meat have bacteria? Is it good or bad? Are some cuts more exposed?
- Use your meat thermometer – not your hands and sanitize.
- Keep in mind that meat will continue to cook once it is off the heat.
- Chemicals and pesticides are not a food safety concern.
- The B.S. of labels such as farm-raised, natural, super food, and whole.
- Tips to avoid food bullying: eat what you like, always ponder, don’t play the adjective game.
Fab quotes
“Bacteria and viruses are everywhere in the environment.”
“Some food is “closer to nature” and need a little extra scrub, such as pick-your-own.”
“Understand that bacteria is naturally found on meat – and why we cook it. As long as you are using a meat thermometer, you don’t need need to worry about your cooked meat.”
“It is important to use a meat thermometer.”
“Food safety done well is invisible.”
“If you consider the billions of pounds of foods we produce in the U.S., you should feel good about the number of recalls. There is tons of testing going on.”
“You don’t have to play the adjective game. Just because it has more adjectives on the label than anything else, doesn’t mean it’s healthier.”
Links
- Twitter: @hodgenstein
- Instagram: @jhodgen @beefpros
- Have you liked the new Food Bullying Podcast Page on Facebook?
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
Are you leaving foods out of your diet? You can run the risk of creating health issues if you are leaving out a food group, such as carbohydrates. "Our bodies need a variety of nutrients, which are obtained from variety of foods in our diet" points out Neva Cochran, a registered dietitian nutritionist.
When you eliminate most of the foods in your diet, you are not going to be adequately nourished and may not have enough calories. That’s when your body starts breaking down muscle, producing ketones, or other consequences.
Today's Food Bullying podcast guest advises us to not label foods good or bad, just try to eat all foods in moderation, prepared in ways that don’t add a lot of extra calories.
Key points
- Cranberries, sustainability, and fruit floating at harvest.
- Excluding entire food groups leads to people missing out on nutrients
- Gaining weight back in the yo-yo syndrome and avoiding the quick fix of dieting.
- Dietary guidelines released every five years, recommended by experts.
- My Plate is great way to eat a balanced diet with appropriate portion sizes.
- How to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- Fear-based food marketing and uncontrolled label claims.
- It can be more efficient in food miles to get foods from far away rather than solely focus on local.
- Many times it’s not what we’re eating, but more about what we are not, such as produce.
- Why frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh, and often less expensive. They are always in season.
- Should we be concerned about preservatives or are they a distractor to healthy eating?
- People are looking for simple solutions to complex problems.
- Food shaming in the grocery store.
- How to overcome food bullying: don’t believe everything you hear from your friends or online, turn food package over to look at Nutrition Facts Panel, talk to a Registered Dietitian Nutrition if you have a specific health issue related to food and nutrition.
Fab quotes
“Physical activity is key to taking off and maintaining weight.”
“The combination of eating a balanced diet and physical exercise is critical.”
“People are very attracted to quick weight loss, like cutting out entire food groups, such as carbohydrates. It just doesn’t work and isn’t healthy.”
“The fact is that you cannot tell a food grown with biotechnology in agriculture from one that isn’t. There is no nutritional difference.”
“Our body is very efficient at cleansing out toxins, so people don’t need to worry about cleansing because our bodies do that naturally.”
“90% of the people in the U.S. do not eat enough fruits or vegetables.”
“People get concerned about minutia when they should be focused on eating more fruits and vegetables and whole grains, as well as lean meats, low fat dairy and healthy fats.”
Links
- Neva's website: www.NevaCochranRD.com
- Twitter & Instagram: @nevardld
- Neva's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/NevaRDLD/
- Produce for Health Foundation https://fruitsandveggies.org
- Have you liked the new Food Bullying Podcast Page on Facebook!
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
Artificial insemination. Vegetarian choices. The Oscars. STDs. Greenhouse gas emissions. Baby calves. Nursing. Starbucks. Nutrient density of food. Personal choices.
If those topics don’t add up to a civil conversation in your mind, listen in for a model on how to have a discussion around food and the environment that's respectful and informative with someone different than you. Yes, you can still laugh together. College student and vegetarian Grace Greene- and Eliz’s daughter – joins the Food Bullying podcast to ask questions Joaquin Phoenix’s comments about dairy cattle and Starbucks new plant-based “strategy”, while sharing her journey as a vegetarian. It’s Michele & Eliz's candid, monthly behind-the-scenes look at how food bullying hurt a variety of people.
Key points
- A vegetarian’s perspective on Joaquin Phoenix’s offensive Oscar remarks
- Farmer suicide rates are double the national average and have jumped 34% in six years. How do brand and celebrity statements about farming practices contribute?
- Farmers connection to the natural world and care for animals
- Artificial insemination is done for a purpose, it’s a medical procedure
- Reproductive physiology in cattle and humans
- Why bulls can hurt cattle, people and biosecurity
- Unhappy cows do not make milk
- Why do dairy farmers “take babies away from their mamas”? Safety and nutrition are critical for both the cow and calf.
- The environmental impact of food choices for both vegetarians and carnivores
- Why Grace became a vegetarian and the connection she was seeking
- Greenhouse gas emissions and how farmers have significantly reduced the environmental impact for one gallon of milk
- The unintentional negative consequences of statements from companies and celebrities on farmers
- Nutrient Density to Climate Impact (NDCI) index and the importance of considering the nutrition in food while looking at environmental impact
Fab quotes
“Humans are the direct beneficiary of reproductive research done in cattle.”
“It’s important to arm ourselves with reliable science to make smart choices.”
“Electricity production accounts for 26% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.”
“If every American eliminated ALL animal protein, it would only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.6%.”
“Across the entire world, 70% of the world’s land can’t be used for anything besides grazing ruminants. There is not an option to grow crops on that land.”
“We all need to be aware of where our food is coming from and how to be environmentally conscientious.”
“The unintended consequences of sensational statements by celebrities and brands turns people away from milk, which hurts dairy farmers. It’s deeply personal and does impact that mental health of farmers.”
Links
- Like the new Food Bullying Podcast Page on Facebook!
- Twitter: @mpaynspeaker @elizgreene
- Starbucks, are you contributing to farmer suicides?
- Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
"Don’t eat what you can’t pronounce... Synthetic chemicals are more dangerous than natural chemicals... Chemicals in food are killing us... There is no safe level of pesticides…"
It’s no wonder we are scared of food with myths like these flying around our plates. Today’s Food Bullying podcast guest not only knows and loves chemicals, she can help you understand why it’s O.K. that your food is filled with them.
Erin, widely known as Food Science Babe, is a chemical engineer and a food scientist. She’s also a mom of a special needs toddler , and was once an organic consumer who believed in the Dirty Dozen list, but now buys conventional food with as few labels claims as possible. Erin found the science didn’t support the marketing claims and now works daily to overcome fear in the science of food. As such, she faces the bullies every day.
Key points
- The difference between a food scientist and a dietitian?
- Should you eat food with ingredients you can’t pronounce?
- How does a chemical engineer end up in food science?
- Working on new food products is so interesting, but many of them don’t ever make it to market. Food scientists can work on new products for six months to a year.
- Chemicals in food and misperceptions around natural chemicals being better than synthetic chemicals.
- There are many regulations around ingredients in food, food scientists and companies aren’t just allowed to put whatever they want – the type and amount are closely regulated.
- Natural, organic, non-GMO and other fear-based marketing labels on food and what they mean to you.
- Organic does have a set of processing standards, but many consumers have misperceptions that organic is healthier and don’t use pesticides, which is false.
- Use safefruitsandveggies.com to better understand if food can hurt you and learn more chemical tolerance and residue.
- How & why Erin decided to not buy organic products. Learning more about arbitrary the non-GMO food and that marketing claims did not translate into healthier or safer foods.
- Three tips: recognize food bullying exists, understand basic science concepts, follow accounts to help you better understand e.g. farmers.
Fab quotes
“Whether you can pronounce an ingredient or not has no bearing on whether it’s safe. If you can’t pronounce it, look it up.”
“We have to remember that literally everything in food is chemicals. A natural banana has hundreds of chemicals in it.”
“’The dose makes the poison’ applies to every single chemical.”
“To fear monger over conventional pesticides and say that organic is better because of that, is not true. Our entire food supply is incredibly safe from a pesticide residue perspective.”
“Many people have the misconception that there is no safe level of pesticide. 99.99% of pesticides we consume are produced by the plants themselves.”
“Company conversations around marketing food are not about healthy or safe, but focuses on who is the target market and how much they’re willing to pay.”
Links
- Facebook Instagram & Twitter: @foodsciencebabe
- safefruitsandveggies.com
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace your Heart
Did you over-indulge during the Super Bowl festivities, Christmas, or the last family holiday? You’re not the only one – holiday heart syndrome and atrial fibrillation (afib) is not uncommon after eating too much. Food can help you proactively manage your health – or it can lead to missed heart beats.
In addition to explaining more about afib, today’s guest talks about figuring out what fuels your body the best and creating your own personal diet. Mellanie True Hills is the CEO and founder of StopAfib.org, a patient advocacy organization to help those living with atrial fibrillation. Their mission is “to rid the world of strokes from afib and to give people living with afib their lives back.”
Key points
- What is atrial fibrillation? What does it feel like?
- Afib lead to stroke, heart failure and other health issues
- Cure to jet lag
- How to avoid afib: it can be related to diet, weight, sleep, etc.
- Exercise safely for the heart
- Holiday heart syndrome: overindulging during super bowl, Christmas, Thanksgiving, etc.
- Quest to find information can bring about food bullying when people don’t agree with recommendations or ideas or their pet diet may be less than ideal
- Nutrition research is a difficult area to study – there are confounders
- Don’t stress out over research that flip flops, food research is going to change
Fab quotes
“The heart needs water in order to function properly.”
“Make sure you’re doing all the healthy kinds of behaviors.”
“Sleep is really crucial for your heart health.”
“Competitive athletes have 5x the risk for afib as the rest of the population”
“Holiday heart syndrome can come as a shock when the heart goes out of order. It’s really crucial to get help.”
“Nutrition research is not necessarily held to the same kind of standard as drug and device.”
“Very often doctors don’t know about nutrition; they’re not really in the position to provide help.”
“Figure out what fuels your body the best and create your own personal diet.”
Links
- Website: https://stopafib.org/
- Facebook Instagram & Twitter: @stopafib
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS
- Embrace your Heart
A basic nutritional building block. Part of your everyday eating. Used for baking, breakfast and bullies. Wait, what? Eggs – or the hens that produce them and the people who care for those hens – have long been the target of animal rights bullies. But rest assured, there is no big nutritional difference in eggs, and science shows that no single hen housing is superior.
In this episode, Dianne McComb, a Canadian egg enthusiast talks about the life of chickens on her farm in Ontario. She shares how there’s a disconnect between farmers and consumers, hens are in every country in the world, and how hens act toward each other. Chickens don't always act pretty, but eggs are a safe, reliable source of protein, regardless of the crazy labels on the egg case or package.
Key points
- An egg is an egg is an egg.
- Ag literacy helps address the disconnect between farmers and consumers
- Eggs as a nutritional building block and key source of protein
- Hens can lay 340 eggs in a year due to genetics that allow them to convert feed more efficiently, with less feed waste and better health for hen.
- Hen housing: North America places hens in cages to get them up off the floor and out of the manure. Eating and drinking space were mandated, birds could be monitored more closely.
- Hens are omnivores and will peck at each other. Cages and enriched colonies allow for hens to be moved away from bully birds, free range does not.
- Free range has created some challenges with health, cost, and animal welfare.
- Cages look cruel to the untrained eye. They are more of a luxury condo.
- Activists have an agenda to get rid of animal agriculture. They have bullied farmers and corporations on issues such as cage-free, without consideration of food affordability.
- Antibiotics are only used on chickens that are sick – it’s neglectful to not treat the hen and the eggs are not allowed in the food supply.
- Egg laying chickens are not given any hormones – it is illegal in both the U.S. and Canada. Hormones in all eggs, just as they are in other foods, naturally. Hormone-free is a marketing term.
- Illness spreads very quickly when hens go outside and interact with wild birds who have diseases.
Fab quotes
“Eggs are a highly consumed, reliable source of protein in human nutrition.
“The science behind that little hen is just amazing.”
“Hens peck each other to death if not monitored. They also like to peck at their feces.”
“Farmers care for their hens in whatever system they use, whether it’s cages, free-ranged, or enriched.”
“We want you confident that the egg is a safe choice for your family’s nutrition.”
"Farmers care.”
"It is illegal to give hormones to chickens in the U.S. and Canada."
Links
-
- @DianneMcComb on Facebook & Twitter
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BSby Michele Payn
- Embrace your Heart
The “health industry” is a business of money, contends Bill Sukala, a Registered Dietitian Nutrition and Clinical Exercise Physiologist in Australia. He has three decades of experience as a consumer health advocate in standing against the latest trends in health and food. Listen in to this episode to help yourself not be swayed by the tide of public opinion and the latest health claim.
Advertising confuses people and creates anxieties around food and health. Bill brings a voice of reason and is concerned that the “gatekeeper of information has been chloroformed.” His B.S. detector raises red flags about bad information, misinformation and quackery in food and health claims.
Key points
- Using “why?” as a fear filter in food and nutrition claims.
- Looking at health and food marketing claims through the lens of science; there’s a lot of misinformation out there.
- Remember we can’t live on one single food alone; messages about how a kind of food is “good” or “bad” is confusing. People are getting too focused on one viewpoint and it’s creating factions.
- Quality of information and the way it is presented is creating food anxiety. Food and exercise shouldn’t be good or bad, but dividing people builds tribes and eliminates middle ground
- Evaluating health claims and where those claims are coming from; advertising manipulates your emotions and therefore, bullies you. People aren’t aware of how much food advertising confuses them and creates food anxieties.
- The business is making money and health is the storefront to draw people in. The diet world has so many factions. Nutrition has become a religion where people don’t care about your facts or evidence.
- The B.S. detector is meant to give people more of a critical eye to protect themselves. It captures a lot of red flags of bad information, misinformation, or quackery and helps people not be so trusting of health marketing claims.
- The difference between science, statistical significance, and clinical significance. Marketing claims are often lifted out of context.
- Tips to overcome food bullying: 1) Ignore the trolls, don’t be swayed by the tide of public opinion 2) Protect yourself from misinformation on social media, evaluate claims critically 3) Don’t get sucked into the cult-ism of nutrition.
Fabulous quotes
“The food and health marketing industry is out-of-control.”
“Superfood is not a real thing – it’s a marketing term.”
“You can have red meat, even if you’re a cardiac patient.”
“Polarization is central to making sales and building followers.”
“The business is money. The storefront is health.”
“Nutrition is becoming a religion.”
“Scientific illiteracy is a massive problem. People can be hoodwinked easily by health claims.”
“Nutrition is a science, but is not all that sexy.”
“If I could give every person just the right of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health" - Hippocrates
Links
- @Bill Sukala
- drbillsukala.com
- The B.S. Detector
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene
Explaining “This is what we do and how we do it” helps a legislator understand agriculture and natural resources, and is easier than swaying public perception. Shelly Boshart Davis knows firsthand, as she’s gone from the farm to the capitol. She wears a variety of titles: State Representative, wife, farmer, mom, and business owner. Shelly runs a trucking company, is active on their farm with her husband and three daughters.
“Misrepresentation that affects farm families through agricultural policy” is what food bullying looks like to Shelly. She shares her experiences as an elected official, building consensus, and what she saw with the #TimberUnity movement in Oregon. “Your voice matters” – especially when combined with others.
Key points
- State and national legislation increases food costs
- Oregon port crisis drove Shelly’s legislative advocacy
- Farming is very diverse in Oregon: over 200 crops grown in the state and 39% of decision makers on farms in Oregon are female
- State vs. national legislation: differences and unintended consequences
- Public perception and constituent involvement
- The value of tours to farms and small businesses
- Reaching across the aisle to build consensus: go where can you mutually agree on an issue.
-
TimberUnity: boots on the ground, firsthand knowledge of natural resources
- The power of people’s voices. What is your united cause?
- Unbalanced power leads to bullying
- Look beyond the messaging, marketing, and label on food
- Tips to overcome food bullying
Fabulous quotes
“There aren’t enough people in legislature with real-life working experience.”
“With ag policy, there are unintentional consequences.”
“Public perception is scary how quickly it can change and be tough to combat.”
“Relationship is key. Prove that you’re trustworthy.”
“Build consensus so that when you talk, so someone wants to listen to you.”
"#TimberUnity was so inspiring when thousands of people came to the capitol saying 'Please listen to us.’"
“The power of people’s voices matter.”
“Be trustworthy, a go-to person, and willing to put yourself out there.”
“It’s our job as parents to pass on good information to children.”
Links
Twitter & Instagram: @boshartdavisag
Facebook: Shelly Boshart Davis
Website: www.shellyboshartdavis.com
Food Bullying with Michele Payn
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
How do you have a meaningful conversation with others in today’s overly emotional food arena? In this podcast episode, dietitian Leia Flure explains the steps to maintaining respectful discussion and making personal choices about what you eat. She suggests more critical thinking is needed in food-based decisions by being analytical about your choices and verifying information.
“What is the motivation behind what I am sharing and what information I am opening myself up to?” A mom to young children and a millennial, Leia shares her personal experiences with other people as she conveys the message to stay open-minded with what you are believing. She suggests you step outside your comfort zone, listen to the other side, know your own standards, and enjoy food!
Key Points
- What do you do when people disagree with you?
- Providing unbiased information and having difficult conversations
- Respectfully countering inaccurate information
- What are we supposed to believe when it comes to food safety; how do we perceive information from a variety of sources?
- Self-preservation and the difficulty of admitting when you are wrong.
- The hypocrisy when it comes to taking risks with food
- How to overcome bias and admit you are wrong
- Stepping outside of your comfort zone
- Risk bias and how the dirty dozen list drives people to avoid produce.
Fabulous Quotes
“It’s just so difficult to have a productive conversation when both sides are not willing to see the other person’s point of view.”
“Sometimes it’s worth staying in the conversation and finding a way to have that conversation that is not questioning a person’s integrity because something different than what you believe, but also knowing when it is okay to just step away.”
“It’s okay to have questions. I think the issue is really seeking out information from reliable sources and not necessarily relying on Dr. Google.”
“The way that we evaluate risk is kind of skewed, and flawed.”
“Do you think our psychology around food is skewed not just because sometimes we can be hypocritical in our choices but because what we want to believe isn't always true?”
“What is the motivation behind even what I am sharing and what information I’m opening myself up to?”
“We like things that are easy.”
“We just don’t like to think about risk and we want to believe that we infallible, but truly we take risks every single by just going outside, and it is very uncomfortable to think about.”
“If I can do this one little thing, I can buy the organic strawberries instead of the regular ones in the grocery store, then I feel better about my choices, but it doesn’t mean that is actually doing anything for me.”
“Of course, as a dietitian, I’d rather people eat more fruits and vegetables instead of be afraid of them and decrease their intake.”
Links
Leia's blog: moderationmaven.com
fruitsandveggies.com
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
Food Bullying with Michele Payn
Why is it so easy to call farmers names despite the great efforts they put in place to ensure we have food? “It hurts so much when someone says that I am an animal abuser because sometimes I work day and night take care of my animals.” German dairy farmer Agnes Greggersen, from the northern part of Germany is the latest guest on the Food Bullying podcast.
Unfortunately, Agnes was cyber bullied by animal rights activists for posting a video of a child drinking a glass of milk. Her experience was horrible, but she chose not to give up on being an agriculture advocate and turned the experience into a lesson, now helping other farmers understand why they need to engage in social media.
Key Points
- Cyber bullying's impact on farmers
- Large scale food bullying
- How to rise above cyber bullying
- Tips on how to overcome food bullying
The Conversation
(00:38): Agriculture advocacy
(03:18): How Agnes got cyber bullied
(09:34): How farmers can deal with cyber attacks
(13:52): Rising above cyber bullying
(19:20): Tips on how to overcome food bullying
Fabulous Quotes
“Consumers shouldn’t be afraid to ask the farmer questions.”
“Inform yourself when you hear stories of food bullying, then maybe look for a way of getting information maybe directly from a farmer.”
“In order to care for animals as a farmer, it has to be a passion.”
“It hurts so much when someone says that I am an animal abuser because sometimes I work day and night take care of my animals.”
“I do my very best to take care of the animals not because it is a job, but it is a passion for me.”
“At the end of the day, we are responsible for telling our story and to every person out there who’s tired of having the wrong story told about how food is grown.”
“I always encourage people to know what their purpose is and social media.”
“If you’re not telling your story, somebody else will.”
Links:
- Agnes on Facebook
- Ferienhof Greggersen
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying B.S. by Michele Payn
- Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene
“Food is such an integral part of our social fabric. It becomes a part of the storytelling process," but our farming memory is being lost across generations, says Dr. Cami Ryan, a Canadian social scientist on the latest Food Bullying podcast. This loss of farming memory has created gaps and barriers between rural and urban. Opportunists fill in the gaps with new information, which isn’t always accurate.
Cami explains how food can be taken on as identity, leaving a person susceptible to bullying. She offers insight on information literacy as a way to keep the trash out your brain and social feeds. “Be careful what you feed your brain and share with other people.” She cautions against littering Facebook or Twitter with bad information.
Key Points
- What is a social scientist?
- How do people see food production and where do all the players connect together?
- How do farmers interact with non-farmers and deal with social constructs?
- The importance of translating the science of agriculture
- Cognitive responses to fear and disgust and what it means to food
- Understanding how food can be taken on as identity and leave you susceptible to bullying
- Do people trust science today?
- Focus on information literacy to keep trash out of your brain
- How to read vet new studies and read information
- Call people out who litter on Facebook, the same as you would if they put trash on the road
- Identifying good and bad information; avoid Twitter litter and Facebook trash
- Biases and how we all have them
- Quick tips to overcome food bullying: don’t take it personally, leverage your network to ask for help, give yourself permission to walk away from a non-productive conversation.
Fabulous Quotes
“The onus is on farmers and scientists to engage and provide accurate information”
“Disgust is really interesting. Humans respond viscerally.”
“The more you are exposed to something, the less you fear it.”
“Food is such an integral part of our social fabric. It becomes a part of the storytelling process.”
“When you take something on as your identity, such as food or social media, it becomes very personal.”
“We, as individuals, have to take responsibility for our brains.”
“Be careful what you feed your brain and share with other people.”
“We have a responsibility to clean up our Facebook feeds and Twitter litter.”
It’s not about whether we have biases or not, it’s our willingness to push back against our biases.”
Links
- @CamiDRyan on Twitter
- www.camiryan.com
- Cami Ryan, PhD FB page
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene
Are you a cherry lover? This is an episode that you cannot afford to miss. Our guest today is a cherry farmer in Leelanau County, Michigan. His family also owns and operates Leelanau Fruit Company, a small cherry processor specializing in Maraschino cherries, ice cream, cherries, and glossy fruit mixes used in holiday fruitcakes.
In today’s episode, Ben LaCross takes us through the process of growing, harvesting, and processing cherries. He tells us about the challenges cherry farmers face in their product. Ben also shares how his daughter was food bullied by a teacher in school.
Key Points:
- How are farmers bullied?
- Food bullying that Ben has seen as a dad
- How to know which cherries are produced in the U.S.
- Why are cherries not grown organically in Michigan?
The Conversation:
(02:39): Ben’s introduction
(04:40): Cherries’ 101 lesson
(10:01): Food bullying that Ben has seen with his children
(19:38): Food bullying from the producer’s side of view
(23:41): How can you identify what cherries are produced in the US?
(26:04): Find out why cherries are not organically grown in Michigan
(30:33): Tips to overcoming food bullying
Fabulous Quotes:
- “Be confident in what you buy, and don’t let other people’s opinions about your food affect how you think about your food.”
- “Try to buy U.S. products as much as you can.”
- “Food isn’t a status symbol.”
- “There’s room for a lot of different products in our in our diets.”
- “When we create anxiety around food because of different arbitrary rules that are put in place by people, especially with younger kids, it makes kids scared about what they eat.”
- “I do want to raise consumers who trust the food system.”
- “We don’t want our kids to be raised with anxiety about food.”
Links:
- Ben’s Twitter
- Ben’s website
- Ben’s Facebook
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene
Our brain has a lot of processes that help us to make decisions and evaluate pieces of evidence for those decisions. Part of our brain is very attuned to just accumulating evidence for the value of something. It integrates all of the different pieces of evidence that we might experience about a particular choice and put it together in terms of terms of overall value, how much we might like it, or want to approach that thing.
“Food marketers are well aware of the kind of differences amongst these technologies in terms of which ones we like and which ones we don't like.” Dr. Tyler Davis, a neuroscience researcher at Texas Tech, helps us understand of the high-risk food technologies that he has researched and shares tips on how we can overcome food bullying by understanding more about the brain.
Key Points:
- Ways food marketers leverage our brain to make emotional purchases
- High-risk technologies and the differences between them
- How to overcome food bullying
The Conversation:
(03:59): Recap of the first season episode with Tyler Davis
(06:39): What does our brain do with conflicting information?
(07:53): High-risk technologies and the differences between them
(09:20): Is animal welfare is a lower risk technology?
(13:30): How our brains are being manipulated through food marketing
(18:59): How food bullying has led to stigma
Fabulous Quotes:
- “Food marketers are well aware of the kind of differences amongst these technologies in terms of which ones we like and which ones we don't like.”
- “We assign social value to some of these constructs like GMO, hormones, and antibiotics.”
- “We need to replace information or relearn something new is absolutely right, according to what we know about the neuroscience of learning.”
Links to Check Out:
- Tyler’s twitter
- Tyler’s email: tyler.h.davis@ttu.edu
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying B.S. by Michele Payn
- Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene
Did you know the way you shop can help reduce hunger in our country? In this episode of the Food Bullying Podcast, Diane Sullivan explains the relationship between shopping and hunger-reduction. Diane is a mother and a grandmother with lived experience and hunger and is currently a SNAP recipient. She is an anti-hunger advocate focused on food affordability working to ensure everyone has access to safe, affordable, nutritious food or regardless of income.
According to this Food Bullying Podcast guest, this time of the year helps us reflect and be grateful for all the blessings we have and those who do not have access to these things like food.
Fear-mongering is one of the reasons why our food costs have gone up. Misleading food labels have swayed the market and have driven up food prices. Diane thinks it’s time we start shopping from our wallets and ignore the misleading labels.
Key Points:
- Food traditions around Thanksgiving
- How we can reduce hunger
- Food bullying and how we can fight it
- What does hunger look like in our country?
The Conversation:
(01:31): Food traditions around thanksgiving
(05:54): How can we reduce hunger in our country?
(12:44): Advice to people living with food insecurity
(13:28): The dirty dozen list
(18:01): Has bullying changed the social justice of food?
(23:52): Tips to avoid food bullying
Fabulous Quotes from the Episode:
“Shop with your wallet and spread the word on why you’re doing that”
“The best of intended policies often have unintended consequences, and those are most often born by those of us with lived experience in, in poverty, hunger, homelessness.”
“Conventional is just as nutritious as organic.”
“We are trained to think that if something is going to cost us more, there must be more value in it.”
Links:
- Diane’s Twitter
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace your Heart: Eliz Greene
One is chirpy in the morning, the other not. One is disgusted by mechanically separated chicken, the other thinks it's smart. Both Michele Payn & Eliz Greene are tired of the stress and lack of compromise around food.
In this behind-the-scenes conversation with the co-hosts of the Food Bullying Podcast, these two authors provide some insight on the relationship that has included hundreds of conversations about nutrition, health, and farming. They've created a few books in the process, but still happily argue about eating choices.
In this birthday episode for Michele, Eliz gifts her ideas to reduce stress. As an expert in the health arena, Eliz has a lot of research to show WHY we're stressed - and offers practical tips for everyone to reduce their cortisol to get stress under control for better health. There may or may not be smack talk about their two Big 10 teams, too.
Michele & Eliz close this candid Food Bullying podcast by reminding everyone that birthdays should be considered a victory, worthy of celebration. The same goes with life and food - let's celebrate it!
What should athletes eat to optimize every aspect of their health? How can nutrition give you a competitive advantage? Why do we attach an emotional value to food? How can you eat more produce? The first guest of season 2 of the Food Bullying podcast can help.
Leslie Bonci is a registered dietitian and a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics. She is the nutrition consultant for the Kansas City Chiefs, Carnegie Mellon University athletics, and the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre – and helps power a wide variety of athletes with smart nutrition. Listen in, and learn how Leslie’s food insight can help you make smart eating choices.
Key Points:
- Who is a sports dietitian?
- How do we find common ground when it comes to food?
- Dealing with the boredom factor
- Is canned or frozen food good?
- Why do we attach emotional values to food?
- Plant-based diet for athletes
- Food waste
- Common food labels
- Tips to overcoming food bullying
The Conversation:
(01:55): Leslie’s introduction
(02:51): Who is a sports dietitian?
(05:55): Finding common ground with food
(07:32): Preventing boredom factor
(10:11): Canned and frozen food
(11:41): Why do we attach emotional value to food?
(15:51): Food wastage
(19:36): How long should we keep food in the freezer?
(20:51): Common food labels
(25:40): Tips to overcoming food bullying
Fabulous Quotes:
- “Take the fright out of your bite.”
- “All of us can manufacture enough guilt in the course of any given day. It certainly doesn’t have to be derived from the foods that we’re eating.”
- “Take advantage of the freezer. That why it’s there.”
- “It is time for all of us to get back to the idea of nourish, not torture.”
- “As long as you’re eating the produce, that’s what matters at the end of the day.”
- “People always say they want variety, but the reality is that most people have a fairly narrow circle of their go-to foods.”
Links:
- USDA
- Leslie’s website
- Leslie’ LinkedIn
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene
There’s a lot of pressure on farmers to do the best that they can to not only protect our environment, but also have a sustainable business. Most of the time, we are not giving farmers space to thrive, but often dictating what they should and shouldn’t do.
Theresia Gillie is a soybean and wheat farmer from Minnesota, a county commissioner, and serves on the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association board and is a past president. She helps listeners understand what it is like to be a farmer, and how food bullying hurts the families growing our food.
Key Points:
- What’s it’s like to be a farmer
- Challenges that farmers face
- Tips on how to overcome food bullying
The Conversation:
(04:12): What is harvesting like for a farmer?
(06:11): The most significant stress faced by farmers
(11:46): How are farmers taking care of the environment?
(14:46): How do farmers select the seed to use?
(17:23): How do farmers feel when we believe and feel like they are not doing the right thing?
(23:35): Tips on how to avoid food bullying
Fabulous Quotes:
“Be grateful that the food in the grocery store doesn’t cost you half of your living.”
“What you’re getting in your grocery store is safe.”
“Trust your growers because we’re really good at what we do.”
“Variety is really the best and safest way to have to healthy eating.”
Links:
- Theresia’s Facebook
- Theresia on Twitter
- Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
Hunger is not limited to zip codes or seasons. Food insecurity is a challenge in nearly every country in the world. Every day a family is trying to survive little or no food. According to Food Bullying podcast guest Jennifer Erickson, hunger is not seasonal. We find that food banks receive a lot of donations during the holiday seasons, and in seasons when they need the donations most like summer, very little come in. Jennifer encourages us to try more donations in the summertime.
Jennifer Erickson is a graduate of the University of Georgia in animal science and has worked in the meat and poultry, poultry industry for 16 years, specifically in food safety. For the past four years, Jennifer’s been able to use her knowledge and skills to make a difference in the state of Idaho with the Idaho food bank, where she oversees the food safety programs for all three warehouse distribution centers. She’s a long-time foodie feeding people has always been a passion for her.
Key Points:
- The difficult social problem called hunger
- Food bullying at food banks
- What should we be donating more often, and what should we stop donating?
- Food safety at the Idaho food bank
- How can kids get the food they need?
- How food bullying has affected people coming into the food bank
- Tips on how to stretch the food dollar
The Conversation:
(00:15): What does hunger look like in different parts of the world?
(02:19): Jennifer’s introduction
(03:10): What does food bullying look like at the food banks?
(03:50): Does food bullying prevent people from asking for help?
(06:25): What should we donate more? What do food banks need?
(08:13): Food safety at food banks
(10:05): Product dating
(12:26): When should we make donations?
(18:31): Feeding kids
(19:51): How food bullying has negatively affected people coming into the food banks
(23:05): Stretching the dollar
(23:28): Tips on how to overcome food bullying
Fabulous Quotes:
- “Focus on feeding your family the right way for you and do not listen to all of the pressures of what people are saying about food.”
- “I always buy what I can afford, buy the best that I can afford, and taking into consideration how I’m stretching that dollar that I’m spending and then everything in moderation.”
- “Hunger is not seasonal.”
- “Product dating is not and has never been intended as an implication for food safety.”
- “Food banks nationwide can always use protein items.”
- “We don’t need to pressure anyone with that kind of messaging behind the food that is in its basic form a healthy and wholesome product.”
- “Marketing labels can create a lot of doubt.”
Links:
- Feeding America
- Jennifer’s Email: JErickson@idahofoodbank.org
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
- Embrace your Heart with Eliz Greene
In this episode, Michele and Eliz talk with retail dietitian Leah McGrath about developing a healthy relationship with food, whether we are in the supermarket or posting on Instagram.
Key points:
- Figuring out what nutritional information you should listen to--and which information you should ignore
- Is the “Dirty Dozen” really as dirty as we think it is?
- Does organic always mean “pesticide-free”?
- Why you should have a personal standard when it comes to your food
- Why you shouldn’t focus on the front of the food package
- How are manufacturers trying to make food labels more reader-friendly?
The Conversation:
[2:44] What the heck is a retail dietitian?
[5:25] What confusion do you see with people have around buying the right food?
[7:00] How do you decide with all of the confusing health information out there?
[9:00] The “Dirty Dozen” Food list
[15:11] Food bullying and social media
[19:00] Having your own personal standard with food
[22:34] How should you read a food label?
[27:40] 3 quick tips for a healthier relationship with food
Fabulous Guest Quotes
“I can see the relief across people’s face when you say ‘It’s OK to buy food based on price and how it looks..”
“Consumers are just overwhelmed with the volume of information…”
“People become very judgmental about what mothers are feeding their children…”
“...your best bet is to ignore everything on the front of the package because it’s like make-up on a pig.”
Links to Check Out
Leah McGrath on Facebook
Leah McGrath on Twitter
Build up Dietitians on Facebook
Build up Dietitians on Twitter
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS
In the ongoing debate about food, it can be easy to forget that many people are waking up (or going to bed) without a meal.
That’s the message Diane Sullivan, anti-hunger advocate has in this episode of Food Bullying podcast. She wants to help others connect the dots between their own food shopping decisions and poverty. This connection will help us become smarter consumers, and gives each of us a vote on the way to a hunger-free world.
Key points:
- The hunger problem: how big is it in America?
- The SNAP program: who it helps and its critics?
- Diane’s personal story: why she became an anti-hunger advocate
- Giving a voice to the voice to the voiceless in food policy
- How any consumer can make a difference by shopping with their wallet
The Conversation:
[2:44] What is SNAP?
[4:03] How does food bullying impact SNAP?
[7:00] The consequences of food bullying on the poor
[10:37] How can we improve our response to the food needs of the poor?
[13:34] Diana’s story of feeding her family
[16:44] How can we give a greater voice to SNAP recipients?
[24:26] Why shopping for label and status impact the poor
Fabulous Guest Quotes
“40 million Americans are now struggling to eat.”
“We have bullying and food shaming around people who don’t shop for organic.”
“Low income people are often subject to policies that we don’t necessarily have a say [in]...”
“Poverty is trauma and it’s exacerbated by bad policy.”
“I am one story but there are tens of millions of people out there like me.”
“The more we are educated, the less we are fooled."
“Hunger is not a Democrat or Republican issue. It’s not an urban or rural issue.”
“It [Hunger] exists in every single county in the country.”
Links to Check Out
SNAP
Diane Sullivan on Twitter
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying B.S. by Michele Payn
It’s very easy for us to ignore the fact that the brain controls a high percentage of how we view food. Our guest today is here to help us understand the neuroscience perspective on brain and food. Dr. Tyler Davis is an associate professor of psychological sciences at Texas Tech University, where he directs the Cap Rock Lab. The Cap Rock lab is something that uses functional in neuro imaging to study cognitive neuroscience in categories, categorization, attitudes, and preference.
Isn’t it amazing how our brains make decisions without asking for our permission? For instance, your brain can dislike a certain food without asking for your consent, based on things you have heard or seen.
Key points:
- How our brain works when it comes to food
- Neuroscience perspective on how brain processes information related to food
- Brain reaction to GMOs and hormones, sustainability and antibiotics
- How to overcome food bullying
The conversation:
02:44: Tyler Davis’ introduction
03:28: How our brain works
04:21: What part of our brain is used in processing uncertainty?
06:05: Neuro economic approach
13:30: All about GMOs and hormones
28:33: Tips to overcome food bullying
Fabulous Quotes
“Make sure that you're not paying for a label unless you really want to.”
“Don't think that something is risky just because you don't know enough about it or because you've heard a lot of conflicting information.”
“Uncertainty feeds into our perceptions of risk and makes us see the food products potentially as riskier than they actually are.”
“Prefrontal cortex is where we make a lot of our decisions.”
Links to Check Out:
- Tyler on twitter
- Tyler’s email: h.davis@ttu.edu
- Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
Breaking out of the fear cycle in making food choices can be difficult.
That’s why we turned to clinical dietitian, Danielle Penick, RDN, in this episode. Danielle has been through her own journey from an insecure food shopper that was easily bullied to becoming a comfortably cool food buyer who became a dietitian helping cancer patients. She also gives tips on how to engage in respectful food conversations, rather than food fights.
In our conversation, we cover:
- What training does a dietitian (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist) have?
- Is a dietitian and nutritionist the same thing?
- Supplements, cleanses, and detoxes: Yay or nay?
- The locavore dilemma
- Busting food myths and a framework for providing food tips
The Conversation:
[5:04] What does a dietitian do?
[6:40] What does it take to be a dietitian?
[9:20] Is a dietitian and nutritionist the same thing?
[10:31] What are your thoughts about “experts” who call them “nutritionists”?
[13:17] What about cleanses and detoxes?
[14:49] What foods are toxic to our health?
[16:40] What personal standards do you have about food?
[17:37] The “local food” dilemma
[21:20] What helped you in your own personal journey with food?
[29:28] Busting food myths
[30:27] 3 quick tips to stop food bullying
Fabulous Guest Quotes
“...we do live in one of the safest times in human history in terms of food and agriculture.”
“For some people, I know I couldn’t change their mind, but I can at least plant the seed.”
“Very rarely do I see a dietetic internship having much emphasis on agriculture.”
“Any dietitian call themselves a nutritionist, but the opposite is not true.”
“Most supplements that are out there are just good marketing. They’re not well regulated.”
“Everything in life is toxic at the right dose.”
“...we know that eating more produce is better than not, regardless of the production method.”
Links to Check Out
Survivor’s Table website
Survivor’s Table on Facebook
Danielle Penick on Twitter
Email Danielle
Build Up Dietitians on Facebook
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
In this episode, we approach farming from a different perspective and take a look at the impact of food bullying on mental health. Lesley Kelly, a farmer and mental health advocate, shines some insight into the pressures, decisions, and the unique calling of the farming lifestyle. She also discusses the rewarding, but difficult, role mothers have in trying to choose the right food for their children
In our conversation we cover:
- The sad story of farmer’s mental health
- Why farming is more than an occupation
- How our words & purchases affect farmer
- What’s up with canola?
- The GMO question: from a farmer’s perspective
- What’s up with bleached flour
- Feeding our children the best we can
The Conversation:
[3:36] Do More Agriculture Foundation
[4:05] Farmers & mental health
[9:30] Farming & personal identity
[11:05] What is the impact of people criticizing the farming profession?
[13:24] The impact of your buying decisions on farmer
[13:56] Canola
[18:11] GMOs-Yay or Nay?
[23:30] Bleached flour
Fabulous Guest Quotes
“I really don’t see borders being defined when it comes to mental health and agriculture.”
"There is immense pressure to make your farm work.”
“Agriculture hasn’t really been encouraged to talk about mental health.”
“There’s something to be said about being a farmer. It’s such a rewarding career.”
“We can grow more crops now...more than we did 20 years or 10 years ago”
Links to Check Out
Do More Agriculture Foundation website
Do More Agriculture on Facebook
Do More Agriculture on Twitter
High Heels & Canola Fields website
High Heels & Canola Fields on Facebook
High Heels & Canola Fields on Twitter
Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
Mom and fitness instructor Ellen Frost explains how food myths make the grocery store confusing, the pressures of mom guilt & food shaming and how kids are bullied about food. Ellen joins Michele and Eliz to continue with the conversation about food bullying, bringing a “normal person” perspective about food. Ellen Frost is a stay-at-home mom of four and recently started teaching fitness classes at a small local gym. She is also an avid volunteer for school activities with her children. Ellen questions some food myths that people dearly hold to, yet they have no facts attached to them. For instance, who says the organic cage free eggs are truly better than the Kroger brand?
Key points:
- Common food myths
- Why do people buy brands?
- How kids are bullied about food at lunch
- Pressures of mom guilt and food shaming
The conversation:
(00:42): Ellen’s introduction
(01:20): Facts on agriculture
(03:31): Conflicting facts between the food truths and the myths
(05:33): Are organic cage free eggs better than the Kroger brand?
(08:30): Food bullying among teenagers
(09:46): How people buy fancy labels thinking they are the best
(10:38): Marketer’s tricks
(12:32): Are whole food products better than the rest?
(16:58): Consult a registered dietitian for nutritional advice
(17:30): Have you watched any documentary on food production?
(22:18): Why do we love conflating opinion with fact on a regular basis and instead of questioning the source of the information?
(24:26): We should always consult farmers before making conclusions on food
Fabulous Quotes
- “Food should be about celebration, not condemnation.”
- “Consult a farmer who knows how your food is produced before you just assume cage free eggs are better.”
- “If you actually want nutrition advice, you should talk to a registered dietitian.”
- “Just because it doesn't have the fancy labels and names doesn't mean that a certain food isn't good.”
What food safety should you practice at home? In this episode of Food Bullying, we talk to a meat scientist, Jennie Hodgen. She spills the beans all about meat science and enlightens listeners about some scientific issues that people have some wrong perceptions on. Jennie is a mom, scientist, cattle raiser, and lifelong learner.
When did you last grill some meat at home? Did you use a meat thermometer to tell if it is ready? It’s key to keeping your family safe. Have you heard of the myth that says that grass-fed cattle produce better meat than corn feed cattle? There might be slight nutritional differences, but one is not better than the other.
What about GMOs? How many times have you condemned GMO food? Do you have your facts right?
Are you worried about the food you buy from the grocery stores? Worry no more. Food in the United States is safe. The test protocols it goes through assure you of its safety. What should be of concern to you is how you handle the food at home.
The Conversation:
00:49 What food safety do you practice at home?
05:33 Are grass fed cattle healthier than corn fed is?
10:23 Did you know that areas with cattle farming have dropped their greenhouse gas emissions by 11% since 1961?
15:19 Everything you should know about GMO food
24:35 Keep away from adjectives. They are just on the packaging.
Fabulous quotes:
“Don’t pay for adjectives on food packages.”
“Stay away from the adjectives or at least don’t let yourself be swayed by the adjectives that are on the package.”
“GMO is bred so that you can use less pesticide.”
Links:
Connect with Jennie
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
If you’re a person who always wanted to know more about the behind-the-scenes work that happens at the farms that produce your food, this episode will open your eyes.
In our conversation, we cover:
- What does “a sustainable farm” look like?
- Why Ryan decided to farm organically
- The potential and pitfalls of a farm going organic
- The “behind the scenes” work and knowledge that goes into running a farm
- Organic vs. Conventional vs. GMO farming and why all choices are right
- Food bullying in agriculture
- Food label fibs e.g. popcorn is not a GMO
The Conversation:
[3:19] What do you grow on your farm?
[4:52] What is a transitional crop?
[7:32] Why did you decide to go to organic?
[12:32] Is organic the only way to go?
[13:37] Are GMO’s wrong?
[16:25] All the technology and science that goes into running a farm
[19:32] Dealing with criticism as an organic farmer
[25:00] 3 quick tips for overcoming bullying
Fabulous Guest Quotes
“The hardest thing about organic is insurance...”
“I think the industry has made a mistake in using GMOs as the “easy” button.”
“Organic takes a lot of labor, a lot of work, and a lot of time...”
“One thing the American farmer is really good at is taking a market…”
Links to Check Out
Weeks Family Farms website
Weeks Family Farm on Facebook
Weeks Family Farm on Instagram
Weeks Family Farm on Twitter
Sustainable Seed Solutions website
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
Today on the Food Bullying podcast, Michele & Eliz talk about an interesting topic that many people have different views on, weight loss. Lisa Baker-King shares her health and wellness journey.
She has worked at the intersection of sales, marketing and operations for over 25 years. She's a self-described rule-breaker. Lisa began a fitness journey in 2015 after the publication of her children's book "The Zealous Zebecs from the Midnight Ocean's Zenith." Seeing herself living large on the national TV screen was the kick in the butt she needed to transform her life from inside out and she did. Lisa tells us all about her weight loss journey, how she experienced food bullying, and shares some pointers.
Our bodies are different and you don’t have to follow a particular weight loss journey just because it works for someone else. It’s important to go with what works for you and your body.
Key points:
- Lessons from a health & wellness journey
- Popular myths people that people believe in weight loss & fitness
- How a tribe can change as a person changes
The conversation:
02:38: Lisa’s introduction
04:15: Lisa’s turning point
05:52: The health scare
08:40: The Facebook troll
13:21: Making the hard decisions
22:59: Lisa’s view on GMOs
Fabulous quotes:
- “Don't let the stress about having the right food ruin your health.”
- “Don't assign an emotional value to the scale or to the food that you're eating.”
- “Our bodies are all different. We're not cookie cutter versions of the same exact person.”
- “Sometimes subtle pushback you get when you make a decision to transform. “
- “Don’t go for labels, unless they are on sale.”
Links to Check Out:
Lisa’s email: lisa@yourghostmarketer.com
Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying BS by Michele Payn
Two moms with unique insight on food and health. Michele Payn & Eliz Greene are both authors and professional speakers, but come from very different backgrounds - and like to debate. Tune in to the final episode of Food Bullying podcast season one for a candid conversation about their work in health, agriculture, and nutrition.
Michele Payn Known as one of the leading voices in connecting farm and food, Michele helps you simplify safe food choices while understanding food bullying. An international award winning author, she brings common sense to the overly emotional food conversation and gets perspective from the cows in her front yard. Michele is a mom who is tired of the guilt trips around food, so she wrote Food Bullying: How to Avoiding Buying B.S. She’s also a kick boxing professional speaker who has helped thousands of people understand the real story behind food. Michele’s work has appeared in USA Today, Food Insight, CNN, Food & NutritionMagazine, NPR and many other media outlets. Armed with science, compelling stories, and a lifetime on the farm, Michele will upend the way you think about food. She is also the author of No More Food Fights! and Food Truths from Farm to Table, an IPPY award winner in health, medicine and nutrition.
Eliz Greene Surviving a heart attack at age 35 while seven months pregnant with twins propelled Eliz Greene on a mission to share her story to inspire other busy people to pay attention to their health. As a professional speaker, she shares down-to-earth strategies on wellness, leadership, and stress management. Recognizing stress as an essential and often under-addressed risk factor, Eliz conducted a research study on job stress and is writing *Stress-Proof Your Life*. She was named as a Top Online Influencer on Stress and Heart Health. She’s been seen on CNN, PBS, Lifetime, TNT, and many national and local news programs. A national spokesperson and advocate for the American Heart Association, Eliz received the Heart Hero Award in 2010. More recently, she has partnered on the Take Cholesterol To Heart campaign. Eliz writes a Top Health and Wellness Blog and has also authored *Stress-Proof Your Heart* and *Busy Women's Guide to a Healthy Heart.*
Links
Eliz's website: https://embraceyourheart.com/
Michele's website: https://causematters.com