Food – Gabriela Clavo Y Canela

May 23, 2024

Latest Survey Shows Soaring Food Prices Have Influenced Consumer Dining Behavior

Skyrocketing food prices over the past few years, have influenced consumer behavior, as revealed by
a poll conducted by Givex last April, involving 1,000 American respondents. Mo Chaar, the Chief Commercial Officer of the Canada-based analytics company, remarked that the results indicated that the prevailing economic challenges have understandably changed the American people’s dining-out behavior.

The changes noted based on the results of the survey, nearly half (47%) of the respondents said that in the past year, they went out to eat at restaurants less frequently than they did in the previous year. Forty-five percent (45%) said they have also cut back on ordering food delivery.

Majority (78%) of the Americans who responded to the survey said that menu prices have been significantly higher than they were last year. As dining out has become increasingly more challenging, about 60% of the poll respondents said they are now into cooking meals and dining at home.

Price Sensitivity Increased Consumer Appreciation for Restaurant with Promotional Offers

Mo Chaar also remarked that because of the resulting price-sensitivity among consumers, a large percentage of the Americans who responded say that when deciding to dine out, they seek out restaurants with offers of promotional discounts, deals and loyalty programs. Actually, 86% said that they are overwhelmingly attracted to promotions like Buy 1 Get 1 (BOGO).

Eighty-one (81%) said they are attracted to restaurants that offer coupons and discounts, while 65% are motivated by the incentives offered by those with loyalty programs. Actually, 87% of the total respondents said that they have become a member of at least one loyalty program, citing the loyalty programs offered by grocery chains and supermarkets as the most important affiliation,

Cookies, Food

by Marcia Smith

August 29, 2023

The Superfoods Then and Now and What are They?

The Superfood trend began in the 1980s but didn’t really catch on because fast food offerings were still popular among adults, teens and even children. It was only during the turn of the millennium in the year 2000 when consumers started taking notice of the so-called superfoods. Mainly because two decades of consuming high-calorie fast food had caused several and varying health issues; with obesity as the number one trigger factor.

As more and more people became increasingly health conscious, manufacturers of the super food products were encouraged to produce and add new super foods each year.
In the early years of its introduction, super foods referred to food with immense abilities to improve health through its healing properties as well as ability to lead and sustain weight loss.

A type of fruit or vegetable can be promoted to superfood if it contains high levels of essential health nutrients, usually when associated with disease prevention. In some cases, superfoods are those believed to offer multiple health benefits with high nutritional values.

However, most of the powerful foods and products branded as super foods are not backed by scientific studies upholding their abilities to heal diseases, prevent disorders or even promote weight loss.

General Conditions that Qualify a Food as Present-Day Superfood

The concept of superfoods and related products that make use of superfoods as ingredients, evolved through the years. Today the superfood classification also recognize the following conditions as criteria:
Plants that grow abundantly like weeds but have found use as nutritious ingredient of plant-based vegan products. They are considered superfoods because they helped grow the vegan movement, which has been helpful in reducing the impact of meat consumption on the environment.

Food items that support the zero-waste movement have become popular in restaurants. Menus are using chicken stocks and broths made from chicken bones. Some restaurants are pan-frying cauliflower leaves to make tasty chips as appetizers, while others are making tasty pesto-like salad garnishing made from carrot leaves.
Today, superfoods are those capable of providing nutrients from leaf-to-roots or from nose-to-tail to avoid food wastes.

Food

by Marcia Smith

April 1, 2022

Plant-Based Food and Cultured Meat : Industry Trends Expected to Grow in 2022

Statistics show that over half of consumers in the U.S prefer to eat plant-based foods, while there’s also a growing interest in consuming cultured meat. Actually, the numbers are expected to keep increasing this year as more consumers are looking for ways to keep medical costs at bay.

Culture-based proteins were introduced about ten years ago, and in recent years, have been gaining traction as an alternative source of sustainable protein.

Growing Demand for Plant-Based Foods

In the past 15 years, records show that Americans have increased plant-based intakes by 300%, while the global retail sales of such plant-based food is projected to reach a market worth of about $162 billion by the year 2030. Currently and globally, the plant-based food market makes up for about 7.7% of the worldwide market for plant proteins.

The reason why many customers are following the plant-based food trend is mainly out of concern for the environment which advocates for the elimination of animal meat consumption. Health consciousness is also becoming prevalent in the US, prompting companies to increase hiring of workers and improving adaptatiion of technologies to provide customer demands.

However, manufacturing companies are not making drastic changes in adapting to the growing demand. It’s expected that a lof of solutions will be introduced to tackle the demand, especially for dairy and plant-based proteins.

A study performed by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) for The Hartman Group revealed that 29% of consumers are now consciously monitoring their meat intake. Nine percent (9%)of those who responded to the survey said that they do not eat meat at all.

What is Cultivated or Cultured Meat Made Of?

Cultured or cultivated meat are still real animal meat but produced by directly cultivating animal cells, including seafood and animal organs, The production process of this meat alternative eliminates the need invest in resources and overhead costs raise farm animals.

Cultivated or cultured meat is created with the same cell types, which are arranged in the same way animal tissues are structured. That way, the meat produced mirrors the nutritional and sensory attributes of traditional meat.

Meat cultivations starts with the process of collecting and accumulating stem cells from certain types of animals. The stem cells are then nurtured and grown in bioreactors or cultivatiors in high volumes and densities.

Nurturing means providing the cultured stem cells with oxygen and medium full of basic nutrients such as glucose, amino acids, inorganic salts, vitamins, proteins and other growth factors. The cultivation process is similar to how animal growth works inside an animal’s body.

Food

by Marcia Smith

November 16, 2021

Pomegranate : This Ancient Fruit Has Been Discovered as More Potent than Other Fruit Juices

Currently, pomegranate juice is being researched for its various health benefits of helping boost immune support, preventing cancer and promoting fertility. After all, the use of pomegranate as a medicinal food dates back to thousands of years ago.

The sanguine-colored fruit recently drew attention of nutrition scientists after some researchers discovered the fruit juice can actually aid in stopping prostate cancer cells from growing. However, even though there have been other studies conducted to prove its efficiency in fighting prostate cancer, the results are still regarded as exploratory.

Anyway, there have been long-term medical studies conducted that show the fruit contains high levels of dietary compounds that increase its efficacy in improving the health of humans.

What Makes the Pomegranate Fruit Highly Potent ?

While numerous researches have proven the health benefits of drinking pomegranate juice, the following properties can have significant positive effects on human health:

The fruit juice contains more than a hundred phytochemicals, which are plant-based compounds widely believed as efficient in protecting cells against cancer. The pomegranate fruit is known for its edible juicy pearls, which studies show are high in antibacterial and antiviral properties. This denotes that it can act as a better detoxifying agent than green tea.

The seeds of the fruit get its vibrant red color from powerful antioxidant chemicals called polyphenols. Pomegranates have higher levels of polyphenols if compared to other fruit juices, green tea or red wine. Supplying one’s body with antioxidants is valuable as it can aid in protecting cells against irreparable damages, reducing inflammation and in eliminating cancer-causing free radicals.

Juicing one pomegranate contains more than 40% vitamin C required by your body. to maximize the nutrient one gets from the fruit, choose fresh or homemade pomegranate juice since pasteurization process can reduced the vitamin C of processed pomegranate fruit juice.

Food

by Marcia Smith

August 13, 2021

An Interesting Read on How Traditional Italian Pizzas Came About

Most of us think pizza is an Italian invention, but according to Oxford Professor Diego Zancani, both the concept and term related to this food are very old. His recent studies show that pizza has correlations to the Mediterranean “pita” and to the “pissa” of Ancient Greece. However, although the concept of pizza has been around for thousands of years, pizza introduced a variation on how it was cooked and prepared, either baked or fried while topping the dough with an assortment of ingredients. .

Pizza as a food with value in Naples, Italy was documented by a rental contract executed in 997 CE involving a house in Gaeta, Naples. The renters swore in writing to pay the landlord with pizza and pork meat as mode of payment. Professor Zancani explained that the aforementioned “pizza” might only be pieces of bread. According to the professor, the appearance of the food in 1570, was in the recipe of the Pope’s head chef, which indicated that during the period, pizza was basically a cake made of sugar and almonds.

When Did the Real Pizza Come Around?

Hundred of years after pizza was used as a way to pay rent, pizzas made in Naples during the early 18th century had transformed into bread that was baked, slathered with pork fat and topped with cheese. The addition of tomatoes as important ingredient came around only during the 1760s and from that time on, pizza became a staple food in Naples. .

The most famous breakthrough event that increased the popularity of Naples pizzas was in 1889 when Queen Margarita tagged along in the king’s visit to Naples so she could try the popular dish. According to Professor Zancani, the best pizza-maker or pizzaiolo in Naples presented the queen with three variants: the first was white with caciocavallo cheese; the second was pork fat, basil and tomatoes and the third was mozzarella, olive oil and anchovies.

It was widely believed that Queen Margarita chose the second variant, the one with tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella mainly because the color combination reminded her of Italy’s flag. The variant later became known as Margherita’s pizza and popular as it drew many visiting tourists to Naples just to get a taste of authentic Naples pizza.

President and founder of the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, Antonio Pace, takes pride is saying that pizza is one of Naples’ icons as it was created there and is a staple food of families in Naples. Signore Pace says their association was in fact created in 1984 to keep the tradition of Neapolitan pizza intact. He added that Neapolitan pizza was not invented or owned by any one person as the creativity of the people in Naples is a great part of traditional Neapolitan pizzas.

Food

by Marcia Smith

March 9, 2021

Why Eating Carbs-Rich Food in Moderation is Still the Best

Eating carbohydrates has been a source of confusion to many as there have been recommendations to consume carbs-rich foods, while others say low carb is better. Yet these are suggestions either for people with a high demand for energy in relation to their physical activities, or for those looking to cut down on calories in order to lose weight. A research study says that as far as proper nutrition goes, eating carbohydrates in moderation is still the best when looking to improve one’s life longevity.

A 2018 research report published in the The Lancet Public Health journal, gives information about the findings of a study involving more than 15,000 Americans whose carbo-eating habits were tracked for 25 years. The findings on those who maintained either low carb or high carb diets revealed higher risks of dying early during the study period, when compared to those who simply kept to eating carbohydrates in moderation.

To better explain their findings, the report cited as an example those who consumed carb-rich foods in moderation starting at age 50, when the average life expectancy is at 83 years old. This group showed they lived longer by four years, when compared to those who maintained a low-carb diet as their average life expectancy was up to age 79 only. Still, the life longevity among the low-carb eaters who participated in the study depended on the type of protein they consumed.

Type of Protein Source Can Also Impact Life Expectancy of Low-Carb Dieters

Based on their findings, the low-carb dieters who consumed animal-based proteins and fats, were linked to increased risks of early death. On the other hand, those who had low-carb diets but at the same time ate plant-based protein and fats, had links to those who had reduced risks of early deaths.

The lead author of the study, Dr. Sara Seidelmann, a cardiovascular research fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said that their data suggest that if one is to follow a low-carb diet, eating plant-based proteins and fats as carb replacements could actually boost life longevity.

Methodology Used by Researchers on Study About Carbs and Longevity

The more than 15,000 American adults whose diets were monitored for 25 years were between ages 45 and 64, and living in a selected community in four states, namely Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi and North Carolina. The study started sometime in the late 80s, in which after six years, the participants completed surveys that asked about the kind of food they ate and how often they had them. During the period of study, 6,283 of those who participated in the initial phases of the study had died.

This was how the researchers found links to carbohydrate intakes and life longevity, as those with high or low carb consumption had greater risks of dying early as opposed to those who ate carbs-rich foods in moderation.

Using data pulled from seven similar studies, the researchers performed a separate analysis related to the consumption of carbs-rich food of more than 432,000 individuals located in 20 countries. The results of the analysis confirmed the researchers’ findings that 20% of deaths that occurred earlier than the average life expectancy, were linked to high or low carb intakes.

Food

by Marcia Smith

December 7, 2020

Curious about Disgusting Foods? Sweden Has a Museum Full of Them

In Malmö, Sweden, there’s a quaint food exhibit called the “Disgusting Food Museum” featuring delicacies that are revolting especially for the faint of heart. You would probably think so to, as the disgusting food collection includes beverages as vile as a wine made from feces, gin brewed from ants, and an Icelandic craft beer brewed from whale testicles.

Actually, the museum is known for its unusual displays of various international cuisine. The strangest and the most repugnant food coming from different parts of the world have been in exhibit since last September.

How Disgusting Can the Food and Drinks Be?

According to Andreas Ahrens, director of the Disgusting Food Museum, they made sure that all alcohol drinks on exhibit are acceptable in other parts of the world regardless of how repulsive the ingredients or revolting the process used in making the beverage.

Mr. Ahrens cited a drink called Ttongsul as an example, which is a medicinal rice wine in South Korea that is brewed using fermented human excrement. While the production process is disgusting in other countries, the brewing process is widely acceptable in South Korea.

One of the main beverages that draws much attention is a Scottish beer that is touted as the strongest beer in the world as it contains high alcohol content of 55% per measure of volume. Yet the disgusting aspect of the Scottish beverage is not the staggering level of alcohol content but the manner by which the beer is served. The drink is poured and served inside a taxidermied squirrel.

Mr Ahrens takes pride in saying that their showcase of culinary concoctions includes homemade brews dating as far back as thousands of years ago; many of which were experimented by local brewers.

As an example, Mr. Ahrens pointed to the aforementioned whale testicle beer that is seasonally made available by a local brewery in Iceland that goes by the name of Brewery Steðji. In making the alcoholic beverage, the brewery first cures whale testicles using an old Icelandic tradition of adding a slight amount of salt and smoking the testicles for a long period.

The ant-brewed alcoholic beverage called Anty Gin contains about 62 redwood ants. It is said to be the first-of-its-kind-brewed-insect gin in the world, which gives the beverage a sharp hints of citrusy flavor.

The museum’s website invites adventurous people to visit the exhibit and try the concoction as a way of challenging their concept of disgusting while simultaneously exploring the world of food.

Food

by Marcia Smith